Couchsurfing has been around for years but it wasn’t until relatively recently that I started using the app. It was during a trip to Sonora that I started using it and finding out the great advantages it has for the budget traveler, which I wanted to share with you:

1. I travel for longer periods

There are three major expenses related traveling: food, transportation, and accommodation. Finding a place to stay is a matter of survival, and can sometimes be a hassle (sometimes, a very expensive one).

However, ever since I began using Couchsurfing I don’t have to pay for lodging while traveling if I find a host. These savings for my budget help keep me on the road for longer.

camping fire san carlos sonora

Sharing stories and beer around a beach campfire with other Couchsurfers.

Now, instead of staying somewhere for only a couple of days, I get to enjoy the freedom of staying a couple of weeks or even a month, depending on the hosts I find. I regularly stay for a few days and am invited by hosts to stay longer.

2. I’m never alone while traveling

Normally, the people you find on Couchsurfing are very open and very nice. Many of them might even feed you or take you out with their friends and family.

Traveling another place is something worthwhile because of the people you meet on the road and the friends you make along your journey.

Couchsurfing is a great way to make friends in the places you travel through. Sure, you might be well treated at any hotel but if you go Couchsurfing you have a family environment.

camping morning san carlos sonora

Camping with people I met the day before on a beautiful beach in beautiful San Carlos.

I believe that most people are very cozy and hospitable by nature and take delight in hosting someone from abroad or even from the next town. It’s a very human thing to do, and we’ve been doing it for thousands of years.

3. I immerse myself in the local customs and traditions

Staying with locals means that you’ll get to experience life in a certain place as someone who lives there would. Couchsurfing in unique in that it gives everyone the opportunity to live like a local with other like-minded, open people.

This helps you immerse yourself in your travels by providing some great opportunities for you to immerse yourself in the local customs and cultures.

Locals can also teach you about their home, and explain things that you might not understand so that, when you leave, you leave a little worldlier than you arrived.

4. You become a part of a global community

Couchsurfing is a social app and boasts a community of millions of people worldwide. When you join, you become a part of an extended family of travelers.

The app boasts forums and other means of contacting locals so that you can ask for advice or answer any questions you might have about the place you’re traveling to.

You’ll find that people are friendly and very generous with what they know, and are willing to provide assistance for travelers.

So don’t be shy! Become a part of this global community of travelers! I guarantee you’ll be welcomed with open arms.

camping couchsurfing fire san carlos sonora

Make new friends!

5. I have interesting adventures

When you go Couchsurfing you may find that the local communities of surfers organize their own events and get-togethers. These events are organized with the purpose of meeting other travelers in the area.

I’ve gone camping in the mountainous forests of northern Mexico, met up with other travelers for a night of partying in the Caribbean, camped on the beach and watched some gorgeous sunsets among many other great experiences!

You may find yourself doing something that you never imagined you would do.

Have you tried Couchsurfing before? Are you thinking of doing it now? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments!