Zicasso's Top 5 Luxury Value Destinations for 2027

This list draws on over 100,000 trip requests analyzed for Zicasso's 2027 Travel Trends Report. A destination qualified only if it passed two tests: travelers plan it below the USD 500 median per person per day, excluding international flights, and its requests are growing into 2027. Five destinations passed both.

The order is ours. We ranked the five on three questions: how many different kinds of trips the budget supports, what that budget includes on the ground, and how easily the trip shifts for couples, families, solo travelers, and multi-generational groups. Morocco, which sits right at the median, is next in line.

Vietnam leads our list because a planned USD 408 a day carries more kinds of trips than anywhere else: limestone bays in the north, an imperial capital in the center, tailors and lanterns in Hoi An, and river life in the Mekong Delta, with a private guide in each region. Weather is the planning puzzle. The north, center, and south run on different seasons, so no single month suits the whole country.

Why It Made Our List

• Travelers plan Vietnam at USD 408 per person per day, the second-lowest budget among all destinations in the report.
• Requests for Vietnam are growing into 2027.
• Vietnam trips run long, so the daily budget stretches across more of the country.

What Your Budget Covers

In Vietnam, the planned budget pays for the trip's structure as much as its rooms. A private guide and driver in each region is the standard way to travel here, so every day starts with someone who knows which noodle stall opens first and which temple is quiet after lunch. The budget covers an overnight cabin on a small boat in Lan Ha Bay and heritage hotels in Hanoi and Hoi An. Most of all, it covers length. Two weeks lets you see three regions at a walking pace, and the extra nights are where Vietnam starts to feel personal.

Our Pick: One Night on Lan Ha Bay

Ha Long Bay is the name most travelers know. Lan Ha Bay, just to its south, is the one our specialists recommend. The karst towers rise from the same green water, but fewer and smaller boats anchor there, and evenings are quiet enough to hear the water against the hull. Book a cabin on a small cruise, kayak between the islands at first light, and swim off the boat before breakfast. Keep it to one night. The scenery is the reason to go, and a second day on the water starts to repeat the first. Spend that night in Hoi An instead.

Where to Go

A 14-night route, north to south:

• Hanoi (3 nights): Start here. Walk the Old Quarter with a food guide, visit the Temple of Literature, and spend an evening by Hoan Kiem Lake.
• Ninh Binh (1 night): Rice paddies and limestone cliffs by bicycle or rowboat. Choose it if you want bay scenery on land as well as water.
• Lan Ha Bay (1 night aboard): The overnight cruise described above.
• Hue (2 nights): The Imperial City and the royal tombs along the Perfume River. Choose it if history is a priority; skip it for an extra beach night if not.
• Hoi An (3 to 4 nights): Slow down here. The old town is a UNESCO site (Hoi An Ancient Town) and the days fill easily with a tailor fitting, a cooking class, a bicycle ride through the vegetable villages, and an afternoon on An Bang beach.
• Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta (2 to 3 nights): The city's pace, then river markets and orchards by small boat.

Make It Yours

• Couples: Trade Hue for a second beach night near Hoi An, and book the best cabin on the bay.
• Families: The cooking class, the bicycle day in Ninh Binh, and the boat all work for most ages.
• Solo travelers: Hanoi's food guides and Hoi An's walkable streets make Vietnam easy to travel alone.
• Add a country: Angkor in Cambodia fits two or three nights at the end. Browse our Vietnam and Cambodia tours.

Where to Spend More

Put extra budget into the cruise cabin (a suite with a private balcony), a beach resort outside Hoi An, and a private boat in the Mekong at sunrise. Plan around Tet, the Lunar New Year, in late January or February, when much of the country travels home and many businesses close. See our luxury Vietnam tours.

Who Should Choose Something Else

• If you have a week or less, Thailand gives more to a short trip.
• If you want one beach base and few transfers, choose Thailand's islands.

Decide which region you most want to see in its best month, then build the rest of Vietnam around it.

Thailand has the lowest planned daily budget in the report, USD 400 per person, and that budget is spent on what Thailand does best: service, rooms, and food. A river-view suite in Bangkok, a private villa on the islands, and a cooking lesson from the person who grew the ingredients all fit inside it. Thailand's best months, from about November to February, are also its busiest, so the earlier you plan, the more of that value you keep.

