12 most common mistakes tourists make abroad

Before visiting a country you are unfamiliar with, it is worth familiarizing yourself not only with the specifics of your itinerary but also with the language, culture, and customs of the area. In particular, this means researching cultural norms and restaurant etiquette.

Tourists often make mistakes that cost them a pleasant vacation experience. The Travel + Leisure magazine named the most common ones.

Expecting everyone to speak English

Yes, English is spoken in most countries (even if it's not the official language), but that doesn't mean you should expect - or worse, demand - that someone in another country will cater to your language preferences. Instead, pick up a guidebook and learn a few key phrases or simply use Google Translate.

Ignoring cultural customs

It doesn't need to be said, but it's true. Social etiquette matters when travelling abroad. If you don't bother to familiarize yourself with important customs such as greetings, tipping, and even which hand to use to pass the plate, you're sure to ruin your vacation.

Inappropriate clothing

Wearing mini shorts in the heat of the day at home may be fine (and the weather may even require minimal clothing when travelling), but it may not be culturally appropriate depending on your destination. For example, in temples across Thailand and Bali, it is customary to cover your arms and legs, but hundreds of tourists take selfies every year in clothes that don't follow these rules at all.

Not leaving the hotel or resort

Please do not spend every minute of your vacation, including meals, in the hotel or resort. Of course, many hotels around the world have incredible restaurants and offer fascinating cultural experiences, but this should be an addition to getting out and exploring your destination.

Rushing

Dining out in the United States often feels like a sprint to read the menu, order, eat, pay, and leave. But abroad, especially in Europe, it's the opposite, where meals are meant to be slower and more enjoyable.

Assuming that establishments will be open all the time

America may have 9:00 to 17:00 hours and many 24-hour mega-stores, but this is not the case in most other places. Countries like Spain and Italy take a break in the middle of the day. It is strongly discouraged to knock on windows, expecting the store owner to open the door.

Disrespect for monuments

Disrespectful attitude to monuments and symbols of cultural significance for photography (for example, climbing on tombs or jumping over designated places) is more than rude.

Attempting to pay in US dollars

The US dollar is the currency of the United States, not the world. While in some places this is gladly accepted, in most cases it only adds more stress and irritation. Caroline Quinn, a travel expert at Black Tomato, recommends picking up the local currency upon arrival if you forgot to bring it with you.

Too much luggage

Do yourself a favour and don't pack too many things in different suitcases. This increases the likelihood that something will go missing in transit, and it can make it harder to find a ride as smaller vehicles are more common in some other countries.

Being too critical of food and culture

We should recognize that travelling abroad is different. Isn't that the point? Therefore, you should not compare the country you are visiting with your place of residence because that's why you came there: to change the situation and explore something new.

Requesting a food modification

Unless you're asking for a modification because of an allergy or dietary restriction, asking for endless changes causes undue stress for the people preparing the food. "It's also quite rude to ask for changes to traditional dishes and local cooking styles," Quinn said.

Visiting tourist destinations only

If you spend all your time eating at international chain restaurants located around major tourist attractions that mostly cater to travellers only, how will you ever get a taste of local food? The same goes for souvenir shops and bars that are extremely touristy. A good rule of thumb? If a place has reviews from tourists only, consider choosing another place.