30 Epic Photos From My Trip to Madagascar

Madagascar. It has an exotic hold over the imagination, conjuring up a land of wild nature: plains of baobab trees, armies of lemurs, unique animals, and lush rainforests.

Since so few people visit (roughly 350,000 per year), our imagination runs wild when we hear its name. It’s some otherworldly region, a lush rainforest teeming with wildlife and white sand beaches from end to end. It would be like Avatar.

Most people I talked to thought the same. After all, with so few visitors there, the chances of knowing someone who has been is tiny.

But the Madagascar most of us envision is not the one that exists. The country is quite arid thanks to mining, deforestation, and climate change. These days, the landscape is a lot less lush than it once was. It’s not as wild and exotic as we think.

Yet there’s a lot of beauty here. From Westworld-like deserts and tiny tropical rainforests to valleys filled with rice fields and giant mountains, Madagascar is still outrageously magical and raw. While I’ll be posting many articles on what to see and do, how to visit the country, and my experience there in the upcoming weeks, I thought I’d start with some photographs from my visit to set the scene:

Lemurs, lemurs, and more lemurs. There’s over 60 species in the country.

One of the beautiful and lush valleys on the island.

The Paradise bird. Just one of the many colorful birds I saw.

“King Julien” lemurs (so called because this is the kind that was the character in the movie).

The poor infrastructure in Madagascar makes the country hard to get around.

There’s a lot of chameleons here too.

Madagascar has this samosa tasting spring roll. I ate them all the time. They made me very happy. Delicious and at three cents each, budget friendly.

Baby lemurs!

This lemur is actually asleep. It sleeps with its eyes open to deter predators.

Some of the famous baobab trees.

A beautiful pastel sunset over the capital, Antananarivo!

A narrow bridge made even more crowded by a weekly market.

Always be on the lookout for thieves!

A candid shot!

So many lemurs, so little time.

Hiking in Isalo national park, a very Westworld like place.

This spider was frighteningly huge.

Taking in the amazing view!

Learning about the country with my awesome guide, Patrick.

Out for a hike with the Intrepid group.

The zebu (a type of cow) market, where people buy and sell cattle.

The hills and valleys of Madagascar fill up the long, slow driving days. And they are a wonderful sight.

This is what most of Madagascar looks like.

Just another Lemur doing his thing!

Chatting with my awesome guide Patrick.

This big fella was just relaxing in the sun.

Home sweet home!

Taking the classic Instagram picture!

Ok, one last lemur picture.

I found my new best friend while in Madagascar!

***Sixteen days was not nearly enough time to visit a country the size of

Sixteen days was not nearly enough time to visit a country the size of France , especially since Madagascar severely lacks decent infrastructure. roads are filled with potholes and there’s no regular train service (a common theme in my upcoming posts).

So, while there was much I missed, I’m grateful for everything I did see.

I guess, as always, it’s just another reason to go back, right?

Note: I went to Madagascar with Intrepid Travel as part of our ongoing partnership. They paid for the tour and my expenses during the trip. I paid for my flights to and from Madagascar. They offer 10% off their tours to readers so click the link and save on your next trip.

P.S. – We are hosting a Q&A with professional travel photographer Laurence Norah on October 29th, so be sure to attend if you want to step up your photo game!

Why You Shouldn't Be Loyal to Frequent Flier Programs

Updated: 6/29/18 | June 29th, 2018

A few years ago, I wrote a post about joining frequent flier programs. At the time, I was in the process of picking one to join, but now I feel the post is a bit dated, and my thoughts on the subject have changed as I’ve started to get more into mileage programs and accumulating frequent flier miles. Which means it’s a good time to write a new post on the topic.

Back in 2008, I was going to join the JAL awards program because it partnered not only with Oneworld but also a few other airlines I enjoy, like Emirates. In the end, I joined American Airlines, which is also a Oneworld partner.

