5 ways to find offbeat places for traveling

I have struggled to find offbeat places for traveling for a long time. With the increase in the population and the rising number of travelers, it has become difficult to find places that are still pristine. And, like everything else, it takes a lot of googling and some hit and trial to master the skill of finding offbeat places to travel to. Lucky for you, the 5 ways that I am mentioning here are tried and tested and guaranteed to work.

But first, why do people want to visit offbeat places in the first place? My reasons for choosing offbeat places for traveling are;

• to get close to nature
• find places that are still in their natural state
• drinking clean water straight from the river
• meet people that are not infected by the ways of the modern world
• beautiful mornings
• dinner time stories
• living life the simpler way

What are yours? Taking the road less traveled? Exploring the lesser-known? Instagram?

Google search can tell you (almost) anything

But only if someone else knows it first.

You know it’s true. The only reason any piece of information is there on the internet is because someone wrote it. Someone like you and me. So if you are looking for (google search) offbeat places for traveling somewhere on the planet, the person who wrote the blog that you are reading believes it is offbeat. You might and might not agree. And that’s OKAY.

So the more you read the name of a place, the more likely it is that it is NOT less traveled. While you are looking through blogs to find places keep an eye out for places that are less mentioned and then google them separately. That narrows your search down in the right direction.

Read more: Pros and Cons of Traveling on a Budget

Have you been to offbeat places while traveling?

Talking to fellow travelers can get you exactly what you are looking for. Just talk to them.

So where do you find these travelers? Blogs, Instagram, YouTube, Google, and my favorite- hostels. Even the staff at hostels can tell you about places especially in and around that area that are less visited and absolutely serene.

It might take a little bit of conversation to help the person you are talking to, to understand. Sometimes (personal experience) people start by telling regular touristy places. But after like 5-7 minutes of conversation and me trying to explain, they get the point and tell me what I am looking for.

The reasons why people might hesitate in suggesting places other than tourist attractions could be;

• because they are not sure if you would it
• not many people go there
• it is difficult to reach there
• they might worry about your safety
• they themselves might not have explored all that much

So keep talking (politely) and don’t give up on something you really want. Even if you have to fish the answer out of an individual.

Can anyone suggest some offbeat places for traveling?

Forums are also an interesting way of searching.

Quora is the one that I use to answer a lot of people’s queries and so do a lot of other people. So, don’t be shy and ask what you need to know. I am sure someone will know the answer to your question.

Looking for an offbeat place is neutral. It’s neither easy nor difficult. So, if you are not comfortable relying on other people’s suggestions, you could try the next two ways, which is how I mostly look for offbeat places for traveling.

Well, sometimes I look for them, sometimes they find me. Either way, traveling is life.

Map your way – That’s how I do it

Say the trip I am planning to is Uttarakhand. Tourists visit Uttarakhand very frequently and in considerable numbers, both Indian and International. And, so there hardly is any corner of that state left that is not exploited by humanity. Or so it seems.

How I would go about finding a place that is less frequented by tourists is this;

1. First, I would take a print of the map of Uttarakhand.
2. Then, I start searching on google. Do the search according to the first three suggestions and strike out the places that are suggested everywhere. Places to visit in Uttarakhand, things to do in Uttarakhand and the like get struck out. Irrespective of how beautifully the picture of that place is edited. This is true for 98% of the places.
3. Finally, the areas that left untouched are the ones that are less frequently traveled and hence, talked about.

That my dear friends is how I look for offbeat places for traveling.

Are you planning to take a backpacking trip? You might want to take a look at the checklist of items to carry.

Let the road lead the way

This is not specially about offbeat places, but it does get the job done. In most cases, better than expected.

Pick a destination, and just go there. Once you start talking with the locals and fellow travelers that you meet, you will find a direction. You will know where you want to go next.

And, every time you hit the crossroads, take a deep breath, close your eyes, and take the one that feels right. It works for everyone, every time. All you gotta do is to believe in yourself and what is it that you are looking for.

It doesn’t have to be a designation or a destination, it could just be a feeling. It could just be a mood.

Have you ever been to an offbeat place? How was your experience? Did you plan it or did it just happen out of the blue? I would love to read about your experiences. Please do share them.

Have fun traveling people!

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