Ways to Immerse Yourself Into New Cultures

When you travel to a new country there are so many recommended attractions, sites, and must-see opportunities. Many travellers want to go beyond that and "feel" the culture of a new place. They want to see how others live, work, and play. They want to eat at restaurants off the beaten path and go to markets and shops that are not only flooded with tourists. These tourists want to immerse themselves into a new culture experience.

Here are some tips/ideas on how you can get a peek into other cultures while travelling:

1.  You can begin your research before your trip. Read books, read blogs, and watch YouTube videos, such as vlogs like Aspyn & Parker create about the location you plan to visit. You may want to learn basic greetings and ways to express your gratitude. Having an understanding of the religions, languages, and financial environment can build sensitivity to the culture. 
2. Hire a local driver- instead of joining the large tourists companies who travel around with a crowd, look on-line for a local driver to show you around. Using recommendations on TripAdvisor may work, but dig deeper into the TripAdvisor forums for local expert recommendations. Richard and I did this in Bali, and our driver not only showed us great food stops and nature sights along the way to our destination, but chatted with us about her schooling and daily family life during the drive. 
3. Stay in small boutique hotels or B&B's- the owners of these types of accommodations are often on site and great sources of information. They know of any special events of festivals taking place, where to eat, their favourite beach, etc. While staying at SomeWhere Else Boutique in the Philippines, Richard and I were told to not only see the large waterfall that was so popular, but another one that was much smaller but much more picturesque.  
4. Drive yourself- when possible, you may want to consider driving yourself around. Now this is not recommended in busy cities (e.g. Rome, New York, etc.), but can be quite enjoyable on islands or smaller locales. We have scootered through islands of South-east Asia, 4-wheeled the islands of Greece, and drove a rental car around Croatia. Yes, there can be some confusion and stresses with these methods of transportation, but you get to familiarize yourself with the streets, directions, and most importantly you can stop at your leisure seeing things you would not have seen otherwise. You will surely drive by homes and waving locals as an added bonus.
5. Take a cooking class- I have taken a cooking class in many of the cities we have visited, and its a great way to not only try local foods but often locals are teaching the classes. Some classes start off with a market visit too, which can be an additional way to see how the locals shop and barter for their food. In Morocco we went to a market that was strictly for spices. Not only did we get to see a variety of unique spices, but we were able to purchase spices such as saffron at a fairly decent price to bring home                                    .                                   



Photo: @conciergecouple

6. Go for a run- Richard and I try to stay physically active while on vacation. Going for a run is not only a good way to work up an appetite for a big breakfast, but it also gives you a chance to actually get out and navigate the areas around your hotel or accommodations. We sometimes even bring a small amount of money with us to stop at a fruit stand or buy a souvenir we are interested in.                                                                        . 
7. Go to a sporting event- Richard is a sports fanatic, so we try to see some sporting activity when we are away. He would have to say the highlight so far was a soccer game: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid. We gathered on the subways with the locals, we purchased and wore team memorabilia with the locals, we drank at the pubs with the locals, as we experienced the game. After there was cheering, yelling, partying in the streets and more. It really gave us a look into the importance of not only sports but football to the locals.

Camp Nou, Barcelona
Photo: @conciergecouple

When travelling as a tourist you will have many thrilling experiences. It is the experiences where we are closest to the people and embracing their culture and lifestyle that has brought us the best memories. In education (as teachers) we promote and encourage real "hands-on" learning, and this is it at its best.  

Unique Experiences

Fact: picnicking by the Eiffel Tower in Paris is mesmerizing, riding in a gondola through the canals of Venice is romantic and sipping Chianti at a vineyard in Florence is relaxing. As memorable and bucket list worthy these destinations are, they are just scratching the surface of what is out there to explore as travellers. When Richard and I spent 2 months in Southeast Asia, our preferences for travel were forever changed and our exposure to raw culture blew our minds. 