I joined American over JAL because I realized that when you don’t fly that much (and back then, I didn’t), it’s much harder to earn airline miles when you aren’t racking up points by using a travel credit card. So I picked American since it partnered with JAL, and I could use its credit card to get bonus miles and miles from my day-to-day spending.

Now, close to ten years after that first post, I believe that unless you are a super flier, you shouldn’t stick to one airline or airline alliance. Using credit cards and special offers will get you all the extra points and miles you need to get free flights on any alliance. There’s no need to be loyal. The only thing gained by being loyal to one airline is elite status and the amazing perks that come with it.

(But if you spread out your flights among too many different carriers, you’ll dilute your mileage balance. It will take you ages to earn enough miles to redeem them for a free flight, and you definitely won’t fly enough on one airline to gain elite status — it takes 25,000 miles on most airlines to get the lowest elite status, and nowadays, they require a certain level of spend with the airline or on their credit card too. Most people don’t fly or spend that much per year.)

That said, elite status is all I care about. I want the extra perks — the free baggage, airport lounges, priority boarding, and free upgrades. I will pay more for a ticket and be loyal, because, in the end, the perks make the higher price worth it — for me.

For the casual flier, I don’t believe loyalty is worth it.

I used to say that if you can fly 50,000 miles or more, it’s worth focusing on one airline and alliance because the perks are worth the extra price (especially the international lounges). But now, the major airlines in the United States do not value your loyalty anymore. They are only rewarding their high-spending clients with deep pockets — not their frequent clients. Travel 100,000 miles a year, but on just a few cheap tickets? Great — that will earn you a pat on the back. Spend $20,000 on a few high-priced tickets? The red carpet is rolled out for you! So with the heightened spending requirements, reduced benefits, and overall “F U” attitude airlines have, it doesn’t make sense to be loyal to an airline if you aren’t a high-spending traveler.

Right now, I have no airline status. Most of my flights for the rest of the year are long-haul international flights — the kind I always use points on, so I can fly for free in business class. Most of my paid, status-earning flights will be cheap domestic flights. I’m simply not going to be able to meet the new spending requirements for status — for any airline.

I’m flying Alaska/Virgin, JetBlue, and Southwest a lot more lately. These airlines don’t have baggage fees; they do have friendlier staff and better in-flight products (hello, free gate-to-gate wi-fi on JetBlue!), and the experience is leagues better than the big three!

So, it makes sense to be loyal when you’re a high-spending road warrior. If you’re always staying in hotels or flying tens of thousands of miles per year, staying loyal will get you a lot of added benefits.

But why pay more if you’re only going to fly a few thousand miles per year? Don’t be loyal. Just go on price. If you know you aren’t going to meet the elite status threshold, why pay extra? Unless you have a real affinity for one airline, the benefits you get for your “loyalty” aren’t worth the added price you’re going to pay for your fare.

There are so many ways to get free miles these days that if you’re just a casual, few-times-per-year flier, you’re better off using those methods to get free business or first-class tickets, which give you all the elite perks for that one flight anyway.

I do think everyone should sign up for frequent flier programs. That way, when you use a company, you’re accumulating rewards. Never miss a chance to get rewards! I’m a member of every airline and hotel loyalty program for this reason.

But if you’re only taking a couple of trips per year, there’s no reason to be loyal to one program. Save yourself money and go with the cheapest ticket.

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The Ultimate Packing List for Female Travelers for 2018

Updated: 10/15/18 | October 15th, 2018

Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes a guest column featuring tips and advice on solo female travel. It’s an important topic I can’t adequately cover, so I brought in an expert to share her advice for other solo female travelers! Here she is with another awesome article on what to pack when you travel!

I know that it can be daunting trying to figure out what to pack for a week, a month, or a year abroad without much — or any — prior experience in the place you aim to visit. I found myself in the same situation four years ago, but with the benefit of hindsight and experience on every continent on earth (save for Antarctica — one day!), I may have finally figured this female packing list thing out. I’ve learned that thankfully, with a few staple items, you can travel to just about anywhere without spending a fortune on gear.

