Today, Russians do not have to worry about a visa when entering more than 120 countries around the world. Some places don’t require a visa at all; for other countries you can get one via the Internet or at the border. But if the visa-free regime with Thailand or the simplified procedure for obtaining a visa in the UAE for all tourists is no longer a secret, then what do you know about St. Kitts or Vanuatu? It turns out that not every Russian who has an A in geography remembers us They are also allowed in without visas. True, this vacation often turns out to be not only exotic, but also expensive. We learned more about some of these expensive visa-free countries.
Antigua and Barbuda
Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com
How long you can stay in the country: 30 days
Flight for 1 person: from 58,907 rubles
Hotel for 1 person for 1 night (4 stars): from 22,296 rubles
A small state in the Caribbean Sea, consists of three islands – Antigua, Barbuda and one Redonda. The water temperature does not drop below +24 °C all year round, and the air is almost always heated to at least +28 °C. But the best weather for swimming and sunbathing, without winds and rains, occurs here from November to March.
Antigua is considered the center of tourist attraction – it has all the necessary infrastructure, good hotels, nightclubs, entertainment complexes, a yacht club, a golf course and a casino. There are as many as 365 beaches in Antigua, even though you can swim on a new one all year long.
Barbuda is a completely coral island where wild nature has been preserved in its original form. It is not very developed, so if you are looking for privacy and tranquility, look for accommodation options here. Well, Redonda is a very tiny, completely uninhabited island with an area of only about one square kilometer.
The islands are very beautiful: beaches with white sand, many cozy bays protected by coral reefs (diving and snorkeling lovers have something to see) and even mountains with forests.
Vanuatu
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How long you can stay in the country: 30 days
Flight for 1 person: from 165,257 rubles
Hotel for 1 person for 1 night (4 stars): from 6,855 rubles
A small Pacific country in Melanesia, not far from Australia – hence the enormous cost of the flight. Vanuatu, or officially the Republic of Vanuatu, is located on 83 islands.
In 2006, British organizations New Economics Foundation and Friends of the Earth declared Vanuatu the happiest country in the world. Three factors were used in the assessment: life expectancy, life satisfaction and ecology. Residents of Vanuatu are completely satisfied with their lot, live about 70 years and do not harm the environment. For comparison, Russia then found itself in 172nd place out of 178.
There are very few tourists in Vanuatu – the expensive flight takes its toll. If not for this, the country would probably be a center of “vegetable” holidays: there is a warm sea here all year round (not lower than +25 °C),
exotic vegetation, soft white sand and friendly locals. In addition, there are no mosquitoes or dangerous diseases in Vanuatu. True, there aren’t very many attractions either, but people don’t come here to see the museums. If you get bored of sunbathing, take a mask and fins and go to the sea. Already five meters from the shore there is such a variety of corals and marine life that it makes your head spin.
Vanuatu also has infrastructure for tourists: on the island of Efate, where the capital of the state, the city of Port Vila, is located, there are more than 50 hotels, including luxurious and modern ones.
Western Samoa
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How long you can stay in the country: 60 days, visa is issued at the border
Flight for 1 person: from 139,320 rubles
Hotel for 1 person for 1 night (4 stars): from 4,544 rubles
The small island nation located in the Pacific Ocean consists of two relatively large islands, Upolu and Savaii, and eight small ones concentrated in the western part of the archipelago. Western Samoa should not be confused with American (Eastern) Samoa – these are two completely different states. Western Samoa has so far been little affected by civilization. For example, local power belongs to the matai chiefs, and almost all land is distributed among villages and families.
But they love tourists here, although there are not too many of them in Western Samoa. Those who do make it to the islands will find first-class beaches, high mountains, as well as colorful local festivals and quaint villages. It’s not for nothing that Robert Louis Stevenson lived here – he spent his last years near the village of Vailima and was buried on Mount Vaea. Today the writer’s villa has been turned into a museum open to everyone.
The weather in Samoa is good almost all year round: the air temperature is not lower than +25°C, and the water is always warm (not lower than +24°C). The best time to come here is during the dry season from May to October. From November to April, powerful tropical storms occur on the islands.
Saint Lucia
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How long you can stay in the country: 6 weeks
Flight for 1 person: from 44,208 rubles
Hotel for 1 person for 1 night (4 stars): from 10,802 rubles
This small state is located on the island of the same name between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Tourism with an elite touch is well developed here: Saint Lucia has many high-class hotels and spa resorts.
