12 Things Indians Should Not Do While Traveling Abroad

by Pratiksha Acharya
12 Things Indians Should Not Do While Traveling Abroad

Travelling and exploring the globe is one of the best things you can expose yourself to. Not only is it one of the best ways to gauge a place’s culture and heritage but it also helps you grow as a person. With a world that has such a varied culture, it doesn’t come as a surprise that travelling involves etiquette as well. There are no set rules and regulations when it comes to travelling (in some countries there are) but there are a lot of things that are unspoken and agreed upon universally. So, what are the things you should not do while traveling? Let’s find out!

1. Do Not Disrespect People’s Culture

Let’s start with the thing that is of utmost importance. When in a new place, it is really important that you don’t disrespect the people there or disregard the place’s culture. This is not even argumentative because you are in someone’s home and you play by their rules while you are in their territory. So, kindly stop writing “Rahul loves Pinky” on monuments and please don’t make fun of people’s features and/or their traditions. Not cool.

2. Don’t Order More Than You Can Eat

Of course, you want to eat and try out every possible thing that you can get your hands on at your destination. But that doesn’t mean that you get greedy and order more than you can eat. We all have a tendency of overcompensating and ordering a lot of food only for most of it to go to waste. Unless you are in a food eating competition, go easy on the ordering because wasting food is always frowned upon.

3. Don’t Just Rely On English

You come from a place of privilege if you assume that everyone is comfortable speaking in English. Contrary to popular belief, not every person is well-versed in the language. It is considered rude to not know at least a few basic phrases in the language of the place that you are visiting. Make sure you brush up on your “thank yous” and “sorrys” in the native language before you make your way there.

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4. Don’t Skip On Travel Insurance

This is SO important. Trust me, nothing is more important than having your travel insurance in place. A lot of people assume that it is not a necessity but whatchu gonna do when someone steals all your money while you are out having a great time in a foreign country? That’s where your travel insurance kicks in. You don’t want to be a crying mess, do you?

5. Don’t Over Plan

Getting excited about an upcoming trip is normal. Planning for it is also normal. But going overboard with the planning and charting out what you are going to be doing for every second of the day is a bad idea. You are on vacation, it’s time to kick back and relax and not run on a tight schedule. Plus, spontaneity is key!

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6. Don’t Over Haggle

We Indians love to haggle. I’d go as far as to say that it is one of our favourite pastimes and we could win a gold medal in it if we could. But as much as you love getting your value for money, we all know that most of the times we only do it to get that sense of triumph. Unfortunately, bargaining doesn’t work like that everywhere. So, don’t go around haggling unceremoniously and ruffling feathers.

7. Don’t Spend All Your Time Behind The Camera

The best thing about travelling is seeing the world in a different way. And we get it, every frame is a picture when you are vacationing in a gorgeous spot but would you rather live through your pictures or by watching the real deal? It doesn’t matter if you didn’t get that perfect Instagram picture or if you didn’t record a sunset. At least, you got to see it without a lens and a filter on and now it is etched in your memory forever.

8. Don’t Fall For Tourist Traps

I can’t stress on this enough. Every new place you go to comes with its own share of scamsters and frauds that lure you into paying more or doing stuff that you wouldn’t ideally want to spend your money on. Do you really want to buy an “authentic’ Turkish carpet when the tag on the back says “Made In China”?

9. Don’t Pack Too Much

Another thing that tends to be pushed to the sidelines is overpacking. You don’t need an entire suitcase for a weekend trip and neither do you need to carry your entire wardrobe around with yourself when you are on vacation. Take it easy, pack light and most importantly, pack smart.

10. Don’t Steal

We really shouldn’t be saying this because stealing is never okay. And we are speaking in all kinds of situation. In light of the viral video where a family pretty much stole everything from a hotel room, we don’t want to be associated with that, do we? Do yourself a favour and be a decent human being and only grab the toiletries from your hotel room. Leave the hairdryer and towels right where they are.

Also Read: Indian Family Steals Accessories From Bali Hotel, Gets Caught By The Hotel Staff

11. Don’t Dress Inappropriately

Recently a woman was booked in the Philippines for wearing a bikini which was pretty much a string. A lot of countries have rules when it comes to how people dress and we highly suggest that you abide by them when you are in their zone.

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12. Don’t Be Afraid To Try Out New Things

You are in an all-new place and it really wouldn’t hurt you try something that is local to the area. You have got to be adventurous and open to new things. Go ahead, give that friend grasshopper a try. You might hate it but at least you will get a fun story out of it!