Speaking purely from the subjective perspective of a 30-s something western traveler of Southeast Asia, there are several areas I’ve noticed in which we may enact the axiom “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” with far more aplomb.
Interactions and Communication
Humans communicate in many different ways: with our bodies, words, facial expressions, mannerisms, reactions, and in far more subtle ways. And, people in different parts of the world have their own ways of communication.
If you’re in Java, for example, observe how people of all ages act towards one another, their body language, the way they direct their bodies towards one another when talking, and how they stand.
Then, try and be like that.
In some cultures, it is perfectly normal for two people to have a loud, excited, heated exchange in public; in others, this would be intensely frowned upon.
The Backpacker Clothes
I do not want to sound preachy here, but after five years running around in Southeast Asia, I still cannot believe the clothes that some people wear when traveling.
Westerners can look like the most oafish, unkempt, unwashed, completely uncaring people while travelling.
For instance if you go to parts of Vietnam and Cambodia, it is often the local custom for men to wear long-sleeved, button down shirts, often with the sleeves all the way down. This goes for everyone, even motorbike drivers. And shorts are unheard of.
So when I got to Hanoi, I looked at my cut off military cargoes and tank top, and all the guys around me wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts, and decided it was time for a change.
Why?
Respect, I think. When you are in someone else’s country for a sojourn longer than a fortnight, it behooves you to attempt something akin to the local attire.
So, I felt cheesy as hell buying some pair of brown pants and a short sleeved, button down shirt, but started to look more the part. And it felt good. And I quickly took to them.
Girls backpacking in Southeast Asia need to take this on board, as well: try dressing a little like the women around you, when possible. In deeply conservative Laos, for example, where women rarely show their shoulders, you should opt for something more modest than a pair of daisy-dukes and a huge, long-pitted Fool Moon Party tank top which clearly shows your florescent body-painted tits underneath.