Explore New Ways to Travel with Farm stays and Home stays

Photo by Jann Segal

International travelers are being exposed to a new concept in accommodations around the world: farm stays and homestays. Put simply, this is like Air B n B with an extra twist, since the family actually engages with their guests and gets to know them, even arranging activities for them in some cases.

Farm stays are getting popular in organized tours as part of an extra getaway from the hustle and bustle of the big city.Overseas Adventure Travel provides this delightful break on at least two trips, Crosoads of the Adriatic, and the Sicily’s Ancient Landscapes and Timeless Traditions tour. Animals and fresh food abound on the farm stays, and the families greet their guests with warm food.

In  Croatia outside of Slovenia’s largest city Ostijek, lies the rural town of Karanac. That is where weary travelers spend the night, and are refreshed by the sound of roosters in the morning, and the tastes of fresh coffee and eggs, as well as amazing jams and breads. The OAT signature “Day in the Life” program beings there, with the tourist actually living a day in the life of these wonderful country people. No need for Wi-Fi when living this life for a day. On the Sicily trip, a farm visit is also included, and lunch is served by the local family as the start of their “Day in the Life” program.

For a tourist engaged in solo travel, home stays can be a treat. Half a world away in Southern India they are quite common and very inexpensive in the Kareia backwaters area and among the tea plantations. For $30 a night, a tourist can get very authentic accommodations including breakfast in a great part of Cochin for instance, near the famous Chinese fishing nets. Or they can stay at the former home of Portuguese Jewish family and learn the family history. In the tea plantation area, some owners take the guests on a walk through the tea plantations, and many offer programs that including massages and yoga. A local stay in this area is a nice adjunct to a longer stay in Southern India, such as OAT’s Soul of India trip, or even just as a nice solo venture in general. Some homestays to consider in this part of the world are Saj Home and the Old Courtyard Hotel,both in Cochin, India. In the tea plantations of Munnar, there are many, Tea Harvester being just one of many. In Saj Home, the owner Saj also provides assistance with other travel arrangements and with other home stays around Southern India and beyond. All home stays mentioned require at least a deposit.