Interview: Sanne Meijboom of I Like Local

Sanne Meijboom in Brazil © I Like Local

Sanne Meijboom is the founder of I Like Local, an innovative tour service that aims to give travelers a taste of what life is like for the locals. Meijboom first became initiated with local life when she quit her job at the age of 25 to move to India. She eventually headed back to a consulting job, only to leave once again, traveling to Brazil, Belize, Argentina, Hong Kong and the Phillipines. On the way, Meijboom came up with the idea for I Like Local, seeking to give travelers an experience outside the constraints of “tourism.”

Name: Sanne Meijboom

Profession: Founder of I Like Local

Age: 34

Packing Tip?

When backpacking, I always put things in separate air-compressing bags (one for my shirts, one for my shorts/trousers, etc.). In this way, I can easily find the things I am looking for without unpacking the whole backpack, everything will be kept dry in case the bag gets wet and you can use a smaller bag.

Favorite travel memory?

My four-month sabbatical in 2009, which I used for traveling by myself. One of my best experiences ever. Besides the fact I saw a lot of different countries (Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Hong Kong, Philippines and India), traveling by myself was also an eye-opener. Although I had lived in India by myself in 2006, this time it was different. I was continuously on the move, whereas in 2006, I lived in only one location. I was open to everything and everyone. This led to the most amazing encounters and some wonderful experiences. I felt a sense of peace and a deeper connection to myself. From that moment on, I planned to travel all by myself every year, at least for a week. So far, I have not been able to put it into practice, for many reasons, but still, one day hopefully not so far ahead …

Bucket List Destination?

Papua New Guinea

Favorite off-the-beaten-path spot?

El Nido is one of the most beautiful places I have been. There are many operators that organize island-hopping tours. Instead of joining one of these tours, try to rent a private boat with boatman from one of the local fishermen. You can arrange to take the opposite route or different timing to visit the islands and avoid the touristy crowd. This way you have the most beautiful beaches on the planet all for yourself!

What kind of traveler are you?

A curious traveler who normally doesn’t like to plan a lot and leaves it up to the moment, but always in search of the best and most unique places to visit (spend tons of time exploring before traveling). As I have a little one now, we can’t leave it up to the moment anymore. It requires a bit more planning, but we still do travel, as frequently as possible. Even with a child, you can easily travel to exotic places. We just returned from three weeks of traveling across Kenya and Uganda.

Funniest travel story?

During my sabbatical trip, I was in Coron, the Philippines, and had to take a flight to Manila to catch my flight to India the next morning. I was aware the flights from Coron sometimes could be canceled at the final moment. So, I checked at the time of booking if the flight already had sufficient bookings. My favorite tuk tuk driver picked me up to drop me off at the airport that day. With me in that tuk tuk were an American guy with his Filipino wife who apparently was a famous actress. As soon as we arrived, the airport authorities told us the flight was canceled and the next one would go the following day. That was too late for me to catch my flight to India. All of us were angry. That actress really flipped, as she had to attend a shoot in Manila. When even her celebrity status couldn’t change anything, she arranged the best hotel in town that both of us could stay in with full service. That evening she, her American husband and myself had dinner together with the freshly-caught crabs she had in her luggage. The next morning, she took the first flight as there were only two spots left and I took the next one. The moment they told me that I could board the plane, it appeared I was the only passenger on the aircraft. I got a whole airplane to myself!

Best meal you’ve had on your travels?

When I was living in India in 2006, I was invited to a friend’s place for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. I asked if I could join in cooking as I adore Indian food and wanted to see the ‘tricks’ they use for home-cooked food. His mom, their cook, and I cooked for a couple of hours and prepared tons of food. I assumed the whole family would join, but at the end it was only my two friends and me. The food was amazing and so much in quantity! We literally spent the whole afternoon chatting and eating until our bellies almost burst. Definitely one of my best food memories!

Craziest thing you’ve done while traveling?

Eating worms with some locals in Palawan, the Philippines.

Favorite item collected from your travels?

A sleeping Buddha I bought in Rishikesh after spending a couple of hours negotiating the price

Where next?

It might be the Philippines or Western Australia.