Stories from Digital Nomads

I used to hate renting apartments from websites like Airbnb or VRBO. As a solo traveler, I preferred the social atmosphere of hostels. You met people, hostels ran activities and they were where you were “supposed to stay” as a backpacker. When I did want something other than a hostel, I used a hospitality network liked Couchsurfing or simply stayed with friends. But, after close to two decades as a nomad, there are times when I like my privacy and the ability to “create a home.” I like to cook, want to relax on a couch, and just chill. While apartment rentals often contribute to overtourism (discussed more below), there are still plenty of real hosts out there who are…

Surrounded by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, Central America is a magical region that is perfect for backpacking. The area is full of rainforests, unexplored Mayan ruins, gorgeous beaches, incredible reefs, cheap prices, delicious food, and welcoming people. It can be difficult arranging transportation throughout the region. In this post, I’ll provide some helpful tips on getting around Central America so you can navigate the region safely — and without breaking the bank. Here’s how you can travel around Central America cheaply – no matter how long you’ll be there: Table of Contents Getting Around By Bus Getting Around By Flying Getting Around By Car Getting Aro…

Machu Picchu is one of those bucket-list activities people dream about. While most people visit on a day trip, you can also visit via the Inca Trail, a challenging multi-day hike through the jungles of Peru. In this guest post, my friend Gillian divulges the details of her trek while sharing some tips and suggestions to help you plan your trip to Machu Picchu. Hiking to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail in Peru remains the highlight of my year traveling. Looking out over the peaks of the Andes, and knowing that I hiked to get there filled me with joy and awe. I didn’t want to be anywhere else. I won’t lie, though — it took some work. A lot of work, in fact. But it was to…

Before I first went traveling in 2006, I had these expectations in my head based on nothing but my imagination and popular culture. My trip was going to be a nonstop adventure filled with colorful and exciting people. Crazy things were going to happen to me. I’d make friends everywhere. I’d be talking to strangers on buses. Locals would invite me out for drinks. I’d be sipping a latte, strike up a conversation with my beautiful waitress, and then the next thing I’d know, we’d be at a wine bar, staring into each other’s eyes while she taught me French. It was going to be just like those articles I’d read or travel movies I saw. One adventurous scene after the next. Th…

Whenever I ask readers what the number one thing holding them back from traveling is, I almost always get the same answer: money. This problem — and how to overcome it — is my most asked question. “Matt, I don’t know how to afford travel. Help!” I have answered this question in a plethora of posts, emails, tweets, and Facebook posts. Long-term readers might even be getting sick of me discussing this subject because it is one I talk about so much. But I know no matter how often I address this question, it will come up again. Since this question comes up so often, I like to constantly remind people of this fact: You do not need to be rich to travel. There are plenty of…

Travel has become really expensive. Post-COVID, the entire world seems to be traveling again and prices just keep rising. I am astonished at how high they have gotten. But it’s a product of rising costs and out-of-control demand. Everyone just wants to travel. We’re all looking for an escape. Fortunately, it’s not all bad. Airfare has started to go down again, there are more deal-finding websites online, free walking tours in more cities, and more opportunities to bypass the traditional travel infrastructure and connect directly into the local way of life via the sharing economy. As we navigate the post-COVID world of high prices, I want to share some tips and tricks on…

Peru, the third-largest country in South America, was receiving over four million visitors each year before the pandemic. Whether it’s to visit Machu Picchu, the floating islands of Lake Titicaca, the Nazca Lines, or the vibrant capital city of Lima and its blossoming food scene, Peru has a ton to see and do. And it lives up to the hype. I absolutely loved my visit here. It was everything I thought it would be! However, I also often hear and read about tourists getting mugged or their things being stolen. I get worried emails from travelers wondering if Peru is safe to visit due to recent political unrest. Today, I want to answer their questions: Is it safe to vis…

From sea to shining sea, the United States is a very diverse country – both when it comes to culture and natural beauty. I’ve traveled across the continental United States many times over (you never really realize how big Texas is until you drive through it. Damn that state is big!). I think, just on my roadtrips alone, I’ve spent a collective two years exploring the country. That’s a lot of time and doesn’t even take into account that visit to Portland or Nashville or weekend in Savannah. In short, I’ve seen a lot of this country. And there is a lot worth seeing. In the past, I’ve talked about my favorite restaurants and lessons learned, so it only seems proper to g…

Most people aren’t born savvy travelers. It’s something that only comes with on-the-road experience. Travel savviness is a process born of missed buses, foolish behavior, cultural unawareness, and countless tiny errors. Then, one day, you begin to seamlessly move through airports and integrate yourself into new cultures like a fish to water. In the beginning, you’ll make a lot of travel mistakes.But I want to help speed up the process and help you avoid my mistakes (and I often make a lot of them), so I put together this giant list of my best travel tips that cover everything under the sun to help you reach your full travel ninja potential. I’ve learned these tips over …

I’m a big fan of Daily Drop. It’s a points, miles, travel, and credit card newsletter created by my friends, Kara and Nate (they run a big YouTube channel of the same name). Daily Drop keeps you informed about the latest news and information around points & miles, as well as updates across the airline and hotel industries. While the newsletter is free, they also have a subscription service called Daily Drop Pro, which promises even more points deals, alerts, and tools to help you find the award availability you need for your next trip. But does it deliver? Is it worth the price? As Daily Drop has gotten bigger, I’ve gotten questions about the service from readers …

Today is the day! My new book, How to Travel the World on $75 a Day, is out NOW! (Woo! Hoo!) This newly updated edition of my New York Times best-selling book will help you travel on a budget. The last edition of the book came out in 2017 and, since then, a lot has changed. COVID changed the travel industry forever. A lot of companies/hotels/hostels closed during the pandemic, including ones that had been around for decades! Old methods of saving money (like RTW tickets) became obsolete and new methods (like certain apps and sharing economy websites) came into being. Destinations changed. Prices have definitely changed. Because the travel landscape is so different, I w…

Backpacking Europe is one of my favorite things to do as a traveler. There isn’t a year I don’t criss-cross the continent (except 2020 when no one was crossing Europe). During the summer, hostels burst with life, the Mediterranean sparkles, streets fill with people drinking wine and enjoying the day, and the late night setting sun leads to long wondrous days. Winter brings Christmas markets, skiing, fewer crowds, and lower prices! And Spring and Fall bring the right mix of people, temperatures, and prices that make these two my favorite seasons to travel Europe. Since starting this website in 2008, I’ve written a lot of posts on Europe. I visit Europe multiple times a…

Peru is a massive country. To do it justice, you need a lot of time. From the capital of Lima to the ancient city of Cusco to the jungles of the Amazon to the beach towns to the ruins of the Sacred Valley, Peru presents you with a lot of options. I spent 2.5 weeks there and absolutely loved it. But even at a fast pace, I still felt like I barely saw anything (even though I crammed a lot of activities into my trip). So, in such a large nation, how do you break up a trip? How do you pick what to see and do? What kind of itinerary do you make? Well, of course, a lot of that has to do with what you are going for: the Amazon, the hiking, the history, or the food? Most f…

Travelers can be a fickle group of people to buy gifts for. We’re constantly coming and going, we usually don’t carry a lot of stuff with us, and no two travelers are alike. Finding the perfect gift for the traveler in your life can be tricky. While a plane ticket is never a bad idea (I’m a window seat in case anyone is thinking of getting me one), I’ve put together this ultimate gift guide for travelers as there’s a lot of great travel gear out there these days that helps people travel cheaper and better. Even me, the gear-adverse traveler, likes a lot of this stuff! This is stuff I actually think is super useful. No nonsense. No fluff. Just the best gifts for intrepi…

Life can be stressful. Work, bills, relationships, the economy, love, family… the list goes on! There are lots of things we can do to do to relax, like changing our diet, exercising more often, sleeping more, and improving our work-life balance. But sometimes we need to do more than just make changes at home. Sometimes we need a break. And one of the best ways to do that? You guessed it: travel! Travel can refresh us. It is like a time-out from life — like the ones you got in grade school, but this time more fun. It slows us down, makes us stop and smell the roses, and creates a little change in the normal patterns of our lives. It’s not so much “running away fro…

Whether you’re traveling to Europe for two weeks or planning an epic round-the-world adventure, you need travel insurance. Seriously. I know, it’s not a fun topic to read about. And yes, it will add to your travel budget. But after almost two decades on the road, I’ve learned the hard way just how important travel insurance can be. I’ve had my luggage lost, I’ve popped an eardrum, and I’ve even been stabbed. Throw in countless delayed and cancelled flights and I’d be out thousands upon thousands of dollars. Fortunately, I had travel insurance. They were there to help me navigate the problems and ensure I didn’t go broke paying for emergency expenses. These days, Safe…

