• Home
    • About
      • About Brianna
      • Contact Me
      • Work With Me
    • Destinations
    • Travel
      • Budget Travel
      • Short Term Travel
      • Travel Gear & Tech
    • Stories From Abroad
      • Travel Fails
      • Stories
    • Travel Resources
  • Archives

    • November 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
  • Home
  • About
    • About Brianna
    • Contact Me
    • Work With Me
  • Destinations
  • Travel
    • Budget Travel
    • Short Term Travel
    • Travel Gear & Tech
  • Stories From Abroad
    • Travel Fails
    • Stories
  • Travel Resources

How To Be A Less Sucky Tourist

January 24, 2016
In recent years the term “tourist” has been shrouded in a cloud of negativity.  Nobody these days wants to be a “tourist“, opting instead for the more esteemed title of “traveler“.

 

Unfortunately there are those people who do commit travel faux pas when abroad, earning them that tourist badge. In an attempt to diminish the negative views of tourists, here is my helpful guide to being a less sucky tourist!

 

 1) Its okay to leave the Beach

34938_10150239107130607_1766083_n.jpg

I’m all for luxurious all-inclusive beach vacations. Bring on that sand and sun! But you can’t really say you’ve been somewhere if you’ve only seen the beach and the bottoms of several Coronas. Leave the resort property! See the town you’re in. Eat at a local restaurant. If you’re too nervous about the surrounding area, check out some day excursions offered by local tour companies!

 

2) Raising your voice won’t make people understand English any better

Okay, I really don’t understand this one. Why is it that when people don’t speak English, we think it will help if we just speak louder? It’s not going to help. And you’re going to look like a jerknugget. Instead, learn some key phrases used for the country you’re visiting. You may feel awkward and like you’re not going to say it right, but that’s exactly what non-English speakers feel when they try to communicate with you! You can always bust out those high-school drama lessons and act out what you need. Just don’t yell in English. It’s not going to get you anywhere.

 

3) Read up on the local culture and RESPECT IT

One of my biggest pieces of travel advice that I’ve already written several times over: “Just because it’s different, doesn’t make it bad or wrong.” Seriously though. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop wearing your bikinis around town in conservative countries. Leave your booty-shorts and mini skirts at home. Please don’t jump on stage and start shakin’ your thang during a performance of traditional music. [Story about that one coming later…]

 

4) Take the time to understand where you are

800px-Cheung_Ek_-_Killing_Fields_Site_-_Cambodia_-_03.JPG

Photo by Adam63

Learn about where you are visiting. Get an idea of the history. Understand what happened there. Don’t frolic through memorial gardens. Don’t make a silly pose next to the veteran statue. It’s disrespectful and just not cool. You know who isn’t going to ‘like’ your selfie at Auschwitz? The estimated 1.5 million people who died there. #perspective

 

5) If you want to take a photo or consult your map, just move to the side

What is with this! Quit stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to take pictures. Especially if you’re in a crowded city! There are other people around that are trying to walk and nobody is expecting you to just stop. Simply step to the side to allow others to go around you while you do what you gotta do. Shifting yourself by a foot or so is not going to ruin your perfect photo op.

 

6) Skip the Big Mac

800px-Kosher_McDonalds.JPG

Photo by Ingsoc

Why would you pay to travel to another country, only to eat the same things you can get at home? I understand the comfort factor. I get it. But odds are you’re going to have a much better tasting meal at a local restaurant. If you’re worried about foods in another place, do some research before leaving. See what foods other people have recommended. Look at pictures and the ingredients of local foods to see what looks/sounds good. Write down the names of the foods in the local language so you can find them while you’re there. Ask people at your hotel or the driver of your taxi for recommendations! You can do it. I promise.

 

7) Stop expecting everything to be the same as home

Food will be different. Hotels will be different. Transportation will be different. People will be different. Please do not complain when things are different than you’re used to. If you don’t want to embrace what is different about the world, just stay home.

 

8) Your guidebook is not the Bible

book

Photo by Gideon

I love guidebooks. I read them all the time! They’re great for getting an overall picture of your trip. But it’s also okay to venture outside of the guidebook. Don’t get stuck only in recommendations. Tuck that guidebook away and just take a walk to see what you can find on your own! You may find something that those guidebook writers don’t even know about!

 

***

 

What are your tips on being a less-sucky tourist?

 

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
0 Shares
touristtravel
Share

Travel Resources

You might also like

Don’t Want to Quit Your Job to Travel? Then Don’t! Here Are The Benefits of Short Term Travel
October 12, 2018
Why Travel?
August 18, 2017
What It’s Really Like To Have Zika Virus
October 21, 2016

36 Comments


michaelamanningtravel
January 25, 2016 at 3:34 pm
Reply

Awesome post! More people need to read this! Too many sucky tourists about, it’s all about being a great tourist to get the most out of your time abroad.
Love the term ‘jerknugget’ too! Haha!

