How can you avoid the tourist mobs in a world that's quickly shrinking? Here are some of the most direct routes to the road less traveled

On a recent trip to Cozumel, I encountered more T-shirt outlets, knickknack shops, and Señor Frog's bars than anyone should have to endure. (Actually, there was only one Señor Frog's, but that was one too many.) Seven cruise ships were anchored at the docks, each having disgorged hundreds of American passengers who were trolling the busy avenue along the waterfront for souvenirs before sailing off to their next port. While I was having lunch in a noisy restaurant packed with other tourists, an American spring-breaker seated near me had one too many margaritas and got sick out the window.

I had gone to Cozumel for the diving (which didn't disappoint), not for the culture. Even so, seeing the island overrun with sightseers (like me), not to mention the riot of tacky shops and bars that have sprung up to cater to tourists, left me so depressed that I hid in my hotel the first night, ordering room service and watching cable TV.

Fortunately, the next day I followed a tip from the director of the island's marine park and discovered a great little restaurant called Manatí, a few blocks inland, where most tourists never bother to explore. The food was delicious, the staff were delightful, the crowd was local, and nobody threw up. I finally felt like I was in Mexico.

My trip to Cozumel was a reminder that with few exceptions, the more popular a destination becomes, the harder you have to work to find what made it distinct and desirable in the first place. Travel unprepared to a culturally rich destination such as Mexico or Kenya or even New Orleans and you risk slipping into a parallel reality manufactured for and populated only by tourists. Two sure signs that you've arrived in one are when the food is as bland as the experience and when an annoying guy with a camera is trying to get you to pay him to take your picture.

To avoid falling into the tourist trap, many travelers are actively seeking authentic experiences. In fact, the readers of this magazine consistently name culture as the primary reason they travel. No wonder a growing number of tour companies, volunteer organizations, and even hotels and resorts are making it possible to experience a destination more intimately than ever before.

Small-Group Tours
Museums and alumni organizations are two of the best sources of guided luxury tours that explore remote regions and their cultures in depth. The American Museum of Natural History, for instance, began offering its Margaret Mead Anthropology Series tours three years ago. Based on Mead's belief that the best way to understand a culture is to be immersed in it, the trips focus on one-on-one interactions between travelers and members of local communities. Designed by anthropologists, they provide an intimate view of isolated corners of the world while taking great care not to disrupt them.

"I don't want to go someplace and see a bunch of rich white folks like myself," says Nancy Guest, who traveled to Mali, West Africa, on a Margaret Mead tour. Her group visited Dogon fishing villages where they learned about the lives and traditions of the tribe.