When I started backpacking almost 20 years ago, there were no smartphones. That meant you had to rely on paper maps, physical guidebooks, and (often outdated) information from random web forums. While it made traveling adventurous, it also made planning a trip very difficult. Fortunately, times have changed. It’s never been easier to access information while you’re abroad. From booking hotels to looking up directions to finding places to eat, access to Wi-Fi and mobile data has changed the game. SIM cards were the first step in making this evolution possible. You’d buy an overpriced physical SIM card on arrival and hope that you didn’t blow through the data before your…

I love walking tours. Long time readers know I always recommend doing them first thing when you’re in a city. It doesn’t matter the type you do. Food, history, art – whatever! Just do something. They’re an incredible way to learn about a destination, get your bearings, and talk to a local about life in the city. (Plus, you can ask your local guidefor tips on restaurants, attractions, or how to navigate the city! Win-win!) I’ve been taking walking tours since my first backpacking trip in 2006 when I joined a hostel’s free walking tour around Prague. I was hooked and, over the years, I’ve taken hundreds upon hundreds of tours run by dozens upon dozens of companies. There a…

Peru is one of the most popular destinations in South America, owing to the fact that it’s home to the bucket-list favorite and Wonder of the World Machu Picchu. Around 500,000 people visit the ancient Incan citadel each year — a number that would be much higher if it wasn’t for the mandates put in place to prevent overcrowding. But there’s more to Peru than just Machu Picchu. And there’s more to the Andes than the Inca Trail. Peru is very geographically and culturally diverse (it’s the third-largest country on the continent) so there’s a lot more on offer here than most travelers expect. From the great dining destination of Lima to the floating islands off the Uros to…

Tokyo is one of those cities that feels endlessly deep. You can visit a dozen times and still discover new food stalls, hidden shrines, late-night bars, quirky subcultures, and neighborhoods that feel like completely different worlds. (I know because I’ve visited about 10 times already!) One of my favorite ways to explore Tokyo is by taking an Airbnb Experience. Led by locals and long-term residents, these tours give you a front-row seat to Tokyo’s food culture, nightlife, history, and crafts in a way you rarely get when wandering on your own. I’ve done a lot of Airbnb Experiences in Tokyo over the years and think they are often even better than traditional tours you fin…

There’s a lot of tours in New York City (I’ve highlighted my favorites here) but I think one thing people don’t do enough of is Airbnb experience. Most of us know Airbnb through their stay features but they also have a lot of experiences where you can get a local to show you around. I actually like these experiences more than traditional tours because they have locals who share something they are passionate about, they are small groups, and they are usually a bit more off the beaten path. I don’t think people take these tours enough and they are always one of my favorite things to look for whenever I travel anywhere in the world. New York City has a ton of options you ca…

There’s a lot of walking tour companies in Paris. I’ve taken hundreds (I’ve reviewed my favorite tour companies in this post). Besides formal tours, there’s another thing I love to do in Paris: Airbnb Experiences. Airbnb Experiences are like the holy grail of tours: they are unique, off-the-beaten path, and run by locals who just want to share something they love. They aren’t cookie cutter walking tours or activities lead by a guide holding an umbrella. I absolutely love Airbnb Experiences. They are one of my favorite things to do in any city and, frankly, I don’t think nearly enough travelers do them. Whenever I run polls about them, half usually say they have never he…

Ruin bars are all the rage in Budapest and have been around since the founding of Szimpla Kert, the mecca of all ruin bars, in 2002. These bars are built in Budapest’s old District VII neighborhood (the old Jewish quarter) in the ruins of abandoned buildings, stores, or lots. This neighborhood was left to decay after World War II, so it was a perfect place to develop an underground bar scene. These places were very off the beaten path, rough around the edges, and catered to artists, students, and alternative people. But they became very popular and well known by 2010 and have nice gone mainstream, though their setting has not changed. From the outside, these bars look …

Advertiser Disclosure Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Over the past nineteen years as a business owner, I’ve used countless business cards. Some have been amazing and elevated both my travel and my business. Others have been…well, lackluster. One of the best? The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. It comes with a lot of world-class perks and benefits, quality customer care, and a solid rewards structure (especially on large purchases). While the annual fee is pretty high ($695, pay over time available. See Rates and Fees…

Advertiser Disclosure Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. The Platinum Card® from American Express is the OG of premium travel cards. Since its launch in the 1980s, it’s always been known for its exclusivity, suite of perks, and stellar customer service. While it does have the highest fee in the game ($695, See Rates and Fees), it offers a ton of bang for your buck. You’ll more than come out on top if you take advantage of all that this premium card has to offer. It unlocks the most comprehensive lounge access of any card, includes elite …