Culture has become somewhat of a buzzword when it comes to travel.
Everyone throws the word around and I’d be willing to bet a lot of the time when we’re traveling we get so caught up in experiences we don’t think too much with how they relate to history and culture. I think a lot of what we’re exposed to abroad is actually something much more sinister; tourism.
Unless you make a concerted effort to go beyond the tourist realm of a new country, it’s hard to experience what the true culture is actually like. Now, I understand why most people don’t do this, it’s stressful traveling in an unfamiliar country and some places just don’t feel safe to stray from the beaten track.
Certainly, there are many tourist destination that manage to balance their offering with including a true experience of culture but keep in mind it’s a produced experience of culture – they’ve decided what you’re going to see, and it may only be a single chapter in the book.
I think one of the best ways to get an idea of the real heart of a place is to speak to locals. This could be as simple as asking the people working in places, restaurants, bars you visit. Wherever you are is home to them, and they’re an excellent barometer for figuring out what’s going on at any time of the year.
Do your research before you travel, make sure you get some understanding of the history of where you’re going. Look up any native peoples and places or sites of importance to them. Even researching in this simple way will reveal a lot more about where you are visiting, and even if it’s only for a rest holiday you’ll find yourself looking at the beach a little differently.