Travelling is considered to be enjoyable, educational, developing and venturesome. It might be indeed, but only if you’re genuinely interested in exploring. Since tourism is such an important part of the economy right now, there are lots of false in this business. People regularly get tricked and caught into so-called tourist traps. They spend money to do something, only because it’s considered a must. How to avoid it and travel responsibly, for your own and the locals’ benefit? Here’s a list of 8 tips that can enhance your travels, make them more interesting and less limited.

Talk to locals

There’s not a better way to explore little gems of a place than talking with the locals. Chat with taxi drivers, receptionists, clerks, random strollers. Ask them what their favorite places are, what are the prettiest spots in their hometown, where can you find the best coffee and most delicious traditional dishes. Most of them will not only answer you but also be very happy that you’ve asked. It’s nice to have a chance to present your place, feel like an insider and share some tips. Don’t be afraid of the language barrier. You can always just grab a map, make a sad face and point your belly – everyone will understand you need a dinner.

Step outside of the center

People tend to stick to the center when they’re visiting a city. It’s true that’s where most of the tourist attractions are usually located, but if you want to see something more, you should wander around different neighborhoods. You can always come across something fascinating – an old-style tavern, a church that has some beautiful decorations or an extraordinary atmosphere, a little street with lovely cottages and gorgeous gardens. Take a look at the houses in which people live, shops in which they buy groceries, parks where they spend afternoons – that’s a way to see an ordinary life.

Have a coffee while looking around

Having a coffee is always an excellent idea for several reasons. First of all, it’s yummy. Secondly, cafés are ideal for people watching. Go to the places where locals gather in the mornings to read newspapers. Use the opportunity and ask them some questions or simply let them approach you. If you don’t like coffee, get a cup of tea or sit on a bench in a park. By just observing people you’ll find out a lot about their culture, lifestyle, and expressiveness. All of that for a price of a cappuccino.

Get involved

If you’re staying in one place for a week, two or more, you can use the time to get involved in some local initiatives. Get a few language lessons or a dance class, attend a handicraft workshop, learn how to cook something traditional or go for a book club meeting. Instead of just participating in a music festival, contact the organizations earlier and volunteer during the event – you’ll meet some people, learn new things and get free admission to the concerts. There are many things you can do to become a part of the community at least for a little while. The benefits will be plentiful: you’ll get to know the locals, find out more about the place you’re visiting and possibly develop your skills or interests.

Visit street markets and strip malls

Street markets are fascinating, loud and colorful. They’re delightfully usual and unusual at the same time. That’s where you can buy authentic local products and watch people during their daily activities. You’ll see families going for shopping, grandmothers buying ingredients for dinners they’re planning to prepare, vendors advertising their products as if they were selling the most precious jewels. You’ll see people running or slowly watching the displays and analyzing the look of each single apple. Observing people on street markets is great, but even more so is the chance to buy some yummy foods or unique souvenirs.

Get lost

Don’t stare at the map all of the time. Allow yourself to get a bit lost; it’s not always bad. Just wander through the labyrinth of a city, turn into some charming narrow streets. Go to the forest and get off the main pathways. Get on a bus and get off when you see something interesting behind the window. Not all the beautiful places are marked on the map. Perhaps there’s a pretty lake right outside of the city you’re visiting, where locals go for a swim in the summer, but nobody would ever think of including it on the map as a tourist attraction. You might go to the tourist center and learn about the city’s most known buildings, but they won’t mention some little old churches hidden in residential areas.

Slow down

Moving too fast is one of the main reasons why people get caught in tourist traps. They simply don’t have time to go further and only limit their trips to visiting the most prominent, advertised sights. It’s not always possible to travel slowly, but do your best and consider it when you plan your trips. If you only have a weekend off, perhaps it’s better to visit one city than two. It’s more exciting, educational and fun to see one museum and observe each display than to run through three different sites without focusing on anything. If you slow down, you’ll be able to do all the things listed above: talk with locals, stroll around, visit unpopular spots. Besides, your trip will most likely be much more enjoyable. It’s supposed to be pleasant, relaxing or adventurous, rather than stressful, tiring or frustrating.

