20 Travel Tips Nobody Should Follow, According To The Members Of This Online Group

Travelling can be a fun experience when things are planned out and most of the plans were executed successfully. Though, it can also be a hell experience if nothing was planned and you have no idea where to go and what to do. You’ll just end up confused and tired, so you’ll need some travel advice. Lucky you, we have some travel advice right here!

#1

Image source: SamsonTheCat88, Max

“don’t eat any fresh fruit”

why do you think I even came here?!?!

#2

Image source: plumeriatattoo, Vojtech Bruzek

“Your hotel doesn’t matter that much. You’re only going to sleep there.”

I’ve never regretted spending money to get a nice room in a good hotel. We do a lot of research, and try to find the best hotel our budget will allow. A quiet, comfortable room makes a huge difference. And if you’ve booked one that also has a nice view, is convenient to places you want to see, has a bar or restaurant, etc., that just makes the trip even better. Even when roadtripping, and staying somewhere just to sleep, it was fun to stay somewhere more unusual than a Red Roof Inn. There are a lot of reburbished old motels out there now, and they have almost always been some of our favorite stays.

#3

Image source: lh123456789, Marcus Loke

A common piece of advice on here is to stay in hostels and, if you say you don’t like hostels, people will insist that you should just get a private room in a hostel to experience “the best of both worlds.”

I happily ignore that advice while enjoying my fluffy robe and nice sheets in my hotel room.

#4

Image source: patospatos, Majkl Velner

Try to mingle with locals and ask questions.’ Rick, please they are busy with their lives.

#5

Image source: porkchopespresso, Caleb Oquendo

The hidden passport/wallet belt

#6

Image source: Meduxnekeag, Vernon Raineil Cenzon

“Don’t eat street food.”

Oh, I eat it. I love booking food tours for my first day in a new place: not only does that give me the lay of the land, but a local tells me about the food I should eat, how to figure out where is safe, and gives me many suggestions! The one time I got food poisoning in Mexico was from a high-end restaurant catering to tourists. But I’ve never had an issue with the elotes / tamales / salteñas / nasi goreng / currywurst / chip truck /etc. stands.

#7

I bring a suitcase instead of traveling as a backpacker. I tried once to follow Rick Steves advice and bring the bare minimum and do the backpack thing in Europe. I did that my first time in Europe. I brought too little. I was there 4 weeks- a week on my own in Paris and then I joined a young tour group for the rest of Western Europe. We stayed 2 days or less in most cities. I never had time to do laundry and when I tried to wash it in the sink and hang dry it never dried with thr humidity and short time there. Meanwhile everyone on the tour brought their big suitcases which was under the bus. I felt gross and unclean much of the trip wearing my clothes often.

Anyway I feel there is a time and place for taking a small set of clothes and carrying it in a backpack. If I’m going to be based somewhere for a few days I bite the bullet and drag my suitcase on the train to the hotel or store it at a bag storage in between. It gives me more room for clothes, toiletries and souvenirs too. I also pick air bnbs where I can do laundry now as needed. Usually I’m only carrying a suitcase for a little while once every few days (a rolling one).

Source: trashytvjunkee

#8

Image source: blackcatsandfood, Taylor Beach

Pack what you need to be happy/look good/feel good and just check a bag. People have this obsession about packing so little and I’ve found I’m better off just being prepared with more outfits instead of not enough. You never know what occasion/weather/etc. will crop up.

#9

Image source: Britannia365, Trần Quốc Bảo

I ignore advice about those shoulder bags with steel (or whatever) straps that can’t be cut through. I just keep valuables in my pockets (the same way I do at home) or in my money belt. The shoulder bag or crossover bag is just for stuff like my map, mitts, etc.

#10

Image source: anotheronebytesdust, Brian Evans

Wearing your backpack on your front. It’s uncomfortable and IMHO makes you more of a target because you look so weird. There are better ways to secure your bag.

#11

“Don’t eat the street food.”

I especially love and enjoy the street food. So far have never gotten sick.

