Do you know that you aren’t a real traveller unless you have travelled off the beaten path? This is the Holy Grail of travel. Everyone is searching for the experience that is equivalent to Adam and Eve’s time in the Garden of sin.
A place so uniquely untouched and beautiful that only they have the pleasure of being gifted of being a part of, or that they have been brave enough to travel too.
on our walking safari in Kruger Park, South Africa
And of course, when the special travellers return home they get to beat out their chest and brag about just how cool they are. They went off the beaten path, no one comes closer to earn the badge of traveller than they.
And you, with your Lonely Planet guide searching for the best guesthouse on Koa Sahn Rd. Shame on you. You call yourself a traveller? What would you know about exploration and authentic travel?
Authentic travel. The most flung about and grossly misunderstood term. People try to define it as being an experience so few every have that is just as life would have been in exotic lands during the cave men days, before machinery and women’s rights came along.
Whatever….
You want to know what authentic is?
Authentic is the real moment you are experiencing right now.
So if you are sitting in a McDonalds in Hanoi chowing down on a burger while downloading the latest blockbuster movie on their free wireless – then it is authentic.
Yes it is.
It is you doing whatever it is you are doing at the present moment. There is no other way of authenticity. You are not a cardboard cutout.
Maybe this is not the best way to experience the Vietnamese world outside you, but you get my point. In whatever way, shape or form your are experencing travel, if you are present in the moment then it is authentic.
with my Lonely Planet in Thailand
But is it cool?
Cool, let’s take a second to look at the definition of what cool is as defined by me, because no other dictionary could accurately define it except to say fashionable, hip, self-control.
Being cool is an attitude. It’s a quiet confidence and assurance in yourself; it is basically, dancing to the beat of your own drum. Doing what you want to do, when you want to do, and not caring what others are doing or making choices in life just to make you look better than others. Cool can’t be sought and achieved by exterior circumstances, it’s just a way of being.
There is always so much talk in the travel community of finding that off the beaten path adventure. Forget about Vang Vieng tubing, catching the sunrise over Mt Bromo, or visiting famous sites like the Eiffel tower they’ve all been ruined and are no longer authentic or worthy of a real traveller.
While there is nothing wrong with travelling to experience off the beaten path adventures, there is also nothing wrong with visiting popular and notable sites. I mean they are notable for a reason.
Who cares if there are hordes of people taking photographs at the same time as you? Get up a little earlier to beat the rush.
This doesn’t mean that if you travel around with your Lonely Planet guide you are an uncool adventurer. I love Lonely Planet.
with my Lonely Panet in Istanbul
I’ll never forget planning for my first trip abroad to Indonesia. The cover and pages of the book were worn 6 months before I departed as I absorbed every sentence of the adventure I was about to have. Without its help I may not have done all I did do. Sure, I didn’t just rely on Lonely Planet, I had friends and locals advice plenty of times along the way.
This quest to be cool is something I see constantly with our youth in schools. They constantly act up to try to get a laugh from their friends and be the “cool guy.” My response is always,
“You know trying to impress others is not what being cool is. Being cool comes from doing what you believe is right and being true to yourself. This is when you will begin to naturally ooze coolness and people will gain more respect for you as a result.”
A conversation recently had me baffled as to the wearing of bike helmets. It is the law in Australia and heavy fines exist if you don’t wear them. I know of people who won’t ride their bikes at all now, because they think wearing a helmet is uncool.
How sad is this? The joy of riding a bike and exploring the environment around you is lost just because of the worry as to what people may think. I was a teenager when that law came out; there was no way I was going to let others define my existence. My bike was the liberating vehicle that enabled me to explore.
If you want to visit the Grand Canyon for sunrise then do it. If you want to spend 3 days exploring Disneyland with 15% of the world’s population then do it. If you want to hike the Inca trail, dance in the streets of Pampalona, spend your whole time lying around the pool or a resort or the lounge of a hostel then do it. It’s your adventure.
You’ll be really uncool if you don’t because you want to look cool by walking the path that others haven’t. By all means, go off the beaten path if this is what you want to do for you. You’ll find that you don’t need bragging rights then after you have done it.
Do what you want to do. That is cool.
And what will make you ultra cool, is if you leave others alone to live their life they way they choose.
Stop judging, stop criticizing in an effort to make yourself seem cooler than them.
Great post! There is so much judgement amongst backbackers that it’s refreshing to hear this point of view. I’m guilty of wanting to get off the beaten track as I don’t like crowds and often find the big attractions disappointing (although some do live up to expectations), but I still love my Lonely Planet and we are about to spend a week at Disney – so uncool! Ultimately everyone has to travel the way they want to travel.
