“Traveling like a local” has become quite the trending catchphrase in the travel industry in the past few years. Rightfully so, because nobody likes to feel like an out-of-place tourist. Traveling like a local has its perks, like trying authentic local cuisine, making local friends, learning a new language, seeing offbeat places, and experiencing the culture. It also helps you save more! But how do you actually travel like a local? In this article, we will share various tips on how you can stop feeling like a tourist and travel like a local.
Stay in homestays & hostels
Don’t fall for the shiny hotel rooms with a beach view and breakfast buffet. If you want a luxurious stay, then sure, go ahead and book that 5-star hotel. But if you want to travel like a local, you can stay in homestays (places owned by locals), hostels, Airbnb, and even rooms rented out by locals.
In homestays, you get in touch with local culture and interact with it first-hand; moreover, you can receive valuable tips from the homestay owner on what you should do on your trip. As for hostels, you can meet a bunch of other fellow travelers here, and you also get to talk to locals at hostel events. The best way to travel like a local is to stay with local families or volunteer at hostels/homestays. You not only get a local experience but also save money on your stay.
Eat like a local
When you look at travel videos or blogs, you can find similar restaurants being mentioned repeatedly. These are the places that will have a long line of tourists, and their food will be overpriced. Rather than visiting the restaurants hyped by tourists, ask your local host for recommendations. Or you can ask a local you have met about what their favorite place to go to for a certain cuisine is, and they can suggest some good local places. If you are too shy to ask around, just refer to tags on social media and go where your stomach leads you. Try out locally owned restaurants, rather than popular fast-food chains, if you really want to eat where the locals eat.
Use local transport
What do we actually mean by “local transport”? It’s the way the locals commute. Every city has its own unique set of public transport; it may be subways, buses, bicycles, or even trams. You can pick a mode of transport that will get you to the places you want to visit without making a hole in your pocket. Here are some of the options you can try.
– Use subways, trains, or buses just like the locals.
– Rent and ride bikes/scooters to explore more.
– Walk around and soak in the culture.
– Rent a car using Uber so you can travel to distant places at reasonable prices.
Don’t fall for tourist traps
Have you ever visited a place that was hyped up on Instagram, and when you visited it, you felt underwhelmed? That has happened to many of us, yet we keep falling for it. Rather than visiting the “must-see” places and just clicking a picture there, you can visit underrated places. How do you find it? Ask local friends, ask your host, Reddit it, and explore on your own. Go where the locals are, and you will not only spend like them but also enjoy like them. Visit places you usually visit in your city: art galleries, flea markets, hiking trails, thrift shops, and other local options. If you do want to visit the major attractions, you can do so. Just don’t plan your entire trip around them; leave some room for flexibility.
Support local businesses
Travelers often have to bear the brunt of resentfulness from locals. This comes as a result of locals not feeling appreciated or their culture being disrespected. As a single traveler, you can’t fix it all, but you can support locally owned businesses and connect with them. For example, when you are in Goa, you can visit The Good Karma Thrift Shop in Vagator, Anjuna, Goa, and support their cause. You can find pretty clothing pieces and more at affordable prices, make friends, and spend some quality time browsing the store. The key is to shop with your conscience and not your wallet. Gestures like this reinstate the tourist–local relationship, rejuvenating trust and comradeship.
Travel Don’ts
If you want to travel like a local, then here are a few things you should avoid doing:
– Just take a picture at the tourist attraction and leave.
– Expect everyone to speak English.
– Be rude to the locals.
– Avoid trying local food.
– Expect princess treatment just because you are a tourist.
– Undermine the local culture.
– Litter tourist places and the city.
Wrapping it up
“Travelling like a local” is an inherently contradictory phrase. You can’t be a local and travel around the city; a local rarely visits the attractions in their city. But this phrase truly means traveling mindfully. You travel like you care about the place like your own. Think about how your travel can impact the place and the people who live there. While doing so, if you save some money, that’s just a bonus. Happy traveling and happy savings!
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