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….

What should every traveler pack whether for a trip by land or sea?

1. A large safety-pin or a clothespin to fully close the hotel or cruise ship cabin drapes.

2. Passport and a photocopy. Before you go make a PDF of your passport and full trip itinerary and store it at an attachment to an email to yourself.  Download a copy to your laptop if you’re taking it along. Store your passport in the room safe and carry the copy with you.

3. Travel Pillow and eye shades so you can comfortably take a nap anywhere and block out light if necessary.

4. Take your own treats. Even if  your airlines serves food on board, you may need a quick pick-me-up protein snack. I always carry extra food in case of long delays. And on cruise ships, you can have your own healthy snacks. I prefer roasted almonds, pecans and dried cranberries in small zip-lock bags.

5. I swear by Vitamin C. If you feel a cold coming on, or want to boost your immune system before a flight, pack the little potent packets or tablets of Emergence-C.  They pack a punch of Vitamin C to keep you healthy.

6. A small bottle of hand sanitizer and moist anti-bacterial towelettes are always in my carry on bag. I use them to clean my fingers and wipe down surfaces (especially on airplanes), as well as the remote control and door handles in my hotel room and cruise cabin.

7. When I have a broken nail or chipped nail polish, I want to fix it immediately. Pack individually wrapped nail polish remover pads.

8. Every night I place a small flashlight on the night table next to my pillow. If I awake in the night I don’t have to search for the light switch. It’s an extra precaution in case of an electrical outage.

9. Dental floss and Q-tips are inconvenient to replace when traveling. Add them to your packing list.

10.Duct tape to the rescue. Have you ever had a sandal strap break or the handle fall off your suitcase mid-trip? Pack a long strip of duct tape for unexpected repairs. Just wrap it around a pen and tuck it in your bag.

If these items aren’t on your travel radar, add them to your list and have a great time.

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Marybeth Bond