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Why can you trust Escape Artist Katie as a travel blog?

I have been a travel journalist since 2018 and over the years, I have worked with international media, commissioned articles from freelance writers, and collaborated with tourism boards across the globe.

What is ‘offbeat travel’?

Simply put, offbeat travel refers to looking beyond the ordinary tourist activities, destinations, and experiences. It means discarding any pre-conceived ideas you might have about a destination and digging deeper.

This, in my opinion, is fundamental to the travel experience – challenging your assumptions and looking beyond the surface.

Here are my top tips for offbeat travel:

1. Think experiential. Hands-on experiences where you can appreciate a way of living first-hand will help you muster a more genuine understanding of a culture, destination or activity.
2. Don’t avoid popular tourist destinations. Look for their less-visited neighbourhoods, talk to locals, and see what made the destination tick before tourists flooded in.
3. Stay or travel with a local. Whether that means chatting to someone at a bar or staying in a homestay, locals have insider’s knowledge on (to use the corny phrase) ‘undiscovered gems’. Don’t ask ‘Where should I eat?’. Instead, ask ‘Where do you eat?’.
4. Consider your impact. While having an offbeat mission is great, don’t overstep any boundaries and definitely do not intrude upon anyone’s personal space. Ask permission, act respectfully, and be mindful of how your presence can impact other people.