How To Read Maps Abroad – A Few Useful Tips

Do you know how to read maps? Do you think you don’t need to know how to use a paper map when you’re traveling? In this article I’ll explain why you should know how to read a paper map and I’m going to let you in on a handy little trick on how to read maps abroad without looking like a tourist.

There are a number of reasons why you want to learn how to read maps in their paper form. Most people rely on digital maps on their phone, the most popular being Google Maps, and you go on your merry way.

This is the easier option and I use it all the time. But there are times when you need to use a backup. This is why I always carry a paper map with me, just in case.

4. Lastly, you haven’t put any offline maps on your phone. I would highly recommend that you download the app Maps.me and have the maps to the places you are traveling to downloaded before you leave on your trip.

Knowing just those reasons is why you want to learn how to read maps.

You can get free paper maps pretty much anywhere, you don’t necessarily have to go out and buy one.

• I always check the airports when I arrive in a new city and see if they have a tourist booth. If they do, I make sure I head over there as they’ll surely have different types of maps for free.

• If you are not traveling by plane, you can check out the visitor’s centres in the cities. You just have to do a quick Google search and you’ll be able to find the location of the tourist centres.

• Next, is your accommodation. Depending on where you are staying, they will have free maps of the city for you. If there is a front desk or it’s a bed and breakfast, they usually have city maps for free. If you’re staying at an Airbnb instead, only certain hosts supply these; they normally get them from the visitor’s centre and will have them available for you in the apartment. But do not count on this.

• Another way you can get free maps is through an auto plan membership like AAA or BCAA. You can head into one of the locations and you’ll be able to get any of their maps for free.

When you start your trip and you’re preparing to head out for the day, you want to have that paper map with you from the start of your holiday. 

To help you to NOT look like a lost tourist, these are a few things that you want to do before you leave for your day:

1. Know where you are on the map. To do this, you can simply mark on your map where your accommodation is. If you’re not able to find it on the map, go down to the front desk and get them to circle that for you. If you are staying in an Airbnb, when you first meet your hosts get them to mark on your map where they are located.

2. You also want to determine where you’re going to go that day. The last thing you want to do, is to pull out your map while standing in the middle of the sidewalk clearly looking like a lost tourist. Although there is nothing wrong with looking like a tourist, when you are using a map like that, you are a bigger target for thieves. They quickly become aware of the fact that you’re distracted and you are clearly not aware of where you are.