Yeah. We definitely love both experiences. They each have something valuable to offer in their own right and can be a lot of fun.
Amen! There’s this whole traveller vs tourist, off-the-beaten path vs popular destinations, cool vs uncool debate that’s been going around lately – too much judgement!
Personally, I like straying off the beaten path every once in a while, but only if it’s to a place that looks interesting to me – not for bragging rights or be able to post a blog entry saying “hey, I went to the Congo and got held up at gunpoint – how cool am I?”
In London, I love goggling at the “celebrities” in Madame Tussaud’s and always risk getting crushed by shoppers on Oxford Street. Seoul? I go to Gyeongbuk Palace, because it’s beautiful. Sydney? The Opera House and Bondi Beach!
I mean, who even cares how a person travels? And, who’s business is it other than the individual traveller?
I love the message of this – simply, do whatever makes you happy!
I agree Tom! Who cares what others are doing, just do whatever makes you happy and be content with that! I love how you hang out at Bondi! Have you done the Bondi to Coogee walk? So worth it!
Hear, hear… can’t put it in better words.
I have been missing this kind of post lately. As Tom said, it really seems that there’s currently a very strong debate out there between the different ways on travelling, and which is “cooler” than the other.
I do enjoy the off the beaten track travels, but I rather do so in places I feel safe. When it comes to less safe countries, and I’m alone, I would feel more comfortable staying on the track – where other tourists are, too (at least most of the time!).
The fact that you stay in a resort instead of a hostel shouldn’t be judged neither. Its your time travelling, and you should do what you want to.
Great point about the safety aspect. That would be a consideration for most female solo travellers. You never want to put your safety at risk.
I enjoy my resort stays just as much as hostels, especially now I am older. There is nothing wrong with a bit of luxury every now and then. Although I really don’t get to experience the resort too much as I am too busy out exploring. But it’s nice to come home to a comfy, quiet room.
I love this post. I don’t understand why some people have to brag about getting off the beaten path. It sounds pessimistic but really someone has already been wherever you are, even if you think you’re the only person to discover some hidden place, you’re not. That’s not to say you shouldn’t go out and travel, but realize you’re really not some special person who just discovered something…. unless you’ve found the lost city of Atlantis, or Neverland (the Peter Pan version not the Michael Jackson Ranch), or you somehow got to Mars. Then you can say you’ve been off the beaten path.
The people who I find are the coolest (i.e the type of people that others want to be around) are those who can be themselves, and who can live their life the way they want. Those who try hard to live up to someone else’s expectations never seem to be cool.
Yeah exactly! Someone has always been where you have before. You can only be an explorer in the sense that it is a new experience for you, but not the world. It would be pretty cool to discover Neverland!! I’d give the “cool” badge to that person.
I was mulling over a similar post in my head recently — I’ll have to link back to this one, once I get it up and running. Well written and thought out (and I agree 100%)
Can’t wait to read it Michael!
Very well thought post! I definitely share the spirit and like this outlook on traveling. In the end, everyone needs to find his own definition of what’s “cool” while abroad. Who cares if you use a guidebook or randomly walk around in the dark alleys. However I personally think it’s also important to make an effort to meet the locals and not only run from sites to sites to take pictures. But that’s only what I like to do during my trips and wouldn’t judge people who don’t follow the same principles. It’s just being open-minded…
I agree Alex. I think it is important to meet the locals and experience places as well, otherwise it is much harder to understand the place you are in. I would always recommend to others that they not rush through their travels in order to check their places off their list, but to create memories instead!
I absolutely LOVE this. This reminds me of when I was in college and planning to study abroad in Bangladesh, but there were dangerous protests in Dhaka and the trip got cancelled. Instead, we were going to Ecuador. I was pissed! You know why? Because so many of my friends had already gone to Ecuador and I wanted to go somewhere where I thought “no one else had been.” I realized how stupid of me that was once I got there and FELL IN LOVE WITH EVERYTHING I EXPERIENCED ABOUT ECUADOR. Lesson learned. =)
I also love the part about our youth wanting “to be cool.” I teach high schoolers and I see the self conscious “group think” attitude all the time. Most of them are so afraid to truly be themselves and explore what they enjoy, rather than just follow the group. It’s hard to figure out how to help them break free of these limitations, but I like your quote about “naturally oozing coolness.” I will use that in the future!
Great post, I enjoyed it!
