I don't know what it is about cheaper beach backpacking areas that brings out the lunatics in the younger backpacking group but for some reason everyone seems to think the world just became their playground and that you can just do whatever you want. In many situations you actually can get away with this attitude but I am one of those people that knows that certain areas are already borderline anti-backpacker because of the low amount of money that they tend to spend (which is the entire idea behind backpacking, don't think I am calling anyone stingy) but when people spend no money and also act like fools in public, the local community starts to loathe their presence and I hate to see this.
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I witnessed some pretty horrible behavior out of backpackers and for the most part this happens at beach areas. Perhaps it is because the atmosphere on certain party islands (which are specifically designed for this type of hedonism) carries over to other places that are not meant for that but there are a few really disgraceful things that I have noticed throughout my travels over every continent (not the really cold one) over the years.
Drunk in Public
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I get it, we all like to party. We all also know what would get us arrested in our home countries but think we can get away with it abroad. You can get away with it for the most part but not without damaging the reputation of the rest of us in the meantime. I once witnessed a guy crossing the road from having just returned from a "booze cruise" of sorts and he called out to his friends to "check this out!" while he proceeded to pee his pants in the middle of the road on purpose. What the hell was the point of that?
Basically, if it wouldn't fly back home, you really shouldn't be doing it here unless the area is specifically set up for it. Organized beach parties with DJ's are fine but being hammered at 11am sitting on the sidewalk outside of a minimart, that is not ok.
Put some clothes on
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I met some people in a hostel in Costa Rica once and asked a few of the fellas to meet up with us at a local market-style eatery later on that night. These two fellas turned up to the market in the middle of the city (far from the beach, it involved a bus) and the two of them turned up without shirts, one of them didn't have shoes on. WTH are you doing man? There were families in this market area with their kids and you are barely wearing any clothes?
Just think, Is this something that you would do in the food court of a shopping mall back home? If the answer is no, you shouldn't be doing it abroad either. You look like a jackass even if you are in great shape and you aren't doing the backpacking community any favors. I wanted to refuse to sit with them because I was now guilty as well despite being fully clothed.
begpacking... no!
There is a new phenomenon going on with the stingiest of the stingy backpackers where they will actually beg on the side of the road next to other actual beggars who don't even have any money for food. These people are begging to have money to continue your travels around the world.
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I don't see this very often but I do see it every now and then. People are set up with various trinkets and other garbage for sale and asking for donations so that they can continue their journey around the world. Many times they will be fiddling around on the latest Ipad or Iphone while they sit mere meters away from an actual homeless person that is missing a limb. The nerve of these people is infuriating and thankfully they get berated by both locals and other travelers alike.
Do these people realize how incredibly privileged they are to be traveling the world when they are surrounded by people who are maybe going to struggle for food and will sleep in a phone box or on the front porch of a shop? IT is unreal how brainless some people are and if I see someone doing this I am always amazed that the actual homeless don't mob these people, beat them up, and steal all their stuff.
These are extreme examples and not many people actually do this sort of stuff. However, when just as small amount of people do it, it reflects badly on the good people as well and encourages budget communities to change who they are trying to cater to. Over time I have seen places that used to be fun backpacking getaways get fed up with the drunken idiots breaking everything and even seen places that won't let anyone stay there that is traveling with a backpack at all.
Backpacking was a life changer for me and I really think that everyone should experience it at some point in their lives. Let's try not to fuck this up for everyone else ok?
Doesn't surprise me, other people always ruin it for others, it's unreal how brainless some people are and the whole shirtless thing that also get's on my nerves.
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I went on a sort of budget trip to some beaches in Mexico and saw a lot of what you are describing going on but it was almost exclusively at the hands of very young people. I try not to get too judgmental because there was a time when I was young and crazy (and probably making an ass of myself) as well
I have some facepalm memories of when I first traveled to Thailand. Let's just say it involves being dressed like a tourist, drinking way too much, and attempting to lead a crowd in a dance while on a stage that I was not invited to stand on... oh the cringe..
Here in Chiang Mai there isn't a beach or any water you would want to swim in anywhere near the tourist parts of town but we see shirtless dudes and girls in bikini tops all the time. They tend to be quite young and all are European or American. It really boggles the mind how people could possibly think this is ok behavior. I don't do it!
I think this is just the ignorance of youth for the most part. The English get a bad rep around the world even though it is normally just the very young and drunk portion of their population that behave this way. Israelis have the same perhaps undeserved rep from their youth, only they have compulsory military service as well so they are good at violence. Not exactly a great combo if you ask me.