The scent of incense drifted through the air in Ubud, Bali, mingling with the sweetness of frangipani blossoms from the morning offerings. School kids in neatly pressed uniforms wove through narrow streets on motorbikes, and women balanced woven baskets of fruit and flowers on their heads as they moved gracefully through the neighborhood. The world felt alive and layered. I stood there taking it in, until my fingers reflexively reached for my phone.
I wanted to remember it. Capture it. Share it. But in doing so, I missed it.
Is Tech Helping or Hindering Cultural Immersion?
When we travel, we say we want connection.
We want presence.
We want cultural immersion.
But more often than not, we end up filtering our experience through our screens.
That moment in Bali could have been just one of many. A tuk-tuk ride in Chiang Mai, a group dinner in Mexico City, a rooftop view in Buenos Aires. Each time, there is a choice to be in it or to try to preserve it.
Technology has transformed the way we travel. On the one hand, it has opened doors. We can find local guides on WhatsApp, translate menus in real time, or use Google Maps to navigate new cities without fear. We can discover hidden spots from blogs, reels, and Reddit threads. We can even meet locals and travelers through curated apps or community platforms.
But there's a shadow side. Every time we rely on these tools, we risk outsourcing our curiosity. We stop asking strangers for directions. We skip the wrong turns that lead to unexpected discoveries. We see what others have rated as 5 stars instead of forming our own impressions. We travel with preconceptions, curated expectations, and a subconscious comparison to what we’ve already seen online.
Cultural Understanding or Cultural Bypassing?
In places like Ubud or Chiang Mai, I’ve noticed a subtle shift. Travelers are arriving with a checklist built from Instagram. They want the floating breakfast, the elephant sanctuary, the jungle swing. They come looking for a feeling they’ve already glimpsed through someone else’s lens. But culture is not a prop. It is a living, breathing thing. And when we commodify it through tech-fueled itineraries, we risk flattening its richness.
I’ve also seen well-meaning people unintentionally disrespect customs because they were too focused on getting content. Taking photos of ceremonies without asking. Bargaining too aggressively in markets because an app told them the fair price. Or skipping opportunities to learn from locals because the online reviews weren’t as high as a nearby vegan café run by foreigners.
The Neuroscience of Attention in a Hyperconnected World
Our brains are designed to adapt to the environments we live in. When we’re constantly multitasking, dopamine-driven habits take over. Research shows that task-switching between our phones and our surroundings depletes our working memory, impairs learning, and reduces emotional attunement. In other words, we miss out on subtle signals. We hear the words but miss the meaning. We see the gestures but not the story behind them.
In a foreign country, these moments of cultural resonance are already fleeting. If we’re not fully present, we don’t just lose the moment. We lose the opportunity to grow from it.
Reclaiming Presence While Staying Connected
This doesn’t mean we should ditch our devices or shame ourselves for using tech while traveling. But it does invite a rebalancing. A remembering of why we travel in the first place. Here are some ways to start:
Intention over automation: Before using a map or AI assistant, try asking a local for help. Even a simple exchange builds confidence and connection.
Limit real-time sharing: Take the photo, but post it later. Be in the moment now and share the memory when you’ve fully lived it.
Pause to interpret: When tech gives you an answer (like a translated phrase), take a second to feel into the cultural meaning behind it. Say it rather than showing it. What tone is appropriate? What’s the context?
Protect white space: Leave space in your day for unscripted moments. Wander. Linger. Don’t fill every gap with content or planning.
Connect With the World, Not Just Through It
We live in an age where we can be anywhere and nowhere at once. Tech allows us to connect with the world, but it can also become a filter that distances us from direct experience. When we travel, let us remember that the most profound connections often happen offline. They happen when we make eye contact with a street vendor, when we share a laugh in broken language, when we sit in silence under a foreign sky and feel something shift inside us.
So the next time you find yourself in a moment of awe, try this. Breathe it in. Let it linger. Let your body remember it. And trust that not everything beautiful has to be documented to be real.
Let your next journey not be just another trip to capture. Let it be a journey to return to presence.
