Is Flashpacking wrong?

To start with, the term itself has some kind of negative connotation: Flash, as in ostentation, or acting pretentiously.

Many sources in fact define Flashpacking as Backpacking on a bigger budget; the money being the one making the difference as it allows Flashpackers to afford traveling for a long time, but mainly to afford good quality (if not luxurious) accommodations.

Reading a comment on a Vagabondish article we discovered how some “unconscious” Flashpacker even felt bad in having more money than the average Backpacker and upgrading for a single room instead of a dorm: “My wife and I are flashpackers and we didn’t even know it. We felt a little guilty or even ostracized for having a bigger budget than backpackers, and it’s great to see that we have nothing to be ashamed about and we’re not alone.”

In the news you can find some bad stories of wealthy flashpackers bribing farmers in Australia in order to get holiday Visa extensions.

So is Flashpacking just a richer, sometime more incorrect, version of Backpacking?

Fair Flashpacking

You have both the cash and the ideas to actually help out a bit.

We like to think that the flash in Flashpacking is about doing things in a certain style, rather than ostentation of your money. Fortunately looks like we are not alone, as we are seeing lately more and more definitions of the Flashpacker as a conscious individual, who is aware of having a bigger budget to use, and wants to do that in a proper and correct way. So we’re starting to see the appearance online of concepts like “giving back” or the importance of being “earnest”.

Some ways to do that includes:

- Choose independent of family owned accommodations and restaurants over corporate chains. Your money will go to the local people rather than to some international corporation.

Support local commerce

- Support local community tour operators. They hire local guides and keep much of the income generated by travelers like you within local economy.

- Be ecologically conscious. Avoid ecologically destructive operations like underwater hotels or wildlife theme parks. A visit to a sanctuary for mistreated elephants can be more useful (for them and for you) than an elephant ride.

- Be socially responsible. Consider volunteer tourism. Rather than simply giving charity to beggars in India or Asia find out what else you can do, or support NGOs or poverty reduction programs.

Pics from our friends at Proyek Kampung Loco.

In the maze of Flashpacking definitions found online is refreshing to read something that doesn’t define the Flashpacker simply as someone backpacking on a bigger budget or with tech gadgets. While exploring the relationship between Thailand and Flashpacking the Thailand Musing post throws more light on the figure of the Flashpacker.

New elements appear, like for example the “fair trade” one: “Another inheritance from the backpacker ethos is a sense of responsibility, especially ‘fair trade’. Flashpackers tend to favor community operators and independent hotels over corporate chains.”

Moreover the Flashpacker is not only someone a bit older than a Flashpacker, but “often a veteran backpacker and very experience with independent travel”. That would explain how it is possible to Flashpack even if you don’t have a huge budget; the know-how, allowing you to book comfortable flights over bus rides and comfortable accommodations over dorms without spending much more. And speaking of which low-cost-no-frills airlines are mentioned as well as one of the main Flashpackers’ transportation.

Definitely one of the most objectives and complete definition of a Flashpacker. Check it out, you never know, it might get you in the mood to Flashpack in Thailand!