Why It Made Our List

• Travelers plan Thailand at USD 400 per person per day, the lowest budget in the report.
• Requests rose 92%, and Thailand's share of Asia requests rebounded from 19.0% to 29.3%.
• More travelers now make Thailand the whole trip. The share of requests pairing it with another country fell from 47% to 36%.

What Your Budget Covers

Thailand's hospitality is the core of its value. At this budget, the hotel is part of the experience: staff who remember how you take your coffee, a pool villa that opens onto the sea, a riverside room where the long-tail boats pass below the balcony at breakfast. The budget also covers a private guide for Bangkok's temples, so you see Wat Pho before the crowds, and a driver in the north who knows the back roads to the hill villages. Food is the other inclusion. Some of the country's best meals cost little, which leaves room for one long, memorable tasting dinner.

Our Pick: Phang Nga Bay Before the Day Boats

Phang Nga Bay holds dozens of limestone islands rising straight out of green water, with sea caves that open into hidden lagoons. Most visitors see it from a crowded tour boat at midday. We'd go at dawn, on a private long-tail boat from Koh Yao Noi or Krabi, and paddle a canoe into the lagoons while the water is still and the cliffs are lit from the side. By the time the day boats arrive, you're back on the island for breakfast.

Where to Go

A 10- to 12-night route:

• Bangkok (3 nights): The Grand Palace and Wat Pho early, Chinatown's street food at night, and the Chao Phraya River by private boat.
• Chiang Mai (3 nights): Old-city temples, a morning at an ethical elephant sanctuary, and a cooking class on a farm. Choose it for culture and for families.
• Chiang Rai (optional, 1 to 2 nights): The White Temple and the Golden Triangle, for travelers adding depth in the north.
• One island base (4 nights): Krabi or Koh Yao Noi for Phang Nga Bay and the scenery; Koh Samui for full-service resorts on the Gulf side. Pick one; a second island costs a travel day.

Make It Yours

• Honeymooners: Thailand is one of the most requested honeymoon destinations for 2027. End the trip at an island pool villa so the last days are the slowest. See our Thailand honeymoon packages.
• Families: Start in Chiang Mai, then choose a resort with a kids' program.
• Solo travelers: Bangkok and Chiang Mai are easy and welcoming with a private guide.
• A slower pace: Drop Chiang Rai and add island nights.

Where to Spend More

A higher budget goes furthest on the pool villa, a private yacht day in the Andaman Sea, and the best river suite in Bangkok. Christmas, New Year, and Chinese New Year are the weeks to book furthest ahead. Browse our Thailand tours.

Who Should Choose Something Else

• If you have two weeks and want more variety, choose Vietnam.
• If your dates fall in the Andaman coast's rainy season, about May to October, consider Costa Rica or Europe instead.

Choose your island first. It decides your season and the route that leads to it.

Costa Rica earns its place because the planned USD 444 a day goes to lodges where the setting does much of the work: cloud forest outside the window, a naturalist on the morning walk, monkeys in the trees above the pool. It is also the strongest family pick of the five. The hurdle is distance. The best regions sit three or more hours apart by road, so a better trip uses fewer bases and stays longer in each.

Why It Made Our List

• Travelers plan Costa Rica at USD 444 per person per day.
• Requests rose 131% for 2027, accounting for three-quarters of Latin America's growth, and Costa Rica entered the Top 10 at #10.
• Family and multi-generational requests rose 128%, and January to March departures rose 143%.

What Your Budget Covers

In Costa Rica, value comes from what the lodge folds into the stay. At many of the country's best eco-lodges, guided walks, night tours, and meals are part of the room. The wildlife is often within sight of your terrace, so the days need fewer separate excursions. The budget also covers a private driver between regions, which turns long transfers into a series of stops for coffee farms and river overlooks, or a small charter flight that saves a full travel day.

Our Pick: The Osa Peninsula, by River

One of our team members spent three days at a lodge on the Osa Peninsula with his wife and daughter, and the trip convinced them. The last stretch is by boat along the Sierpe River, through mangroves where spider monkeys moved through the trees overhead. Over the following days, he saw scarlet macaws and a tapir in the wild, two animals he had hoped to see for years. The lodge itself gave up nothing in comfort. Osa sits next to Corcovado National Park, one of the most biodiverse corners of Central America, and it is the stay most first-time travelers don't know to ask for. It is the region we would build a Costa Rica trip around.

