8 of the Best ‘Live Like a Local’ Experiences
Whether you’re looking for cultural
immersion or simply to catch a glimpse of local life away from the
tourist trail, there are a host of ways you can dig beneath the surface
and learn about your host country through first hand experience. From
studying Islam in Turkey to helping out in the rice paddies in rural
Indonesia or bedding down in a yak-hair tent with Tibetan nomads, here
are 8 of the world’s best “live like a local” experiences.
1. El Nomad, Ecuador
There’s
no better way to perfect your Spanish than living with locals,
andEcuador, with its equatorial climate and scenic landscapes, offers
the perfect setting to inspire your learning. Based in the tranquil
mountain valley of Cuenca, El Nomad specializes in cultural and language
immersion programs, with a range of options for participants that
combine homestays with a local family and Spanish language courses.
Students can create their own program and those wanting to get more
involved can take advantage of professional internships and volunteer
programs in local schools and community projects.
2. Muslim for a month program, Turkey
This
program stirred a little controversy when it was first unveiled, but
whether you are interested in converting to Islam or simply hoping to
understand and experience one of the world’s misunderstood religions,
the Muslim for a Month program offers an enlightening mix of cultural
and religious education that is sure to open your mind. On the 12 or 21
day packages there’s plenty of chance to explore the Turkish sights
in-between spiritual teachings, and you’ll be able to stay with local
families, visit the country’s most renowned mosques, and a even
undertake a pilgrimage to the mausoleum of Mevlana Rumi in Konya.
3. Volunteer in Java, Indonesia
While
most tourists stick to surfing in Bali or exploring the temples and
volcanoes of Java, to fully experience Indonesia, you need to get out
into the countryside. Volunteer in Java is one of a small number of
homestays that offer a window into rural Indonesia – a land of sprawling
tea plantations, tiered rice paddies, and traditional bamboo housing.
Stay with a local family in the market town of Cianjur, eat home-cooked
food, and haggle over spices at the local market with your host mother.
It is run by a group of local English teachers and tour guides who offer
plenty of opportunities to explore the area from visiting a nearby
floating fishing village, touring a tea plantation or even helping out
in the rice paddies for a morning! Visiting the schools and volunteering
to help the children with their English is also encouraged, but you
don’t have to volunteer to be involved.
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4. Phong Nha Farmstay, Vietnam
Tucked
away in the surroundings of the popular Phong Nha Ke-Bang National
Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Phong Nha Farmstay is
not only a prime location for exploring the park, but an opportunity to
experience rural Vietnam in an area still in the honeymoon stage of
tourism.
Sandwiched between the
mountains and the coast, the area is quickly gaining renown for its
network of caves and is sure to see a surge in interest after the 2011
opening of Paradise Cave, reportedly Asia’s longest cave at an
incredible 19.5 miles (31.4 km) long. The farmstay, set in a small
village surrounded by rice paddies, is run by an Australian-Vietnamese
couple dedicated to improving the lives of the local villagers and keen
to share the unique culture and traditions of village life with their
guests. As part of the family, you can observe or lend a hand with the
daily farm work (there’s even a chance to help drive the water buffalo
plough), swim with the village kids in the river, or head off on a
bicycle to explore for yourself. Later on, listen as the villagers share
their stories of the American war over a cold beer and a home cooked
meal.
5. Huaorani Lodge, Amazon
Huaorani
Lodge might be an award-winning eco-lodge, but here life is much more
exciting than simply protecting the environment – you’ll get the chance
to experience the wilderness from a tribe who have been living off it
for years. Tucked away in the Ecuadorian Amazon and run by the Huaorani
indigenous people, the lodge is a tribute to their sustainable
lifestyles, attempting to marry tourism and environmentalism, whilst
fighting to protect their homeland from oil exploration.
Guests
can learn about medicinal plants, climb trees, and smear streaks of red
achiote on their cheeks, then spend the night tucked snugly in a palm
thatched cabin. If you’re still up for some action, try floating down
the Shiripuno River in a dugout canoe or spotting monkeys on one of the
many hikes through the jungle.
6. Uxu Dude Ranch, Wyoming.
If
you’re heading to Western America, there’s no better way to explore the
landscape and learn about the land, than hooking up with some real life
cowboys at a working dude ranch. The Uxu Ranch is one choice, with a
premium location just 20 minutes from the famous Yellowstone National
Park and located on a road Former President Theodore Roosevelt once
described as “the most scenic 52 miles in the United States.” As well
shacking up in the ranch’s log cabins and taking to the countryside on
horseback, there’s plenty of opportunity to hike and fly-fish in the
Rockies, learn about western horsemanship, and of course, experience the
thrill of a real western rodeo.
7. Green Palm Homes, India
A trip to India wouldn’t be complete without taking advantage of the country’s renowned hospitality, and Green Palm Homes
is one company organizing homestays where you’ll get to experience
family life first hand. Staying in a community on the palm-lined
backwaters of Kerala, you’ll be treated as one of the family and whisked
around the villages by your host, who’ll happily introduce you to
everyone you meet along the way. Once you’ve taken a cycling tour,
canoed along the river, and visited the local Toddy brewery (a local
drink made from coconut flower sap), you can settle down for the family
meal – an array of India’s delicious home-cooked fare, with rice
straight from the next door paddy, washed down with plenty of locally
brewed Chai tea. Locals are keen to embrace their guests into the
community, and there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in
village life, learn to cook, try pottery making, or take part in one of
the region’s vibrant harvest festivals.
8. Camping with Nomads, Tibet
There
are few experiences more authentic and potentially life-altering than
camping out with a nomadic family and their yak herds on the wild
plateaus of Tibet. This is back-to-basics living at its most primitive,
so prepare yourself for sleeping on a bed of animal pelts and waking at
the crack of dawn to help milk the yaks. You’ll spend your days herding
sheep and yak, entertaining an ever-smiling flock of kids, learning to
cook on a yak dung fire, and sipping cup after cup of yak butter tea.
The
Qinghai region is one of the best places to organize a trip and is best
done with the aid of a local guide, who can act as translator too,
although a few tour companies do offer a similar experience.
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