Travel tip #153: How not to be annoyed at tourists (even if you are one)

Hi Reader,

I hope you are doing fantastically wherever you are.

I am getting ready for our Ecuador & The Galapagos tour, a bucket list trip for anyone joining us and an incredible experience for me too when I scouted the itinerary last year.

Bonus points this year because I will be spending 2 extra weeks in the Galapagos to go on the catamaran we will be using next year and make sure it lives up to our standards. This way we can also answer all your questions from first hand experience. We never launch a trip without having experienced almost all parts of it. I will also visit two more catamarans as alternatives.

In between, I will have 3 days in Isabela Island to myself and have booked a volcano hiking day and some other excursions. YAY!

I am super excited for the trip and to be back in a country that was one of the best surprises of 2025 for me. If you want to join us next year, there are only a few spots left. See all the details here.

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram for the best stories of our trip to Egypt which Meg was on earlier in the month and is documenting there.

This week's tip is about helping spread out tourism numbers this summer, so both you and the people ling there can have a better experience.

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How not to be annoyed at tourists (even though you are one)

The speak summer season is approaching and I can already hear myself and others complaining about the crowds.

The irony of doing that while also contributing to the jams, does not escape me.

I most recently remember being stuck, literally and physically stuck, in a crowd in Hoi An, Vietnam and wondering how an experienced traveler like me ended up in the busiest spot at the busiest time of the day when I had every chance to go at anytime I wanted.

Mind you, I spend a significant amount of time planning my scheduled to avoid this. From avoiding the peak season to avoiding the busiest time of the day, to avoiding the busiest spots. But sometimes, I still end up there and I embarrass myself complaining about others when I am doing the exact same - the audacity of that thought 🤷‍♀️

So, how can we avoid being "that" tourist that crowds spots?

• Use Google Popular times feature to see when a place is busiest and avoid that. This is an hourly traffic graph that shows under many attractions on Google maps. I always look at that to also decide if I show up at a restaurant without a reservation and what my chances are (if they don't pick up, always call for a surer answer).
• Ask your guide when a place is busiest. Sometimes, guides do what everyone does because they are afraid to suggest a 7am start or because they think that helps them sell a type of tour and attraction. If everyone goes at 10am it must be because that is the typical and best time, so to compete, they also offer 10am. Ask them when a place is emptier. Some of the world's most popular attractions are super busy during certain hours and empty at others because of how tourism flows. eg. The parthenon in Athens is insane from 9am to 2pm but quiet at 5pm or 8am, because cruise ships all come in the morning. The pyramids in Egypt are crowded from 8am to 3pm but empty from 3-5pm or at 7am when they open, the same happens with all other temples in Egypt but Luxor Temple that is the only one opened at night and super packed then, but empty at lunch time. Experts know best. If you don't have a guide, as forums online or your hotel concierge.
• Book "skip the crowds" (not lines) tickets, but real ones, the are for before the place opens. For example, several attractions in Barcelona open for a higher price at 8am for a few select group of people before they open for everyone at 9am. Skip the line tickets are good, but only help with the queuing not the experience once inside the attraction.
• Always pre-book everything. Showing up without reservations is a sure way to guarantee queues, that applies to everything.

Do you also feel overwhelmed when in a crowd despite you being "the crowd"?