What a great lesson to learn, and at the beginning of your travels as well! It is amazing the places you go that totally surprise you. Sometimes when we aren’t expecting much, we end up with so much more.
I am always thinking of ways to break through to the children as well. It is incredibly hard, as their peers will always be their strongest influencers. i think there can always be at least one child you might be able to get through to and that makes it all worthwhile.
Cool!
Couldn’t agree with you more! I wrote a post about the same thing (http://bit.ly/gpawDf) because someone criticised me for not going ‘off the beaten path’ – I did, I just didn’t live it and somehow because I partied it up in Koh Tao I wasn’t a ‘real traveller’ – whatever! As you said, there is nothing wrong with doing it both ways – using your book and hitting up the tourist spots (after all, there’s usually a pretty good reason they’re so popular) but then wandering off on your own to find your own little bragging rights.
Well said =)
We had a lovely time in Koh Tao and every other popular island in Thailand. Just because lots of people are doing these things doesn’t mean our memories are less special because they weren’t unique. I’d love to know who has made up the definition of a “real” traveller!!
I liked your post! That article annoyed me too. Craig and I have met some of the most amazing people while travelling- local and other travellers. Why would you not spend time with other travellers, you are all like minded sharing similar experiences. Makes for a fun time!
Great post! What I love about traveling [especially with others] is you see how people really are outside of their element. You see who is trying too hard to find the off the beaten path stuff, and you find others who just take it as is. :p
My first TBEX is coming up, and I’m a little intimidated. There are a lot of travel blogs out there and people who focus a lot of their time on them. I travel for fun when I can take time off work. It’s not what I do for a living. I just like to document it. :/
TBEX should be interesting. I know a lot of warm, friendly bloggers going so you should be able to meet some great people. We wish we were going but it will be too close to bubs due date.
Travel certainly does show you what people are really like. That’s why it can be so dangerous to travel with partners or friends. I have had a couple of friendships destroyed. But that is life. I made plenty of other great ones along the way.
Well said. There’s usually a good reason why a path is so well worn.
Couldn’t agree with you more. I wrote a similar post recently (http://bit.ly/gpawDf) after someone said that you were only ‘real’ if you stayed on the off-beaten track. Well as you said, what’s wrong with having the best of both worlds? The tourist attractions are usually popular for a very good reason. Personally I stayed on the path and then veered off when I wanted to; that way I got to meet the locals AND the other backpackers. For me that was pure heaven =)
Great article. Thanks for posting. I just got back from Prague and didn’t mind at all toting around my Rick Steves’ guide. As a matter of fact, it was from this book I learned to validate my tram tickets. Without this, I would have faced a hefty fine on the tram and probably lots of embarrassment!
I traveled solo to Prague, did things at my own pace, and went off MY personal beaten path. So maybe I wasn’t cool to others visiting the city, but I was present in the moment in a foreign city which was cool enough for me!
I think you said what is most important. You were present in the moment! That makes every moment special and important no matter where you are and what you are doing! You’re not chasing anything then you are just living.
I couldn’t agree more. Thanks for this post. What is one mans adventure is not another’s. We make our own and its exciting for each one of us. Who cares what others think. I am doing what I want, and not what others think I should be doing.
Other people’s opinion of me is none of my business!! That is my line that helps me to ignore those who always have something to say about my choices in life!!
Most of us do what we’re comfortable with, whether that’s financial, physical or emotional. It’s a shame we can’t just cheer each other on in our travels instead of making it a pissing contest. “But you don’t get to know the real _____ .” How often have you heard that? I don’t think you get to know the real ____ by spending a month on the back roads. Or even by living there for say, a year. You are still a foreigner having a foreign experience through foreign eyes. You aren’t a ___er and never will be. Your experience will certainly be more in depth and will hopefully have a greater impact on you, but it’s authentic because it’s happening to YOU and it’s COOL only if YOU think it’s cool. (No one else really cares.)
And what about the people who never travel at all? Yeah, I know. I feel sorry for them, too.
Ha Ha. We all feel sorry for them
I like your point of view here, we’ve lived in a few countries and wa always see us as being a foreigner, who barely scratches the surface of what a culture is really like. Sure we get to know them better, but every day is still a surprise!!
I wish we would all cheer each other on more in all the aspects of our life. It drains me a lot when people do the opposite.
McDonald’s in Hanoi? Was it supposed to be a joke? I can’t find one in Hanoi.
I think Vietnam is the only country in the world who has not let Maccas invade- yet!! Just me painting the best “unauthentic” travel example
So what are you trying to say Caz? How do you really feel?
