Howdy travelers!
Planning to visit another country while avoiding tourist traps? We all want that! Worry no less, I got you covered.
Over the years, like many of you, I found myself victim to a few “tourist traps.” I’ve had the experience of waking up in a typical hotel room with a bland painting somewhere nearby above the bed or on a street lined with souvenir shops selling tacky T-shirts. After that, I questioned myself, “How did I end myself here? I’m a better traveler than this, don’t I?”
Everywhere there are visitors, there are tourist traps, and they can catch us all.
No matter where you go, you will unfortunately always encounter some form of this, but don’t let that stop you from seeing the world around you. You can still have fun on your travels without getting scammed multiple times before lunch if you know what to avoid and how to keep yourself safe.
Who knows, maybe some of these tourist traps will lead to your most memorable travel experiences. There’s always a bright side. Let’s dive in and discover tips on avoiding tourist traps.
Tips For Avoiding Tourist Traps
Tip #1: Do Your Research
Don’t simply show up at one of the most popular attractions on the globe without doing any research on your own. You’ll become a victim of a tourist trap.
Explore local Facebook groups, Google reviews, forums, and travel blogs (written by travelers themselves, not by travel agencies). Look for authors and bloggers who are based in or have lived in the area you wish to visit and keep up with local company owners on social media to see their latest ventures! Look for destinations that locals love but are less well-known.
Tip #2: Stay Away From The Busy Season
For those of us who dislike tourist traps, off-peak is the best time to go. You can always choose to go during off season, even if certain attractions are very seasonal and aren’t even open during the low season.
The busiest times of year are not when tourist traps operate at full capacity. You’ll find better deals on everything, avoid crowds, and get a better view of how life is.
Tip #3: Take Public Transportation
To get a sense of the place and its surroundings, try exploring the public transportation system. You will save a ton of money, be able to live like a local and be able to avoid any dishonest taxi drivers.
If using public transportation isn’t an option or is too challenging, consider using a local taxi app or ride-sharing app to make a cab reservation. Tourists are sometimes taken advantage of by cab drivers, but with these applications, where the fare is prearranged and based on local rates, you won’t be one of them.
Tip #4: Explore Google Maps
Look for eateries and tourist destinations throughout the streets. Google Maps can also be used to locate undiscovered parks, beaches, and photo areas!
Look at some of the reviews and the star rating when you locate a place. Pay attention to reviews that are written in the native tongue. You might discover incredible locations that are off the beaten road with the aid of this small amount of study. Google Maps is an excellent tool for discovering hidden gems around town because these days almost everything can be found on it.
Tip #5: Be Aware Of The Local Currency
As soon as you get there and have some cash on you, get familiar with the different coins and currencies. This is especially important if the currency is significantly different from your own.
You might become a victim of a rip-off or scam as a result of its overwhelming confusion. You might believe you are getting a fantastic deal when you are being taken advantage of, or you might get the wrong change without even realizing it if you are unfamiliar with the local currency and how much goods cost.
Tip #6: Talk To Locals
Start a conversation with locals as soon as you arrive. Ask everyone you meet on the street, your Airbnb host, or someone working at a cafe where it’s ideal to stop by. Many residents take pride in their heritage and are happy to recommend the best spots to visit so you can enjoy your time there to the fullest.
Starting discussions with other travelers is another excellent idea. Find out where they’ve visited, what they enjoyed the best, and which places they would suggest. They might have found treasures on their own or heard insider information from other residents!
Tip #7: Watch Out For The ‘Free’ Trinketing
From Europe to South East Asia, this tourist trap is popular in many different countries. Most likely, someone will come up to you and offer you free precious stones, a bracelet, or perhaps a flower. At all costs, refuse to let them put the thing on you or in your hand. Everything that was previously marketed as “free” will now unexpectedly involve a small fee.
If you don’t pay, the person will typically start a fight and become very demanding or confrontational. At this point, your only choices are to pay them some cash or have them return their gift, which, ironically, may occasionally be an item of jewelry that has been braided and is now impossible to take off!
Tip #8: Go Wander Around
Put on a nice pair of shoes and get ready to explore. This is among the greatest ways of discovering undiscovered treasures in the area. In the other direction from the main center, go through side streets and alleyways, and observe what you come across. What you find is probably not going to be in a trip guidebook, travel blog, or even on Google Maps. Go down any random narrow street you come across. Watch the path it takes.
Discovering quaint cafes, lively eateries, adorable hidden spaces, and possibly even breathtaking vistas is best accomplished with this method.
Tip #9: Watch Out For The “Broken Taxi Meter”
Although it may appear like an honest issue, be cautious when a taxi driver tells you that their meter is broken. They’ll probably offer an upfront fare for the whole trip, and you can put down your bottom dollar that it won’t be at all reasonable.
To prevent paying for someone else’s previous trip along with your own, it’s a good idea to see what the meter is starting at!
Tip #10: Don’t Feel Guilty
A set of clever street beggars would love to have you if you have a heart of gold. When you visit developing countries, you may experience severe cultural shock, particularly when you see how many homeless and beggarly people there are on the streets.
Pregnant women and children will probably be begging for your help so they can have enough money to return home. The sad truth is that many of these helpless people are hired by neighborhood gangs and sent out daily to prey on the guilt of well-meaning tourists.
Conclusion
You’ll be successfully avoiding tourist traps if you remain alert when traveling and consider meticulously before accepting or offering anything to strangers who seem helpful.
Safe travels!
