A guide full of best practices to direct you to a unique, engaging travel experience appropriate to the place and host community.

In the planning stages

1. Get informed. Research as much information as possible about the place you are about to visit. Know more about its history, culture, folklore, cuisine, nature, and don't forget to learn some expressions in the local language.
2. Commit to choosing a tour operator and accommodation services that are sensitive to and committed to a responsible type of tourism, thus respecting the host community and the environment.

During the trip

1. Immerse yourself in the local culture. Travel, as well as vacation, is a time that encourages encounters between different cultures. When you are a guest in a destination, try to adapt to local customs and traditions.
2. Respect the rules of the place. Being on vacation does not justify offensive or haughty behavior. Every place has its own rules and it is right to respect them.
3. Do not wear inappropriate clothing. Adapt your wardrobe to the place, too.
4. Support the local economy by buying "real" souvenirs of local crafts.
5. Establish sincere relationships with local people.
6. Use services run by local people. You will foster the local economy and learn more about the country you are visiting.
7. Leave no trace of your passage. Do nothing to deface or harm the place you visit. Be content with what you can take without taking away from the local people and nature's wealth.
8. In natural environments, follow the trails. Contemplating nature is wonderful and one of the activities that are good for mental and physical health, but not when this means disturbing plants and animals that live there. It is best to visit in small groups and accompanied by an experienced guide.
9. Avoid waste. Just as you avoid wasting resources at home, it is wise to do so on vacation as well. Turn off the water when you don't need it, turn off the air conditioning if the temperature is optimal, and turn off the light when you leave rooms.
10. Ask permission to take photos, particularly if they are of people. Not everyone likes to be photographed, least of all by strangers. Best to ask permission first!
11. Try local food. When will you return to the place you are visiting? Probably not very soon or maybe never. Take advantage of this and enjoy the local delicacies.
12. Remember that no population is naturally oriented toward prostitution and being consenting is irrelevant. It is bad to have to remind you, but sex tourism is an abomination that unfortunately exists.

After the trip

1. Reflect on what you saw and who you met, and if you made commitments to locals, honor them.
2. Leave reviews on specialized portals, based on what was promised and what was received, not between what was received and what was desired.