The following are my tried-and-true methods and products that, even after almost six years on the road, I still love and use, and is what I think the ultimate packing list for your trip. Feel free to mix and match and take just what you want. I broke things down by climate so you can get a sense of what to take for the climate you are visiting. Enjoy!

Female Packing List Tip #1: What Clothes to Bring

In places where clothing is cheap, such as Southeast Asia and India, don’t stress too much about having a complete wardrobe ready to go before you take off. Just about every girl I met in those regions wore clothing she’d bought on the road. It will suit the climate and at $3-$6 USD per garment, won’t break the bank.

In Europe, Oceania, or anywhere remote, where you might either not be able to find cheap clothing or buy it on the road, bring everything you think you’ll need. These suggest packing lists will help:

Hot climates

• 5–7 thin and simple tank tops or sleeveless tops that can easily mix and match with different bottoms
• 2–3 pairs of shorts of varying lengths. Avoid denim in humid countries, as it takes a long time to line dry.
• 2 long skirts or dresses for conservative environments that require modesty — and they breathe better than pants
• 2–3 pairs of light cotton pants and/or leggings
• 9 pairs of whatever underwear you find the most comfortable
• 2 pairs of thin socks
• 1 pair of hiking or running shoes
• 1 pair of flip-flops (jandals, thongs) or sandals
• A hat to cover your face

Temperate climates

• 3–4 tank tops for layering
• 2–3 long-sleeved shirts for layering
• 2–3 t-shirts
• 2–3 tunic shirts or dresses
• 1 pair of jeans or thick pants
• 2–3 pairs of shorts of varying lengths
• 1–2 pairs of leggings
• 9 pairs of comfortable underwear
• 4 pairs of socks: some for sport shoes and some for boots
• 1 pair of boots or closed-toed shoes (wear in transit to save space)
• 1 pair of hiking or running shoes
• 1 pair of flip-flops (jandals, thongs) or sandals
• 1 jacket, preferably something waterproof, for all occasions

Cold climates

Female Packing List Tip #2: Toiletries to Bring

I’m often asked about buying toiletries on the road, and I’m happy to report that it’s both easy and straightforward finding shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, and soap. Ladies abroad use these things, too.

Pantene and Dove products seem to be universal, and with the exception of a few really off-the-grid places, such as tiny islands and extremely poor areas where people mostly subsistence-farm, you’ll be able to find basic toiletries easily on the road.

My basic toiletry packing list includes:

For items such as prescriptions, the ease of traveling with them will heavily depend on what you need and how much you can get up front, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The best way to handle it is to talk to your doctor and insurance regarding how much you can get before you leave and how to best take it across borders.

Remember that in much of the world, doctors aren’t too expensive to visit and it’s possible to get prescriptions written and filled on the road. Some developing countries will not even require a prescription for some items, from prescription shampoos and skin creams to anti-anxiety medications.

Female Packing List Tip #3: Practical Items

Though most items such as bedding and pillows are provided in hostels, you’ll need a few items apart from those to make your travels easier and cheaper.

For example, in some parts of the world, such as Southeast Asia, it’s much easier to get your washing done for you at your hostel than to wash it yourself. When camping or traveling in other parts of the world, however, it’s expensive and difficult to find someone to do your washing, so it’s better to bring a washing line and do it in the sink yourself.

The following are my must-haves for making traveling easier:

• Travel line for drying clothing (not necessary in Southeast Asia, where laundry is cheap, but necessary in Africa and South America, where it’s not always available. In Europe, Oceania, and North America, it’s expensive to wash your clothes at a laundromat so consider your budget.)
• Diva Cup – a menstrual cup that can be reused throughout your trip. I was shocked to find that in China, for example, there were no tampons! Thank goodness I had the Diva Cup, a washable insert that makes everyone’s least favorite monthly visitor less horrendous.
• Packing cubes – the single most important thing I use for organizing my clothing and compressing what I bring
• Microfiber towel – plenty of hostels and camping sites will not have towels, regardless of where in the world they are. Bring your own quick-drying one to save money and hassle.
• Sleeping bag liner – in case you encounter a hostel that is less than clean
• Sarong for easy covering up for temples or at the beach (you can also buy this on the road)
• Headlamp for camping, digging in your bag after dark in dorms without waking everyone up, and as a personal flashlight at night

Female Packing List Tip #4: Products to Keep You (and Your Stuff) Safe

If you’re traveling with anything of value — which most travelers are — the next most important things to pack are locks and items that can keep your electronics and your person safe.

