Bargain travel buys - Pay less despite the slump in dollar

A little research goes a long way if you plan to fit in some shopping while travelling overseas, reports Chris Pritchard.

Cheaper hotels, shorter holidays, fewer restaurant splurges – Australia’s slumped dollar has made overseas travellers tighten their belts.

But there’s good news, too. Shopping in some holiday destinations remains a smile-inducing bargain, if you know where to look.

This is true even with the humbled Aussie dollar – either because other currencies have plunged in value as dramatically, as ours, or prices were so low anyway that even at current exchange rates they’re still cheap.

But, before you travel, remember to check what you’d pay in Australia for something similar.

Philippines
The Makati area’s glitzy malls have some of Manila’s best designer shopping at a fraction of what you’ll pay in Australia. However, much of the action has moved to the Mall of Asia – claimed to be Asia’s biggest – off Manila Bay’s Roxas Boulevard.

Find bargains at Greenhills Shopping Centre. It’s well worth a visit.

Philippine Airlines ( 1300 888 725) connects Australia to the Philippines.

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