The Good Traveler

Tenets Sophie LovellIllustrations Estefania Loret de Mola

It’s clear to see that our world is asking us to travel better. Yes, this may mean traveling less, but we see a silver lining: If we are more considerate about where we go and why, we can learn to really treasure each journey when we take it.

We see “the good traveler” as a considerate and respectful traveler who moves with the lightest of steps and equips both mind and body for their journeys. To get closer to this goal, we have started a mental packing list of sorts—a list of ten aspirations as we aim to travel better. It is a list we intend to keep working on, as best we can, one step at a time…

To help put these ideas into practice, we have invited ten travelers we admire to explore each tenet in more depth. How can taking these aspirations to heart fundamentally shape and shift our journeys? We are excited to share their stories with you throughout 2023.

- Travel with humility and respect. We are not here to dominate or exploit nature or societies, but to be part of them.

Essay Words by

Juliet Kinsman

In this essay, the writer and travel expert explores why respectful travel should be the way forward.

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- Slow down. Understanding that the best journeys are not a race against time allows us to pause, focus, and truly appreciate encounters.

Essay Words by

Katie McKnoulty

After years as a digital nomad, the writer and photographer spends a summer in small-town Italy, learning how to travel—and live—more slowly along the way.

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- Think holistically. The world is a complex system: how we behave affects not just animals, objects, and individuals, but biospheres, cultures, and communities.

Interview with

Gary Bencheghib

In this interview, eco warrior and French filmmaker Gary Bencheghib invites us to think about our consumption while traveling—from what we bring to where we eat.

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- Leave your baggage behind. Go forward to meet new people, have new experiences in new environments, be respectful, and endeavor to connect with and listen to the locals.

Essay and Imagery by

Demi Anter

Time spent on an olive oil farm in Italy provided the writer and poet with lessons in heartbreak, impermanence, and ultimately self-growth.

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- Never stop learning. Traveling is always an education: encountering different places, communities and cultures can open both minds and hearts.

Story by

Claire Mouchemore

While on holiday in Mexico City, juggling the loss of a job, a relationship, and a home, writer Claire Mouchemore surrenders to the feeling of instability, shifting her focus to reconnecting with herself and remaining open to those she meets along the way.

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- Travel regeneratively. Our aim should always be to have an additive impact rather than a subtractive one.

Essay Words by

Christian Näthler

After four weeks of respite and hard work on a South African permaculture farm, German-Canadian writer Christian Näthler shares his lessons on permaculture, climate anxiety, and whether we need another Anthropause for nature to heal.

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- Take fewer trophies. See, appreciate, enjoy, and respect: bringing back what you have learned is one of the greatest gifts of traveling.

Interview with

Laura Ulloa

Colombian marine biologist Laura Ulloa is not only spearheading a coral restoration project at Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives; she's also shifting mindsets about mindful traveling, one guest at a time.

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- Traveling is precious. Why we make a journey is as important as how.

- Transparency is empowerment. Ask where things come from, how they are made, and who is providing the services under what conditions, so that you can make informed choices.

- Technology is a tool, not a destination. It should be smart, non-intrusive, and support a regenerative lifestyle. You should also be able to turn it off.

Save that thought

As a gift to our Community, we’ve created a downloadable poster and screensavers to inspire us all to become better travelers, one step at a time…

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The Good Traveler

It’s clear to see that our world is asking us to travel better. Yes, this may mean traveling less, but we see a silver lining: If we are more considerate about where we go and why, we can learn to really treasure each journey when we take it.

- Travel with humility and respect. We are not here to dominate or exploit nature or societies, but to be part of them.

Juliet Kinsman

- Slow down. Understanding that the best journeys are not a race against time allows us to pause, focus, and truly appreciate encounters.

Katie McKnoulty

- Think holistically. The world is a complex system: how we behave affects not just animals, objects, and individuals, but biospheres, cultures, and communities.

Gary Bencheghib

- Leave your baggage behind. Go forward to meet new people, have new experiences in new environments, be respectful, and endeavor to connect with and listen to the locals.

Demi Anter

- Never stop learning. Traveling is always an education: encountering different places, communities and cultures can open both minds and hearts.

Claire Mouchemore

- Travel regeneratively. Our aim should always be to have an additive impact rather than a subtractive one.

Christian Näthler

- Take fewer trophies. See, appreciate, enjoy, and respect: bringing back what you have learned is one of the greatest gifts of traveling.

Laura Ulloa

- Traveling is precious. Why we make a journey is as important as how.

- Transparency is empowerment. Ask where things come from, how they are made, and who is providing the services under what conditions, so that you can make informed choices.

- