How To Find Locals While Touring And Connect With Them

When heading to overseas places, your greatest guide to discovering a city is through its locals. They know the best kept secrets of the locality, which can likely be those not disclosed in your travel guide.

If you are fortunate, you just might find a friendly and big-hearted local that'll introduce you to a group of other friendly and generous locals. Before you know it, you are being escorted to one exceptional locality after another. If you are even luckier, you just might get a nice dinner with new found friends at the end of the day.

I always tell friends not to pass up on the opportunity to meet the "locals" of the destination they visit. The "locals" will not only show you the best spots, they will also give you a rich insight into the very soul of their community - the culture of its people. It has always brought a treasure of great memories with extraordinary individuals. In fact, some of them are a part of my network of friend that I continue to stay in contact with.

So, where do you find these residents and how do you combine with them? I've learned from my long years of traveling that most do not hang out in the same places the visitors do. You may have noticed that in the traveler spots you mostly find just a handful of local guides, a throng of visitors and a bunch of souvenir vendors. The same goes for restaurants catering to tourists where the food is over-priced and the crowd is composed of travelers whose knowledge of the area is modest for the most part to what is stated in their travel guides.

Go instead to parks, markets, coffee shops and bars near a local neighborhood. It is where the locals as a rule chill out with their families or their friends. Be companionable. Smile at them and welcome them. You should remember that locals usually take pride in their home towns and are most likely to show you the best parts of their region. So, a sincere interest and appreciation of the area and customs will win you a lot of amiable faces and some great destination ideas.

If I find someone who looks appealing, I always make it a point to ask for directions from them - even when I know exactly where I'm going. It's an effective way to start a conversation. You can also ask for suggestions on which part of the town is worth walking.

Also, one of the best places to meet amiable and benevolent local folks is in a church. If you are a churchgoer, visit a local church. The members are always happy to meet a new face and will go the extra bit to give a helping hand.

Finally, a charity event, a concert or a Sunday market also provide great opportunities for a local connection. Go where the locals go and mix. You will find out that it is a very agreeable, advantageous and agreeable way of experiencing a new region.


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