Traveling like a local rather than a tourist will expose you to some of the most beautiful and different parts of another culture and country. In the Maldives, you can experience this if you choose to stay at a guest house in one of the local islands. Over 600 guest houses are established in the islands of the Maldives for budget travelers and for the tourist seeking a more local experience to learn about the culture, language and the people of the Maldives.
Many of us love to travel. But sometimes going to a new place can be intimidating if you want to try your best to blend in. There are certain things you can do, however, before and during a trip to minimize stress and maximize your experience in an amazing new culture.
First thing’s first; before you arrive, scope out the main things you want to see and do before booking your accommodation. If you know you’ll be wanting to explore the city center and its surroundings, try and book accommodation in the Male’ area region.
If you know you’ll be exploring the island life, book a guest house to start and then look at all the activities and experiences the guest houses offer. Most of the guest houses have packages including day trips to resorts, diving, snorkeling, sand bank visits, and many other water sports activities.
One of the few tips you need if you would like to interact with locals is keeping your dress codes decent since you are not allowed to wear bikini’s in the living areas of the local as the Maldives is a 100% Muslim country.
If you’ll be traveling for an extended period of time, you can also look at getting a local SIM card so you can easily access data and contact your hotel if needed.
In the Maldives, the locals have a good understanding of English but people love when you attempt to connect through language. If people see that you are at least giving it a good effort to speak to them in their language, they will be more likely to help you and give you the best recommendations for your stay. Try and learn the basic essentials: hello, goodbye, please, and thank you for making locals pleasantly surprised when they see that you are attempting to use the local dialect.
These are just some of the many things you can do to make traveling like a local much more natural. When in doubt, however, the best way to travel like a local, is to engage with the locals. Don’t be afraid to ask for directions, recommendations, or help when you need it. These interactions can open your eyes to different experiences, customs, and cultures around you.