In my nearly six years of traveling, I’ve never had anything major stolen. I credit this to watching my belongings like a hawk, always carrying the important stuff on my person, and using thief-safe travel products. These are the items I swear by that I always pack with me:

• Pacsafe messenger bag as a day bag, especially for towns like Phnom Penh or Ho Chi Minh City, where drive-by motorbike thieves and bag-slashers are a constant threat; or in much of Europe or South America, where people try to unzip your purse when you’re distracted. There is a wire running through the strap, the colors are not flashy, and it is equipped with hidden pockets that block RFID readers from scanning passport and credit card information. Plus, the zippers lock.
• If carrying large cameras and a computer, I bring a locking electronics backpack with locking zippers, which I wear in the front.
• The Pacsafe backpack and bag protector is a wire mesh bag that protects valuables if you’re in a place without lockers or a safe. Whether in dorms, private rooms, bamboo bungalows, the trunk of a rental car, or wooden huts, it is a huge contributor to peace of mind and takes up very little space. Slip on the bag’s rain jacket, wrap the bag in the Pacsafe bag protector, then use an additional lock to secure it to a bunk bed bedpost or any other object in the room that is fixed to the floor or wall and would be difficult to remove.
• A personal safety alarm is a good item to bring along instead of mace or pepper spray, which is illegal in many countries and sometimes not allowed even in checked baggage. It’s small and easy to walk around with, and it makes a very loud noise if you press it in an emergency
• A lock so that you can secure lockers, doors, and your belongings when needed.

>>> Note: Before your trip, learn all of Kristin’s solo female travel advice here.

Usless Things You Don’t Need to Pack

• Mosquito nets: In almost every country where I needed a mosquito net, there was already one hanging over the bed. It almost never made sense for me to bring my own. I also have found very little need for jeans unless in Europe or North America. Hot and humid countries are not a good place for such thick clothing.
• Money belts: Thieves know to look for them, and I find a much better alternative is the dummy wallet – a wallet with a few canceled cards and some petty cash inside. The rest, I stash in my shoe, bra, or a back, buttoning pocket. If a thief mugs me, I can hand over the dummy purse or wallet without a fight and we both walk away happy.
• Your own bedding: If you’re afraid of encountering dirty bedding during your travels or just want to be sure that you always have something clean to sleep in, bring along a thin, small sleeping bag liner.
• A suitcase with wheels: In most parts of the world, a suitcase with wheels is just an annoyance. The wheels get stuck in the dirt in Southeast Asia, where there aren’t often sidewalks. In Europe when traveling via train you’ll have to constantly drag it up and down stairs and over cobblestone. Go for a backpack. Matt has a helpful guide to picking the right one here.
• Jewelry: Think twice about being flashy. It’s akin to wearing a “rob me” sign in a lot of the world. I usually leave any expensive or designer jewelry and sunglasses I have at home and bring along something cheap that I don’t mind losing. Plus, it’s fun to buy local jewelry on the road and bring it home. It makes the best souvenir!

***

After almost six years, these are the staples I pack with me. Even with all that, it’s still possible to pack light, travel with just one big bag, and keep your stuff safe and yourself comfortable. It’s all about having the right essentials and leaving the stuff at home that doesn’t serve a purpose during your trip. I suggest you write down what you think you need and then cut it in half. You never need as much as you think and writing down your list and thinking about it will help you remove what you don’t need and keep your bag light on your travels. Use this packing list as your starting guide!