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2026 / 2027 Full calendar of tours Latest updates for 2026 tours: 2 spots on November Egypt 1 spot left on Tanzania Luxe November 1 spot left on Morocco 2 spots left in Japan October 1 spot left on both Iceland trips 1 spot left on Scotland 2 spots left on Bali See the full list of our future trips below. ✅ = Trip is confirmed ☑️ = SOLD OUT 💃 = I or Meg will co-host these trips 📸 = Professional photographer accompanying the tour 2026 trips 🚗 Cuba: 29 Dec 2026 to 4 Jan, 2027 (New Year's Eve) >> Book here​ 🧘‍♀️ Bali: ✅ 20 to 28 Jun [1 SPOT LEFT] || ✅ 3 to 11 Oct [2 SPOTS LEFT] >> Book here​ 🌮 Oaxaca: 11 to 17 Oct || 8 – 14 Nov || 29 Dec 2026 to 4 Jan 2027 >> Book here​ ⛩️ Japan: ✅ 13 to 23 Jun [1 SPOT LEFT] || ✅ 13 to 23 Oct (beautiful fall colors) >> Book here​ 🐑 Iceland: ✅ 11 to 18 Oct [1 SPOT LEFT] || ✅ 25 Oct to 1 Nov [1 SPOT LEFT] >> Book here​ 🍝 Tuscany: ☑️13 to 20 Jun || ☑️ 5 to 12 Sep >> Book here​ 🎄 Xmas markets: ✅ 21 to 29 Nov || 5 to 13 Dec >> Book here​ 🍷 Georgia: ✅ 5 to 13 Sep >> Book here​ 🇦🇲 Armenia: 💃 ✅ 📸 13 to 19 Sep >> Book here (200 EUR off if you book Georgia + Armenia) 🦪 Croatia & Montenegro: ✅ 31 May to 6 Jun [1 SPOT LEFT] >> Book here​ 🏰 Scotland: ✅ 10 to 18 Oct [1 SPOT LEFT] >> Book here​ 🦘 Australia: 💃 ✅ 11 to 22 Oct >> Book here [Meg will host this trip] 🥘 Barcelona & Beyond: ✅ 20 to 28 Jun >> Book here​ 🎄 Christmas markets: ✅ 21 to 29 Nov || 5 to 13 Dec >> Book here​ ⛵ Greek islands sailing trip: 💃 ☑️ 📸 29 May to 5 Jun >> Email us to get on the waitlist [Meg will host this trip, Photographer onboard]​​ 🐪 Morocco: ✅ 📸 2 to 12 Oct || ☑️ 6 to 16 Nov >> Book here​ 🦁 Tanzania Value safari + Zanzibar: ☑️ 11 to 21 Sep (Great Migration) || 23 Dec to 2 Jan, 2027 (Xmas + NYE) >> Book here​ 🇪🇬 Egypt: ✅ 30 Oct to 8 Nov [2 SPOTS LEFT] || 4 to 13 Dec >> Book here​ 🇹🇿 Tanzania Luxe safari + Zanzibar: ☑️ 25 Sep to 5 Oct (Great Migration) || ✅ 1 to 10 Nov [1 SPOT LEFT] >> Book here​ 🦭 Galapagos sailing: ☑️ 📸 5 to 12 Dec​ >> Email us to be added to the waitlist 🐬 Ecuador & The Galapagos: 💃 ☑️ 5 to 17 May >> Join the waitlist 🇦🇶 Antarctica: 💃 ☑️ 13 to 27 Dec >> Email us to be added to the waitlist New 2027 trips are being announced every week: 🌴 Caribbean island hopping: 💃 💃 📸 ✅ 13 to 20 Feb, 2027 [both Meg and I will host this trip] >> Book here​ ❄️ Swedish Arctic: ✅ 20 to 26 Mar, 2027 >> Book here 🐬 Ecuador & The Galapagos: ✅ 13 to 25 May [3 SPOTS LEFT] >> Book here​ 🇪🇬 Egypt: 4 to 12 April >> Book here​ 🇹🇿 Tanzania Luxe safari + Zanzibar: ✅ 10 to 20 Sep (Great Migration) || 1 to 10 Nov >> Book here​ 🦁 Tanzania Value safari + Zanzibar: 27 Aug to 6 Sep (Great Migration) || 24 Sep to 4 Oct (Great Migration) >> Book here​ 🐪 Morocco: 1 to 11 Oct || 12 to 22 Nov >> Book here 🍝 Tuscany: 13 to 20 Jun || 5 to 12 Sep >> Book here​ 🏔️ Kilimanjaro climb on Intl Women's Day: 12 to 22 Jun or 12 to 27 Jun with safari extension >> Book here. 🐒 Madagascar: ☑️ 💃 20 Sep to 3 Oct, 2027 >> Email us to be added to the waitlist SEE THE FULL CALENDAR OF TOURS

Have a wonderful rest of the week.

CO-FOUNDERS, SOLO FEMALE TRAVELERS