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….

best_girlfriend_coverWe know that “girls’ night out” is fun–we love to confess, confide and laugh together. A short trip together– even better. One of the questions I get most often: “How do you plan a girlfriends’ reunion or women’s getaway?”

First, consider your budgets and the amount of time you have. A long weekend or a week? Do you want to stay close to home or go far away? Drive or fly?

TIP: You can save a lot of money if you travel weekdays or off-season, and to less touristy destinations. Best travel days  for cheaper plane tickets are Monday, Tuesday and Saturday.

Second, find out what everyone wants to do–relax by the pool, go to the spa, enjoy the scenery, play sports, go out on the town?

Designate one person as the organizer with the assignment to start looking for accommodations. See if anyone in the group has a friend or family member with a condo, beach house, mountain home, or apartment that might be available, or perhaps you’d prefer a spa or resort setting.

Finally, everyone should contribute a non-refundable deposit of $100, to be used for reservation deposits. When everyone has decided upon a date and committed money, there will be fewer cancellations.

Happy Travels.

,

Marybeth Bond