Also… as much as I agree with ALL of these, there’s one which I tend to do – I admit it! I eat at McDonalds on holiday… but only because I like to try the ‘non-UK’ menu items… in Lisbon I had a McFrango (!) and in Egypt they serve a McArabia, in Italy they had an awesome Pistachio flavoured McFlurry, but don’t judge me… I do make an effort to try all the local, more traditional dishes too 😉



    Brianna
    January 25, 2016 at 3:47 pm
    Reply

    Okay okay I can understand the trying of new things at McDonalds. When I lived in Australia, I couldn’t get enough of their “Pasta Zoo Meals”, which we definitely do not have here in the US. I was just making a general point. My dad always has to find a Subway when he travels and we always make fun of him 😉

    Brianna
    January 25, 2016 at 3:48 pm
    Reply

    Also, pistachio McFlurry? Yes please.

kage2015
February 1, 2016 at 2:02 am
Reply

I try to always be a nice tourist.



Michelle Gwynn Jones
February 1, 2016 at 6:42 am
Reply

Speaking louder LOL. I was in St. Thomas, having gotten off a cruise ship. Yes English is the language , but in a store was the cutest little girl and a friend said something to her (don’t remember what). The little girl didn’t respond so she repeated herself. Then her mother said to my friend she doesn’t speak English, they were French. Just because you are in a foreign country where the people speak the same language doesn’t mean who you are speaking to isn’t a tourist.



    Brianna
    February 1, 2016 at 6:22 pm
    Reply

    Haha. What a great perspective!

Euge Nia
February 1, 2016 at 9:30 am
Reply

Very interesting post and your guide is really helpful!l There are really so many sucky tourist around, uffa



    Brianna
    February 1, 2016 at 6:22 pm
    Reply

    It all has to do with the motivations to travel. Unfortunately some peoples’ motivations are far too self-centered!

Sofia
February 1, 2016 at 1:06 pm
Reply

Haha these are great – and true



Style Domination
February 1, 2016 at 5:05 pm
Reply

Everything in this post is SO ON POINT. I remember losing faith in humanity while in Rome when I overheard a North American family’s loud complaints that there was “no McDonald’s”. YOU’RE IN ITALY!!! You could spit and hit a fantastic restaurant. GOD!!!



    Brianna
    February 1, 2016 at 6:25 pm
    Reply

    Some people just don’t get it, right?

      Style Domination
      February 2, 2016 at 8:55 pm

      NOPE!

The Walking Map
February 2, 2016 at 1:37 am
Reply

Love your list. Elaine Sciolino said that McDonalds is extremely popular in France, lol!



Jojo
February 2, 2016 at 1:52 am
Reply

The understanding and respect one is so important. I don’t know why anyone who has the privilege to visiting another country or place not have the manners to be respectful. I understand not knowing the rules and breaking them by accident but some people do it on purpose.

As of the speaking louder one .. I don’t understand that either! Hahha they don’t understand the words you are saying. They are not deaf.

Great list!



    Brianna
    February 2, 2016 at 2:06 am
    Reply

    Thanks, Jojo!

thoughtfeeder
February 2, 2016 at 2:23 am
Reply

So true, a traveler sees what she sees, a tourist on the other hand, sees what she has come to see! – HyperGypsy



The Lavish Nomad
February 2, 2016 at 4:10 pm
Reply

I agree with everything on the list! But I always visit the McDonalds to try out the local menu items 😛 They are always worth a try haha



parentingpatch
February 2, 2016 at 9:42 pm
Reply

I travel only domestically, but I try to act like I fit in instead of sticking out like a sore tourist thumb.



Sheena
February 2, 2016 at 10:14 pm
Reply

Went to Mexico with my mom not long ago and she kept yelling trying to make people understand English! Ha! I had to keep reminding her that wasn’t helping! Enjoyed your post!



Jan at retiringNotshy!
February 3, 2016 at 12:53 am
Reply

What a terrific post, thank you. As an Australian who regularly travels to Bali I am constantly appalled by the lack of respect and cultural sensitivity shown by mostly Australians. It feels downright abusive and I wonder why some of them don’t just take a holiday at their local pub or swimming pool.
I know US citizens often get a bad rap as travellers but many Aussies are pretty appalling too.
We need more travellers like you.



    Brianna
    February 3, 2016 at 12:59 am
    Reply

    It’s up to us to educate travelers! Sometimes people are just ignorant of the world around us and its up to us to open their eyes. Thus, the purpose behind this blog 🙂

    Thanks for reading!

