Ex-change on the cards

Manpriya Singh 

Good weather? Check. Exchange rate? Check. Europe or at least outside of Asia? Check.  Well, there’s not much that the Indians ask for when looking for their annual holiday.   

Always fancied a holiday abroad, but without suffering the loss of exchanging a thick wad of currency notes for a few crisp notes? Here are some destinations to check out. 

Hungary for it?

For starters, 1 rupee will fetch you 4.29HUF (that’s Hungarian Forint). And let’s face it…that feels good, especially to those always multiplying Indian rupee by 17 or 64 or what not! Budapest, the Capital of Central European landlocked country Hungary, beckons. While it can get quite hot during the day in June and there is a fair chance of rainfall, however, its attractions more than make-up for any atmospheric glitches. While Hungary is a landlocked country, Budapest is bisected by River Danube, thereby making its cityscape unique. “If you are the sorts that enjoy visiting castles, seeing bridges, architecture with East European old-world-charm, then Budapest can be one of the best options,” advises Vikrant Dhingra, assistant  manager —Leisure Travel (Outbound), Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. 

“Barring the ticket costs, Budapest is not a very expensive travel destination, especially considering the conversion rate. Even restaurants are not an issue because there are plenty of options serving Indian food.” He adds, “However, language can be the only barrier because only half the population speaks English and for first time Indian flyers, we recommend a group travel option.” 

Russia rocks 

While it sounds too big to be categorised and too political to be considered visiting, it’s also too beautiful to be ignored! However, what interests most Indians is the ‘value for money’ tag. Big and beautiful Russia, with 1 Ruble that costs the same as 1 Rupee (well, 1.12 Indian rupees to be precise) awaits.  “Be it the Kremlin to The Peterhof Grand Palace, Russian architecture is spectacular and so is its scenic beauty,” Vishal Sharma, manager, Cox and Kings, says on why he advises the country to even those Indians who are travelling abroad for the first time.

“There are not much visa hassles, in the sense one doesn’t have to furnish ITR or travel history. You just have to furnish your scanned passport and fill a visa form, and the rest can be taken care of. A lot of people are showing interest in Russia because it is new and a perfect family vacation spot,” he adds. Wait, did we forget to mention the world famous Russian circus? 

Ice-ice baby!

In this scorching heat, Iceland sounds beautiful, doesn’t it? Then how is this going to sound? 1 Indian rupee equals 1.56 Icelandic Króna!  Surprisingly, for Indian travellers, the Nordic island nation has always taken a backseat compared to other European nations. 

Despite its dramatic landscape comprising volcanoes, geysers, hot springs and lava fields, there is more. “It is beautiful, scenic and spectacular.  There is fire and ice…in the sense that you’ll find volcanoes and geysers. I think the last volcano erupted in Iceland about three to four years ago,” recalls Mitul Dikshit, Chairman, Dikshant International School, who took a 10-day road trip to the country three years ago, starting from the capital Reykjavik. “It’s a trip of a lifetime.” 

He advise to people travelling to Iceland. “Avoid big cities and prefer village stays instead. Since there is daylight practically throughout the day, you know the mornings have started from the sound of birds chirping.” But is it recommended for budget travellers? “Yes. Provided you plan in advance and do the bookings in advance.” All the more, since June, July and August are the official summer months in Iceland!

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Penny wise

Strictly speaking from the point of view of exchange rate, there are half-a-dozen destinations across the world awaiting Indian travellers. To begin with, there’s Vietnam with its amazing golf courses, Chile (1 Chilean Peso equals .96 Indian rupee), Japan; Belarus, yet again in Europe with its absolutely incredible exchange rate - 1 Indian rupee will fetch you roughly 288 Belarusian Rubles! South Korea too is an option.