Have you ever tried slow travelling? Well, if you haven’t yet, you need to (only if you can, of course). Slow travel can be absolutely life-changing and eye-opening, and we’re here to tell you all about it. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of all the benefits of slow travel, but first… 

What’s Slow Travelling?

Slow travelling, also known as slow travel, is the act of travelling as slowly as possible, as the term suggests. However, it’s not just about the duration of the trip; it’s way more beyond that. Slow travel is more of a lifestyle that focuses on connecting more with the destination, as well as its people and culture. It’s about really getting to know the places you visit instead of rushing. 

Now don’t get us wrong, if this is not how you roll, it’s completely fine – slow travel is not for everyone. It’s quite challenging to start slow travelling anyway because as you can guess, it needs flexibility when it comes to time. That’s why travellers with full-time 9-5 jobs are unable to experience slow travel because they have a limited number of vacation days per year. You need to be a digital nomad, a remote worker, a fresh grad, a student on a gap year, or basically anyone with free time to spare.

So, if you do have the luxury of time and flexibility, you need to try slow travelling at least once, because it has plenty of benefits that’ll change the way you see things.

Why Start Slow Travelling?

You get to see more

Obviously, when you travel to a destination for a longer period instead of standard vacation days, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the country. Instead of just visiting the capital, you’ll have the time to go to smaller cities, or even hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path destinations. This will help you get to know the country better and beyond the tourist attractions.

Connecting with the locals

Travelling at a slow pace allows you to connect with the locals, which is one of the best ways to get to know a culture. By meeting locals and being keen to really connect with them, you’ll learn about the country’s traditions and history from the most reliable guides, its people. They can even help you discover hidden gems and will maybe cook you some traditional, authentic food too. 

Learning more about the destination

Slow travelling helps you learn more about a country than you can ever read online. You’ll get a first-hand experience of it all. The more time you spend in a destination, the more you immerse yourself in its culture.

Helping local communities

This travel style doesn’t just benefit you as a traveller, it also involves supporting small local businesses. While slow travelling, you’d more likely stay at small family-owned hotels, hostels, or guesthouses. Or maybe you’d opt for a homestay at a local’s place! 

Also, to experience the country, you’ll be booking tours and activities operated by small businesses or freelance guides. Not to mention that buying from local artisans and eating from street food vendors and markets also contribute to local communities.

It’s more sustainable

Just like slow travelling helps both the travellers and locals, it also benefits the environment. Slow travel and eco-tourism go hand in hand; in fact, it’s often called slow tourism, which is the alternative and opposite of mass tourism. Unlike mainstream travel, slow tourism emphasizes travellers’ personal awareness, including awareness of environmental issues.

You see, tourism has a huge impact on ecosystems. For instance, when you’re slow travelling, you reduce your carbon footprint because you fly less. And while travelling domestically, you tend to travel by bus or train, which have much lower carbon emissions. As for commuting in a city, town, or even an island, as a slow traveller, you’ll more likely explore it on foot or on a bicycle.

Of course, there are plenty of other ways in which slow travel can be more sustainable, such as staying at green accommodations and eating locally-sourced food.

Taking a break

Travelling at a slower pace instead of rushing from one destination to the other allows you some time to catch your breath. In fact, the entire trip itself can be the break you need. 

Being constantly on the road, especially if you’re a digital nomad, can be physically and mentally exhausting at times, that’s why it’s very important to blow off some steam every once in a while. And slow travelling is one of the best ways to do so because, besides the slow pace, you get to connect with nature, which positively impacts your mental health.

You can actually save money

You may think that travelling for longer periods automatically translates to spending more money. Well, that’s not necessarily true at all. 

For starters, smaller hotels, hostels, ecolodges, guesthouses, and all these sorts of accommodations are much cheaper than 5-star luxury hotels and resorts. Also, to eat authentic food, you’ll more likely be eating at smaller restaurants, food carts, or street vendors. And of course, buses and trains are much cheaper means of transportation than planes. 

Additionally, if you travel off a backpack, which is well needed since you’ll be moving for a long time and you don’t want extra weight on you, it also saves you money on your flight ticket. 

It helps you improve a foreign language

If you’ve learned a second or third language and you’re looking to improve it, slow travelling is one of the best ways to do so. Travelling to the destination where locals speak this foreign language and putting in the effort to speak in their mother tongue instead of English, is a great form of practice. 

On the other hand, you can choose to speak in English if that’s the language you’re hoping to improve. You see, if you travelling for a long time and you communicate with lots of other travellers and foreigners in English, you’ll get used to it and improve at it, even if you’re in a non-English speaking country.

It’ll teach you to take it easy

Slow travel will also teach you to not rush things, in general, and not just while travelling, especially if you chose a small town or an island as your destination. You’ll come back home a changed person who’s more patient and calmer, which will translate into improved mental health, better problem-solving skills, anger management, and much more.

Have you tried slow travelling before or is it on your list? Let us know in the comments which destination you’d fancy slow travelling to.