International travel was brutally ruled out in 2020, not just threatening the entire travel industry but also flushing our travel dreams down the toilet. Not long after the lockdown was lifted though, local travel had become a trend worldwide. Sure, it was better than nothing, but have you asked yourself why it could actually be a good idea to travel locally more often? Have you wondered if staycations are here to stay?
Why Travel Locally?
Aside from contributing to the local economy, especially if your home country’s GDP highly depends on tourism, there are plenty of other reasons why domestic travel is good for you.
Get to explore your own backyard
As cliché as it sounds but exploring your own backyard is actually cooler than it sounds. We often take our countries and hometowns for granted, forgetting what it might have to offer. And as backpacking in Asia or hiking across western Europe sound exciting, your homeland might actually surprise you. The world is just full of hidden gems.
Coming from Egypt, I’ve always appreciated the amount of history and culture. I also appreciated the impeccable nature and underrated adventure travel opportunities here. Every year, I made sure to travel locally at least once or twice besides my international trip. However, I took the city where I lived for granted.
If you aren’t new here, then you probably know I was born and raised in Alexandria but have been living in Cairo for almost 3 years now. Sure, I’ve been to some places, but as a kid or teenager, and definitely not to everywhere. People come to Cairo thinking it’s just the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Egyptian Museum they’ve got to see, but hell no. A day, or two, are definitely not enough to cover what this city has to offer from the mysterious Baron Empain Palace to the iconic Cairo Tower.
I’m glad I got to catch up with what I’ve been missing in Cairo and that I have so much planned for this year. I’ll be exploring several places in Egypt that I haven’t been to before, so make sure to keep an eye on my Instagram to stay up to date.
It can be good practice for solo travel
To those who wish to start solo traveling but are concerned or feel intimidated by the idea, starting locally could really help boost your confidence. Going somewhere that’s somehow familiar kind of makes things easier. You don’t want to throw yourself into a completely different culture or worry about the language barrier when you’re all new to this anyway.
Even if you haven’t visited the destination before, it being local still makes it familiar to you. At least you have an initial understanding of how things might be and what to expect.
I still remember my first-ever solo trip like it was yesterday. I went to a Nubian village in Upper Egypt, I got incredibly sick for my entire stay, but the lovely Nubians took great care of me, and I hung out with awesome people (when I had the energy). Despite how awful that trip might sound, it was actually one of the turning points in my life. I learned a lot on that trip and it was one of the main triggers that lead to the conception of Curls en Route. Nubia has had a special place in my heart ever since.
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Get to learn about local subcultures
Even if nationwide cultures share traditions and customs, within every country, there are tons of subcultures that each have their own. And getting to know a different subculture is as thrilling; it’s still a form of cultural exchange. Imagine the stories you’d hear, the values you might learn, and the cuisines you could devour. Sounds exciting, right? I sure did learn about lots of amazing cultures all around the world, but if it weren’t for my local travels, I would have never gotten to know more about the vibrant Nubians nor have even heard about the ancient Jebeliya tribe.
It’s cheaper
A good reason why should travel locally is simply that it’s cheaper. Let’s face it; the gas you need for a road trip or that bus/train ticket will never be as expensive as the flight ticket for the closest destination. So, if your income is limited or you have other financial responsibilities to prioritize, you don’t have to destroy your travel dreams. A staycation is always a great, affordable idea whether you want to go on an adventure or simply take a break from work/school. Not to mention, that you also won’t have to worry about currency exchange!
It also helps you travel while you save
And since it’s cheaper, it could be a temporary alternative for international travel instead of a permanent one. In other words, if you need more time to save up for a big international trip but the travel bug is getting on your nerves, you can always satisfy it with a day trip to a nearby city or a weekend getaway every now and then. It’s cheap, especially if done on a budget, so you could still get to travel while saving up for another trip.
Easier to plan
Domestic trips are definitely much easier to plan for. If you can’t take time off, you can always opt for a weekend getaway. Long weekends and bridge holidays are something you should definitely capitalize on if you want to travel locally more often.
*Long weekends: When the weekday before or after your weekend is a national holiday. e.g: Friday, Saturday, Sunday
*Bridge holiday: A national holiday that comes 2 days before or after the weekend, and in this case, you’d take the day in between off to have a longer weekend. e.g: If Monday is a holiday, you can take Sunday off (assuming it’s an Egyptian weekend – Friday and Saturday)
More room for spontaneity
Traveling locally isn’t just easier because it’s cheaper and closer, but also because you can come up with a last-minute plan. You can go to the bus/train station and buy yourself a ticket on the spot (or do it online obviously), and even better, if you have a car, you can go on a spontaneous road trip.
Tips for smarter local travel
- Identify all national holidays at the beginning of every year and plan your bridge holidays in advance. Bear in mind these times tend to be more crowded.
- Aim for as many weekends as you can.
- Try exploring your own city for a change.
- Go on walking tours or take the hop-on-hop-off bus if there’s one in your city.
- Visit national parks.
- Try a new activity like hiking or kayaking.
- Eat out at a new restaurant.
- Hang out where expats in your city hang out.
- If you go to a town/village with a very different culture than yours, hang out with the locals.
- Follow your country’s tourism board on Instagram or other accounts dedicated to promoting specific cities for more inspiration.
Feeling inspired to go on your next local trip? Drop a comment and let me know where you’re planning to head to this year.
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You might also like:
- Epic Things to Do in Dahab: Your Unconventional Guide
- Unusual Egypt Itinerary: A South Sinai Road Trip
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Nadine is an Egyptian curly-head who decided to quit the norm because it just doesn’t suit her. She ditched her 9-5 as a magazine editor to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time digital nomad and to inspire aspiring travelers to embark on their own solo adventures.
I couldn’t agree more & there are some great reasons here why staycations are a fantastic option. I feel
the pandemic has made me look differently at my own country & last summer I spent 2 weeks exploring
Scotland which I would never have done otherwise. I loved it so much & got so much positive feedback
about everything I shared that I am planning to return this summer, even if we are officially allowed to go
overseas.
This sounds great! I also have more local travel plans that I’d expected 🙂
I always liked to go as far away from home as possible when travelling but I’m finding a new appreciation
for the places around me now!
I know, right? One has to say that this is definitely one of the things the pandemic made us appreciate 🙂
I couldn’t agree more Nadine! Sometimes if it much awesome to discover new things within your
backyard. Nothing beats the experience of getting to know more of some local awesome places and
meeting new people within. Thanks for sharing and safe travels!
It’s definitely worth it!