Anshula
February 3, 2016 at 10:37 pm
Reply

I love this post! I agree with Tip#4 especially. There are times and places where it is okay to take selfies, memorials, cemeteries, and religious buildings are not some of them!



girlgonelondon
February 3, 2016 at 10:55 pm
Reply

Couldn’t have said it better! I cringe so hard everytime I see tourists really hamming it up at some of the London memorials. It can be easy to forget that your exotic vacation is someone else’s home and memorial, but it only takes a few seconds to read signs and/or use common sense!



    Brianna
    February 3, 2016 at 11:00 pm
    Reply

    Well said!

lmazeikas
February 11, 2016 at 9:24 pm
Reply

Fun stuff! #6 is a HUGE pet peeve of mine…even when traveling in my own country.



Cynthia
February 26, 2016 at 8:52 am
Reply

Yes!!! I agree with all of these points, especially #8. I’ve had some of the best experiences exploring more obscure places typically not in guidebooks. Also just did a collab when someone mentioned trying foods other than McD’s haha. Awesome post, Brianna!



Nancy
January 21, 2017 at 9:27 pm
Reply

Haha, you made this fun to read! I have to admit, my husband is very good at raising his voice in foreign countries thinking it will help them understand. I always crack up and give him a hard time but once I do the locals tend to do the same! And, the McDonalds thing? Well, once on a fam trip everyone said they were dying for a Big Mac. I was sort of grossed out by that. But we found the food was not microwaved like here in the states. It was actually a great burger! Not all MickeyD’s are the same!



Carol Colborn
January 22, 2017 at 11:49 am
Reply

I love this one: Skip the Big Mac! Local food should be one of the reasons we visit a place in the first place!



Aisha
January 22, 2017 at 3:13 pm
Reply

I like the fact that you make it clear that there is a difference between a tourist and a traveler. There is a time and a place for both but I love learning about different cultures and people and that requires you to be more of a traveler.



Kerri
January 22, 2017 at 6:17 pm
Reply

Ha, I just made a comment elsewhere about making sure we don’t take on our own rituals and expectations when we visit another country. Seeing people behave like this drives me insane. “I always have tomato sauce with my x”, “I always eat dinner at 6pm, why can’t I order food now” etc. You’ve got some great tips here and I agree with all of them.



Nathan
January 23, 2017 at 12:57 am
Reply

Great tips! I hate to admit I’ve been guilty of some of these before, as I’m sure we all have. Hopefully everyone realizes when we travel places we are a guest in that country.



Stacey Veikalas
January 23, 2017 at 6:56 am
Reply

Awesome and so true, being an expat and have lived in Multiple countries it seems there are always those people who travel or live in a new place yet want it to be the same as home. I always wonder why they came in the first place. 🙂



Castaway with Crystal
January 23, 2017 at 6:57 am
Reply

Ha ha this was great! I 100% agree with all of these 🙂 AND you put it together in a funny way – good job 🙂



clare
January 23, 2017 at 2:03 pm
Reply

Great tips for tourists!! So many of my friends travel to countries and stay in all inclusive resorts and think they have seen that country. What makes it enjoyable for me, is mixing with the locals and getting to know the local customs 🙂



Helena
January 23, 2017 at 10:49 pm
Reply

Yes yes yes!!! I totally agree with every single one of your above points. The beach one baffles me the most. I don’t quite understand how people can travel and never leave the resort. Like the beach is awesome but so are other places….



Carmen's Luxury Travel
January 25, 2017 at 6:27 am
Reply

Ha, love these tips! You’ll only find my in a McDonalds abroad if I’m desperate for wifi 😉 Great post, thanks for sharing!



Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • I’m Brianna and I’m possibly the funniest person I know. I’m a total goofball who loves to travel. I fell in love with the world in 2007, when my family and I moved to Sydney, Australia. Since then, I’ve been on a mission to see the world. I'm an ordinary adventurer here to show you how the average person can travel the world.

    Get To Know Me More

     
  • Aching For More Adventure?

    Sign up today for instant notifications of new posts and EXCLUSIVE travel tips!
    * = required field
  • Find Me On Instagram

    instagram
  • Sleep on the Cheap

  • Top 1000 Travel Blog

  • As Seen On…

  • Where I’ve Been




© Copyright 2017 Archives of Adventure // LetsBlog Theme - Theme by ThemeGoods // View this site's Privacy Policy / Disclosure Policy // We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

 

Loading Comments...
 

    Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognizing you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

    You can adjust all of your cookie settings by navigating the tabs on the left hand side.

    Click here for our full Privacy Policy

    Strictly Necessary Cookies

    Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

    If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.