Most people take a holiday to escape their daily routines and relax in a serene environment. It must be ironic for you to feel so exhausted after a vacation that you begin wondering why you took it in the first place. Instead of rushing through your checklist of every tourist hotspot you wish to visit, slow down and renew and re-energize your spirit.
What is Slow Travel?
The concept of slow travel may be new to some people but it is revolutionizing how people travel today and for decades to come. Slow travel is slowing down everything in the sense that instead of travelling at a strenuous pace, you tone down and make real connections with the place itself, the local culture, and the local people. This gives you a far more authentic and richer travel experience.
With slow travel, you make personal connections with the locals instead of getting to experience them through a third party guide or docent. You will likely avoid the heavily travelled zones and find your independent route. Slow travel focuses more on the journey than the destination. It is built on the premise that a slow pace of travel gives you a more meaningful experience.
Slowing down means that rather than booking a hotel and rushing to see all the travel destinations in your checklist, you rent a house and immerse yourself in the local culture. With this age of social media, most people only care about getting the perfect Instagram photo on the most beautiful sites in the world. Stop and soak in the local experience instead.
You can experience the beauty of slow travel through road trips, cycling tours, eating with locals, cultural homestays where you stay overnight with a local family, and freighter travel. Try to stay longer in one place and have a flexible schedule for you to enjoy slow travel. You can also ask the locals for recommendations on how you can maximize your experience.
Why Should You Try It?
So why should you really travel slow? There are so many compelling reasons why you should switch to this wonderful way of travel. Here is why you should try it.
It is Cheaper
Renting a vacation home is way cheaper compared to booking a hotel. The fact that you have a kitchen means you will spend less on cooking compared to eating out. Also, staying longer in one place reduces transportation costs.
It Takes You Off The Beaten Path
Slow travel allows you to explore your destination independently rather than constantly bumping into other tourists. You will be able to find a happy medium where you can check off sites on your list and experience off the beaten path.
It is Eco-friendly
Your mode of transportation may be harmful to the environment, for example, cycling or walking is eco-friendlier compared to flying. It feels nice to know that by walking or cycling, you are preserving the environment.
It Enables You to Be Spontaneous
When you get back home from a vacation, you would love to tell the stories. The best stories are those of the unexpected things that happened. Slow travel enables you to take a detour from your itinerary without losing sight of the tourist sites on your checklist.
As you can see, there is so much you stand to gain by exploring slow travel. Take time to enjoy your vacation and make meaningful memories. There is no better way to travel than with slow travel!
I'm Squibb Vicious, better known as Haydy!
Happiest with a craft beer in hand, eating til my heart is content or exploring somewhere new.
Here you can read about my adventures!