It is a well-known fact that Brits love beer. But with the price of beer rising every year, our national pastime is under threat.
In this article, we investigate the top cheapest places in the world to get cheap beer.
#10: Honduras £0.49
Honduras is a small Latin American country located just south of Guatemala and Mexico. It is a poor country and tourism is still underdeveloped, which is good news because this means things here are cheap and so even the most debt-ridden expat can fund his booze guzzling adventure here.
Spanish is the widespread spoken language here and English is hardly spoken here so a quick primer in Spanish is essential if you want to order any beer.
Honduras has a few local beers, the most notable of which are Salva Vida, Port Royal, Imperial and Barena. Barena is the newest beer on the market at the moment and it has been called the Miller Lite of Central America.
If you do go, be sure to check out the beaches at Tela. The best beach can be found east of the town, in front of Hotel Villas Telamar. Under the shade of coconut trees, you'll find pale powdery sand and deep blue ocean. Usually quiet, the busiest time is during the festival Semana Santa, when holiday makers from all over the country flock there.
Accomodation is generally quite cheap with hostels available for £6 a night and budget hotels going for £7 - £9 a night.
Danger Level: 6/10 – Crime is high in Honduras, although they mainly affect locals and not tourists.
#9: Algeria £0.47
Algeria is an Arabic country in North Africa with the Mediterranean sea to the north and bordered by Morocco. The country has seen a decade long civil war in recent history and now that the violence has subsided is currently in the process of rebuilding itself. Despite wars being generally distasteful to most people, tourism does benefit in the aftermath with plummeting ticket prices meaning beer guzzlers are able to take advantage of the situation.
While prices are low, Algeria is a predominantly Muslim country and this means that alcohol is harder to find here than in other countries. The good news is that it in recent years it has become more popular as the inevitable encroachment of western ideas and liberalism continue to erode their conservative lifestyle.
Like in most places, beer is the most popular alcoholic drink. Wine, being pricier, is normally consumed by the upper-class. A good local beer to try is “Tango”. It has a distinctively sweeter taste as compared to most beers so some people may prefer the Belgian based “Stella Artois”, which is brewed locally.
The predominant language here is North African Arabic, which is markedly different from the standard Arabic spoken in other parts of the world.
Rooms can be found at around £5 - £10 while meals are anything between £1 - £4.
Danger Level: 8/10 – Although the warlords and rebels have ceased their marauding, a high threat of terrorism remains. As recently as August 2008, two bombs were detonated on a bus and outside a military station, killing 11 and wounding 30.
#8: Eritrea £0.46
Eritrea is a small coastal country in East Africa. Once part of Ethiopia, they declared independence in 1993 and made Ethiopia a landlocked country, cutting them off from the sea. Unsurprisingly, Ethiopia have not taken kindly to that gesture and the two countries have had several hostilities since then.
Due to the recent wars in the country, there isn't a great deal of tourist infrastructure but what they lack in tourist services they make up for in price. Things are seriously cheap here with accommodation ranging in price from £3 - £6 and an average meal going for £0.50.
The Eritreans have their own local beer called “Golden Star Beer”. It is commonly rated as one of the best beers in East Africa, with it's own distinctively fresh taste and at £0.46 a pint you can't ask for more.
While you're there, pay a visit to the ruins of Qohaito, which was once known as the bustling town of Koloe, a commercially important place during the good times of the great Aksumite kingdom. Even though only 20% of the ruins have been excavated, you'll still need at least half a day to see the place. There you'll find an unearthed Egyptian tomb of impressive dimensions and even the dusty remains of an early Christian church.
The good news about Eritrean food is that it is generally rather spicy which is a good excuse to have a beer. If you don't fancy that Italian cuisine is widespread owing to it's colonial past.
Danger Level: 8/10 – Relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia are still tense so travel to the border is advised against.
#7: Paraguay £0.43
Paraguay is a landlocked country in South America which shares a border with Brazil. Although rich in natural resources and a leading exporter in soya and beef, it still remains a poor country. Many locals blame the government for being corrupt and inefficient. On the bright side, a poor economy means that even the lowest denomination of your imperialist British coinage will go a long way toward your beer fest.
Beer and various liquors are widely available here and if you get too drunk one of the social customs here is to drink a herbal drink called “mate”. Containing various stimulants including caffeine, it's like coffee but with more vitamins, so apparently it's better for you despite the pungent , grassy taste.
A decent hotel can be found for about £5 - £10 here and meals for around £2. Probably as a result of influence from the US, it is customary to tip 5 – 10% of the total bill. Although Spanish is an official language here, when you get outside of the capital Asunción, most people will speak Guarani so bear that in mind.
Danger Level: 3/10 – With instances of violent crime decreasing recently, Paraguay is generally quite safe for travelers who take sensible precautions.
#6: Ghana £0.40
Ghana, located in West Africa is the perfect place to have a cheap beer given the hot climate.
Generally, people in Ghana are very friendly. They also have a laid back attitude in life which can be frustrating at first especially dealing with the service industry but this will quickly become one of their most endearing aspects.
One local beer to try is “Star Beer”. Reputably one of the best beers in West Africa, it has a smooth taste not unlike Budweiser and at 5.5%, it packs a decent punch.
