Costa Rica -    554 Costa Rican colones to the dollar

This Central American favorite spoils visitors with its well-developed system of national parks and some of the region’s best Pacific beaches. For the former, the Rincon de la Vieja National Park is both spectacular and remote- a four-wheel drive vehicle is a necessity- offering a respite from the crowds that can plague the country’s more accessible destinations. Once you’re there, look for horseback tours across volcanic terrain or take a six-mile hike through tropical rain forest to the summit of an inactive volcano.

The park’s location provides relatively easy access to the Pacific beaches, including those along Tamarindo Bay. Playa Tamarindo may be the most bustling — either a plus or minus, depending on your perspective — and offers an endless assortment of outdoor pursuits, from surfing to scuba diving to kayak tours of the local estuary that cost as little as $35.