One bewildering experience I had on my travels was when I first arrived by motorbike in Nha Trang, a small resort town along the coast of Vietnam. This one was unlike other small beach towns in Southeast Asia. It seemed to have all the makings of a typical touristy spot, but while walking through the streets I began to notice every single tourist passing by was speaking Russian. I proceeded to pick up a menu at a restaurant, it was in Russian. I started looking around at all the signs on the buildings. Russian, Russian, Russian. I was in Moscow, Little Moscow on the beach.
What was going on here? I had to find out. Some of the locals explained how Vietnam had strong political ties in the past with Russia. Sounded like a logical explanation, both are or were communist and probably still do business in one way or another. That's surely where it all started. But what didn't make sense to me was that I saw no evidence of Russian tourism for several weeks anywhere else in Vietnam. So why only here at this particular beach? Why were the menus not in Russian in the ancient seaside town of Hoi An? Why not any of the several other attractive destinations to be found in Vietnam? That's when I came with my own conclusion. People travel to where their friends go. They see family or classmates on Facebook posting pictures lying on the beach sipping on a coconut. Posts usually ending with a: #NhaTrang. Where do you think these fellow classmates and relatives are going to plan their next vacation?
People like to join in on what was pre-selected by others. The subconscious thought process goes something like: if my friends had a great time there, that's probably where I should go to have a great time. But there must be a better way of figuring out what the right destination is for you other than just copying everyone else's idea.
While some locations are ultra touristy and not very creative in terms of selecting a destination, they're still well worth a visit.
The group mentality, while unoriginal, does have some use. Some places really are a tried and true guaranteed satisfaction. No one is going to walk away from the Machu Picchu thinking, "eh.." regardless of how touristy it is.
But if you really want to tailor your travel destinations to fit who you are and according to your likes, here are some things to consider when making that choice:
1. What activities do you like?
I can't think of too many things better in life than traveling. Perhaps sleep? Sleep certainly comes close. The only thing I know for certain to be better than traveling is traveling while doing what you love. So for me that would definitely be sleeping while traveling. What about for you? Are you into hiking/climbing? Perhaps when you're interested in experiencing the warm culture and people of South America, a trip to Patagonia would allow for you to experience both. Curious about Eastern religion? Why visit Thailand when you could visit Nepal or Tibet and have the Himalayas at your doorstep?
A view of the Himilayas from Darjeeling, India.
Do you enjoy museums and exotic cuisine? Keeping closer to the big cities would most likely be your ticket to an unforgettable vacation. If you love music, traveling is one of the best ways to experience your passion in a whole new way. Apart from attending the biggest music festivals, I've known a few people that travel around the world while combining seeing their favorite bands live on tour.
For me, after discovering my love for scuba diving, I'm always thinking of how I can plan my next trip together with a nearby dive site.
Combining travel with activities you love to do is really a great way to add that extra level of excitement each time going on a trip.
Diving on Apo Island of the Philippines.
2. What's your budget? How far can you stretch it?
It's true. It's possible to go on $30 a day or less in even the most expensive countries. In fact, you can go anywhere and survive with practically no money at all. I've heard enough stories from fellow travelers to know what kind of crazy things can be done. But before you go guns blazing into an impossible itinerary on a couple hundred in the bank, ask yourself if you're really prepared to take on what that would actually mean. For some, eating canned tuna and sleeping on sofas is a small price to pay to see the world. But for others, not having all the comforts of home is quite simply too overwhelming. It'll be hard to gauge your spending habits if it's your first time out, in which case it's always safer to err on the side of caution.
If you are looking for some more budget friendly destinations, some of the cheapest places in the world to travel are Southeast Asia, India, Central/South America, and Eastern Europe. That applies both to frugal savers or heavy splurgers.
One thing to keep in mind is that although a country is economically undeveloped, that doesn't necessarily equate to cheap travel. In Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo, the average worker makes about $5 a day, but for a tourist everything is significantly more expensive than in other more developed parts of Southeast Asia. With very little tourism infrastructure it's hard to avoid getting scammed or overcharged. Roads are in extremely poor condition and you'll either need to fly or hire a private driver to get from place to place.
On the flip side, my travels in an expensive country like New Zealand ended up being cheaper than while going around Thailand. How is that possible when everything in New Zealand is 5 times the price? Well, it had a lot to do with the fact that I was going around by bike, eating grocery store bought food, and sleeping in a tent. Had I traveled luxuriously as I did while in Thailand, it easily would have cost 5 times more.
3. Timing is everything
When you are choosing where on the map to fly, one thing people often forget to think about is if they're visiting at the right season.
When I was scuba diving in the Philippines, one thing I forgot to factor in was whether or not it was jellyfish season. Everyday I'd have bumps and rashes appearing all over my body. Fearing bed bugs, I can not tell you how much unnecessary paranoia I put myself through. After a few days I learned that tiny Jellyfish spores floating in the water were the source of all that discomfort. The whole experience was punctuated after a shipwreck dive when I stuck my hand straight into a jellyfish the size of a watermelon while climbing back on the boat. Luckily there was some vinegar on board to soothe the sting.
Weather is obviously one of the biggest considerations. Visiting the Australian Outback in the summer months will make your trip a lot more grueling, albeit memorable. Planning a motorbike adventure across Vietnam is not a good idea during the monsoon season. When it comes to shooting for the dry season, this is especially important if you are planning to snorkel or dive. Water visibility will be significantly better and you'll have access to many more dive sites.
While it is ideal to visit a place in peak or shoulder months, there are some hidden advantages about going at the "wrong" times. You'll bump into less tourists and have better opportunities to interact with the locals. In addition, although everyone avoids rainy seasons like the plague, I've found that in a lot of tropical climates the rainy season is never as bad as I would have feared. Maybe there will be a solid downpour for an hour or two each day or during the night, but then the sun will shine for the rest of the time. And in those moments when you aren't running for cover, there will be plenty of green landscapes to gaze upon.
Ladenburg, Germany. Nowhere near as popular as the nearby city of Heidelberg, but similarly charming.
4. Think Outside the Box
Be creative. Everyone visiting France goes to Paris and the Eiffel Tower, but that is certainly not all France has to offer. Go to the countryside. Check out small towns no one's heard of. Go to different spots along the coast. Just make sure to learn a few French words to show some respect.
A lot of places in the world get overlooked because they don't have a name or iconic statue or building or famous landmark. In Southeast Asia, one of my favorite countries visited was Laos. There is no Halong Bay in Laos. No amazing temples like Angkor Wat. The bright lights of Bangkok are not to be found here either. There isn't anything that you specifically NEED to see, but I was there for a month and loved it. I would go again. It's such a great place to experience people really living in a pure and down-to-earth way while being surrounded by beautiful and lush nature.
Going outside the typical destinations may make it harder to gloat to friends about all the cool things you saw, but the impressions of the culture and people you experienced might end up being more real and lasting.