Agreed. I definitely can get on my high horse about what I like to do when I travel. That is my opinion and I welcome the opinions of others who are different. There is something for every traveler out there but I do admit that I struggle a little more with those who walk around with fanny packs, are loud, and disrespectful to the culture.
Well the fanny packs are really uncool, especially when you know what fanny means in Australia!! When you find that out you’ll understand why Craig and I nearly fell on the ground laughing when we discovered the name of one of my teaching colleagues in the US was Miss Fanny
Couldn’t agree more! There’s a lot to be said for going ‘off the beaten path,’ but tourist attractions & popular spots are sometimes worth seeing too. Either way, there’s no need for the holier-than-thou attitude you sometimes see!
Both can offer you great memories! I just want to see and do it all.
Wow, we all must be on the same energy level at the moment! Last night I just finished a draft of a very similar post! Like Michael said I’ll have to link to this one (and his too!) when I eventually post it!
Basically though, I totally agree with your point of view Caz. Well written, well said and quite frankly, people who don’t wear bike helemts are just plain stupid!
It took me close to a month to publish this post. It kept getting delayed by other posts and me being a bit hesitant to publish.
If you don’t need a head, you don’t need a helmet right??
Can’t wait to read your article.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Very well written, Caz… and I love the witty snark at the beginning!
I think I’m going to print this out and slip it under the door of a few holier-than-thou travelers we know.
Ha Ha! Be my guest
Slip them a cool badge with it. Thanks Christy!
I agree as long as a person is making an effort to push their comfort level. Staying within your comfort zone does not usually lead to coolness, even if you like your comfort zone and are just “being yourself”.
It isn’t cool to only go to McDonald’s when traveling overseas, even if that is what you like. You don’t have to get far off the beaten path to try new things though. People should live their lives in whatever way they would like, but pushing the boundaries of comfort and experience at some point is essential to personal development.
Totally agree with that Josh! Pushing your comfort zones are definitely the only way we grow. Complacency is never a good thing. we need to be taught from a very early age that being uncomfortable is in fact a very good thing.
Wow. Thanks for the best travel post in recent memory.
As a resident of hipsterville Portland, Oregon, I see this attitude (and battle it within myself) not only on the road, but right next door. It can be travel, it can be daily life, it can be a food blog or a travel memoir.
“Authentic is the real moment you are experiencing right now.”
Well said.
Thanks Bethany! Appreciate the positive feedback. You are so right that this can happen in daily life. Makes me just as annoyed.
Absolutely! I think the coolest travelers are the ones who accept you as you are.
Great post. Great advice for life in general, not just travelling!
Great post! Couldn’t agree more – best read of the day
I completely agree! Travel however you feel like traveling. Just make sure to keep an open mind about learning from others, and all will be fine!
BUT:
“You know trying to impress others is not what being cool is. Being cool comes from doing what you believe is right and being true to yourself. This is when you will begin to naturally ooze coolness and people will gain more respect for you as a result.”
From my extensive personal experience as former kid, if my teacher gave me that line I would DEFINITELY roll my eyes as my hidden suspicions of her un-coolness were instantly confirmed.
Oh I know! They roll their eyes at me all the time. But, I’ll keep trying. I have been able to get through to the odd child here and there which makes it all worthwhile.
Love.
I love it! What you said towards the end about doing what you always do because it is cool was so inspiring. Aside from the wonderful experience you have shared with us, I was also inspired and refreshed about your new point of view. This whole idea of trailblazing can also be a very good form of exercise. And I also think that nature should be enjoyed this way. In it’s purest form.
I like this post, and I speak to this on my blog sometimes, I think the most important thing is to just do you! If it makes you happy to go to Disney and eat at every McDonald’s in Europe, then do it! Everyone who loves to travel does it for their own reasons, and frankly, no one should feel uncool or bad about what they want to do or not do. Personally, I am not completely all about ‘tourist’ spots, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been to the Eiffel Tower, the Tower of London or Times Square. I have hauled around my guide book, ripped out pages, photocopied them, you name it. Frankly, I think if you have the guts to go out and do some traveling (regardless of where it is) then that’s the point, it’s not a competition, it’s about having fun, learning something and enriching your life, and that is pretty cool to me.
Very interesting. I like to be cool most of the time with the passengers on board.
We often find that going “off the beaten track” causes us a lot of money and stress due to a lack of tourist infrastructure. And we rarely have time to do so because we barely have time to see all the sights that everyone else does. Totally agree with your assessment…just do what you want and don’t worry about what others think.
