How To: Travel like a Local

After so much anticipation, you’ve made it! But as you watch the airport doors slide open and head out with your group, a thought slowly creeps in: will you truly get the real side of this country, or just the highlight reel?

The following day, your National Guide tells stories that bring the history of each site to life. It doesn’t feel like you’re going through a checklist of destinations —you’re being fully immersed in the local culture.

We’ve intentionally designed our tours to ensure you have an authentic experience, no matter the destination. Here’s how to make the most of every moment and travel like a local.

CURIOSITY IS YOUR BEST TRAVEL COMPANION

Your National Guide is passionate about showing the beauty of their country to travellers. They’re your go-to person if you want to find an underrated noodle soup or need a couple fun facts to impress your friends. As someone who calls this country home, they deeply understand the culture and can let you in on their personal experience. Be curious about local life!

Our suggested conversation starters for locals (or your National Guide):

• If you had one day to spend here, where would you go and why?
• What are most visitors surprised by when they come here?
• How do you spend your weekends?
• What’s your favorite regional delicacy or street food?
• What’s your favorite part of this neighbourhood and why?
• What’s one thing every visitor should learn about this place?
• What jobs do people in this neighbourhood have? Are they mostly tourism related?
• What’s a local tradition that everyone should know about?
• Which spot has changed the most in recent years? How do you remember it being before?

Through these questions, conversations will keep flowing and you’ll come back home knowing exactly what makes that country unique!

And if you’re feeling a bit shy about befriending a stranger, non-verbal communication is a great way to learn too. People watching in a public park can help you pick up on gestures, sayings, or social dynamics you wouldn’t know without taking a moment to observe. You may even spot similarities from your life at home, just in a different language!

CULTURE LIVES IN THE DETAILS

Understanding your destination means taking a closer look at the small things that define it. As you’re passing by a thriving market, you see craftsmen and craftswomen hard at work, making different trinkets by hand. Take a moment to pause and observe their technique. Ask where they learned this skill (they might even let you in on a family secret!). Or if you prefer, quietly observe and appreciate their handiwork from afar. Instead of quickly grabbing a souvenir, you’ve become part of an experience. Appreciate the local craft and the tradition behind it, it’s one of the eye-opening aspects of travelling! Material possessions gain so much meaning when you see how they’re created.

SPEAK FROM THE HEART

After picking up a souvenir, you head over to a coffee shop your National Guide raved about earlier. While soaking up the sun and admiring the change in environment, you forget which direction you came from. You think back to the language basics you read about before packing for your trip and decide this is the perfect occasion you were looking for. Try out your new skills! You greet a local in their language before asking them for directions. It turns into a short chat about where you’re from and why you were fascinated by the destination you chose. Showing your desire to learn helps you stand out from a sea of tourists and shows the locals you’re interested in their culture – making your interactions feel richer.

LEARNING THROUGH FOOD

There’s always more to learn about a location. And as one of the most important parts of travel, food brings you closer to the culture. Find a popular local snack, like a niche chip flavor or a new treat altogether and try it for a couple of days. Ask about where people get fresh produce and try what’s in season. You may even pick up a new recipe recommendation while you’re in the market. Revisit that coffee shop and see how the town comes to life in the morning. What drinks and pastries do locals reach for? What’s their comfort food, or the food that reminds them of being at home for the holidays? What’s that ingredient that shows up in each recipe, and how did it become a staple in this country? Cuisine can teach you so much about your destination’s culture, history, and taste all at once.

THE LUXURY OF LETTING GO

The countries we travel to have so many different regions to discover, from the dazzling waters of Sicily to the sandy beaches of Phuket. Planning which sites you’d like to see requires hours of finding, comparing, and confirming logistics.

The beauty of radically all-inclusive travel is that the hidden fees and pesky plans are taken care of for you. Now you can feel fully present! Make the most of each excursion while you’re in the moment, not worrying about whether the day will go to plan. Feel assured that you’ll be immersed by your destination – and you’ll have the mental space to truly enjoy every experience, conversation, and moment of spontaneity.