Where to Go

A 9- to 12-night route:

• Arenal (3 nights): The volcano, hot springs, and hanging bridges through the forest canopy. It is the easiest first stop for families.
• Monteverde (2 nights): The cloud forest and its night walks. Choose it over a second beach if wildlife comes first.
• Osa Peninsula (3 nights): Corcovado, the Sierpe River, and the most remote lodges in the country.
• Manuel Antonio or Guanacaste (3 nights): Manuel Antonio for a national park and a beach on the same day. Guanacaste for dry-season sun and resort service on the Papagayo Peninsula.
• Tortuguero (alternate, 2 nights): Canals and green sea turtle nesting on the Caribbean coast, in season.

Make It Yours

• Families: Use two or three bases, with ziplines and hot springs at Arenal. See our Costa Rica family vacations.
• Multi-generational groups: Choose lodges with ground-floor rooms and guided walks at an easy grade.
• Couples: Pair Osa with a suite in Guanacaste.
• Active travelers: Add a day of white-water rafting on the Pacuare River.

Where to Spend More

A private naturalist for the whole trip, charter flights instead of long drives, and the top lodge on the Osa Peninsula change the trip most. Christmas, New Year, and Easter week fill up earliest. The green season, from about May to November, brings afternoon rain, fuller rivers, and quieter trails. It suits travelers who would rather share the forest with fewer people. Browse our Costa Rica tours.

Who Should Choose Something Else

• If you want culture and cities alongside nature, Vietnam gives you both.
• If you have a week and want one base, a single Guanacaste resort or a week in Portugal will suit you better.

Pick your two regions first, then the season that suits both.

Portugal makes our list because a planned USD 461 a day leaves room in a European trip for what usually gets cut: a night at a wine estate in the Douro Valley, a second region, a lunch that runs into the afternoon. The limit is the well-worn path. The stretch from Lisbon to Porto fills quickly in summer, and the trip gets better the further you step beyond it.

Why It Made Our List

• Travelers plan Portugal at USD 461 per person per day, below the median.
• Portugal ranks among the 10 most-requested destinations for 2027.
• Wine is one of the experiences travelers request most, and Portugal's wine regions are within easy reach of both Lisbon and Porto.

What Your Budget Covers

In Portugal, the budget goes into where you sleep and how you move between regions. It covers a night at a quinta, a working wine estate with guest rooms above the terraced vineyards, often with a tasting led by the family that makes the wine. It covers a converted palace or monastery in the Alentejo, a design hotel in Lisbon's old quarters, and a private driver on the wine roads, so everyone can enjoy the tasting.

Our Pick: The Alentejo, Starting in Évora

Most first trips to Portugal head south to the Algarve's beaches. We'd trade three of those nights for the Alentejo, the country's quiet interior of cork oaks, whitewashed hill towns, and long lunches. Start in Évora, a UNESCO-listed town (Historic Centre of Évora) built around a Roman temple. When members of our Content Team explored it with their family and a local guide, the temple itself turned out to be only part of the draw. What held their attention was the town's long history of magic and folklore, which the guide traced through the streets. It led them to a witch-themed restaurant near the temple plateau that none of them would have found alone. That kind of thread is what a good guide adds to a place.

Where to Go

A 9- to 11-night route:

• Lisbon (3 nights): Alfama's lanes, Belém's monastery, and a day in the palaces of Sintra.
• The Alentejo (2 nights): Évora and a stay at a wine estate or converted convent.
• Porto (2 nights): The Ribeira waterfront, the port lodges across the river, and the tiled churches.
• Douro Valley (2 nights): Terraced vineyards, a river boat, and a quinta stay. Go in September for the harvest. See our Portugal wine tours.
• Add a region: Madeira for walks along the levadas, the island's old irrigation channels. The Azores for whale watching and crater lakes. The Algarve for beaches at the end.

Make It Yours

• Couples: A Douro quinta and the Alentejo, with no more than three bases.
• Families: Lisbon, Évora with a storytelling guide, and a beach finish in the Algarve.
• Active travelers: Add Madeira's levada walks.
• Wine travelers: Add a second Douro night and a tasting in the Alentejo.

