About Marybeth, National Geographic Author, Writer

Curious Explorer. Award-winning author.

Gutsy Traveler: A woman, like travel expert Marybeth Bond, stands among purple flowers, raising her arms and smiling in front of a wooden building in bright sunlight.
Polar bear tracking and snorkeling with beluga whales in the northern Canadian Arctic.

Marybeth knows travel. She has hiked, biked, dived, danced and trekked across all seven continents – from the depths of the Flores Sea near Komodo Island to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

More recently, she tracked polar bears and snorkeled with beluga whales in the Canadian Arctic, then kayaked among icebergs in Antarctica.

Somewhere in between, four years of studying in Paris earned her two degrees – and a taste for good wine and strong cheeses.

Twelve books (three with National Geographic), countless travel articles, and numerous TV and radio appearances have built her devoted fanbase. She won the esteemed Lowell Thomas, Gold Award for the Best Travel Book of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation.

Woman on cliff in front of a monastery in Bhutan
Yesterday’s Video below. A decade or more later. Is Marybeth still GUTSY? Here in Bhutan.
Marybeth in Antarctica with penguins, snowy mountains, and water—just the kind of moment travel expert Marybeth Bond would capture in a travel video.
Kayaking and camping near penguins in Antarctica.

Yesterday….

photo 5
My world is a large one – a delicious, delectable, luscious view of life in many countries.
For over 42 years, I have worked as a flight attendant and have been traveling the globe for over 50 years. I have learned much about the people and places I have visited.

My primary focus and interest has always centered on food. I like food – all kinds of food. I like to eat and cook food. I like to shop, taste, talk and serve food. I also relish the opportunity to photograph and write about food everywhere I go.

My primary interests are the food markets of the world, especially the central food markets in large urban areas and cities. This particular fascination gives me the opportunity to experience the essence of a culture through a glimpse of daily life among food growers and purveyors. I became keenly aware of which foods were native to each area, and then had the pleasure of discovering new tastes. I also became a fan of farmers’ markets, where the earth’s freshest bountiful offerings are seasonably available.

In the past, I have worked as a photographer and writer for publications such as San Francisco Cuisine and Eat Great Foods. I also contributed articles called,
“Asian Excursions” for The Asian Gourmet using materials from my travels through China.

For the past two years, I have had a food feature on KGO radio, called “Favorite Food Finds.” It has been a wonderful experience telling listeners about my passion for foods all over Northern California. Each Sunday on John Hamilton’s show, “On the Go” I talk about what foods I have found to be interesting and where they can be found. Archived scripts and podcasts can be accessed at kgotravel.com.

My photography portfolio comprises a World of Food. Many of my images were sold as part of a collection called, “Appetite for Travel” through gallery space at the Magic Flute Restaurant in San Francisco.

I welcome any opportunity to share my food experiences in conversation, print or media formats. It’s a wonderful way to whet one’s appetite and indulge in the flavors of life.

Contact me here for comments or suggestions: photo 4 foodworldwriter@gmail.com

Marybeth Bond