Recently, the thinking around travel has shifted. Nowadays, travellers aren’t only more concerned about the environment, they are also after more genuine experiences.
Whether these experiences are food related, cultural or simply a tour of the city, is completely up to the traveller. Some people travel to experience luxury, while others may travel to gain knowledge or discover something about themselves.
Whatever your reason for travel, here are 5 experiences we highly recommend for both new and seasoned travellers:
GET CLUED UP ON THE CULTURE
Don’t just stick to museums and art galleries, the best way to learn about a culture is to experience it. There are multiple tours and centers around the world that cater to tourists who aren’t only interested in the beauty of a country, but also its rich history and people.
We strongly advise taking the time to learn about the culture you’re surrounded by while travelling. Not only will it help you understand the people and their practices, but you’ll also have your very own first-hand experience – a story of your own you can carry with you and share.
GET A LOCAL’S LAY OF THE LAND
It’s always helpful to have a local who is willing to assist you when you travel, but to turn your trip into a true adventure, we recommend you ask locals about the best places to go. Whether its a nightclub, a bar, sporting grounds or an old cinema, locals are the best source of information for hotspots and trendy locations.
TASTE YOUR WAY TO A GREAT ADVENTURE
Why order a pizza or a hamburger? You can get these foods almost anywhere. Why not try something unique to the place you’re visiting?
We suggest sussing out street food markets and local restaurants to find interesting. Find flavourful meal options that aren’t part of your usual diet. Perhaps you’ll be daring enough to try crispy tarantulas or chocolate-covered locusts?
TAKE A PATH LESS TRAVELLED
We don’t literally mean walking down an unknown path – that could be dangerous. We mean try something you’ve never done before, something that is unique to the place you’re visiting. For instance, you can’t miss out on visiting a shebeen while in South Africa, nor should you pass up the opportunity to go sandboarding in Namibia.
DO SOMETHING ‘TOURISTY’
Finally, to complete any travel experience you have to do at least one extremely touristy thing. There’s a reason certain places are known for their tourist attractions – it’s because they really are worth seeing.
The Great Pyramids of Giza, the Cango Caves, the Taj Mahal, the Colosseum, Rio’s Christ the Redeemer, Cape Town’s Table Mountain and the Great Wall of China are all tourist attractions, but it’s well worth the wait to see them. Plus, who wants to travel and not be able to say they saw a famous landmark or tourist attraction?
There are a great many other travel experiences available for travellers, however, the type of experience you’re after is entirely up to you and the places you choose to visit.