Let us assume that you are planning a vacation in a country you haven't visited yet. You search the web, look for cheap holidays in uk, and prepare for your trip. You now have reached your destination. But where do you go to next? Know which sites are best suited to your particular interest and travel niche. Where's the best restaurant to eat considering your limited budget? What activities would you be able to do? Your Lonely Planet guidebook suddenly seems to contain the vaguest travel information.
This is where a trustworthy travel guide comes in. A good travel guide is more than just someone who can accompany you to wherever you want to go. He is also a powerhouse of information, telling you the story behind the place. He is a consultant, suggesting to you which places to go and activities to do. He is your financial security officer, safeguarding you against scams and unfair tourist prices. And we are just touching the surface of the benefits of having a trustworthy guide.
But wait! Was trustworthy ever brought up? You can only get the benefits of (and be secure about your well being) if you choose a guide whom you can really depend on. However, there are hundreds of guide around surrounded by unscrupulous people who advertise themselves as guides. Choosing the right one is one tough decision to make.
1. A guide with a license is preferable. A travel guide with a valid certification is well informed and trained to offer guideship services excellently. He does not only represent himself but also the company he works for. Thus, he won't be content at giving mediocre services because he has names to protect.
2. Certified guides may not always be available everywhere. Who people call "guides" are actually locals who are familiar with the place. They may be as good as licensed guides. In some cases, they may even be better. However, because they aren't licensed, there's no assurance that you will get good service. There are things you need to watch out for, if forece to hire a guide that does not have a license:
* Having you pay for every service given - unconscionable guides tend to ask you to pay for every service given, no matter how trivial. For example, the guide may demand to be paid food or lodging even though you will be setting camp a stone's throw away from where he lives. Things that need to paid for should be specified and made clear prior to hiring the guide.
* Making you pay every step of the way - guides who are not legitimate can be spotted right away with the way they regard money and payment. If he asks you to pay up every step you take, then that definitely is a neon warning sign. You have to keep in mind though that you don't have any obligation to pay him for services that were not expressly specified and made clear before he was getting hired. Make sure the terms are clear before getting him.
* Large gap in language barrier - go for a guide who talks and understands English; communicating with him would be so much easier that way. Furthermore, it is important to know and understand a few local phrases even if the guide will do all the talking for you. It helps to know what you say yes to.
* Asking for money on a free event - be careful of locals who ask you for money even if the event that you're attending is supposed to be free of charge. For instance, you should be wary of a guide who asks for an entrance fee so you can participate in a free wine tasting or tea tasting event.
* Off the beaten path appears too "off"- some unscrupulous tour guides formulate sites of interest to satisfy your excitement for adventure and seeing something unique and different. Be skeptical! These may just be money-making schemes, and the supposed "site of attraction" is a average or uninteresting one.
This is where a trustworthy travel guide comes in. A good travel guide is more than just someone who can accompany you to wherever you want to go. He is also a powerhouse of information, telling you the story behind the place. He is a consultant, suggesting to you which places to go and activities to do. He is your financial security officer, safeguarding you against scams and unfair tourist prices. And we are just touching the surface of the benefits of having a trustworthy guide.
But wait! Was trustworthy ever brought up? You can only get the benefits of (and be secure about your well being) if you choose a guide whom you can really depend on. However, there are hundreds of guide around surrounded by unscrupulous people who advertise themselves as guides. Choosing the right one is one tough decision to make.
1. A guide with a license is preferable. A travel guide with a valid certification is well informed and trained to offer guideship services excellently. He does not only represent himself but also the company he works for. Thus, he won't be content at giving mediocre services because he has names to protect.
2. Certified guides may not always be available everywhere. Who people call "guides" are actually locals who are familiar with the place. They may be as good as licensed guides. In some cases, they may even be better. However, because they aren't licensed, there's no assurance that you will get good service. There are things you need to watch out for, if forece to hire a guide that does not have a license:
* Having you pay for every service given - unconscionable guides tend to ask you to pay for every service given, no matter how trivial. For example, the guide may demand to be paid food or lodging even though you will be setting camp a stone's throw away from where he lives. Things that need to paid for should be specified and made clear prior to hiring the guide.
* Making you pay every step of the way - guides who are not legitimate can be spotted right away with the way they regard money and payment. If he asks you to pay up every step you take, then that definitely is a neon warning sign. You have to keep in mind though that you don't have any obligation to pay him for services that were not expressly specified and made clear before he was getting hired. Make sure the terms are clear before getting him.
* Large gap in language barrier - go for a guide who talks and understands English; communicating with him would be so much easier that way. Furthermore, it is important to know and understand a few local phrases even if the guide will do all the talking for you. It helps to know what you say yes to.
* Asking for money on a free event - be careful of locals who ask you for money even if the event that you're attending is supposed to be free of charge. For instance, you should be wary of a guide who asks for an entrance fee so you can participate in a free wine tasting or tea tasting event.
* Off the beaten path appears too "off"- some unscrupulous tour guides formulate sites of interest to satisfy your excitement for adventure and seeing something unique and different. Be skeptical! These may just be money-making schemes, and the supposed "site of attraction" is a average or uninteresting one.
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