Kristin Addis is a solo female travel expert who inspires women to travel the world in an authentic and adventurous way. A former investment banker who sold all of her belongings and left California in 2012, Kristin has solo traveled the world for over four years, covering every continent (except for Antarctica, but it’s on her list). There’s almost nothing she won’t try and almost nowhere she won’t explore. You can find more of her musings at Be My Travel Muse or on Instagram and Facebook.

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Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the most comprehensive inventory. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

Photo Credit: 3

How to Travel Easter Island on a Tight Budget

On the second Wednesday of the month, Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes a guest column featuring tips and advice on solo female travel. It’s an important topic I can’t adequately cover, so I brought in an expert to share her advice for other solo female travelers! This article is applicable to everyone though!

In the movie 180° South, a guy from California sets sail to Patagonia, has ship trouble along the way, and gets marooned on Easter Island. Oddly, it was that movie that inspired me to want to visit Easter Island. After watching it, I needed to visit Easter Island and see it with my own eyes.

My week there was a mix of exploring the gorgeous coastline and walking around the mysterious Moai statues, marveling at their size and wondering how in the world people who only had access to stone tools could create something so massive. I sometimes wondered if there were as many horses as there were people, running all along the green grasses of the island and on the rugged coastline, full of volcanic rock and powerful waves.

I spent most of my days motor biking around the island, getting to know the locals and admiring the skills of the original settlers. The first people came to Easter Island around 300-400 A.D. The island is most famous for the 900 giant stone statues dotted around the island. Legend tells that the island used to be full of trees, and when climate change hit the island, locals built the Moai as a way of appeasing the gods, and eventually toppling each other’s statues over and warring as conditions worsened. However, much of this is just speculation.

But visiting this out of the way destination and seeing these statues has been a life long dream of mine.

Unfortunately, Easter Island is hideously expensive to visit because it’s so remote – over 3,700 kilometers away from Santiago, Chile. Very few crops grow here, there is very little “industry”, and nearly everything on the island is shipped from the mainland at great expense.

Geography means that the costs of good are high and it’s not the most budget friendly island in the world.

However, it’s not impossible to plan a budget trip there if you do so in advance:

How to get there

One of the biggest costs of visiting Easter Island is transport. There is just one airline that flies there — LAN — and it only flies once per day, departing from and returning to Santiago. That also means it can pretty much charge what it wants, which is usually $500-600 return, but with the following tips you might be able to cut it down:

• Book ahead and go during off and shoulder seasons: You might get lucky and score something closer to $400 or even the coveted $300 if you go during a season that isn’t popular and book way ahead of time.
• Stay for a while: It also really helps to stay for longer, like a week or more. For some reason the flights get really expensive if it’s a shorter trip. I realize that seems like a really long time in a place that expensive, but don’t worry, because we’ll make sure you’re covered with the advice below.
• Check the price of business class: This may sound crazy if you’re trying to save money, but I personally scored biz class tickets for two pesos cheaper than economy class for my return flight. This seems to be somewhat common on these flights, as I saw it more than once while searching.
• Use Google Flights’ calendar function: You can see the cheapest dates all month by using the fare calendar, then book directly on LAN’s website for the best fares.
• Travel hack: LAN is a part of the Oneworld alliance and, though availability is rare, you can also get seats via points, so if you have miles on LAN, American Airlines, British Airways, or another partner, you can try to score a free flight.

There are occasional boats that sail to Easter Island from New Zealand or elsewhere in the South Pacific that take passengers, but they are priced incredibly high. At this time there is no public boat option from Chile’s mainland, mainly because Easter Island doesn’t have a harbor that can accommodate ships. Therefore, those who do sail there normally do so on private boats and drop anchor close to land.

If you want to sail there, some travelers successfully volunteer as crew as a cheap or free way to travel.

