Anthony Bourdain Once Said This Is The Only Way To Have A 'Perfect' Travel Experience

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Anyone who has ever planned the perfect vacation getaway — mapping out a day-by-day itinerary, securing reservations for the "best" restaurants, and purchasing advance tickets to the most popular attractions long before ever setting foot on a plane — knows that even the best-laid plans can go awry. Or worse, create such a tight schedule that exploring a new destination ends up being more of a project than an experience. Anthony Bourdain, the late chef, author, and television host, had an opinion on set-in-stone travel itineraries. Never one to mince words, Bourdain's advice boils down to just don't do it. "I'm a big believer in winging it. I'm a big believer that you're never going to find the perfect city travel experience or the perfect meal without a constant willingness to experience a bad one," Bourdain said in his book, "Kitchen Confidential."

Bourdain didn't just talk the talk, he walked the walk, embodying a zest for life and a willingness to try just about anything, once musing in his book, "I'm not afraid to look like an idiot." During his long-running television series, "Parts Unknown," Bourdain traveled the world sampling dishes that might make a less adventurous soul turn their tail and run. Occasionally, he discovered foods he didn't enjoy. But even during those times, Bourdain courageously took a bite (although he later reported he had to choke it down to avoid offending his hosts). On the flipside, Bourdain was pleasantly surprised in Thailand — where Westerners will be hard-pressed to find one common dining utensil — when he sampled soup made from pig blood, which he subsequently declared the experience one of the best meals he had in Chiang Mai. Bourdain applied that same dive-right-in attitude wherever he traveled, a philosophy rooted in genuine curiosity, a desire to learn, and being open to new experiences — even those that happen by accident.  

"Letting the happy accident happen is what a lot of vacation itineraries miss, I think," Bourdain advised in his book. "I am always trying to push people to allow those things to happen rather than stick to some rigid itinerary." That laissez-faire attitude likely contributed to Bourdain's innate ability to connect with people beyond a superficial level. Whether roaming through Marché des Enfants Rouges — the oldest market in Paris — or sampling fermented shark meat in Iceland, Bourdain made a connection. In his 2021 book, "World Travel: An Irreverent Guide," finished posthumously by his co-author and long-time associate, Laurie Woolever, Bourdain offered suggestions for first-time visitors to Paris. In short, his advice boils down to slow down, take a breath, and absorb the essence of the city. Getting straight to the point, Bourdain advised, "The most important thing to do the instant you arrive in Paris is stop."

Embracing spontaneity, however, does not mean foregoing iconic experiences. Taking time to sync with the essence of a destination — instead of hitting the ground running in a race to complete a checklist — leads to a richer experience. In fact, as much as Bourdain preached the virtues of winging it, he was also known to do a fair amount of pre-trip research before visiting a destination. He created a framework that likely included places to visit that aren't overrun by tourists, but kept an open mind, allowing for detours and changes of plans that often resulted in a richer experience and even a deeper understanding of the place and its people. For Bourdain, the people were always the priority. "So many of the good times traveling this world relate directly to finding a human face to associate with your destination, the food you eat, and the memories you'll keep forever," he wrote in "World Travel: An Irreverent Guide."