The Top Things You Can Do to Have a More Authentic – and Memorable – Holiday
When we travel, we have the opportunity to immerse ourselves in another culture, location, cuisine, and even mindset. Travelling opens our eyes to what’s out there, and it’s certainly an educational and highly-informative, not to mention exhilarating and exciting, experience. But if you’re tired of the usual travel experiences where you only get to visit the top tourist spots and eat at the most popular (and highly-frequented) touristy restaurants and you are looking for something more authentic and interesting, you’ve come to the right place. Here are the top things you can do to have a more authentic – and memorable – holiday.
Talk to the people
Taking a tour with a group has always been a popular option, but if you’re just one of many groups visiting a famous attraction, there’s not much from your trip which can distinguish it from the rest. What you want is something more interesting – and if you want to get to know a place, take the time to get to know its people as well. Talk to them and see what they have to say about the area. Ask them about their favourite spots, favourite restaurants, and so on. Even if you consider yourself an introvert, if you spend time in an area where there are lots of locals socialising, you can end up engaged in animated conversation with one or two people, and this can open doors for a more exciting and adventurous holiday.
Eat real food
One great thing about travelling is that it lets you try out different food – food that you may not otherwise get to try. But in many cases, the food we try when we travel to another destination is often modified to suit other palates, and we’re not really getting that authentic food experience we crave. Of course, you can try eating at certain well-known dining establishments that offer authentic dish like chinese food.
If you really want a totally unique dining experience, try out the street food. The street food is often the best, most authentic food you can get, wherever you are – whether you’re in Cape Town, Sydney, Bangkok, the Caribbean or other places. If there’s no ‘street food’ per se, you can try out small, rather hidden eateries that offer local cuisine like caribbean food– you may be surprised at what you can find if you take the effort to look for it. Local stores like a Thai or african store can also offer local food items that you would never find anywhere else.
Remember the customs
Every place has different customs, and it pays to remember the customs of the place you are visiting. Do some research on the local customs so you don’t end up looking like a bumbling tourist who has no idea what to do. For instance, in a place like India, it’s considered rude to point using your left hand. In other places, pointing with the mouth is considered a normal thing. So, take the time to read up on a place’s customs, and it will help the locals be friendlier towards you and be more comfortable with you.
There are many different things to do on holiday, and you can either choose to immerse yourself completely or be like one of the many. If you want something more interesting, adventurous, and ultimately memorable, keep these top tips in mind and your holiday will be something you won’t easily forget.
Image attributed to Pixabay.com