Ecuador

Ecuador appears on many bucket lists in the guise of the Galápagos Islands, but there's much more to see that's much more affordable. The capital of Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has retained much of its Baroque architecture and cultural charm.

Tourists flock to a monument marking the equator (although the latitude is apparently a bit off). A complete lunch runs less than $3 and budget hotel rooms cost $25 a night.