Today is the day! My new book, How to Travel the World on $75 a Day, is out NOW! (Woo! Hoo!) This newly updated edition of my New York Times best-selling book will help you travel on a budget. The last edition of the book came out in 2017 and, since then, a lot has […]

When I first started traveling, my dad used to ask what I’m running away from with my travels. Another time, a commenter told me to stop running away from my problems and to start living life. “Grow up,” he said. And, years ago, there was even a blog called “Mom says I’m running away.” I’m […]

What I carry in my bag has changed a lot over the years. Most of that change has to do with the fact that I now carry a lot of gear related to blogging, but it also reflects that I’ve learned a lot about packing since I first hit the road in 2006. I’ve learned […]

Whenever I ask readers what the number one thing holding them back from traveling is, I almost always get the same answer: money. This problem — and how to overcome it — is my most asked question. “Matt, I don’t know how to afford travel. Help!” I have answered this question in a plethora of […]

I love hostels. Even after over nineteen years traveling the world, I still stay in hostels because they’re the best way to meet people and the cheapest accommodation option in much of the world. But what makes a good hostel? And how do you avoid a bad hostel? After staying in over a thousand hostels […]

We all want to travel more. Whether a vacation, career break, gap year trip, there’s some trip we are always thinking about. One of the things that keeps a lot of people from achieving that dream is money. Saving money to travel can be an uphill battle but travel is not as expensive as you […]

I love to eat. In fact, eating is one of my favorite activities, and also one of my favorite aspects of traveling. Food is such an integral part of so many cultures that to skip out on meals when you travel is to miss out on a part of the travel experience. I’m always disappointed […]

Serendipitous adventure, carefree nights with newfound friends in foreign lands, delicious foods for bargain prices, and the luxury of time to enjoy it all. Welcome to the world of long-term travel. When it comes to this kind of travel, I get a lot of emails asking for my “secret.” How do you travel so often […]

Surrounded by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, Central America is a magical region that is perfect for backpacking. The area is full of rainforests, unexplored Mayan ruins, gorgeous beaches, incredible reefs, cheap prices, delicious food, and welcoming people. It can be difficult arranging transportation throughout the region. In this post, I’ll provide some helpful tips […]