Under $100: Tulum, Mexico

The beach town of Tulum has become a hit with wealthy visitors from the United States, but you can still have fun on a budget.

Start your day with breakfast at Don Cafeto, where a whole spread of eggs, juice, coffee and fruit will set you back just $6. Suitably fortified, hire a bike from iBike for $10 per day, and cycle down to Cenote Cristal (entrance fee $6) for a refreshing dip. Your ticket also gets you in to Cenote Escondido, just across the road, so stop in and swim around in the amazing limestone pools.

Afterwards go back into town for a seafood lunch at El Camello, but be prepared to queue as this place is seriously popular. Order the seafood stew for a taste of the best the local fishermen catch each day ($8 soup and beer).

Make the two-mile trip down to the beach and visit the Mayan ruins that lie along the shore (entrance $5). Relax on the sand at the nearby beach for a while before cycling down the coast road to Eufemia, a famous beach bar where you can sink large beers for $4 each as you watch the sunset over the shoreline.

Head back into town for dinner at La Chiapaneca, a cheap but delicious taco joint that regularly has queues out the door (four tacos and a drink for $4). Continue your night at Batey, where the passion fruit mojitos are the best thing on the extensive drinks list ($5 per cocktail).