Culture

One of the central tenets of backpacking is the sense of community. Whether this takes the form of staying at in a dormitory in a hostel with a self-catering kitchen and communal TV room, sharing rides with other travelers, purchasing a bus/train pass or something else, what matters is the shared experience. This allows backpackers to learn from one another while saving money at the same time: the first-hand account of a fellow traveler can often be more up to date than what was published in a recent Lonely Planet, the long cited bible of backpacker travel.
Of equal importance in backpacking is the sense of authenticity. Backpacking is not a vacation but rather a means of education[14]. Backpackers want to experience the “real” destination rather than the packaged version often associated with mass tourism, which has led to the assertion that backpackers are anti-tourist [15]. There is also the feeling of "sneaking backstage" and witnessing real life with more involvement with local people [16]
Backpacking, like other forms of travel, remains controversial. As with the general history of backpacking some of these criticisms date back to travelers’ actions along the Hippie Trail[17]. Criticism comes from many sides, including the host countries and other travelers who disagree with the actions of backpackers although the perception of backpackers seems to have improved as backpacking grows more mainstream[18].