Where to stay

You have three affordable options if you’re traveling to Easter Island: book a hostel dorm bed way ahead of time, as there are few and they fill up quickly; camp in a tent; or rent an apartment on either Airbnb (if you’re new to Airbnb, get $35 off your first stay) or Booking.com.

If you want to stay for free there, Couchsurfing is also an option but there are only 50-60 hosts on the island, so connect them well in advance.

If renting an apartment: Many places on Easter Island are cabana-style and can accommodate up to seven or eight people. When split among that many people, they end up costing each person less than $20 per night.

If it’s low season, I recommend only booking one or two nights on Booking.com and then working out a deal directly with the owner to stay for the remaining days. Since booking.com takes a cut of profits, ask if they can pass on a discount to you if you cut out the middleman. It’s nice to have the place booked when you land, though, since they almost always include a free airport pickup in the price, but thereafter try to work out something cheaper.

If you’re camping: There are a few camping grounds on Easter Island that also offer hostel-style accommodation for pretty cheap. I personally recommend Tipie Moana (but book ahead of time, as they fill up!).

If you already have camping gear, bring it along! You’re allowed to check two bags for free on flights to Easter Island as long as they total 25kg or less.

If hosteling: There are a few hostel-style accommodation options for $25+ per night, which is among the cheapest you’ll find on Easter Island. Some of the best are Vaianny Guest House, Hostel Petero Atamu, Kona Tau, and Casa de Fatima Hotu. (You can also check out private rooms on Airbnb but most rooms there run closer to $50+ per night.)

What to eat and drink

Eating meals out gets super expensive on Easter Island because it all has to be brought in from mainland Chile, so cut out the middleman and bring your food yourself! I went to the island with one other person and between us, with some clever cooking, I was able to feed us all with just the food brought from the mainland. Here was my list:

• 1 bag of small onions
• 1 head of cauliflower
• 2 red peppers
• 2 handfuls of button-top mushrooms
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 potatoes
• 5 carrots
• 1 eggplant
• 2 beetroots
• nuts and fruits for snacks
• 1 packet of turmeric for curry
• 1 garlic clove
• 8 packets of dried beef broth
• 1 loaf of rye bread
• 1 small packet of mayonnaise
• 2 packets of salami and ham (the sandwiches only lasted for two days)
• 1 kilo of brown rice
• 1/2 kilo of lentils
• 1 bag of oatmeal
• 1 kilo of milk powder
• 1 packet of milo (chocolate powder)
• 1 small bottle of sunflower oil
• 1 small can of coconut cream
• 2 bottles of wine

The total cost for all of that was about $130, meaning we spent an average of $4.65 per meal per person, plus wine! I alternated the meals between a vegetarian Thai yellow curry, fried rice, lentil soup, beetroot salad, and potato salad. I had to substitute ingredients for all of the recipes, but it all turned out delicious!

Put the food in a box or an extra backpack and check it with the rest of your luggage. Remember that since you can check two bags (25 kilos total), you’ll have room to bring both the food and your belongings.

When I ran out of supplies, I supplemented by eating empanadas for lunch, which are only a few dollars and can be found at most small shops, and by buying a fish from a local fisherman for the equivalent of $8 and cooking it myself (it would have cost $20 in a restaurant). You can find fish for sale every morning except for Sunday at Hanga Roa’s cultural center.

If you do buy food on the island, budget at least a dollar or two per fresh fruit or veggie item, at least $10 per meat item, and $15 or more per restaurant meal.

How to get around

Within the town of Hanga Roa, taxis are cheap at just $3.00; bicycles are great as well for the town and surroundings. A taxi doesn’t make sense for longer distances, as the price goes up significantly, and it takes about 90 minutes to make it from one side of the island to the other.

To visit the moai and the beach, I suggest driving yourself. Tours are expensive, so to get around I rented a motorbike and shared it with one other person. The motorbike cost $40 USD per day ($20 each), which afforded us freedom on the island. If renting a car, keep in mind that the price is negotiable and you can probably work out a discount.