Tourists to Saint Lucia are attracted by tropical forests, healing mineral springs, pristine beaches and a unique underwater world. In addition, Saint Lucia hosts a famous jazz festival every year in early May.
For peace and solitude, you need to go to the east coast of the island, where small hotels and bungalows are located, and there are very few people on the wild beaches. Please note that winds constantly blow from the Atlantic, so you won’t be able to swim here calmly, but surfers and yachtsmen will be happy. The west coast, washed by the Caribbean Sea, is more reminiscent of the Mediterranean: there are many first-class hotels with spa centers, expensive restaurants and well-equipped beaches.
The climate of Saint Lucia is comfortable: throughout the year there is +26 °C in the air and +22…+25 °C in the water. Conventionally, the rainy season lasts from May to August, but it usually rains at night, and in the morning the weather is sunny again.
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com
How long you can stay in the country: 90 days
Flight for 1 person: from 59,910 rubles
Hotel for 1 person for 1 night (4 stars): from 15,261 rubles
This smallest state in the Western Hemisphere – only 50 thousand people live in St. Kitts and Nevis with an area of 261 km² – opened a visa-free regime with Russia quite recently. So that’s one more reason to visit these islands in the Caribbean.
Other reasons are the excellent climate, pristine beaches and beautiful coral reefs. The temperature throughout the year stays around +26 °C; there is no rainy season here – precipitation is evenly distributed over the months. Both islands are surrounded by coral reefs, and between them stretches a strip of shallow lagoons. Like Saint Lucia, the islands are washed on one side by the restless Atlantic Ocean, and on the other by the calm Caribbean Sea.
Sights include Boimstone Hill National Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the West Indian Fort of Gibraltar, which was built by the British on top of a volcano in the late 17th century.
By the way, citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis can be obtained by investing an amount of $250,000 or more in the economy of the islands, and it is absolutely not necessary to come to the country, the transaction is arranged via the Internet. If you decide, you will become a compatriot of Pavel Durov – he received citizenship in 2014.
Sao Tome and Principe
Photo: Filip Fuxa/Shutterstock.com
How long you can stay in the country: 30 days, visa is issued at the border
Flight for 1 person: from 194,589 rubles
Hotel for 1 person for 1 night (4 stars): from 6,545 rubles
This African island country is located 360 kilometers west of the African coast, in the heart of the Atlantic. Here is a real kingdom of pristine nature: a few tourists go to the islands to swim and sunbathe on the pristine beaches and admire the jungle. There are no other entertainments on the islands – and they are not needed.
The best pastime is snorkeling, climbing ancient dormant volcanoes and leisurely observing the life of birds that are not found anywhere else in the world. From July to September you can watch the seasonal migrations of humpback whales. In addition, fishing for blue marlin, tuna and even shark is organized for tourists. For a change, you can go on an excursion to the capital of Sao Tome, where mansions from the times of Portuguese rule have been preserved. But mostly people go to Sao Tome and Principe for a feeling of peace and freedom from the hustle and bustle. It seems that there is nothing in the world except the endless ocean, and time flows slowly and leisurely. The only thing that reminds us of civilization is Wi-Fi in hotel lobbies (fortunately, it is here).
The best time to travel to Sao Tome and Principe is from June to September, when there is almost no rain on the island and the air temperature ranges from +23 to +26 °C. From October to April the rainy season sets in on the islands.
Turks and Caicos
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How long you can stay in the country: 90 days
Flight for 1 person: from 43,515 rubles
Hotel for 1 person for 1 night: from 12,671 rubles
The British Overseas Territory of Turks and Caicos consists of 40 large and small islands. They are located in the Atlantic Ocean southeast of the Bahamas and 144 kilometers north of Haiti.
Relaxation here can be described in two words – beaches and ocean. Most of all, those who love water sports will like it here. Divers and snorkelers will be delighted: the coastal waters are home to the largest coral reef in the Caribbean. In summer, off the coast of the islands, you can see flocks of stingrays, and from December to April, you can see the migration of humpback whales.
Resort life is concentrated on the island of Providenciales, where many modern hotels, spa centers and restaurants have been built. If you want a more secluded and wild holiday, choose the neighboring islands – there are also conditions for tourists there, but not so luxurious.
The best time to come to the country on vacation is from mid-December to mid-July. The air temperature throughout the year ranges from +27 to +32 °C. The water never gets colder than +23 °C.
* Prices for flights and accommodation are indicated at the time of writing. The cost indicated in the material and the final price may differ.
Preview photo: TravnikovStudio/Shutterstock.com
