5 reasons to travel in the Off-Season

The benefits of off season travel

being hot is the devil

I live in a beautiful town where the golden sands stretch for miles and on those days where the temperature pushes far beyond anyone’s comfort level (which are becoming more frequent thanks to climate change) I can cruise down to the crisp, free ocean rock pools for a glorious dip. Outside of that moment of relief upon entering the sea - I despise the summer. The uncomfortable, sweaty nights spent thrashing around, the endless and relentless bugs, that feeling of lacklustre all-of-the-goddamn-time. Nope. If that isn’t bad enough at home it’s certainly worse when you are travelling. You only pack so much and it all reeks of B.O. and you don’t want to pay the crazy hostel rates for ANOTHER wash. You can’t see the sites from the sweat and if one more persons slippery hot body touches you on public transport again you may combust. I would take a million layers and a warm cozy duvet over summer any day. It’s easier to warm up than cool down.

peak season crowds are the worst

‘Peak - to reach a highest point, either of a specified value or at a specified time.’ Who want’s to be in a place where there is the MOST amount of tourists in a given time. Don’t get me wrong, everyone will travel in peak season at one time or another, I certainly have. But travelling in peak is always a lesson in extreme patience, humility and grace. All transport is packed, all hotels are packed, all attractions - packed and just like peak hour on a highway, peak season somehow brings out the absolute worst in people. I have found humans are nicer in winter - food is warmer, lines are shorter, and cafe’s and bars are warm and welcoming instead of intense and hectic.

spending money sucks

Congestion pricing is real and clearly advertised by most tours, accomodation, restaurants, airlines and transport. If you want to get ‘that’ blue-water Aegean sea white concrete insta snap on the hills of Santorini then more power to you - but you will be outlaying a significant percentage more just to be there with everyone else. Taxi’s charge more, Hotel’s bump up the price according to demand and attractions and tours will bleed you dry of your hard earned cash simply because it’s summer or the dry season. Season’s are usually due to the best weather but if you consider winter or shoulder instead, you will be saving your self an absolute bundle.

more genuine local interactions

During peak season you are a walking wallet in the eyes of service providers. Seasonal workers come from afar to service tourist destinations and most places will be staffed not by locals but a lot of the time by working holiday makers from abroad. I have always found that travelling in shoulder or off-season means that these sun seekers have moved on and you are left with true locals. A local man who teaches English in the village or an Italian bartender who spent his last two years working in India at the Mother Teresa house of missionaries. These interactions don’t occur in the hustle and bustle of peak season where many companies

Food Is better in winter

Just imagine it now. Hot, soul-warming stews, comfort foods rich in flavour, depth and taste. You don’t really associate that with hot summer nights do you? Absolutely not. Food is better in winter. That’s scientific fact. We all like to eat when it’s cold, and during the off season, food simply tastes better. You’ll also pay roughly half what you do during the high season, and will eat better, fresher ingredients. While some restaurants will be closed during the off-season, this will just force you to eat where the locals eat, knowing that the food you’re eating is good enough to bring locals in, irrespective of season. We’ve eaten a lot of meals in our time spent travelling during winter, and can absolutely attest to just how better it tastes. Again, it’s science.