Whenever you visit a new country for the very first time, you want to get the most out of it. You want it to be the kind of place that you fall in love with and head back to time and time again. Of course, it doesn’t always go that way.  Sometimes you don’t fall in love with the country. That can be because the country simply isn’t the right fit for you and what you’re looking for. But other times, it can be because you don’t experience it properly.

There are things you can do to ensure you experience a country in the right way. It doesn’t have to be particularly complicated; it’s usually about making sure you experience the location in a true and real way. That might sound like something that’s really easy to do but it’s not always. Read on now to learn more about what you should be doing to properly experience country while vacationing. Start by putting the effort in now; it’ll certainly be worth it later.

Spend Plenty of Time There

First of all, you need to make sure that you spend plenty of time in the location because it’s impossible to experience and get to know a place when you’re only there for a few days. You can get a feel for a place in a short time, but it takes a little longer if you want to really understand it, so make sure that you free up as much space as you possibly can for that exploration. It’s one of the most important things.

Drive Around It

Driving around the country could be a great way to see it because it allows you to move around, rather than being tethered to one spot. Just make sure you use a brake tester and get your car properly checked over before you do this because you don’t want to break down or suffer any problems along the way when you’re on the road. I remember driving through Italy when our transmission broke down.  And we only had a limited number of hours to get back to Rome as we were on a flight home the next morning.  There is nothing like peace of mind when you go where the road takes you and explore every corner of the country. You might be surprised by what you find.

Talk to Local People

This is one of the best and most obvious things you can do if you want to experience a new place in the proper way. There are always going to be local people on hand who will be willing to talk to you about their home. They’re the best people to ask in terms of what to do and where to go next, so don’t be afraid to approach the locals because they’ll generally be more willing to help than you might think.

Eat in Local Restaurants

As well as talking to local people, you should also spend your evenings eating in local restaurants because this is where you find the food that the locals eat. You want to stay away from the kinds of restaurants that are geared solely towards tourists because those places are usually bad and they are never priced affordably.  Also, they often attempt to cater to tourists by serving what they believe a tourist eats at home instead of providing authentic local cuisine.

Spend Time Exploring Its Natural aside

Every country in the world has its own unique natural landscape, and that’s something that you should be willing to explore if you want to get the most out of your travel adventure. You don’t want to confine yourself to the cities, as fun as that might be. The natural side of the location is just as important because this is where you’re going to find rural people and the slower lifestyle of the nation; it’ll be ripe for exploration.

Find What Makes it Unique

Every place has something that makes it different to every other place in the world, and this is what you should be searching for when you’re in a new location. There are no excuses for not seeking out the kinds of places that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. The things that make it unique tend to also be the things that are most interesting about a place you’ve never been to before.

Stay Away From the Tourist Attractions

In most places, there will be plenty of tourist traps that you’ll most definitely want to avoid. No one wants to be swarmed by fellow tourists when they’re trying to visit a place, but that’s what tends to happen when you spend all your time in tourist traps and around tourist attractions.  For better or worse, that’s simply the way it is. If you want to experience the authentic side of the place, stay away from those places.  Of course there will be places you just must see.  If that’s the case, limit your time so you can ensure you are able to fit in the authentic experiences.

Learn a Little of the Language Before You Leave

Before you head out to the location, you should definitely make an effort to learn a little of the language. It’s something that local people will really appreciate because they probably don’t experience it often. It stops them from viewing you as just another arrogant tourist who doesn’t care about the local people or the local culture. So definitely take a few steps to get this right if you can.  Evan a few simple phrases such as hello, good-bye, and thank-you will get you a long way.

Go With the Flow

Finally, you should remember to simply go with the flow and see where this experience takes you. If you don’t do that, you will end up having an overall experience that’s too limiting and not interesting enough for you. Listen to the local people and see where their advice takes you. It might be one of the best things you do on your trip overall. Nothing should be off limits or ruled out before you go.

If you’re going to really experience a country, you want to do it the real and authentic way. So many people visit places without ever really seeing them, and that’s exactly the kind of situation that you should be looking to avoid. It’s more than possible to get this right if you’re putting in the work, so follow the tips above.