Source: allonzy

#12

Image source: Wiscodoggo5494, Anthony DELANOIX

Every time I tell people I’m going somewhere, say Paris. They will say, that’s it? Yes. That’s it. I’ve been there 7 times and still find new and interesting things. Same with other cities. I’m not a fan of going to a city, checking off the major sites and being done with it. In a similar vein, I’d never go to 3 cities in one week like some people like to do just to say they have been there.

#13

Image source: nayagotchi, Tirachard Kumtanom

I don’t take travel advice from the ‘do it all, see it all’ crowd. It’s fun to immerse yourself in a new culture, but don’t exploit people. Just because there’s a guided tour to visit the favelas in Rio or an African tribe in Kenya, doesn’t make it appropriate to do so. People are people, not an exhibit. I Look for ethical excursions that celebrate or assist people, and i make sure to find out what the appropriate customs and cultural nuances are from a dedicated guide.

#14

Image source: dixiedownunder, ANTONI SHKRABA production

I used to look for badly reviewed hotels. You can find the truth in bad reviews. For example, a hotel where you can’t find a chair at the pool and the music from the night club thumps until 4 am sounded delightful when I was a young, single man.

#15

Image source: CountChoculasGhost, Gianandrea Villa

I’ve been told many times that the itineraries of my trips are too packed and you can’t really “get the feel” of a city/country/etc. if you are jumping from location to location.

While I agree with that to an extent, as someone who can only do international trips occasionally, I think it is fine to try to pack as much into a trip as possible. Knowing that you might not be able to take another trip in the near future.

Is 4 countries in 10 days a lot? Yes, but I would rather exhaust myself seeing everything I can while I’m young(ish) than limit myself to one location per trip.

Along these same lines, I hate when I read that “You can’t do [X country] in one week. You need at least 2 or 3”. That just isn’t realistic to a lot of people. Just do what you can. A week is better than nothing.

#16

Image source: bodegacatwhisperer, Shane Rounce

This is a personal preference but I hate the money-saving travel advice that tells you to skimp on food costs. Like “go to Greece but just eat €8 street gyros every day”. I understand wanting to save money on food, but it’s a huge part of the travel experience for me that I take pleasure in, and not something I’m just doing to survive.

I also hate the “don’t do X” advice – to use another Greece example, telling people to skip Mykonos and Santorini because they’re crowded and expensive. Yes, for a reason! They’re beautiful and fun!

#17

Image source: JayBirdSA, Vernon Raineil Cenzon

Anytime anyone suggests animal tourism of any kind. I’m sure there’s some animal tourism that is responsibly run, but the vast majority seems to be abusive in some way or another. This is especially true when it comes to wildlife, but even animal tourism with domesticated animals can be problematic. I was in Egypt years ago and saw tons of tourists happily get on painfully thin camels and horses and be led around the pyramids in the blazing heat all day. If you saw animals in that condition at home you would probably call the police/a shelter, but tourists seem to lose all common sense when it comes to animal tourism and just hop right on.

#18

Image source: morosco, Haley Black

Avoid touristy landmarks. There’s a reason certain sites become touristy landmarks.

Avoid chain hotels. They very often have the best locations, and all the comfort and amenities I could want – and it’s not like I’m spending much time at the hotel. I’m not against a fun local place, but, sometimes, the well-placed Marriott just makes sense.

And big +1 to what other have said about guided tours. My girlfriend and I are in our early 40s and we’re often the youngest people on those things. But it’s so nice during a trip to let someone else handle something for a day or half-day and just take it all in.

#19

Image source: glitterlok, Helena Jankovičová Kováčová

You should be seeking ‘authentic’ experiences, to ‘live like the locals’…No matter what I do, I am not going to truly ‘live like a local’ as a temporary visitor, so putting a bunch of effort into trying to do that has never made sense to me. I do the things I’m interested in doing. If those things are what local people do, so be it. I’m not too concerned, so long as the things I’m doing aren’t harming anyone.

#20

Image source: jakester12321, Carla Martinesi

For me it’s the HoHo (Hop on – Hop off) bus … Most advice I’ve seen is anti-HoHo, but I’ve used them particularly on Day 1 the day of arrival or morning after – to get a lay of the land and chill. Then I get about my plan.