Chasing festivals around the world instead of traditional sightseeing

I've stopped planning trips around monuments and started planning them around festivals, and it's completely changed how I travel.

Holi in India, Songkran in Thailand, La Tomatina in Spain, Carnival in Brazil - these experiences give you something you can't get any other time. And locals are usually more welcoming during festivals because everyone's in a celebratory mood.

The logistics take more planning because accommodation prices spike and everything books out early. But the tradeoff is worth it. I've had more memorable experiences throwing colored powder at strangers in Jaipur than I've had at any museum.

The downside is that festivals can be intense. Massive crowds, chaotic organisation, and sometimes safety concerns, depending on where you are. You need to research each festival's specifics because some are family-friendly and others are absolute mayhem.

But if you're comfortable with organised chaos, festival tourism gives you stories that regular sightseeing never will.

I'm already planning my calendar around Diwali, Oktoberfest, and Day of the Dead. Museums can wait.