Wherever you go in the world, be in the jungles of South America or the plains of East Africa, you’ll eventually stumble upon a place that serves as the local hang-out for anyone passing through. Rather like the old caravanserai dotted around the ancient Silk Route these places offer a bed for the night, food and drink and a chance to catch up with fellow travellers who may have news of the road ahead. Unlike those early-day voyagers however the modern day frequenter of these routes is not carrying goods to sell in a faraway land – the chances are that his/her pack holds nothing more exotic than a few weeks’ worth of dirty laundry.

So how do these oases spring up and what are the essential ingredients that make these places so popular? If we wanted to set up our own traveller hangout in the middle of nowhere what would it need to include? Here are just a handful of suggestions.

1. Internet café - the first port of call for all who arrive in this town. Hours or even days on the road will have left new arrivals tired, thirsty and possibly starting to ramble incoherently. A quick internet fix is proven to be the most effective solution to these symptoms. Bonus points on offer if the entire town can offer free wi-fi coverage.

2. All-night bar, with non-stop football/music videos on large screen. Full marks if volume is kept at maximum even when the bar is empty.

3. Immaculately untidy hostel - should look like it was an important building in another era – extra marks if it can claim to have once been a brothel.

4. Frozen yoghurt and shake café - for thirst quenching only and certainly not for the purpose of creating ‘happy shakes’, whatever they are.

5. Gear shop – backpackers are no different to the rest of the population and will appreciate the chance to replace the clothes that may have given up their ghost since the last stop. Fisherman’s pants, sarongs and very cool hats are must items to keep in stock.

6. Travel agent – remember that people will only be passing through. Everyone needs a ride out of town and it’s your local tour guy who can offer them a range of escape options. He can also provide jeep rides, rafting trips and bike hire for visitors. Cash only, of course.  

7. Sunset bar – for those who are too old, too sophisticated or just too cool to stay in the sports bar, a little straw hut a short walk away from the action can provide a perfect place to sit in silent transcendental meditation with a cool beer in hand while watching the sunset.  

8. Fast food joint – not a recognised American chain of course, but preferably a place that makes a thinly disguised and badly executed attempt at looking like one.

9. Slow food joint – this is the place where someone has set up a restaurant with a single portable gas stove. An omelette will take an hour, a pizza maybe longer. For a table of four a meal is by necessity an all-night affair. There is ample beer so no-one complains.

10. The long-haired ex-pat expert – it is the people who make a place and every traveller community needs a respected fully-pledged dude at the helm. Usually a veteran of the travellers’ community he passed through while hitch-hiking years ago when there was nothing here and decided to create a place for travellers like him. Full of useful local information but might get nervous if you say you work for the government.   

What else would you add to your perfect backpacker town?