Activities

The entrance to the national park is $60 for foreigners and is valid for the entire island. For most of the Moai, you don’t need any kind of entrance ticket and can visit as many times as you want, except for the quarry where the statues were carved and the museum at Rano Kau. You can visit each only once and they will demand to see your ticket. It would be a pity to travel all the way to Easter Island and miss these things, so I recommend coughing it up at the airport and just buying the ticket on arrival.

Additionally, besides seeing the famous statues, you can go scuba diving to see the sunken moai (spoiler alert: it’s actually just an old movie prop, but still cool!), go surfing, or just drive around to just see where the day takes you.

****

Easter Island was a trippy walk through the past. Few of the descendants of the original tribes are still left and nobody is exactly sure how or why the Moai were carved. That’s part of what makes Easter Island so alluring and interesting to visitors – it’s still partially an enigma.

By bringing my own food, scoring a cheap business-class ticket, driving myself around the island, and working out a deal with the owner of my accommodation, I saved myself hundreds of dollars off of what most tourists usually pay when visiting Easter Island. Easter Island was one of the most unique places I’ve ever visited. There was no way I would visit Chile without going. Through very careful and smart planning, you can visit the island without blowing your budget.

Kristin Addis is a solo female travel expert who inspires women to travel the world in an authentic and adventurous way. A former investment banker who sold all of her belongings and left California in 2012, Kristin has solo traveled the world for over four years, covering every continent (except for Antarctica, but it’s on her list). There’s almost nothing she won’t try and almost nowhere she won’t explore. You can find more of her musings at Be My Travel Muse or on Instagram and Facebook.

How Gay Travel is Different (And Why it Matters)

In an effort to expand the site, I’ve been adding more guest contributors and, today, I’m announcing a LGBT column for the website. In this column, we will hear from voices in the LGBT community about their experiences on the road, safety tips, events, and, overall, advice for other LGBT travelers get the most out of their time on the road! So, without further ado, I’d like to introduce everyone to Adam from travelsofadam.com. He’s going to be the lead for this column (though we’ll shortly have writings from other voices in the community too!).

“Gay” travel can be an awkward topic for many, mostly because to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) is really to be a part of an incredibly diverse group of people. There are gay families who travel, solo gay travelers (like myself), solo lesbian travelers, ones who travel for festivals or nightlife or honeymoons, those that take cruises or splurge on luxury trips, and ones who rough it camping and backpacking in faraway places.

And just like every other type of traveler, we travel for our own personal reasons. Every aspect of what makes us unique also contributes to how, where, and why we travel. I travel because I love to travel, and I just happen to be gay.

That’s not to say I don’t also travel gay. Sometimes my sexuality also influences the how, why, and where I choose to visit a place. For example, I chose Berlin because I’d heard it was a gay hot spot, and I purposefully timed my trip to visit during the city’s annual gay pride celebrations, the Christopher Street Day parade — a time when I knew there’d be plenty of gay parties to attend and guys to meet. I was looking for a gay holiday (a gaycation, if you will), and I found it. Glitter and all.

But what does LGBT travel really mean?

It’s about safety, it’s about comfort, it’s about politics. But it’s also about welcoming events, friendly accommodation, and having fun with similar travelers.

The issues that LGBT travelers face are different than other travelers. To travel as a solo gay guy (hi!) is different than traveling as a lesbian couple or as a transgender person. There are different festivals and events, different meet-ups — and different reasons to worry.

There are still plenty of places around the world where being gay isn’t safe, nor is it comfortable — for locals or for tourists. But that doesn’t mean traveling as an LGBT individual is always dangerous. It’s frequently just a matter of having to know where and when one can disclose one’s sexuality through words or actions, and also the dangers or consequences (if any) for doing so. This is something straight people or opposite-sex couples almost never have to think about.

But in some places I’ve traveled, being gay isn’t even often considered an option. I’ve had awkward taxi rides in Jordan and Egypt, in Thailand and India: “Where’s your girlfriend? Why don’t you have a girl?”

