The Unique Type Of Toilet Tourists Should Know About Before Visiting Some Asian Countries

Traveling to new places comes with lots of adventures, and some are more fun than others. Discovering your new favorite food, seeing the real-life filming location of your favorite movie, and experiencing cultural traditions? Fun! Making an impromptu hospital visit abroad, encountering pickpockets, and accidentally offending locals? Not so fun. However, the less than ideal situations can often be avoided with knowledge and proper planning.

A common, not-so-fun adventure travelers may encounter abroad is coming across an uncomfortable bathroom situation. It can be hard enough just to find the nearest bathroom while traveling, never mind choosing one that's comfortable for you. Imagine getting to a bathroom and realizing you're dealing with a squat toilet. That's right, some countries, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, have a unique type of toilet that is uncommon in the U.S.: squat toilets. These facilities look exactly how they sound: Instead of a toilet, there is a hole in the ground, with a rim around it for you to place your feet, guiding you where to squat and do your business. Some have flushing mechanisms similar to standard toilets, while others need to be flushed manually using a bucket. Definitely different from what most people in the West are used to, but they're not as bad as they may seem.

Squat toilets seem intimidating at first, especially if you're not used to them, but they're actually easy to use. Some people in Asian countries consider them to be more hygienic. In fact, some think sit-down toilets are a luxury meant for those who are well-off, because to them it means you have all the time in the world to sit and relax. With squat toilets, you do your business, flush, and leave — a process that, for some, takes no time at all.

Still, the idea can be daunting for Westerners: What do you mean you have to squat over them? What if you miss? What if you fall in? There are some tips you can utilize to avoid these embarrassing bathroom mistakes when visiting different countries. The first, and perhaps most important tip, is to correctly maneuver your clothing, before you go into the bathroom. Roll up the bottom of your pants, especially if they're flowy, to your upper calf or your knees. If you're wearing a skirt, roll down the waistband to hike it up. This will ensure your clothes don't touch the ground while you're squatting. Then just pull your pants down and squat. Don't overthink it, just do it.

Those are the basics, but there are a few more unspoken bathroom rules tourists need to know before using squat toilets. First, make sure you have toilet paper, flush-safe sanitary wipes, or travel tissues on hand, as some bathrooms may not be well stocked. Next, make sure your pockets are empty. You wouldn't want any valuables falling in. Lastly, have hand sanitizer or some sort of travel soap and water on hand in case the facility you're using doesn't have running water.