Pay honest attention to the favorite sites

Not all the famous attractions are tourist traps. Many of them are popular for a reason, be it historical value, artistic innovativeness or social meaning. In addition to the false advertising and overrating, there’s one more reason something can be called a tourist trap the visitor’s attitude matters as well. Go to see the famous places, but don’t just take a brief look and a photo. Listen to the guides, be interested in the stories, observe and pay attention to the details. Even if you’ll wait in long queues or be surrounded by crowds of tourists, it’s still going to be a valuable experience.

Top 5 scams

I am certain, we as travelers have had unpalatable encounters with additional expenses, road scams, random charges at lodgings and restaurants and that you will concur when I let you know when traveling; nothing abandons you feeling sharp than realizing that you were ripped off! Perused on to find how to how to avoid scams that abandon you steamed!

1. Currency Conversion Scams

Currency conversion is primary when traveling abroad when offered an opportunity to pay in your home or neighborhood currency, dependably pay in nearby currency. This will help how to avoid scams from needing to hack upconversion charges from the nearby currency to home currency and after that once again to neighborhood again bringing about huge expenses! Recollect that, it is your entitlement to pick which currency you decide to pay in, and you are within your rights to reject if any seller tries to uphold which is otherwise called Dynamic Currency Conversion. There have been occasions where the merchant pursues the traveler down, in any case, don’t move and stay firm.

2. Continuous Flier Miles Redemptions

This expense is an aggregate shame as you could wind up paying anywhere in the range of $20 to $50 to reclaim your constant flier miles. This completely discredits the component of free travel. Despite the fact that you have stayed devoted to your aerial shuttle, the organization slaps you with an extra charge when you take a stab at reclaiming your continuous flier miles. One approach to how to avoid scams is to pick aerial transports with straightforward terms and conditions. Additionally, consider exchanging your devotion projects to a contender. Doing so won’t just guarantee that you win free travel; it will likewise ensure that you are not paying for the top expenses!

3. The Foreign Exchange Rip-off

Changing currency at the air terminal generally, brings about a reduced conversion scale. If it sounds unreasonable, that is on account of it is. At the point when requesting a lot of money, it is indeed vital to guarantee you get a decent arrangement for you to how to avoid scams. Begin off by having a bit of nearby currency for crises when you land at your objective, and trade outside currency in the wake of heading downtown. The rates are better there. Additionally, religiously abstain from trading money from tours. Deliberately investigate the currency after the trade. You can simply scratch off the exchange and interest your money back. Despite the fact that confounding now and again, withdrawing money from the ATM is sheltered. Requesting currency at the air terminal is requesting a reduced conversion scale and given the current unpredictability in currency, it can have a huge effect.

4. Cheap Tour Scams

These scams are primary in Asia where you get baited into a modest arrangement where the administrator offers a guided city visit at a ludicrous cost! After indeed being pushed into transport, you wind up persevering through a marathon of pit stops at different areas which are traveler destinations! The €operator€ gets a robust commission from these shops! These “visits” are a sheer waste of your time, money and vitality for the vacationer traps are ceaseless! The ideal approach to dodge this is essential to book your visits from made administrators. Verify you look at a couple of online before making a booking for you to how to avoid scams.

5. Hotel Wi-Fi

At the point when traveling abroad, getting a bill for Wi-Fi at an inn appears odd, considering that the Internet nowadays is fundamental! Though numerous lodgings have given in and incorporated the Internet get to in the room rates, some internet networks still charge astounding sums from anyplace between $15 to $30 every day for utilizing Wi-Fi! Some lodging offers free Internet get to out in the open territories. Consider booking a hotel that incorporates free web in the rack rates! What’s more guaranteed that you check with the lodging beforehand.

How are you avoiding tourists traps and scams? Let us know about your tricks! And share this article with your friends, so that they too could keep away from typical, boring, overpriced attractions.

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