The best way to experience your holiday is by exploring it like no other. Step out of the boundary and do the extraordinary things. Look beyond the tourist sites, Museums, monuments, festival etc. believe me, every destination has more to offer. All you have to do is to go deeper.
If you want to travel like a pro, follow these tips below.
Get Lost
A traveller narrated his experience the moment he visited a new country and he decided to use the train. Unfortunately for him, he alighted at the wrong station. To worsen the whole situation, almost all the people he met do not speak the same language (English) – funny right. After about two hours, he dressed up in native attire and started dancing and singing.
Taste The Local Cuisine
If you are a tourist who wants to practice Word Tourism 2017 theme (Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development), It is an onus on you to dine at a local restaurant. There are local restaurants at every destination that offer a tasty experience that you would never forget in a hurry. Look for a local restaurant that will make you feel your destination cuisine is the best you have ever seen.
Chill Out With Locals
No dulling moment bro. checkout where locals (Good Ones) hangout and spend some quality time with them. If there is an event like a festival going on, join them and have fun. If you like sports like me, look for those guys playing soccer and ask if you could join them and play. Don’t be afraid to mingle with locals. The truth is locals worship foreigners. You can go to the café and chat with locals but mind how and what you say.
Look Beyond Major Cities
I have come to realize that most travellers are always looking for major cities whenever they are planning for a holiday destination. To me, it is not supposed to be so because some of the smaller cities or villages have hidden treasures, stunning landscape, unique cultural and festivals. For instance, visiting Ebonyi state, Nigeria, there is a natural salt lake called Uburu Salt Lake. Before modern salt production in Nigeria, salt was already locally produced in Ebonyi state. The salt was also indispensable during Nigeria/Biafra War.
Ask Locals
There is nobody that understands a destination more than the locals. Locals know the destination in and out and they can advise you on what to do in order to have a lasting experience. Don’t be shy or afraid to ask a local whatsoever question you want to ask. A travel writer once shared a story how he asked a local to direct him to where he will eat, instead of taking him to a restaurant; they invited him to join them for a dinner.
It’s better to hire a local guide that has a car than to hire a cab and guide separately. Hiring a local guide that has a car would save you cost.
Research
Before you embark on a tour, research about your destination very well. Get your information from different sources because if you get it from one source, you might miss a lot of things about your destination. For instance, getting information about Nigeria from one source is not advisable because Nigeria is a multicultural and diverse country. You can consult different experienced tour guides to give you information on the destination you are about to visit.