Where to Spend More

The top quintas in the Douro, a private boat on the river, and a chef's table in Lisbon are where more budget shows. July and August are the busiest months on the coast; spring and early fall suit this route best.

Who Should Choose Something Else

• If food and big cities are the heart of the trip, Spain has more of both. Our Spain and Portugal tours combine the two.
• If you want wildlife or warm water in winter, choose Costa Rica or Thailand.

Decide whether your second region is wine country, the islands, or the coast, and the rest of Portugal follows.

Spain rounds out our list because a planned USD 454 a day goes a long way in a country where many of the best meals happen at a counter: pintxos in San Sebastián, a tapas route through Seville's barrios, a market lunch in Madrid. In 2027, Spain also sits on the path of the August 2 total solar eclipse. That week will be the busiest of the year in Andalusia, so eclipse travelers should plan first.

Why It Made Our List

• Travelers plan Spain at USD 454 per person per day, below the median.
• Spain is the fourth most-requested destination for 2027.
• The path of totality on August 2, 2027, crosses Andalusia, including Cádiz and Málaga, with about four to five minutes of totality in the late morning.

What Your Budget Covers

Spain's value is in its food and its stays. The budget covers a night at a parador, one of the state-run hotels set in castles, convents, and palaces, and a private guide in San Sebastián who knows which counter makes which dish best. It covers flamenco in a small venue, where you sit close enough to hear the footwork, and timed entry to the Alhambra with a guide who brings the palaces to life. It also covers the time a Spanish meal deserves, with lunches that stretch to late afternoon and dinners that start at nine.

Our Pick: The Basque Country

If we had one region to recommend, it would be the Basque Country. San Sebastián's old town packs more celebrated food into a few streets than almost anywhere in Europe  and the best way to eat there is to move from bar to bar, one pintxo and one glass at each. Add a meal at a cider house in season, Bilbao's Guggenheim, and the fishing towns along the coast. The north is also cooler in summer than Andalusia, which makes it a strong choice for July and August.

Where to Go

A 10- to 12-night route:

• Madrid (2 nights): The Prado, a market lunch, and a late dinner.
• Andalusia (5 nights): Seville for the Alcázar and an evening of flamenco. Córdoba for the Mezquita and its flower-filled patios in May. Granada for the Alhambra. Book timed entry well ahead. In 2027, add Cádiz or the Málaga coast for the eclipse.
• San Sebastián and Bilbao (3 nights): The Basque Country, as above.
• Barcelona (2 nights, optional): Gaudí and the Gothic Quarter. Include it on a first trip; skip it for a second region on a return visit.

Make It Yours

• Eclipse travelers: base in Andalusia, choose your viewing site with your specialist, and plan earlier than the other destinations on this list. Our guide to where to see an eclipse between 2025 and 2030 covers the path.
• Couples: Seville and San Sebastián.
• Families: Madrid, Seville, and a beach finish.
• Food-focused travelers: See our Spain food and wine tours.

Where to Spend More

A tasting-menu dinner in San Sebastián, a private Alhambra visit at opening, and eclipse-week rooms in Andalusia are where more budget counts. High summer brings heat to Andalusia and crowds to Barcelona; spring and fall suit both. Browse our luxury Spain tours.

Who Should Choose Something Else

• If you want a quieter, smaller-scale trip, choose Portugal.
• If longer totality matters most, Egypt's eclipse lasts about six minutes.

Decide whether August 2 is part of your trip, because it sets everything else.

Budgets are what Zicasso travelers plan per person per day, excluding international flights, from the 2027 Travel Trends Report.

VIETNAM

Planned budget: USD 408 per person per day

Ideal length: 12 to 14 nights

Best months: February to April for a north-to-south route

Where the budget goes furthest: Guides and length of stay

Our pick: Lan Ha Bay

Best for: Variety

THAILAND

Planned budget: USD 400 per person per day

Ideal length: 10 to 12 nights

Best months: November to February

Where the budget goes furthest: Rooms and service

Our pick: Phang Nga Bay at dawn

Best for: Honeymoons

COSTA RICA

Planned budget: USD 444 per person per day

Ideal length: 9 to 12 nights

Best months: December to April

Where the budget goes furthest: What the lodge includes

Our pick: The Osa Peninsula

Best for: Families

PORTUGAL

Planned budget: USD 461 per person per day

Ideal length: 9 to 11 nights

Best months: April to June, September to October

Where the budget goes furthest: Wine estate stays

Our pick: The Alentejo

Best for: A second region

SPAIN

Planned budget: USD 454 per person per day

Ideal length: 10 to 12 nights

Best months: April to June, September to October

Where the budget goes furthest: Food

Our pick: The Basque Country

Best for: Food and the eclipse

CHOOSING A DESTINATION

What are the best value travel destinations for 2027?

