Couchsurfing has always been an integral part of my life and I don’t say that lightly. I’ve been a surfer throughout the first half of my backpacking days and I’ve been a host in Tokyo for more than a year before the pandemic hit. I was able to meet some of the best people who are still my friends to this day.
In this article, I’ll be going through what exactly Couchsurfing is and how it can help shape your travel experience into something extraordinary!
What is Couchsurfing?
For those who are wondering what exactly is Couchsurfing, well it’s a social networking platform (you can download the app with the same name) that connects travelers with locals who are willing to host them for free. That’s all there is to it, no catch! Free accomodation must sound like a dream for a lot of travelers but Couchsurfing is exactly that.
Of course, beggars can’t be choosers, you’re not exactly staying at a hotel or even a hostel for that matter so your mileage may vary. For example, I’ve had a whole house to myself in Cairo but in Luxor I ended up sleeping on a wooden bed in the slums (which still remains one of my most treasured Couchsurfing experience!)
At the end of the day, the main focus of Couchsurfing isn’t that it’s free or what sort of sleeping arrangement you get into, what matters the most is the cultural experience and immersion you can only get by staying in a local’s home, seeing and participating in their day-to-day life, and the meaningful connections you can make along the way.
Is Couchsurfing Free in 2023?
While it is free to crash in someone’s couch, Couchsurfing itself has started a monthly subscription of $2.39 ever since the start of the pandemic, totaling to $28.68 each year. The annual plan which costs only $14.29 is still pretty affordable, especially for what you can get in return.
Couchsurfing can provide a truly unique and authentic way to travel and connect with people from all around the world. While Couchsurfing is often free, it’s important to note that this isn’t some sort of hotel service or AirBnB, it’s a system based on mutual trust and respect between hosts and travelers.
How Couchsurfing Can Enhance Your Travel Experience
1. Meet and Stay with Locals
When we stay in hotels and hostels, we rarely get the chance to meet locals as most of our companions end up as fellow travelers. Through Couchsurfing, you can meet and stay with locals which can help provide the most authentic experience in your travels. I stayed with a host in Athens and ended up going on a road trip to Delphi and Meteora to meeting their family all the way in Crete! Sleeping in the same room as their mother was an experience I can never forget.
I’ve stayed with a host in Malaysia and Laos as well, both times were extremely fun with plenty of core memories.
2. Discover Hidden Gems
Staying with a local host has a lot of advantages as they know the area and their own country a lot more. My hosts have often given me a lot of insider tips and suggestions that led to an amazing time. Some hosts would go out of their way to really make your stay memorable, that very same host in Athens (thanks Daniel!) took me and some other Couchsurfers at that time to a long road trip all the way to Delphi and Meteora! Something I would have never had the chance to do alone.
3. Cultural Immersion
You can gain a lot insights about the country’s culture as you catch a glimpse of what every day life looks like inside your host’s home. Couchsurfing allows you to immerse yourself in the local customs and traditions of the place you’re visiting. You can also try local foods and participate in cultural activities that you may not have access to as a tourist.
Another time my host in Cairo took me and a friend to a strange Arab shiisha place that had such a cozy and home-y vibe to it, everyone took the time to sing and dance at the stage though I couldn’t understand what they were singing about, it was so much fun just being able to witness it.
4. Lifelong Friendships
The bonds formed through staying under the same roof as someone even if it’s just a single day is pretty strong, it requires a huge amount of trust from both sides to let someone in to their homes and for someone to stay and leave their belongings while going around town. The deep conversations and the cultural exchanges will no doubt lead to a very special connection that will last a lifetime.
5. Save a Lot of Money
Okay, for sure the fact that we can save a lot of money on accomodation is a huge win. It’s still always nice to give a small token or treating your host to a meal or two as thanks but it’s generally free to crash in someone’s couch. I was able to stay in pricey places like Santorini, Tel Aviv, and Warsaw without having spending a dime on accomodation which for a budget backpacker, is a lifesaver!
6. Expand Your Network
I’d like to differentiate this a bit from friendship, as in meeting and forming connections with people from all walks of life can be an amazing way to discover the world.
The reason I was able to stay in places like Tel Aviv and Warsaw was because back when I was a host in Tokyo, I hosted surfers from those countries, and they in turn hosted me back when it was my turn to visit their respective countries.
I still have a lot of places that I have yet to visit but already know that no matter what someone will have my back there, whether it’s just being shown around or being offered a place to stay, it’s part of the amazing cycle of hosting and surfing.
