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….

My interview with Boyd Matson, National Geographic Radio, XM Radio, NPR  is streamed on the National Geographic Website and is available on itunes.

The question I’m asked the most is:

IMG_0039Where is Easter Island?

In the middle of nowhere, no really, it’s roughly equal distance from Tahiti and Peru and Chile, at 29′ South latitude. That means 2,400 miles from land, in the southern and eastern most area of what’s considered Polynesia.

It’s a long way!

How do you get there?

My trip took 12 hours; an hour to Los Angeles, then 8 hours from LAX to Lima, Peru on LAN.

American, Alaska, Qantas, JAL, Cathy Pacific, British Airways and LAN are all part of the OneWorld Alliance, so pool your miles and upgrade to Business for a lie-down bed and great meals and wine.

What to do during a lay-over in Lima?

Again, friends asked me if Lima is safe for tourists. That depends upon where you go and how savvy you are. I recommend you hire a guide for the day.  Mountain Lodges of Peru has day guides, and Roberto, our charming, well-educated guide  was excellent.  He showed us all the highlights — Plaza San Martin, San Isidro, Miraflores, Museo Larco — and he saved us time, and ensured our safety. (By the way, Mountain Lodges of Peru’s website is awesome. You’ll want to spend more time in Peru after perusing the site).

Where do you stay on Easter Island? Check out the Explora Rapa Nui in the middle of the Pacific Ocean

Thanks to LAN Airlines for sponsoring my visit.

 

 

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Marybeth Bond