Vietnam, Thailand, Costa Rica, Portugal, and Spain. Zicasso travelers plan all five below the USD 500 median per person per day, and requests for all five are growing into 2027. Each gives a well-planned trip more for its budget, whether that is a private guide, a lodge that includes its own excursions, or extra nights.

Is Vietnam or Thailand better value?

Both are planned at about USD 400 a day, so choose by trip length. With two weeks, Vietnam gives more variety, from Hanoi to Hoi An to the Mekong Delta. With 10 days or fewer, Thailand gives more depth, with fewer transfers and a beach base that rewards slowing down.

Is Spain or Portugal better value for a European trip?

They are planned within a few dollars a day of each other. Spain is the stronger pick when food and cities drive the trip. Portugal is better when you want a smaller scale, wine country stays, and room for a second region, such as Madeira or the Azores. Many travelers combine the two.

Why isn't Morocco on the list?

Morocco sits right at the USD 500 median, just outside our cutoff. It is next in line and, in 2027, it is also on the path of the August 2 total solar eclipse.

BUDGETS

How much does a luxury trip to Thailand cost per day?

Zicasso travelers plan Thailand at a median of about USD 400 per person per day, excluding international flights, the lowest of any destination in the 2027 Travel Trends Report. Your budget depends on the season, the hotels you choose, and how much private touring you add.

What is the typical daily budget for a 2027 trip?

The median planned budget for 2027 trips is USD 500 per person per day, excluding international flights. All five destinations on this list fall below it.

Do these budgets include international flights?

No. The budgets in this article are what travelers plan for their time on the ground, per person per day.

SEASONS

Is Costa Rica's green season worth it?

For many travelers, yes. From about May to November, mornings are often clear, rain usually arrives in the afternoon, and rivers and forests are at their fullest. Trails and lodges are quieter. Families tied to school breaks will find the dry months, December to April, easier to plan.

When is the best time to visit Vietnam?

It depends on the region. The north is best from about October to April, the central coast from about February to August, and the south from about December to April. For a single trip from north to south, February to April is the most reliable window.

TRAVELER TYPES

What is the best value destination for a family trip in 2027?

Costa Rica. Family and multi-generational requests rose 128% for 2027, and the country's lodges, short guided walks, and wildlife suit a wide range of ages. Two or three bases keep travel days short.

Where should we go for a honeymoon in 2027?

Thailand is one of the most requested honeymoon destinations for 2027. Start in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, then end with several nights in an island pool villa so the last days are the slowest.

PLANNING

How many days do you need in Vietnam?

About two weeks covers the north, center, and south without rushing. With 10 days, choose two regions, such as Hanoi and Lan Ha Bay, plus Hoi An.

Can I combine Spain and Portugal in one trip?

Yes. Lisbon to Seville is one of the most natural pairings in Europe, and two weeks gives time for Lisbon, the Alentejo, and Andalusia.

Can I see the 2027 eclipse from Spain?

Yes. On August 2, 2027, the path of totality crosses Andalusia, including Cádiz and Málaga, with about four to five minutes of totality in the late morning. Rooms along the path will fill early, so plan as soon as your dates are set.

Start with the reason for the trip. For the most variety in two weeks, choose Vietnam. For a room and a beach worth slowing down for, especially on a honeymoon, choose Thailand. For a family trip built around wildlife, choose Costa Rica. For Europe with wine country and a second region, choose Portugal. For Europe's food or for the August 2 eclipse, choose Spain. If demand is your guide, our Top Choices for 2027 show where travelers are heading next.

Tell us which of the five fits your reason and your dates. A Zicasso destination specialist will shape it around the way you want to spend each day, from the first morning to the last dinner. Travel worth taking begins with a human touch.