7. Authentic Meals
One of my favorite things to do as a host was to trade recipes and have some cook offs with my guests. I was able to get a taste of their country and learn how to make them again. My Turkish surfers taught me how to make a simple menemen dish that I can easily still whip up to this day!
While staying with a host, they can take you to some really hole-in-the-wall sort of places to try out local cuisine. A home-cooked hearty meal can be quite fulfilling and also a really cultural experience.
8. Break Your Preconceptions
Couchsurfing can provide you with the opportunity to challenge your preconceptions and stereotypes about a place or culture. By staying with locals, you can learn firsthand about the reality of life in the area and gain a more nuanced understanding of the culture and its people.
You may have the chance to interact with people from different backgrounds or beliefs than your own, which can broaden your perspective and help you see the world in a new way. This can be a transformative experience that can change the way you view the world and your place in it.
For me especially, a lot of my preconceptions (or my lack of) about Islam and Muslim culture was drastically changed through a series of life-changing experiences in Egypt. Experiencing real Muslim hospitality firsthand gave me a profound level of understanding and respect not only to Islam but to all cultures.
9. Foster Gratitude
Couchsurfing can provide you with the opportunity to learn to be grateful for the small things in life. Staying with locals who are willing to offer a place to stay for free can teach you to appreciate the kindness and generosity of others. By experiencing firsthand the hospitality and warmth of your hosts, you can learn to be more grateful for the things you have and the people in your life and it’s a great way to practice mindful travel.
More often than not, from the name itself, you will end up just sleeping on a couch or a makeshift bed. There would be a lot of things that might not be present from your home countries that you often take for granted whether it’s the comfort of your own bed, a bidet or air-conditioning.
10. Cherished Memories
The memories you make from Couchsurfing is so different from staying in hostels and hotels, it’s really unforgettable. I think it’s just the fact that it feels so real that you’re staying in someone’s home just like that, receiving this level of hospitality for next to nothing. You can’t help but feel so welcomed.
I remember all of my Couchsurfing experiences as if it was just yesterday. Even as a host, I was able to have really unique experiences such as getting a Reiki session or hosting a Mt. Fuji climbing party.
Just by connecting with the people of the country you visit, you can really create lasting memories that you can cherish for a lifetime.
How to Get Started with Couchsurfing
- Create a profile: Download the app or go to the Couchsurfing website and create a profile by providing your basic information, including your name, location, and a profile picture. You can also add information about your interests, hobbies, and travel plans. I recommend filling out your profile as much as you can as hosts will be looking at this to see if you are actually someone they would be willing to welcome into their home.
- Get references: Starting out as a Couchsurfer without references can be very difficult to get hosted but we all have to start from somewhere. It can help to attend local Couchsurfing events to meet people and get references or maybe you will luck out and get a host to accept you without any if your profile and request is well-put (I know I did!)
- Find hosts: Finding hosts is an integral part of the journey. Take the time to read their profiles and references, especially for female Couchsurfers, watch out for red flags if you see hosts that are only hosting females for example. Read other surfers’ reviews well and learn as much as you can about the accomodation and the person who you might end up staying with.
- Send requests: Once you find a host that you’re interested in staying with, send them a request for the days you want to stay. More than likely you will be sending multiple requests to multiple hosts as the acceptance rate will depend on a lot of things. My suggestion is that don’t just do copy-paste requests and really personalize the messages to increase your chances. Hosts can easily smell a low-effort request, it’s a sign that you’re not willing to put in the effort and not even reading their profiles so why should they even bother to welcome you? As a host, I usually put a code at the end of my profile, asking Couchsurfers to include it in their requests. If they don’t have it, it’s an instant reject.
- Confirm your stay: If you got accepted, hurray! Confirm your stay and move on to talk about details such as how to get there and addresses. Let them know what time you’ll get there and fix all the logistics. Make sure to learn about the house rules and respect any boundaries set by the host. It’s always nice to bring a token of appreciation, something small from your country perhaps or simply offer to help around the house.
Is Couchsurfing Safe?
With references and verification, Couchsurfing does implement a lot of safety measures. They also have a safety team in place in case of emergencies. Couchsurfing is a system of mutual trust and that means a lot in this day and age. Exercise common sense and follow your instincts when something doesn’t feel right just respectfully let your host know you will be shortening your stay. Again, references are key for both hosts and surfers.
For female travelers, this goes doubly so. In reality, a majority of hosts are males so womenactually do have a higher chance to get accepted, however there are a lot of horror stories of hosts with a different agenda. Just be extra careful and discerning about who you’re staying with. My friend for example, she usually stays with other women or families. Let someone know about your plans but Couchsurfing has generally been a safe and rewarding experience for me.
