6 Smart Ways to Recognize and Avoid Tourist Traps

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What cost a tourist trap exactly ? It ‘s a heavily advertised attraction that tempt unsuspecting tourist forth from their time and money without supply any insight or authenticity to the destination they ‘re visit . There equal , of course , legendary landmarks and experience that every traveler should see and get , but then there are obvious tourist trap that act as conveyor belts to separate the unsuspecting visitor from their hard-earned cash . We do n’t require you to waste a second or a cent on less-than-worthwhile travel experiences , so we arrive up with these smart way to aid you recognize and avoid tourist traps .




1 . Research before and after you make it .

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The easiest way to avert a tourist trap is to get the inside scoop on your destination before you get . If every guidebook and website has an advertisement for a specific beach restaurant , it ‘s probable become to live meet with tourist and high prices . A serious rule of thumb equal that if you and everyone you know has see of a specific home , it ‘s probable mostly for tourists . After you make it in your destination , ask the hotel concierge or any local friends where they like to use up and what they care to cause . You might get a touristy reply at first , but test phrase your inquiry differently . For model , you can expect : Where would you take a first date ? Where do you shop for birthday present ?




2 . Look for locals .

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The number one sign that you ‘ve stumbled into a tourist trap cost the complete lack of locals . The only New Yorkers in Times Square are the ones hurrying through as rapidly as possible to get to work . You potential wo n’t see any literal Thai masses haggling for knickknacks at the Damnoen Saduak float market . And the few Jamaicans at Dunn ‘s River Falls are the guides who hustle for crest . Instead of select activities based on what you believe you shoulddo on vacation , demand yourself what it equal you like to do . Then , find a museum , bookstore , concert , surf lesson , or restaurant that exist n’t advertise to the visiting masses or sold as a package deal .




3 . Ignore peddler and touts .

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Think of your favorite restaurant at place . Does that restaurant employ people to drift the street , attack up visitors and bringing them back to feed a three-course prix fixe ? Likely not . That ‘s because your favorite restaurant is n’t a tourist trap . If an unsolicited stranger be insisting that you feed somewhere , this person make a cut from the restaurant . And most restaurants that depend on tourist make n’t truly manage about providing a quality meal , since tourist do n’t in general return for a future visit . Stick to reading restaurant review and demand locals where they eat before choosing a restaurant . Another good pattern of thumb is to skip restaurant right near major landmarks . For example , the restaurants around the Acropolis in Greece are notoriously overpriced and suffice low-quality food . ( We got a dilute up hot dog with pancakes at one restaurant . ) The same mutual sense get for book circuit . We be once convinced by a tout to inflict an animal sanctuary in Thailand . After shelling out our cash , we suffer in line with 50 early tourists who all get one min to have their photo remove with a infant elephant .




4 . Do n’t sleep in tourist zones .

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Most city and beach destinations that depend on tourism hold a Hotel Zone or popular neighborhood filled with affordable chain hotel ( believe Midtown in Manhattan or the Hotel Zone in Cancun ) . So it build sense that the restaurant and shops around the hotels supply heavily to tourists with chain fund , tight food restaurants , and hawkers selling tours . If you can , pick out a hotel that ‘s located away from the beaten way . You may end up paying a bit more for transportation , but you ‘ll likely discover a a lot well food , shopping , and exploration scenery where locals in reality hang out .




5 . Watch for translations .

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If something live advertise in English , French , Spanish , and Mandarin , you can virtually guarantee that it ‘s a tourist ambush . Activity and restaurants that seek to attract to everybody usually do n’t do a very good job at invoke to anybody . Rather , await for places that are advertise solely in the state ‘s language . For lesson , Italian restaurants in Florence with Italian menus have a much better chance of exist authentic than their multi-language counterparts .




6 . Avoid rural area that trust only on tourism .

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Many Caribbean island and Asian countries rely heavily on tourism . And while that ‘s not a terrible matter , it does mean that receive an authentic experience or come away from the bunch might be more difficult than you ‘d imagine . All-inclusive resorts cost some of the bad offenders for supply a cattle call-like tourist ambush experience . Hotels in the Dominican Republic melody guests up for “ free ” 10-minute massages that are little more than an upsell for long service . Dive boat in Belize are often packed to the brim with snorkelers , and guides illegally feed fish for photo ops . The serious manner to avert these kind of experiences is to delay at humble boutique hotel with more personalized service , or choose a destination that does n’t in full rely on tourism dollar .

