South America is feverishly popular right now - and Brazil is the beating heart of the continent. Rio de Janeiro is party central, with beautiful, unspoilt beaches only a short boat trip away. Head to the north of Brazil for remote, stunning coastline and all the jungle you’ve ever wanted.

Fly there for under pound;500, living costs are cheap once there - you should be able to get by on pound;30 a day.

Croatia: 14 cheap summer days

Croatia’s coastline and islands are legendary and the interior is home to huge mountain ranges and the lively capital of Zagreb. Take a couple of weeks and cruise the coast by ferry or chartered yacht. Rooms in private houses are available for under pound;15. The cheapest way in is via budget flight to Ljubljana in Slovenia or to Italy and then across by ferry.

A week’s cycling in BritainA few days on bicycle will kick the dust out of your joints. The coast-to-coast path or the Pennine Cycleway are popular routes well served by Youth Hostels and public transport. You’ll struggle to spend more than pound;100 in a week, so this is a wonderful option for a cheap holiday. Just pedal and watch some of Britain’s finest countryside roll by. Sustrans has plenty of information: www.sustrans.org.uk

Iceland: A luxurious weekend

Not cheap but worth the splurge. Get here by Iceland Express flight (pound;130 return) and camp or youth hostel to keep costs down. Whale-watching; nights when the sun hardly goes down, geothermal springs and ski-dooing even in summer. Only three hours flight away.

Morocco: not so dear

Great as a short break or for a longer exploration, Morocco is an exciting destination that’s good value and close to home. You’ve got the old cities of Marrakesh and Fez, trekking in the Atlas Mountains and exploring the Atlantic coast. Get there by budget flight to Malaga and then a ferry to Tangier, flying direct from the UK is more expensive. Expect to pay pound;10-15 a night for a hotel, or more for a treat in a traditional Riad.

New Zealand: Time to splash out

Bungee jumping was invented here, and Lord of the Rings country is an adventure playground, full of clean, green countryside and towering mountains. Expect to spend around pound;750 for a flight in August - for a little more, you can stop off in Asia, Sydney and Los Angeles. Hostels for less than pound;10 a night.

Riga: A cheap weekend away

Latvia’s capital is one of the best city break destinations in Europe.

Ryanair and Easyjet both fly here for peanuts, so splash out on lovely boutique hotels for around pound;50 a night. The city centre can be seen in a day or two, leaving time to explore the Baltic coast and hilltowns nearby.

10 HOT DESTINATIONS for teachers in 2005

France

Spain

Italy

Australia

United States

Thailand

Mexico

India

Brazil

Turkey Source: ABTA