5 Reasons to Try a Village Stay

Village stays offer a unique full-immersion cultural experience in the destination of your choosing. Having the opportunity to feel like part of a community is an invaluable resource for any travellers’ portfolio. Having the possibility to experience being a part of a community which one is visiting, is a unique opportunity which will not be forgotten.

1.The old traditions

It has long since been said that travel is the best teacher. There is high value in learning about the day-to-day lives of people and cultures other than one’s own. Off-the-beaten-path communities offer such rich learning experiences. As traditional ways have a tendency to drop away in our modern lifestyles, the opportunity to learn these valuable life lessons grows smaller every year. Many village communities continue to practice the old traditions. Village stays make it possible to live the destination, not just to visit it.

2.Local food

Foodies, you are in for a treat! Meals with the host family are usually included as a part of village stays. Meals are local and family-style cuisine, affording one the opportunity to sample delightful dishes one would not otherwise have the chance to try. Many of these local dishes can include rare food ingredients only found in the local area. Usually, this is because the food is locally produced, fresh and cooked by the real locals, not by international chefs!

3. Find the hidden gems

‘Go where the locals go’ is one of the most valuable mantras of travel advice. Want authentic food? Find out where the locals eat. Searching for a peaceful trek with breathtaking views? Follow the locals. Have the desire to purchase quality handicraft instead of cheap mass-produced souvenirs? Ask a local. Why spend your holiday asking the kiosk sellers where the best places are when you can take a village stay and have all of that information available to you readily. Host families are excited to share their culture, their community, their lifestyles. That’s a part of the reason they host travellers. Learning about the hidden secret places that only locals know is a bit of magical travel experience. Visiting these places, even more so. Take advantage of the wealth of information available to you during your stay in a village.

4. Feel like a member of the family

When travelling, it is quite the normal feeling to be an outsider that is observing a culture and history of which you are not a part of, in most circumstances. During village stays however, the traveller is treated as a member of the family, a member of the community and as such is invited to participate in local festivities and happenings. This opportunity for inclusion is quite rare and one should not only appreciate the opportunity but respect the culture and show such respect by learning as much as possible about it.

5.Slow down and relax

The pace of daily life in many villages is slower than the daily hustle and bustle of life in the cities. As a traveller experiencing the daily life in the destination village, you will have the opportunity to take a break and just sit, enjoy the views, or do some daytime exploration of your own. Village hosts think it important to make time allowances for their guests to have their own time. As daily life in the destination is the experience, ‘downtime’ in a family environment is a perfect opportunity to just slow down and enjoy the smaller things in life. Relax a bit and refresh yourself by taking a village stay during your holiday!