12 Things You Should Definitely Not Do as a Tourist

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Traveling is a beautiful way to broaden the mind, experience new things, and meet new people. However, it can also be challenging. For the best experience, you must carefully plan your trip, follow the rules and regulations, and avoid making mistakes. With many ethical and moral decisions to be considered, traveling can also seem daunting.

Luckily, we’re here to help you avoid making errors while traveling. To do that, we’ve compiled a list of 12 things you should definitely not do as a tourist. Keep reading if you want to experience the world to its fullest without upsetting locals, putting yourself in danger, or making simple mistakes.

Don’t Ignore Cultural Customs

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One of the most significant mistakes you can make when traveling is disregarding cultural customs. For those unsure, cultural customs are an accepted, traditional way of doing something specific to a society, location, or time. For example, in many religious temples across the globe, it’s customary to remove your shoes or cover your legs and shoulders.

Ignoring cultural customs is a bad move for multiple reasons. Firstly, you risk annoying locals who expect everyone to follow local customs. Secondly, you could easily make a mistake, for example, over-tipping or forgetting to tip. Finally, you could encounter trouble with the law. The easiest way to avoid these mistakes is by researching the cultural customs of a specific destination before you arrive.

Don’t Stay in the Hotel or Resort for Your Entire Vacation

12 Things You Should Definitely Not Do as a Tourist Don’t Stay in the Hotel or Resort — © rh2010 / Adobe Stock

The main highlight of traveling is seeing new places and experiencing new things, so don’t miss out by spending your entire vacation at your hotel or resort. Admittedly, spending your whole holiday at your resort can be tempting because they have everything you need to have a great time.

However, they can’t offer authentic experiences like the world around them. You must leave your hotel to try local cuisine, see the sights, and observe local life. Of course, spend time by the pool and at the all-inclusive restaurant, but make sure you leave plenty of time to eat at local restaurants and visit the most famous attractions, too.

Don’t Disrespect Historical Monuments

Once you’ve left your hotel or resort to explore a local area and visit local attractions, you must remain respectful, especially at historical monuments. This may seem like common sense, but you’ll be surprised by the number of people who have been seen disrespecting or even damaging world-famous historical landmarks.

For example, in 2023, an English man was spotted carving his name into the Colosseum in Rome. For context, the Colosseum has stood for more than 1,900 years. If you are seen disrespecting or damaging a historic landmark, you will likely anger local people and face legal punishment, including fines and a prison sentence.

Don’t Overpack

If you’re prone to overpacking, you must quickly change your ways unless you don’t mind overpaying for your luggage and struggling with your bags. Overpacking is one of the easiest mistakes to commit when traveling but also one of the easiest to avoid. To avoid overpacking, we recommend creating a packing list of the essentials you need for your trip.

That way, you can easily avoid packing everything but the kitchen sink. Take into consideration where you’re going when packing your bags. For example, you don’t need a wooly jumper and raincoat for a beach holiday. Traveling light will allow you to save money on luggage fees while making it easier for you to carry your bags.

Don’t Avoid Trying New Foods

Top Destinations for a Global Culinary Journey Bangkok, Thailand — © day2505 / Adobe Stock

One of the best things about traveling is having the opportunity to try new and exciting foods. Although, we also understand why it can be tempting to stick to the foods you’re used to. By eating the foods you eat at home, you know what to expect and won’t encounter nasty surprises.

Furthermore, there is no denying that some foreign foods do look scary. However, completely disregarding new foods during your vacation would be foolish. You open the door to new flavors, experiences, and cultures by trying new foods. You might also discover a dish that quickly becomes your favorite. Before I visited Asia, I’d never tried nasi goreng. Now, I make it at least once a month.

Don’t Eat in Tourist Hotspots

Fashion Capitals in Europe Rome, Italy — © rh2010 / Adobe Stock

On the topic of food, eating in tourist hotspots is a surefire way to rack up an overpriced bill. Tourist hotspots typically found around popular attractions are almost always more expensive, busier, and less authentic than local restaurants. It’s also not uncommon for the portions to be substantially smaller.

