Every country and city has its own tourist areas, but if you really want to get to know an area’s culture, you’ve got to travel like a local.
Most travel itineraries are made to help you experience the beauty of an area while keeping you within your comfort zone. This is pretty normal, but you can’t truly get to know an area unless you get to know the people, get off the beaten path, or create your own itinerary. This could mean getting lost for a little while and diving into the local community.
Here are some tips to help you travel like a local and get to know the people and culture of an area better.
Stay away from hotels
Many people allow you to live in their homes while you travel, and you can book these homes through various travel sites. This gives you the advantage of being in a neighborhood with local parks, markets, and shops that you might not see or experience from a hotel. Also, living in a home allows you to cook your own meals and invite locals to join you for a meal if you choose.
Language is power
Take the time to learn the language of the country you’re visiting. You will stand out like a sore thumb anyway, but if you want to engage the local community, learning the language can help. When you travel like a local, you’ll get to speak to the local people in their language. Many times, they will be thrilled that you took the time to learn their language and can be patient with you when you stumble over words, even helping you learn new terms and phrases.
Ride around like a local
Some travel agents book bus tours and train rides for tourists, but if that’s not how the locals travel, you won’t get the full experience. Instead, travel like a local. You can use the subway in some cities, enjoy a local bus in others, and even hail a cab with a local driver. If you feel truly adventurous, hire a local to drive you around on their motorbike for an hour and see just how scary and exciting this can be.
Check out the comments
When researching your next travel destination, one of the best ways to travel like a local is to read the comments sections of the videos that you use as part of your research. Take these comments with a grain of salt and learn how safe it is to visit some sites, but many comments can be helpful. Some people might suggest you visit during a specific season or when a festival takes place, which gives you an incredible cultural experience.
Volunteer in the local community
In some cases, you can volunteer a few hours a day to pay for the room and board you need during your travels, but another way to get down and dirty with the local community is to volunteer a few hours helping people in need in the area. No matter how you do it, you’ll find that working alongside natives is a great way to get to know them and learn about the area. You might find yourself making lifelong friends through this experience.
Check out the local markets
Sometimes, your travel plans don’t allow you to get too far off the tourist path. When you’re on a cruise, you might only have a couple of days in a foreign port, and that means you only have time to visit the local markets. This is a great way to learn about the people and experience some of the excitement of a different culture without straying too far off course. The local markets offer you an opportunity to speak with the locals if you know the language or try and get over the language barrier, making it more fun to travel like a local.
Use local guides and online groups
The locals in many areas avoid tourist attractions because that’s where all the tourists are. Connect with various online groups and ask questions about things to do in the area when you’ll be there. Also, use the local travel guides to learn about some of their favorite places to eat. This will give you a good selection of local restaurants and places to go that offer a much more authentic travel experience than going to all the touristy sites.
Using these tips, you can travel like a local in many other countries, making it much easier to see and enjoy the culture of an area.
