7 Best Cities to Go to on Your 21 Birthday

The big day is here! You are finally turning 21, which is a year when all good things happen (I digress). Most people might decide to binge it out on alcohol and other intoxicants for their 21^st birthdays. However, if you’ve saved up on some cash or you are getting a gift voucher, you might want something more worthwhile, like traveling. 

There are plenty of countries in the world, and plenty more cities. With a limited student budget, you might not be able to travel everywhere. If you’ve saved something over the holidays, you might only be able to visit select areas in a specific country. These may mostly be in the vicinity of the city where you are staying. Therefore, it is important to choose a place that you’ll never forget for that special birthday. 

How Do I Choose Which City to Go To?

The key things to consider when choosing a travel destination are time, budgets, and interests. Budgets are always tied to everything else.  Budget dictates how long you can stay in a city, what places you can visit, and what extra activities you can do. If you are traveling on a budget, it is important to find one place that captures all your interests. 

Let’s talk about interests. You might be looking for some motivation for your final year project, and you might have one chance to travel that year. Or you might be interested in gastronomic culture and fashion and want some new motivation and impetus for doing what you do. Interests are wide and varied. Choose someplace that has a little bit of everything in your wanderlust dreams. 

Without further ado, here is our pick of 10 cities that every student should visit. These are cheap, fun, and have a cosmopolitan life. 

Hanoi, Vietnam 

Hanoi is a true traveler’s paradise. The people are friendly, the food is fresh, and there are plenty of cheap hotels that won’t leave a dent in your pocket. The prices of street food that can fill you up typically costs less than $5, and hotels or Airbnb’s that are well-furnished won’t cost you more than $40-50 per night. 

Hanoi is full of bustle, yet as you walk the streets and inner parlors, you’ll soon find yourself part of its life. It is also every budget shopper’s dream, and you can chance on some pretty neat items at impossible discounts (if you can learn how to bargain).

Budapest, Hungary 

Budapest is a city that you have to explore. It is as beautiful as Vienna but much cheaper and ideal for a budget traveler. This is a city that you don’t want to walk around in a cab, as you’d miss out on the eyegasm. Even public transportation is cheap, and you can easily reach other areas within the eurozone from Budapest. 

If you need more time to explore this city without letting assignments knock your mindset, go for professional essay help. 

Tokyo, Japan 

Tokyo is a true futuristic city and is one of the most well-connected cities in the world thanks to its network of high-speed rail, trans, and bus routes. Japanese culture is a trinket that the world serves us, and Tokyo is that offer of Japan to the world. A mix of beautiful traditional and futuristic unlike seen anywhere else in the world. 

Tokyo is also a learning hub, and you’ll meet students from all around the world. Tokyo has a false reputation of being among the most expensive cities in the world. However, you can get by in Tokyo on a small budget. 

Dubai, UAE

Dubai is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world and also one of the most accommodating. It is a melting pot in terms of having no single dominant culture (unlike other parts of the UAE) and having English as a commonly spoken language. Dubai is easy to get around and has very efficient processes that are friendly to new travelers, especially tourists. Just keep the local culture in mind as you travel. 

Sydney, Australia 

Sydney is one of the most beautiful and cosmopolitan cities in the world. There is no shortage of visually stunning architecture in Sidney and a futuristic mind to city planning. The culture and food are very friendly and accommodating, and you’ll meet other students from all around the world. Sidney is also a beach city, therefore expect loads of fun. 

Shanghai, China 

Shanghai is the pride of China, a visually stunning city that will be etched in your memory for life. Shanghai is a mixture of traditional Chinese and western contemporary architecture and culture. You’ll find a mix of young people from all around the world and probably won’t have a problem getting around with a bit of English. 

Kigali, Rwanda

No other African city appears on this list, probably because of certain planning inefficiencies in these cities or because of prohibitive costs for the best ones. Kigali is that great compromise, a city that has carved out a name for itself because of how clean and efficient it is. A peaceful and affordable city with beautiful people everywhere. This is one city that you don’t want to miss out on your bucket list. 

Conclusion | Travel Where You Can 

Traveling is about opening the mind first and foremost to things that are around you. Even if traveling to these cities is impossible as a student, you should always visit wherever your time and budget allow.