Therefore, you won’t experience a genuine meal at a fair price if you eat near a significant tourist attraction. With that in mind, eat at least a few blocks from tourist attractions. That way, you can find somewhere more affordable, authentic, and quieter to eat. To find somewhere local to eat, don’t be afraid to ask the locals or the staff at your hotel.

Don’t Forget About Tipping Culture

Tipping cultures vary massively worldwide. While many countries observe tipping cultures, others completely disregard it. Some countries also consider it rude to leave a tip. Therefore, you need to understand the local tipping cultures before arriving at your destination. If you don’t, you risk over or undertipping and feeling embarrassed if you make a mistake.

Firstly, it’s important to note that many restaurants include a tip in the bill, so make sure you avoid leaving a tip twice. Secondly, remember that tipping percentages vary. For example, it’s common in America to leave up to 20%, whereas 10% is more than enough in the United Kingdom. It’s a good idea to do your research before dining out.

Avoid Exchanging Money at the Airport

Exchanging money at an airport may be convenient, but you’ll pay a premium for the pleasure. More often than not, currency exchanges at airports offer poor exchange rates, meaning you pay more for your currency but receive less. Worse yet, some airport currency exchanges charge a fee for changing your money.

Order your money in advance through an online currency exchange, at a post office, or at your local bank or credit union to get the best exchange rates. These places almost always offer a fair exchange rate and little to no transaction fees. If you can’t purchase currency in advance, consider buying your currency at your final destination from an ATM instead.

Choosing Not To Take out Travel Insurance

While it might not seem like a big deal at the time, choosing not to take out travel insurance for your vacation or backpacking adventure can be a costly mistake. Even leaving it late to organize your cover can be a mistake, as you might not be covered in time should your vacation be canceled.

Travel insurance is essential because it covers you in the unfortunate event something goes wrong. Most travel insurance providers provide financial cover for medical emergencies, missing luggage, luggage theft, electrical device damage, and medical repatriation. We recommend using Safety Wing to take out travel insurance. This provider offers 24/7 support and affordable, flexible protection.

Never Throw Litter on the Floor

This is another do not that sounds super simple and easy to follow. However, the number of people who show disregard for another country by throwing litter on the floor is staggering. We’ve seen people leave everything from chocolate wrappers and potato chip packets to disposable barbecues and tents on the floor multiple times.

No matter the circumstance or situation, there is no excuse to leave litter on the floor. Not only does it pollute an area, but it also shows disrespect to the local people who call the place you spoil home. The simple way to avoid littering when traveling is to throw your trash in the bin or take it with you and dispose of it elsewhere.

Don’t Stick to the Beaten Path

The world is full of fascinating places waiting to be explored, but most travelers stick to the beaten path. While it can be tempting to stick to the beaten path to visit some of the world’s most famous attractions, it’s often more fun to explore lesser-traveled destinations. We’re not telling you to avoid the most popular places, but try to see a bit of both.

You often experience a country’s more authentic side by visiting lesser-traveled destinations. For example, Folegandros, a Greek island near Santorini, offers a more local experience away from Santorini’s large crowds and iconic photo spots. Occasionally, less visited destinations are also more affordable and budget-friendly.

Don’t Feed Wild Animals

If you’re from somewhere like the United Kingdom, like me, you probably won’t be used to seeing much wildlife. We have species like birds and deer, but nothing as exciting as other countries. Therefore, you might not know what to do when traveling to different parts of the world where it’s common to see species like monkeys, bears, whales, and wild boar.

One of the things you should never do if you see wild animals in a foreign country is feed them. You might not see anything wrong with feeding an adorable monkey, but you encourage negative behavior. Feeding animals human food encourages them to depend on humans for more. Furthermore, human food can be harmful to many species. In some instances, animals may even have to be put down.