I might respond with a visible sigh, trying to change the subject, or else a simple “I don’t have a girlfriend” and then avert my eyes and make myself look busy. In Jordan, at a café near Petra, one guy’s question was, “You gay?” Short and to the point. I replied with a grin and a “yeah”, and we left it at that, still sharing a bowl of hummus — just a bit quieter now.

Travel safety is different for every individual on every part of the LGBT spectrum. One friend (non-binary, genderfluid, queer identified) described to me an experience on a cruise to the Bahamas, where the ship hosted a “queer hour,” which was, in actuality, mostly heterosexual bachelor and bachelorette parties. And even when this friend tried to be “out” in their supposed safe space, they didn’t feel safe.

That’s not to say it’s all awkward, though. There was the time in Cambodia when I followed a group of backpackers from my hostel to what was supposed to be a cool local bar, the Lao-Lao Beer Garden. Little did I know it was also a hot spot for some of the gay locals, who after realizing I was gay offered me a number of tips for other LGBT things to see in the city.

Traveling somewhere as an LGBT traveler requires you to think about a lot of things:

• What’s the LGBT rights situation of the destination?
• Should I hide my sexuality? What is the safety situation like for openly LGBT travelers?
• What organizations are there for my safety? What is the attitude of the police?
• What LGBT resources are there (websites, newspapers, etc.)?
• Where is the LGBT scene?
• If I’m traveling with a partner, do we need to worry about booking one bed or two, or being more than friends in public?

The crowd-sourced website Equaldex.com curates LGBT rights and news around the world, and 76crimes.com reports on the 76+ countries where homosexuality is still illegal. Even the U.S. State Department publishes a useful page with LGBT travel information.

One of the joys of travel is meeting people and sharing experiences. But for LGBT travelers, it’s not always advisable to out oneself among strangers. Personally, as a gay traveler, I want to know and understand the world I’m in — so I seek out local LGBT organizations, places, events, and meet-ups (Couchsurfing, Meet-Up.com, and local LGBT have good lists of things going on) to learn more about the situation wherever I am.

There are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people all over the world. So when I feel safe to do so, I’m happy to talk about my sexuality, about who I am, with both foreigners and other travelers who might not immediately know another gay man.

All that said, traveling as an LGBT individual today is much easier than it used to be. In many places around the world, being gay isn’t much of a big deal anymore. And I suppose that’s the point about being gay and being a traveler today.

Many gay travelers I’ve spoken to have said the same. We don’t want to be labeled or put in boxes when traveling, and we’re certainly not always stereotypes. But the reality of the world is sometimes it’s just much more comfortable to travel to places already identified as LGBT friendly, to book with gay-friendly hotels, and to seek out other LGBTs abroad.

Over the next few months, I’ll be sharing my gay travel tips and stories here on Nomadic Matt. I’m really excited to share my big gay world of travel with you — it’s a subject often overlooked in the travel world. Pick up any guidebook and you’ll be lucky to find more than one or two gay bars mentioned for a single place, when in reality, there are many, many more (often underground, sometimes seedy, and usually a bit hard to track down).

Stay tuned for future posts about how to meet other LGBT travelers on the road (besides the obvious apps) and my tips for the best gay travel apps, destinations, festivals, and events. Comment below with other topics you’d like to see, or with any questions you might have about traveling as a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender person.

Adam Groffman is a former graphic designer who left a publishing job in Boston to travel around the world, before settling in Berlin, Germany. He’s a gay travel expert, writer, and blogger and publishes a series of LGBT-friendly Hipster City Guides from around the world on his gay travel blog, Travels of Adam. When he’s not out exploring the coolest bars and clubs, he’s usually enjoying the local arts and culture scene. Find more of his travel tips (and embarrassing stories) on Twitter @travelsofadam.

P.S. Read about Auston and David, a gay couple traveling around the world, here. Like Adam, they offer lots of tips for LGBT travelers who want to get out and explore the world safely and happily!