We travelled off the beaten path to a small island in the Philippines called Camiguin. There were very few accommodation choices, restaurants, and most importantly tourists. But there was enough lush scenery, breathtaking beaches and smiles from the locals to change us. We rented a villa from a local, ate daily breakfast on a deserted beach, and swam in freshwater pools with the Filipino children. We spent hours covering the perimeter of the island and in between by scooter, with the sunshine on our faces as we left each morning and the sunset/dusk at our backs on our way home. There were waterfalls so tall and beautiful, and it was only hours at that moment in time. Sometimes letting your curiosity and desire for unique experiences will bring you to a place that is far less “travelled” and much more precious. 

This past Saturdays guest post connects to the "off the beaten path" notion. TL Travel has tips for travelling in a developing country. These tips will certainly help as you venture to places of the world not over populated with tourists. 

What country would you like to explore next?

Camiguin, Philippines
Photo: @conciergecouple

Favourite Beaches in the World

This is a topic we are not experts on. Why? Because crowning the best beach is very subjective. Everyone has their favourite beach that they have visited and they range everywhere from clear, blue calm waters to rolling waves in the deep, blue Mediterranean. Your favourite beach may be in your home town, only a short flight away, or half way across the world. Regardless, the sound and magic of the beach has made a mark on us all. So where in the world is your favourite beach?

Richards favourite beach is in Tulum, Mexico which we visited during a trip in University. We initially went to the ruins in Tulum to embrace a little history and we were pleasantly surprised to find an attraction that grabbed our attention even more. We were so hot from touring the ruins in the direct sunlight, that when we saw people climbing a staircase in wet swimsuits and towels in hand we were thrilled. When we walked towards the edge of the cliff, looking down on the wooden staircase leading down the the beach, we saw one of the most beautiful beaches. Not only was the water robins egg blue, with waves rolling in, but the overall surroundings were breathtaking. The green palm trees against the cliff contrasting with the water made for a gorgeous afternoon. We wandered down the stairs and a took a dip...and boy was it refreshing.


My favourite beach is Puka Beach in Boracay, Philippines. We chose one day to tour different the beaches on the island of Boracay during our summer vacation. First let me tell you they are all gorgeous and worth seeing. There was one beach that stole my heart. We pulled up and parked our scooter, walked past many huts selling various handmade crafts/jewellery, and saw the entrance for the beach. The entryway is a small man-made arch decorated with natural items and shells with the words "Puka Beach" at the top. We got the tourist photo there, and all you can see in the background is a blanket of turquoise. The sand is white and powdery soft and a smattering of rocks make for quite the photo op. But that is not all. It's the vibe. There is one stand set up on the beach that sells drinks. The couple that owns it blends fresh fruit smoothies or cocktails. They also have beer too. They play great music, provide picnic tables, and the man even plays the ukulele here and there. After our swim in the warm, clear waters we sat down at the picnic table for a rum and coke. For some reason that rum and coke may have just been the best drink I have ever had, simply due to the surroundings I was enjoying it in. I will never forget the song that was playing, the breeze from the beach, and the condensation on that Coca Cola bottle.

Puka Beach, Philippines
Photo: @conciergecouple

Would You Rather Explore a New City or a New Island?

Would You Rather Wednesday!

When deciding on where to go next for a vacation, a lot of factors come in to play. What is your budget, what sights are you interested in seeing, how many days you have, etc. Though when ultimately given the choice, are you someone who prefers to take in the sights and sounds of a new city or the tranquillity and nature of a new island?

Visiting fast paced cities can be very exciting. There is always so much to see and do from museums to zoos. Transportation is easy via subway, taxi, or bus and a variety of hotels are available to choose from. There are often top notch restaurants as well as shopping. You could likely spend hours just people watching.

Visiting an island is an often a quieter and calmer experience. Schedules and timetables are thrown out the window and sun and lounging are priority. You can see a lot of genuine culture if you wander away from the main hotel/resort zone. Fresh fruit, snorkelling, and sunbathing are readily available. Ocean view hotel rooms or garden view villas are just some of the possibilities for accommodations.

Our choice?

This is a tough one. Drinking wine over a long and leisurely dinner in Madrid’s main square, while people watching, is a highlight from our European travels. However, zooming around the quiet island of Camiguin (Philippines) eating barbecued eel from an old lady at the market and swimming in a fresh water natural pool with locals may win…

Camiguin, Philippines
Photo: @conciergecouple