Comments on: Travel Snobbery and a Tour to Bali

By: Audrey Scott

Audrey Scott — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 07:37:34 +0000

@Naomi: In the years since we originally wrote this post the snobbery still continues, unfortunately. In the last few years we’ve really come to appreciate what a knowledgable local guide can bring to a travel experience – providing context, background, sharing personal stories, helping to clear up misconceptions, etc. And yes, sometimes tours do provide access to people and experiences that one cannot get when going independently. The goal is to be respectful and open-minded, both towards the host country…and fellow travelers.

By: Naomi

Naomi — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 00:47:52 +0000

I too hate the snobbery. There have been times when I’ve read a blog about an independent traveller’s experience at a place and am knocked sideways by their complete lack of knowledge, understanding or appreciation of the site (accepting that we all have different tastes) and realise it is based completely on ignorance. Choosing to not seek a guide or do some research about a destination and then to visit it and poo poo it to a large blog audience is something I abhor.
I travel independently but have done tours to places completely off the beaten track, stayed in villagers homes etc, which I could not have done independently because they were near sensitive border areas. I also agree that some of the people I have met on tours are fantastic people, who are often simply limited by time constraints from travelling independently.

By: Audrey Scott

Audrey Scott — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:56:54 +0000

@Jim: I like you’re approach of taking a tour for the overview of a place and then going back to explore further the areas or topics you really loved. It’s a great travel strategy.

@Crystal: Couldn’t agree more that mixing up travel styles is the way to go. Sometimes a group trip suits your purpose and mood, other times it doesn’t. The key is to recognize that a combination of styles is not only OK, but it can make the entire travel experience more enjoyable.

By: Crystal

Crystal — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:17:06 +0000

I think this is a great post, I spent 6 months traveling and working last year and in many respects it was by myself. As a single female traveler I did spent time in tours in countries such as Morocco and Egypt where it was just easier to have the itinerary set and I could pick and choose what I wanted to explore by myself or with others. Then there were other parts of my trip such as NYC and Washington D.C that I thoroughly enjoyed exploring myself. For 6 months straight it’s nice to have a mix of everything so you don’t get so exhausted with all the organising that you miss out on things you really wanted to enjoy. Just recently I took my friend on her first international trip to Singapore and Indonesia and we stayed in hostels, resorts and 5 star hotels so she could experience a range of travel modes. It’s nice to have diversity.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:58:00 +0000

I have been to many countries but have almost always done them on my own. I found when I have been in some more exotic locations, that I would take an organized tour of the area, and then go back and nit-pick the places that required further exploration.

By: Audrey Scott

Audrey Scott — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:43:07 +0000

@Matt: I agree that the “grass is always greener” syndrome is very prevalent amongst travelers, whether it related to style of travel (independent vs. tour) or activities. The competitiveness that one can find in travel communities is kind of silly – as you said, it’s about doing what’s right for you and respecting the decisions of others.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:40:50 +0000

I think the main issues I have come across myself in the last 4 years are down to people feeling they are missing out on something by “not” being part of something bit like the grass always being greener on the other side. The importance though is to always rise above it as people are people with different reasons to be there, different budgets and more importantly different reasons.

By: Audrey Scott

Audrey Scott — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:20:07 +0000

@Lola: Unfortunately, snobbery sneaks into lots of areas of travel (writing, photography, gear, etc.). Luckily, there are also so many great people out there traveling and doing their own thing that rise above it.

I agree that tours are a great way to ease into certain kinds of travel or traveling in new parts of the world that may seem daunting at first. What we saw on this tour was that the Canadian on her first trip abroad was already planning new trips, some on her own. That’s a great thing.

For safari, a tour will make things much, much easier than trying to sort things out on your own with a car, permits, etc. We really enjoyed the recent safari trip in Tanzania with Gap Adventures because we camped at all the parks, thereby reducing accommodation costs. But the quality of the tents, camping facilities and food (had a cook with us) we had was fantastic. And, we were always close to the animals 🙂

By: Lola

Lola — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:01:34 +0000

Loved this post Audrey! So tired of the snobbery in all aspects of travel (including writing but I digress).

I personally don’t knock tours and quite enjoy them once in a while when I find the right one for the specific travel situation I’m in – be it unplugging and relaxing or hiking.

My very first trip to Eastern Europe back in 2003(?), I went with a tour because as a black woman, I just wasn’t sure how safe it would be to travel and cross borders alone there. And sure enough, I did get harassed a few times (mostly by border patrol). But now I’ve been back solo and totally cool traveling on my own.

If people have trepidations about a place, I usually suggest they go with a tour so they can feel more comfortable and they can always return on their own.

It’s been awhile since I’ve taken a tour and now that I’m considering going on safari, I’ll probably take a tour.

By: Ekua

Ekua — Tue, 24 May 2011 23:26:52 +0000

I might be a travel snob because I still have a problem when people visit generic beach resorts and never leave them or take cruises that drop you off at generic tourist sales posts – it doesn’t allow for any interaction with the country. It’s their choice, but it seems like a waste of $ and time to go out of your way to go to a new place and not try to experience it.

I do believe in taking tours from time to time. I think when it comes to tours, people automatically imagine huge buses and being carted around from place to place with meals set and no free time. But there are SO many tour options. I’ve done a couple loosely organized tours like the one you did when I’ve found good deals on them. Making that decision really depends on where I’m going. Last summer, after hearing about other people’s difficulties when traveling in Cuba, I decided to do a tour and it was worth it. It didn’t at all detract from interaction with local people… it actually probably made it easier. I also decided to do a tour in SE Asia after reading a few stories about black people having trouble booking rooms in certain parts. It took away from the nervousness about being solo and even though I was still nervous about how I’d be received, I was assured that I would have a place to sleep at night. After awhile, I did feel like I could’ve finished the trip on my own.

As a solo female traveler, it can be nice to have a portion of a trip organized, especially if I am not looking for that sort of challenge at the moment. Having the basics like transport and accommodation pre-arranged can free up time for other things. I think it’s important for people to understand that tours don’t have to be restrictive!