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A Cultural Expeditions Primer


By Mary Beth Lapin

A true cultural adventure is for those who want to see, taste, and experience new worlds. It is for travelers who want to stray from well-worn tourist venues and learn first-hand about native customs, folk art, architecture, music, religions, and rituals.

So how do you tell which trips reveal the true heart and soul of a region and which simply lead you to a staged representation of native life or culture?



And, how do you immerse yourself in a new culture without becoming a blundering intruder?

Perhaps no other type of travel demands more of the traveler than a cultural expedition. The visitor brings his or her own culture, values, and expectations into play when viewing a new community. He or she must suspend judgment and experience the place without prejudice.
Also unavoidable are the economic disparities between the "native" and the "tourist," as Jamaica Kincaid explains in her essay A Small Place. "That the native does not like the tourist is not hard to explain. For every native of every place is a potential tourist, and every tourist is a native of somewhere.

"Every native would like to find a way out, every native would like a rest, every native would like a tour. But some natives--most natives in the world--cannot go anywhere. They are too poor to escape the reality of their lives; and they are too poor to live properly in the place where they live, which is the very place, you, the tourist, want to go. So when the natives see you, the tourist, they envy you, they envy your ability to leave your own banality and boredom, they envy your ability to turn their own banality and boredom into a source of pleasure for yourself."

Irma Turtle, whose company Turtle Tours leads expeditions to remote villages in Africa, coaches her clients to behave respectfully and think about what they can give back. "I feel strongly that tourism should always be reciprocal and not exploitative. We go to places and have a wonderful time, and whatever I or my clients can do while we're there, we do."

That has included paying for operations for local children or carrying medical supplies to a village clinic. Tour participants can donate to these causes or sometimes pitch in on small projects while visiting a village.

Before you head out on your adventure, do your homework. Read a travel guide, talk to someone who's been there or consult your guides. While traveling, be a good observer and take your cue from the locals.

Following are answers to some frequently asked questions about cultural travel.

What about food and accommodations?
Tour operators usually arrange your meals and lodging. The meals included should be listed in your itinerary and may range from picnics to banquets.

Unless you're in a five-star hotel, water should be bottled, boiled or filtered. Food that is boiled, steamed or fried is generally safe. Avoid cold or raw dishes. Remember to peel your fresh fruit and vegetables.

You will find a variety of accommodations. In cities, you will likely stay in hotels or inns. Some cultural tour companies select smaller, more intimate accommodations that they say foster better connections with local culture. In rural areas, you may sleep in a hut or tent. Toilet facilities may be primitive. You may not always find electricity and indoor plumbing in remote locations.

What about tipping?
In many European countries, hotels and restaurants add the service charge.

Gratuities may be included in your tour package. Ask your trip leader about protocol. In Bali, for instance, wages are low, so tipping is gratefully accepted. In New Zealand, tipping is not common and a tip may be refused.

Traditionally, the Chinese consider tipping an insult, although exceptions are starting to appear in China's larger cities. You may consider leaving small gifts instead of cash in regions where tipping historically is not done.

How should I dress?
In the Far East and Asia, men and women should cover their shoulders and wear long pants or traditional dress (no legs showing), especially when visiting any place of worship, including mosques, temples and monasteries. Women entering mosques should cover their head and face.

In Africa, Irma Turtle, of Turtle Tours, says, "I make sure women understand shorts are not appropriate. From my point of view, it's only polite to acknowledge the local code of dress. Then the local people aren't uncomfortable. That's a really important sign of respect for the people you're visiting."

In many parts of Asia, including India and China, and the South Pacific, you should remove your shoes before entering someone's home, mosques or other holy places.

No matter what your personal habits, consider the sensibilities of the local culture. For instance, nude bathing might be fine on the French Riviera, but it is illegal in India.

Can I take photographs?
Show respect and good judgment when photographing or videotaping people, temples, and national sites.

Photographing shrines, temples, and other places of worship is allowed with prior permission in Sri Lanka. In many places in Asia, however, it is forbidden. For example, photographs are strictly prohibited in Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum in Hanoi. In some areas, you may have to hand over your camera while you view a holy or revered site.

Check before taking photographs in museums or art galleries.

In parts of Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, you may be forbidden to photograph military installations, equipment, and even soldiers.

On Turtle Tours, which leads trips to such places as Yemen, Oman, and Niger, clients are asked never to take someone's photograph without permission. "I believe in showing the people you visit that you're interested. You're not just there to take their pictures because they're a cultural oddity, but [because] you really care about them," Irma Turtle said.


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Mary Beth Lapin is a site editor for Away.com. She lives in Maine.