Beating the tourist trap is my main goal every time I travel, whether domestic or international. There are a few instances the tourist attractions are really worth visiting. Kelingking Beach in Bali and Nusa Penida’s Broken Beach are those that come to mind—it’s touristy, but the views are too spectacular not see.
Sometimes, it’s worth the distance and the time spent just to witness these breathtaking spots. Other times, for me, the other attractions are just a waste of money and time. True they could look great on Instagram, but it feels incredibly superficial to me.
So, how does one travel off the beaten track without succumbing to failed exploits or misadventures? It’s a harsh world out there, especially with social media making our world smaller. There seems to be less and less secrecy with places yet to be discovered.
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” says the famous Helen Keller. I agree. It can get intimidating to get out of your comfort zone and befriend locals. Language is the most significant barrier I see, even on domestic trips. I’ve learned that with a humble heart that you could try to speak it with a little background research. If not, ask them basic translations, and they’ll gladly teach you!
The quintessential tip that I never forget to apply even to my own travels is to travel like a local. The best way to go local is to befriend locals themselves and get to know their country and culture through them.
It’s the best way for me to get around. Not only do they know where the best local hangs are, they usually know where the cheap yet quality ones are. From watering holes to pop-up restaurants to getting market-value souvenirs, getting tips from locals just beats any blog post or TripAdvisor review.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by.” This famous quote by Robert Frost I still find true up to today. There’s indeed more risk in going to the less frequented places, but most of the time, the rewards beat the risks by a mile or more.
I found out that when you sincerely befriend locals, these friendships turn out to be real lasting relationships; that prove valuable for succeeding visits or for being your saving grace for misadventures.
Often times when I ask for tips on how to get to certain places, they’d even accompany you to visiting off-the-beaten-track places because they too can’t get enough of it.
For surfers, local knowledge is key. And like any other surf destination, locals know their own backyard. It’s always best to ask for guides and directions before jumping in any unfamiliar territory. I find it more comfortable having a local guide out when I’m surfing a new spot for the first time.
Traveling brings out things we didn’t know about ourselves, the place we’re in and the people we’re with. Often times, you discover friendships that last through misadventures and places you could only dream about or see in books.
“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” says author Bill Bryson to which I agree. I’d love to keep up the child-like perspective of always experiencing things for the first time. It’s refreshing and a great reminder to grateful with whatever’s in front of us.
Check out more action tidbits at my Instagram at @ferinasantos!