While you're there, remember to take a break from your beer swilling to make a visit to the Kakum National Park. There under a dense rainforest canopy, you'll find colobus monkeys, endangered forest elephants and over 300 species of birds. Another main thrill is a narrow canopy walkway suspended 30m above the ground, which may prove to be a trouser-wetting experience depending on your point of view.
Ghana is considered one of Africa's more costlier destinations but even so you will find great bargains. A decent hotel can be found for £3 to £10 a night.
Danger Level: 3/10 – Generally quite safe if you take sensible precautions.
#5: Madagascar £0.38
Madagascar is a small island country of the east coast of Africa. Being isolated from the mainland, Madagascar has a diverse population of flora and fauna.
The best local brand of beer is the three horses beer, which is a smooth pilsener and comes highly rated by both locals and tourists alike.
English is spoken in Madagascar, along with Malagasy and French so you won't have a problem conversing and more importantly, ordering beer.
If you like the outdoors, there are a multitude of things to do in Madagascar. One beach to visit is Ifaty where you can relax on white sandy beaches or snorkel among beautiful coral reefs. The good prices don't just apply to beer with a decent hotel room going for around £10 a night and meals for £2.
It is important to bear in mind that in Madagascar there is the concept of “Fady”, which is the respect of certain cultural taboos depending on the area you are in. This can range from bathing in a river to eating pork or turtle.
Danger Level: 2/10 – As long as you take sensible precautions with your general safety, the biggest threats you're likely to face should be crabs and jellyfish on the beach.
#4: Bhutan £0.36
Bhutan is often portrayed as a modern day “Shangrila” by the western press and this may not be far from the truth. The Bhutanese government focuses on a “happiness index” where objectives are on increasing the economy, promoting cultural and environmental preservation and establishing good governance.
In terms of average wage, the people of Bhutan are poor. The land in Bhutan is very fertile so the people are well fed and homelessness is virtually non-existent. Education and medical care is free as well.
There are many things we take for granted in the west which are banned however, like plastic bags (they pollute the environment) and tobacco (they're bad for you). Fortunately, despite the heavy restrictions on modern conveniences, Bhutan brews it's own brand of beer called “Red Panda”.
You can find decent hotel accommodation for around £2 - £3 a night.
Danger Level: 1/10 - Crime is one of the lowest in the world here however, bears are still a threat in mountainous areas.
#3: Vietnam £0.33
Vietnam is a socialist country in south east Asia which most people nowadays recognize from movies such as Apocalypse Now and Platoon. Fortunately for beer seekers, the days of a crazed Marlon Brando leading a band of renegades are over.
The Vietnamese love their beer, but unlike here in Britain, they don't go on binges and instead like a good bottle with their meal. Tiger 333 is a local brand but is considered by some to be somewhat bland, for a stronger taste, try Bia Saigon or Bière Larue.
Be sure to try is Bia Hoi, which is not a brand name, but a type of draft beer which is brewed daily. It might even be called moonshine, except it is extremely light at 3% alcohol and carbonation is minimal. Be warned however, that since Bia Hoi is independently brewed it's not monitored by any health agency.
If you're one of those wierdos who likes ice in his beer then Vietnam is the place for you! Vendors typically do not refrigerate their beer so it is local custom to put ice in your beer.
Food and board are equally cheap here with rooms going for around £10 and an average meal for £1.
Danger Level: 5/10 – Although you're unlikely to be napalmed or sprayed with Agent Orange nowadays, dengue fever which is spread by mosquitoes is endemic in Vietnam. Don't get owned by a mosquito, use some repellant.
#2: North Korea £0.32
Most commonly described as a Stalinist dictatorship, North Korea is not on good terms with many western countries.
A bureaucratic nightmare, it is notoriously hard to travel around in North Korea doing what you want. A state-sanctioned guide will be assigned to you and he and several other of his comrades will monitor your every move.
North Korea has a speciality brew called insam-ju, which is Korean style vodka mixed with ginseng roots. Taedonggang beer is the local brew here and at £0.32 a pint you can't really complain.
You will most likely be traveling as part of a group and you should expect to pay anywhere between £50 - £100 a day for the tour, accommodation and meals.
One thing to bear in mind is that due to constant surveillance you are highly unlikely to be a victim of crime, you will need to be careful about what you say or do especially concerning the regime or the country's leaders. You can get into serious trouble should you show any signs of disrecpect to the government or North Korean people.
Danger Level: 5/10 – You'll be monitored by the government so closely that you'll be unlikely to run into any crime. Just don't piss off the government.
#1: Burma £0.31
Myanmar, also known as Burma before they shrugged off the yoke of imperialism and declared independence is sandwiched somewhere in between China and Thailand.
Burma's infrastructure is in poor shape. Being ruled by a dictatorial military junta doesn't help either. Unsurprisingly, foreigners are heavily restricted in where they can go.
If you do decide to go, it would be best to stay in and patronize places where the money will reach the local people instead of going into the pockets of the government.
Accommodation will be roughly £5 a night. In Rangoon, the Motherland Inn has many clean rooms with air conditioning. The May Kha Lar Guest House in Bagan is even cheaper at £4 a night.
The local beer, Myanmar Beer is the most widely drunk beer in Burma.
Danger Level: 6/10 – There is a general threat of terrorism and the government does not take kindly to criticisms or photos taken of the military.
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