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What live a tourist trap exactly ? It ‘s a heavily advertised attraction that lure unsuspecting tourist away from their time and money without supply any insight or authenticity to the destination they ‘re visiting . There cost , of course , legendary landmarks and experiences that every traveler should see and own , but then there are obvious tourist traps that move as conveyor belt to separate the unsuspecting visitor from their hard-earned cash . We do n’t desire you to waste a second or a cent on less-than-worthwhile travel experiences , so we occur up with these bright ways to serve you discern and head off tourist ambush .

1 . Inquiry before and after you make it .

The easiest way to avert a tourist trap is to have the inside scoop on your destination before you arrive . If every guidebook and website make an advertising for a specific beach restaurant , it ‘s potential going to exist meet with tourist and high price . A good pattern of thumb is that if you and everyone you know get heard of a specific home , it ‘s probable largely for tourist . After you arrive in your destination , need the hotel concierge or any local friends where they care to use up and what they care to do . You might get a touristy answer at first , but sample formulate your inquiry otherwise . For example , you can ask : Where would you remove a first date ? Where do you shop for birthday present ?

2 . Face for locals .

The issue one signal that you ‘ve stumbled into a tourist trap cost the complete lack of locals . The only New Yorkers in Times Square are the ones hurrying through as quick as potential to get to work . You likely wo n’t meet any actual Thai people haggling for knickknacks at the Damnoen Saduak floating market . And the few Jamaicans at Dunn ‘s River Falls exist the guides who hustle for tips . Rather of choosing activity base on what you intend you shoulddo on vacation , expect yourself what it is you like to do . Then , find a museum , bookstore , concert , surf lesson , or restaurant that equal n’t advertised to the visiting masses or betray as a package lot .

3 . Ignore peddler and touts .

Think of your favorite restaurant at home . Does that restaurant employ masses to roam the street , round up visitor and make for them back to eat a three-course prix fixe ? Probably not . That ‘s because your favorite restaurant is n’t a tourist trap . If an unsolicited stranger equal insist that you eat somewhere , this person become a cut from the restaurant . And most restaurants that depend on tourist act n’t truly care about providing a character meal , since tourist do n’t generally give for a future visit . Stick to read restaurant review and asking locals where they feed before prefer a restaurant . Another good rule of thumb equal to hop restaurant right near major landmarks . For example , the restaurant around the Acropolis in Greece be notoriously overpriced and service low-quality food . ( We begin a ignore up hot dog with pancakes at one restaurant . ) The same common sense go for book tours . We live once convince by a tout to visit an animal sanctuary in Thailand . After crush out our cash , we stood in line with 50 other tourist who all got one minute to own their photo taken with a baby elephant .

4 . Cause n’t sleep in tourist zones .

Most city and beach destinations that depend on tourism get a Hotel Zone or popular neighborhood fill with affordable chain hotel ( think Midtown in Manhattan or the Hotel Zone in Cancun ) . So it makes sense that the restaurants and shops around the hotel supply heavily to tourist with chain stores , tight food restaurants , and peddler selling tours . If you can , select a hotel that ‘s place forth from the beaten course . You may end up pay a piece more for transportation , but you ‘ll likely learn a much serious food , shopping , and exploration setting where locals really hang out .

5 . Watch for translations .

If something is advertised in English , French , Spanish , and Mandarin , you can almost guarantee that it ‘s a tourist ambush . Activity and restaurants that hear to attract to everybody usually cause n’t do a real good chore at attract to anybody . Rather , look for spot that cost advertised solely in the country ‘s words . For model , Italian restaurant in Florence with Italian menus have a much in effect fortune of being authentic than their multi-language counterpart .

6 . Avoid countries that trust only on tourism .

Many Caribbean island and Asian rural area rely heavily on tourism . And while that ‘s not a terrible affair , it does mean that receive an authentic experience or begin away from the crowd might exist more difficult than you ‘d think . All-inclusive resorts equal some of the bad offenders for allow for a cattle call-like tourist ambush experience . Hotel in the Dominican Republic tune guests up for “ free ” 10-minute massages that are little more than an upsell for longer services . Dive boat in Belize cost much packed to the brim with snorkelers , and guides illegally feed fish for photo ops . The best way to avoid these kind of experiences is to stay on at smaller boutique hotel with more personalized service , or choose a destination that make n’t full rely on tourism dollars .

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