10 Types Of Backpackers You’ll Meet Travelling

You’ll meet a countless number of people on your travels, some you will like and others you will not.

Note: If you are reading this because you are worried about making friends when travelling you may want to read our article about How To Easily Meet People When Travelling Alone.

Plenty of the people you meet travelling will be real characters, and you will surely meet all of the below types of backpackers. You may even be one of these yourself.

Types Of Backpackers

1. The Party Animal

Characteristics: They don’t care too much about the travelling, they just want to get drunk and party. They probably missed out on Uni or are just making the most of their youth. Their main factor when choosing a destination is likely to be the price of booze. When you see them they will either have a drink in their hand or look like death.

Most likely to say: “I’m so hung over.”, “I had this local drink last night that tasted like petrol.” or “Where can I be sick?”

2. The Flashpacker

Characteristics: Basically has endless wads of cash to burn. They’ve got all the expensive gear and are constantly on their latest electronic gadget. They will only stay in the best hostels, maybe even splashing out on a private room. While everyone else is cooking pasta for dinner, the flashpacker will be out at a nice restaurant, tucking into a juicy steak. When you ask them what they are up to today, it will usually be some extravagant trip or activity with a champagne breakfast included.

Most likely to say: “I’m not staying here.”

3. The Scrimper

Characteristics: The opposite of a flashpacker. Probably knew they didn’t have enough money to go travelling, but fair play to them, they went anyway. The scrimper will try to save every penny possible, even if it means going hungry or sleeping in a hostel resembling a crack den.

Most likely to say: “No, I can’t afford it.” or “Is it free?”

4. The Hippie

Characteristics: Spends a lot of time smoking weed and talking about peace and love. Probably has forgotten when they started their gap year and now has become a spiritual guru. They have probably been staying at the same hostel for a couple of months and all the staff working there will know them. They have lost all concept of work, and survive by busking and by pestering other backpackers for things.

Most likely to say: “Got any weed?” or “Can I borrow that?”

5. The Seasoned, Extreme, Know It All

Characteristics: This person has been here, there and everywhere, and wants you to know about it. They went to Thailand before it was cool, hitch hiked their way through Afghanistan, and spent eight months living with a jungle tribe in Papua New Guinea.

Most likely to say: “Yeah, I’ve been there.” or “It used to be good, but it’s too touristy now.”

6. The Old Dude

Characteristics: They either missed out on a gap year when they were young or have simply never stopped. People ignorantly and foolish shun them; the old dude has all the best stories and advice.

Most likely to say: “It’s 9pm, do you mind if I turn the lights out”

7. The Sleeper

Characteristics: Sleeps all day, and on the odd occasion you see them awake they look as tired as hell and you will struggle to make conversation with them. They may be nocturnal, as when you wake up in the middle of the night you will see them sitting upright (but still in bed), illuminated by the light from their laptop screen.

Most likely to say: “What?” or “zzz…zzz…zzz”

8. The Downbeat Wimp

Characteristics: Probably just going through a bout of culture shock or homesickness, but this person is extremely negative about everything. They don’t want to go out, eat the local food or try anything new.

Most likely to say: “I want to go home.” or “I don’t like it.”

9. The Try Hard or Weirdo

Characteristics: Really doesn’t fit in or make sense, everyone else is a bit uneasy around them. Will ask you the strangest questions, that usually don’t make any sense, or that don’t fit with their character. They were probably very similar at school and have gone travelling to make a friend. People feel sorry for them, but no matter how hard people try to include them, they just don’t fit in.

Most likely to say: “Yeah I party, I used to be an alcoholic” or “ I have a belly button”

10. The Bragger or Exaggerator

Characteristics: It’s all about me! These people will not shut up about themselves and usually have a very loud voice. If someone else is telling a travel story, they will butt in half way through and explain how it reminds them of a similar, but less exciting version of their own story, which they will then proceed to tell. Every word that comes out of their mouth is a self promotion and usually sounds like complete nonsense.

Most likely to say: “I had a threesome with these two Swedish girls in my dorm last night!” or “You’ve never been! I’ve been nine times!”