Travel StylesGap Years
Make it a year to remember.
Gap Year Travelers
Three to twelve months between the stages of a life: travel, work, study, volunteer, and come home changed.
Where a gap year works
What a month costs on a backpacker budget, how long your savings last, how social and safe each place is, how long you can stay, and where you can work along the way.
| Destination | A backpacker month | $10,000 lasts | Social scene | U.S. advisory | Visa-free stay | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiang Mai Thailand |
$790 | 12.7 months | 4/5 | Level 1 | 60 days Visa exemption |
Nov, Dec, Jan |
| Antigua Guatemala Guatemala |
$1,003 | 10.0 months | 5/5 | Level 3 | 90 days Visa-free (CA-4) |
Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr |
| Seoul South Korea |
$1,581 | 6.3 months | 4/5 | Level 1 | 90 days Visa-free (K-ETA may apply) |
Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov |
| Kathmandu Nepal |
$699 | 14.3 months | 4/5 | Level 2 | 90 days Visa on arrival |
Oct, Nov, Mar, Apr |
| Hanoi Vietnam |
$760 | 13.2 months | 4/5 | Level 1 | 90 days e-Visa |
Oct, Nov, Mar, Apr |
| Pai Thailand |
$760 | 13.2 months | 5/5 | Level 1 | 60 days Visa exemption |
Nov, Dec, Jan |
| Siem Reap Cambodia |
$821 | 12.2 months | 4/5 | Level 2 | 30 days Visa on arrival / e-Visa (T class) |
Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb |
| Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam |
$851 | 11.8 months | 4/5 | Level 1 | 90 days e-Visa |
Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar |
| Bangkok Thailand |
$973 | 10.3 months | 5/5 | Level 1 | 60 days Visa exemption |
Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb |
| Bali Indonesia |
$1,064 | 9.4 months | 5/5 | Level 2 | 30 days Visa on Arrival (B1) / e-VOA |
May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep |
| Cusco Peru |
$1,155 | 8.7 months | 4/5 | Level 2 | 90 days Visa-free |
May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep |
| Medellín Colombia |
$1,155 | 8.7 months | 5/5 | Level 3 | 90 days Visa-free |
Dec, Jan, Feb, Jun, Jul, Aug |
| Oaxaca Mexico |
$1,155 | 8.7 months | 4/5 | Level 2 | 180 days Visa-free (FMM) |
Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar |
| Tbilisi Georgia |
$1,155 | 8.7 months | 4/5 | Level 1 | 365 days Visa-free |
May, Jun, Sep, Oct |
| Buenos Aires Argentina |
$1,216 | 8.2 months | 5/5 | Level 1 | 90 days Visa-free |
Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov |
| Mexico City Mexico |
$1,307 | 7.7 months | 5/5 | Level 2 | 180 days Visa-free (FMM) |
Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar |
| Rio de Janeiro Brazil |
$1,368 | 7.3 months | 5/5 | Level 2 | 90 days e-Visa |
Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov |
| Cape Town South Africa |
$1,429 | 7.0 months | 4/5 | Level 2 | 90 days Visa-free |
Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr |
| Playa del Carmen Mexico |
$1,520 | 6.6 months | 4/5 | Level 2 | 180 days Visa-free (FMM) |
Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr |
| Budapest Hungary |
$1,642 | 6.1 months | 5/5 | Level 1 | 90 days Visa-free (Schengen short stay) |
Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct |
| Prague Czechia |
$1,733 | 5.8 months | 4/5 | Level 1 | 90 days Visa-free (Schengen short stay) |
Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct |
| Kyoto Japan |
$2,037 | 4.9 months | 2/5 | Level 1 | 90 days Visa-free (temporary visitor) |
Apr, May, Oct, Nov |
| Lisbon Portugal |
$2,098 | 4.8 months | 5/5 | Level 1 | 90 days Visa-free (Schengen short stay) |
Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct |
| Tokyo Japan |
$2,128 | 4.7 months | 3/5 | Level 1 | 90 days Visa-free (temporary visitor) |
Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov |
| Barcelona Spain |
$2,310 | 4.3 months | 5/5 | Level 2 | 90 days Visa-free (Schengen short stay) |
May, Jun, Sep, Oct |
A backpacker month = our backpacker-tier daily estimate (dorm beds, street food, local transport) for 30.4 days, before flights, insurance and big-ticket trips; editorial estimates dated on each destination page (October 2026). Social scene is an editorial score of hostels, meetups and traveller density. Advisory levels are the U.S. State Department’s country-level assessments on the date shown. Visa-free stays are research summaries for the selected passport; Schengen countries share one 90-days-in-180 allowance. Listed: destinations our editors rate 4 or 5 out of 5 for gap years.
Working holidays you qualify for
Visas that let you work while you travel, for your passport and age.
| Programme | Ages | Up to | Funds you must show | Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) ↗ | 18–30 | 12 months | Proof of about AUD 5,000 in funds; education requirements for some countries | AUD 650 | Verified Oct 2026 |
| Ireland Working Holiday Authorisation ↗ | 18–35 | 12 months | Proof of funds (around EUR 1,500 to 4,000 depending on nationality) and a return ticket or funds | Around EUR 60 to 100 plus registration | Verified Oct 2026 |
| New Zealand Working Holiday Visa ↗ | 18–35 | 12 months | NZD 4,200 in funds plus an onward ticket or funds for one | NZD 420 (varies) | Verified Oct 2026 |
| South Korea Working Holiday visa (H-1) ↗ | 18–30 | 12 months | Proof of around USD 3,000 in funds and a return ticket | Varies by consulate (often free) | Verified Oct 2026 |
We track 15 working-holiday programmes. Eligibility is set by bilateral agreements: age limits, quotas and funds can differ by nationality and change each year, so confirm with the official source linked on each programme before you apply. Build a month-by-month gap year →
What we cover
Gap-year planning3, 6, 9 and 12-month itinerariesSavings calculatorsWorking holidaysLanguage immersionVolunteeringSeasonal jobsFirst solo tripCareer considerationsComing home
Build My Gap Year. The gap-year planner turns age, passport, budget and interests into month-by-month blocks of travel, work, study and volunteering, with a savings timeline and the working-holiday programmes you actually qualify for. Open the planner →
Routes
Two Weeks on Iceland's Ring Road
Waterfalls, glacier lagoons and lava fields on a full self-drive loop.
Three Weeks in Morocco
Medinas, the High Atlas and a night in the Sahara, Marrakech to Tangier.
Three Weeks in Sri Lanka
Rock fortresses, the hill-country train, leopards and a colonial fort town.
Three Weeks in Nepal: Annapurna Base Camp
Kathmandu's temples, a teahouse trek into the Annapurna Sanctuary and Chitwan's rhinos.
Three Weeks in Scotland and Ireland
Highlands, islands and the Atlantic coast by train, coach and ferry.
Three Weeks Island-Hopping in Greece
Athens, four Cycladic islands and Crete, linked entirely by ferry.