Never thought about it like that but you are right. It sure does cause a lot of stress and a big hit to your wallet.
Yeah, I’ve noticed that even when I bought tickets. Sometimes it’s so much cheaper to buy package travel plan than just one round ticket. I just buy tickets cause I don’t want to stay in hotel. (many times they are worse than normal hostel) How crazy is that? I’m not even trying to be ‘cool’ when I bought tickets!
I just don’t get how that’s possible.
I love travelling off the beaten track ! It was once I travelled to Thailand alone by train, as it is not a common transportation mode which Malaysians use to go up north, it was so cool doing that as no one around had done that before. I went to Koh Lipe Island, an island that sounds strange to Malaysians..and again I think it’s cool to introduce a new place in Thailand to my Malaysian friends.
It also reminds me a crazy moment that I had done in Cambodia.We thought of doing something crazy and walked all the way to airport from Phnom Penh city at night. It took about 2 hours ++ to arrive, we felt like giving up half way, but we still managed to persist till the end. Only we found out that we are not allowed to overnight at Phnom Penh airport due to security reason. We had no choice but to pretend as if we had no more money with us and begged for a place to rest inside the airport.Finally, we managed to persuade the security guard and let us to rest at the coffee house outside the airport and fed the mosquitoes all night long.hahaha.we waited for few hours to catch an early flight back to Malaysia. It was really an unforgetabble experience for us..haha..
Do tell us more about travelling off the beaten track experience that you guys had gone through!! Thanks!!
I totally agree…on http://www.MikesRoadTrip.com I try and never drive on the Interstate, but rather on highways. I like the slower pace and the small, often out of the way, towns. It’s easier to pull off for pics and video, the people are amazing, etc. Big fan of traveling off “the beaten path.” You guys have an amazing site/blog…I stop by often.
Happy trails,
Mike
Agreed and agreed. Touristy spot is became one for a reason, most of times it is worth to beat the crowd.
I realized it when I left for backpacking to NZ for the first time. Someone who thought very closed to me criticized me that backpacking means I’m just going 3000dollar holiday. Well, could be true but it was hurtful to hear that from the beginning. Then when I was walking down the hill in Auckland, this little steps I’m taking are probably my one and only experience here on this hill and it is super cool even though it’s just common walking path here. What I do is cool, not what others think.
That helped me to be who I am today and I’m really grateful to realized that.
There’s nothing wrong with experience one way or another. after all thats why we are all here for right?
Excellent post and how true. I particularly liked the McDonald’s in Hanoi part. It would be great if people just relaxed and enjoyed themselves. And bike helmets – definitely. I’d like to give your post to all the tourists who ride around the island (Bali) with no helmet, no shirt, shorts and flip-flops. The Balinese have finally gotten the idea – wear a helmet, save a life.
Very Cool!
First time here, compliments of @RunawayJuno.
Agreed. It doesn’t just apply to travel but all aspects of life. Some people are snobs about music, film any type of art. I come across it in the photographic community where people look down on people using their DSLR on fully auto or their iPhones to take pictures.
In the end if you are “cool” which can mean just being comfortable and happy with yourself you realize it doesn’t matter much what other people think it right, but how you value the experience.
well said! i know i’ve waited to travel for too long to do it any other way than exactly how i want to do it! and i’m not about to pay attention to the shoulds & shouldn’ts- just my own dreams & instincts…can’t wait! the crazy part is, that if we all subscribed to the go-where-it’s-cool mindset, and all of us traveled in the same exact so-called cool way and to the cool places, there would be too much competition for too few resources! cheers to the live and let live philosophy!
It was traveling off the beaten path and hopping on and off of rinky dink regional trains in Germany that I got a real sense of the traditional German culture. With a world that is quickly becoming unified in trends, visiting the tiny dorf in East Germany gives me that culture shock rush that I hunt for when train hopping.
But then again, sometimes I just want to take a nice jumping picture in front of some famous monument and eat that world renowned specialty food that people rave about. Depends on the mood. Either way, both are “cool” adventures to me!
Very cool adventures. All that matters is that you are enjoying yourself and having that adventure you always dreamed of
Spot on. Each to their own. The other part of being “cool and exclusive” is that its actually a yearning to belong. Everyone likes to be in the ground floor of the next big craze, the new cool thing. But noone wants to literally be the only fan of a band. That would be lame.
Its human nature to want to forge a new path, but we also want validation for it. To not feel alone in our discovery.
Great points! Love what you say here, so very true!