As summer quickly approaches and the value of the U.S. dollar continues to slip, many wonder if there are any affordable places left to vacation internationally.

With the increasing value of the Euro and British pound, Europe has quickly become one of the most expensive places to visit, but there are many other locations worth checking out that will not break your pocketbook.

Emily Exsted, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, said her study abroad experience in England was expensive because of poor exchange rates.

“Everything I spent in England was double the cost in U.S. dollars,” she said.

In the future, Exsted said she would travel to places with more favorable exchange rates.

“I studied abroad for a year in England, and while it was a good experience, next time I travel I think I may travel to Australia because it’s similar to England but has a better exchange rate,” she said.

Steve Austin, manager of Sail Aweigh Travel, 2526 Lincoln Way, said travel is still a booming business despite the weakness of the dollar.

“This year, the dollar isn’t very good,” Austin said. “But it hasn’t stopped many people from traveling to Europe.”

Austin said Mexico continues to be a popular location for international travel in the winter, but for summer, cruises have been on the rise.

“We’ve seen quite a pickup of Mediterranean cruises, and river cruises have also picked up,” Austin said. “One of the reasons is that they are prepaid in U.S. dollars and a lot of your meals are included on those, so out-of-pocket expenses when you arrive are not as much.”

For travelers who want to save money by traveling to places with favorable exchange rates, locations outside of Europe have much to offer.

Places to go based on good exchange rates

Australia

Exchange rate: 1 USD/1.06 Australian Dollars

Travel time: 25 hours each way

Places to visit:

Australia’s most popular tourist location is the Great Barrier Reef. Spanning over 1,400 miles and more than 600 islands, it is perfect for scuba divers and nature lovers.

Australia’s largest city offers great places to visit, such as Sydney Harbor, Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Sydney is also home to several beaches, the two most notable ones being Bondi and Chinaman.

Another notable place to visit is Red Centre. Ayers Rock, or Uluru, as it is called, is a large sandstone rock formation that includes cave paintings, springs and water holes.

Brazil

Exchange rate: 1 USD/1.695 Brazil Real

Travel time: 21 hours each way

Places to visit:

Amazonia National Park covers 40 percent of Brazil and draws tourists who come to hike, take boat tours down the Amazon and take in Brazil’s beauty. In 2006, the park got a boost when Brazil’s president increased the size of the park by 2.47 million acres, bringing its total size to 15.8 million acres.

For night life, culture and excitement, Rio de Janeiro is the place to go.

Brazil’s best universities, museums and art galleries are located in Rio, as well as the most exciting night life.

If you are looking for food, Sao Paulo is home to over 62 different types of cuisine and more than 12,000 restaurants.

South Africa

Exchange rate: 1 USD/7.57 South African Rand

Travel time: 27 hours each way

Places to visit:

Game-viewing safaris are one of the most popular experiences in South Africa. Kruger National Park, the largest national park in South Africa, is the most popular due to its size.

Gansbaai, South Africa, is known for its shark dives and is only a two-hour drive from Cape Town. Participants can either watch great whites feed from a boat or take turns feeding them while in a steel cage three feet below the surface.

Robben Island, a place originally used to house exiles and prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, is a small island about seven miles from Cape Town. It is now the site of a museum which gives guided tours to visitors.