When I first heard of the term couchsurfing a year ago, I thought, “you get to meet locals and surf at their couch, really, for free? such thing exists?”
I was both shocked and excited at the mere thought of it. The concept sounds a really economical idea but on the outskirts of the concept is an idea too scary: is it safe?
I’ve been lurking the website ever since I made an account on August last year and it took me 11 months to finally try the platform. I kicked off with two places in Japan: Tokyo and Osaka.
So what is Couchsurfing?
Couchsurfing is a social website that connects travelers worldwide. At its core, couchsurfing is about helping one another and making this world a better place to live in.
How Does It Work?
- Create an account at couchsurfing.org – Create a mini bio and upload photos that will represent you.
- Search for a destination – Read profile of possible hosts, send a personalized couch request, wait for their reply then ta-da! You’re done!
- Define your couch status – Are you open to travelers surfing at your couch? Do you have any house rules?
- Leave a reference – To help other future surfers or hosts, you can leave a note about your personal experiences on their profile.
Advantages
- Meeting locals (most of the time) and gaining an unfiltered overall view of the place.
- Get good suggestions from your host (places to visit, food specialties to try, etc.)
- Free accommodation
- Culture exchange
- Your host can even tour you around if they have time.
- The group is not limited to finding a host or being the host, you can also attend several events and group trips to meet new friends who share the same passion for travel.
- The site is available on mobile so you could easily get updates on your couchsurfing messages and requests.
Disadvantages
- Creeps and maniacs can be found everywhere so take extra care. Always put safety first. When in doubt, don’t proceed.
- You will be having a temporary couch for free so don’t expect a hotel room or service. When staying at another’s home, treat it like it’s your home. Be responsible.
- The host’s residence may not always be at the center of the tourist spot. Do your research on their public transportation.
- Language barrier. To minimize the gap, also try to learn the host’s language, even just the basic as it could help.
- Always have a backup plan. Couchsurfers are not full time hosts, they may also have day job and emergencies so at times there will be a few cancellations on the last minute (luckily, I haven’t had that experience yet). If anything, search for an available hostel nearby.
Tips
- The earlier you send your requests, the better. It took me a month to send requests to various hosts before finally getting confirmations. Rough estimate of my request sent would be about 30 or more.
- Read their profiles carefully. Take some time to write a request suited just for them. A mere cut and paste won’t do since a more personalized touch is better.
- Bring a token gift. It is not required, but it’s nice to feel appreciated, yes?
Meet our warm hosts:
is there more to your story about tokyo and osaka.? would like to hear the full account.we tried it in sri lanka but i reckon it cost us more than a hotel eventually.haven’t bothered since.
Hi John! I will try to do another post regarding the experience. If I may ask, why did it cost you more when you couchsurfed in Sri Lanka? Our stay in Japan was cheap because of this.
i can answer that question privately.
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