We don’t need to travel far to experience unique sites, cultures and heritage! Malaysia itself is multicultural thus allowing you to discover and gain new experiences you never thought it had to offer. Here are 8 amazing reasons why we should all travel locally.

1. Support the local economy - we need it!

Did you know that even small acts such as buying a drink or a snack from the roadside stall on your trips, you are actually supporting our economy? Not just by purchasing food from local vendors, but also visiting local attractions, buying local merchandise or souvenirs! When we play tourist in our own country, we are able to give back and support local businesses and boost tourism revenue. That money then gets invested into the state and its infrastructure - this is really important especially in a developing country like Malaysia.

2. Lots of mini getaways vs. one long vacation

When you plan a trip overseas, there are various costs to think about such as flights, accommodation, whether or not you need a visa and the cost of it AND more importantly, applying for leave! Saving all that money up for this trip, you would obviously want to make the most of it after flying all the way out there!

Whereas, if you take multiple mini getaways around the country, you’re able to save on accommodation, flights and transportation costs! Not just that, because you’re transacting in the local currency, no value is lost in currency exchange! Local travelling means you are able to take multiple trips, more frequently with less planning! It definitely won’t break the bank and your wallets will be thanking you as well.

3. Learn more about your country’s history and heritage

Many travellers head to different countries to learn and understand other cultures but looking a little closer to home might even surprise you. The town or cities in your country may have contributed to the country’s history and shaped what it became today. Your local travels will provide a greater insight to what could be a bigger picture and create a greater comprehension of everything. Not only does it help you contextualize what your country’s place is in the world, you will be able to gain a deeper and more meaningful connection with your homeland.

4. Easier to get around - you already speak the language!

When travelling locally, it helps you tremendously since you already speak the native language! There won’t be a language barrier or worrying about whether you ordered the correct item at a restaurant. Not to mention you are also saving costs or maybe having to renew your passport or paying for a visa to enter the country since you already live in it.

You will also have a peace of mind knowing you won’t get lost in translation, as you are able to read everything from road signs, menu and description of items. Booking accommodation is a whole lot easier as well not having to pay tourism taxes, which takes the stress out of travelling and letting you have a more chilled experience! Being a local also really helps to make better connections with the people you meet along your travels - you can relate better and it’s super easy to make conversation!

5. Overpack all you want, ‘cause there’s no luggage constraint!

Unless you are flying locally to the destination, you are most likely going to be driving there – yay for road trips! The best perk of travelling locally is, being able to overpack and not having to worry about the luggage weight restrictions and overweight fees! Plus, you save so much time and hassle not having to go through the whole check-in process and immigration department - this makes things much easier especially if you’re travelling in a group or with children. No problemo!

6. Make friends closer to home

One of the best perks of travelling is meeting new people who may become friends for life. But what’s better is that if you travel locally, your newfound friends will be so much closer to you! There’s more of a chance you’ll keep in touch and catch up again as you live in the same country.

7. Rediscover how amazing your country is and how much it has to offer

Spending time to travel around your country will let you discover and gain a new form of appreciation to your surroundings. The more you take the time to seek new adventures, the more experiences will be revealed to you. You may never have known that your country was home to so many UNESCO sites whilst you were travelling the world admiring others or that your country has so much heritage and culture you never knew existed. When exploring your home country, leave with the mindset that there is always more to discover- even when it may not seem like it, and you’ll be filled with new experiences and knowledge packed full of new adventures.

8. Take pride in promoting your country to the world

If locals aren’t interested in exploring their own country, what makes you think travellers from other countries would be interested? We must always be proud of our own country and would want to show it off to others. Wouldn’t it be nice if you were travelling one day and were able to have a conversation and insightful conversations with others about how they MUST visit your country because it’s filled with various cultures and heritage making it beautiful and lively?

Everybody should be proud of the country they are from and live in. There are so many things to discover and explore in the world, but what better place to start than in your home country?

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Buddyz is a travel platform powered by locals, a.k.a. the most knowledgeable and interesting experts, the ones that know the country best! We want to encourage people to travel more meaningfully, to immerse themselves in local culture, and to connect with people from the places they visit.

So on our platform, you will find what we call ‘Experiences’ for every interest - ranging from cultural walks, intimate meals at secluded local eateries to creative workshops and classes. All of which are led by locals and are vetted for quality.

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