TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

No matter where on earth you go, whether it's New Orleans or Timbuktu, you will always experience a more rich and revealing journey if you educate yourself beforehand about the culture, traditions, and history of the place you are about to visit.

If you are going to visit Ireland, read some books by famous Irish authors.

If you are going to Thailand, watch a documentary about Thai Buddhist monks.

If you are going to Kenya, educate yourself about Kenya's political history.

If you take the time beforehand to fill yourself in on what makes a place special, you will be better enabled to truly soak in the vibe and essence of the place that you are visiting.

Don't assume that only Muslim countries will require women to cover up (either by custom or law). There are many nations with more conservative values than what is typical is North America or Europe.

This can be a particular issue on the many Pacific islands, where you might be tempted to wear short shorts and tank tops to enjoy the sun.

Check with your travel agent, or even call the hotel where you will be staying and ask about appropriate dress.

When you don't know the language, you can be tempted to use hand gestures to get your meaning across to someone while on vacation. Be careful if you do.

Even the most innocent hand gestures can be misunderstood when traveling to new countries. What may seem common to you, doesn't necessarily have the same universal meaning.

The "thumbs up" gesture that is seen so often in North America, as a positive sign is quite rude in the Middle East, parts of South America and Asia. It has a similar meaning to the "middle finger" here in North America.