Everybody loves to travel to the several beautiful countries on Earth. However, visa hassles and the expenses involved prevent them from making their dream journeys. Such people can travel to some countries which offer visas at a low cost.
The passport of each country is given a rank based on which the citizens of that nation can visit other countries with a visa obtained in advance or utilizing the visa-on-arrival facility. Singapore tops the rankings in the world, while India's position on the list is 66. Indian citizens can travel to 25 countries without visa, 41 nations using visa on arrival and 132 places with visa issued before starting the journey.
Travelling to countries offering the visa-on-arrival option for Indians can help reduce travel expenses. The following are some amazing destinations with this facility.
Sri Lanka
A beautiful island nation in India's neighbourhood, Sri Lanka is closely linked to India's legends and mythology. Even though civil war ravaged the country for years, the tourism sector is vibrant in the country. There are several charming little towns on the island like Galle, Kandy, Jaffna and Nuwara Eliya.
Indians have to pay a visa fee of just around Rs 1,500 to visit Sri Lanka, which translates to 60 US dollars. The validity of the visa is 30 days. The ideal time for touring the country is from December to March, when the mountain range in the West and the beaches on the East coast would be at their glorious best. The beaches can also be visited from April to September. In other words, Sri Lanka is a country where a trip can be planned any time of the year. The main attraction of the place is its weather that does not vary across the year.
Thailand
Thailand lures travellers with its string of stunning beach destinations, including Patong, Koh Samui and Krabi. Pattaya, Hua Hin, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai etc. are among the other big attractions in the country.
Thailand charges a visa fee of 2,000 bahts, which converts to Rs 4,500. The visa validity is 15 days. The tourist season is from November to March.
Cambodia
The attractions here include Angkor Wat and several other temples, pagodas as well as beaches. Angkor Wat is the biggest place of worship on Earth and is an architectural marvel. This makes it the first destination of most travellers to Cambodia.
Apart from Angkor Wat, there are several other places of interest in the country like the pagodas and temples in the capital Pnohm Pen, where two rivers converge. Due to this, almost all places of worship are located on the banks of some river.
Cambodia charges 20 US dollars as visa fee for Indian citizens which come to around Rs 1,500. Validity is 30 days. Ideal months to visit are from November to March.
Jordan
Among the most scenic lands in Asia, Jordan flaunts attractions like Petra, which is on the list of UNESCO's world heritage sites, beautiful date palm plantations and fresh water lakes. Wadi Rum, the location of 'The Martian' movie, is another popular tourist spot. The area, which resembles the landscape of the Red planet, presents an amazing sight. Another curious destination is the Dead Sea. The capital, Amman, also has several interesting sights.
The fee for a visa to Jordan is 56.5 US dollars – around 4,200 Indian rupees and the travel document is valid for 30 days. While the period from March to May witness a large number of tourist arrivals, the country attracts very few visitors from September to February.
Kenya
The country became a favourite among travellers from around the world long ago mainly due to its amazing natural beauty and teeming wildlife. The main draw in Kenya is the Maasai Mara National Reserve spread across 1,510 sq km. Rich in diverse wildlife populations, Maasai Mara tests the courage of even very adventurous travellers. The safari through the park offers unique sights of deer, hog, lion and zebra herds that cannot be enjoyed anywhere else. Kenya’s capital Nairobi, other wildlife sanctuaries, the greenery of the land and the forests keep travellers engrossed.
Indians have to pay 51 US dollars – Rs 3,705 – for a Kenyan visa, which is valid for three months. The best period to visit the East African country is from late June to October.
