As a true-blue Singaporean, I am extremely “kiasu” (afraid to lose out) when it comes to travelling. Exploring as many attractions within a city is a must, so that I can make my overseas experience worthwhile. But we all know that travelling can be physically draining; most of the time, people walk – and a lot – in Europe.
So what do you do when you wish to cover as many attractions as possible when short on time? I dislike the idea of conventional tours – rigid timelines, rushed schedules and having to wait for latecomers in your tour group. So on my recent trip to Budapest, Hungary, I decided to explore the city in the most hipster way possible, via the Budapest Tuk Tuk.
The Tuk Tuk is not a novel concept. I am pretty sure many Southeast Asians would have sat on a Tuk Tuk at least once, especially in countries such as Thailand. Truth be told, this was not my first on a Tuk Tuk, and I had thought that the Budapest Tuk Tuk would be similar to the ones in Thailand. Little did I know how wrong I was.
To my pleasant surprise, the Budapest Tuk Tuk ride was a refreshing experience. Far from being a mere touristy form of transportation, I uncovered multiple hidden gems in Budapest with the Tuk Tuk. Since good things are meant to be shared, here’s 5 reasons why you should consider using the Tuk Tuk when in Budapest.
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A Tuk Tuk ride in Europe is entirely different from those in Southeast Asia
One obvious reason for my refreshing Tuk Tuk experience is weather. The sweltering heat in Southeast Asians is a no-goer for an open air transportation without air conditioning. But here in Budapest, the weather – even in summer – is much more merciful and the natural breeze makes your ride relaxing. Weather aside, my vacation vibes were boosted by a speaker connected to the Tuk Tuk that allowed me to blast my favourite selection of songs. Trust me – the ride couldn’t get any better with all the right elements falling into place.
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Absolute freedom in your choice of sightseeing spots
Remember what I said about rushed schedules and rigid timelines in large tour groups? Unlike conventional tours, the Budapest Tuk Tuk offers absolute freedom in your choice of sightseeing spots and the time allocation at each stop. If you have little or no interest in any of the suggested destinations, you can simply give your Tuk Tuk guide (usually English-speaking) a heads-up and let them know that you prefer to spend more time at another location. That being said, you can also choose to visit some other places which are not within the suggested itinerary and the guide will simply drive you there.
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Uncover secret spots where no tourists go to
My eyes practically lit up when my Tuk Tuk guide said, “Let me bring you to a secret spot.” Due to the miniature size of the three-wheeled vehicle, our Tuk Tuk guide could bring us to secret photo taking spots that oversee a panoramic view of Budapest. Our friendly guide introduced two spots located at the tip of a hill – the Lookout Turret and Peter Mansfeld Park. The pathways leading to these destinations are relatively narrow and are definitely inaccessible to larger vehicles – cars and buses. This means hordes of tourists cannot access these places, and true enough, we had those places all to ourselves when we were there.
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Avoid mundane lectures that put you to sleep
If you recall your last experience on a tour bus, the tour guide might probably be going on and on about the history of a certain monument or statue at an overrated tourist destination. If you’re a history lover, good for you. But there are others, like me, who prefer a serene ride without any disruptions. My Tuk Tuk guide was extremely considerate in this regard – before explaining about the history of each sightseeing spot, he asked me if I preferred to simply immerse in the atmosphere (with the music blasting in the background and the natural breeze blowing) or wanted a short history lesson.
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Affordable private tour
The only passengers on this three-wheeled vehicle is your preferred partner and the chauffeur, whom also assumes the role of a tour guide. At a price of 19 Euros per person, you can get to enjoy the royalty treatment with a 60 minutes’ private tour around the city. This is probably much more affordable than renting a chauffeured vehicle for an hour.
My Tuk Tuk ride was definitely more than just a mere form of transportation and my experience was made better with my friendly Tuk Tuk guide, Tomi. Will I sign up for another Budapest Tuk Tuk ride should I ever return to Budapest? A big fat definite yes.
The Budapest Tuk Tuk tour was reserved via KKday, Asia’s largest travel experience provider, connecting travellers to local tour providers all over the world.
