In the end, whether to give or not to give to those who beg is a personal decision often made on the spot. So before heading to the Taj Mahal or Angkor Wat, it's wise to have a plan, since without one it's easy to get flummoxed. "There's a combination of guilt and unfamiliarity that really can rob travelers of their normal calm and composure," says Don George, global travel editor for Lonely Planet Publications. "The worst thing we can do is lose control of the situation, because then you have twenty kids tugging at your elbow and you don't know what to do." To avoid such predicaments, here are some basic guidelines to follow.

Whether or not you give, always respectfully acknowledge people asking for handouts.
Don't ignore or avoid the needy. "Look the person in the eye, smile, tilt your head, gesture with your hand," says Coles. "Indicate the desire to connect." Sean Callahan, vice president of overseas operations for Catholic Relief Services, agrees: "Show interest by engaging the person first, rather than merely reacting. This can neutralize the aggressiveness you find in some professional beggars." Learn how to say "Hello, I like your country very much" in the local language, Callahan suggests, or learn a phrase of respect. "In India you can say Namaste, which means ‘I bow to the God within you,' " he says. "In Islamic countries you can say Salaam alaikum, which means 'Peace be with you.' " And learn a gesture of respect to accompany your words. George says that in Asian countries, he often greets needy strangers by placing his palms together in front of his chest with his fingers pointing up. "It's a peaceful and defusing gesture," he says.

Ask a local for guidelines on giving.
In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, I asked the directors of two different NGOs that help the disabled and the jobless whether it's right or wrong to give handouts. The right thing, they both said, was to give a small amount—the equivalent of 13 cents to the professional beggars in the city and 25 cents to the country beggars, who encounter fewer donors—because that's just enough to allow them to feed themselves but not enough to encourage others to beg.

If you do give, use local currency rather than U.S. dollars.
You may be greeted with shouts of "Dollar! Dollar! Dollar!" in many parts of the world, but always give in the local monetary unit. "It sends the message, ‘I value your currency,' " says Lewis. Always have some coins handy rather than digging in your purse or wallet and making a big production out of it.

Consider giving food instead of cash.
Rather than bringing granola bars from home to pass around, contribute to the economy by buying local food. If you are dining in a restaurant and see beggars en route, ask for the leftovers in a doggie bag to give to someone on the way home. And instead of offering children candy or other empty-calorie foods, give them fruit or bottled water, says Callahan.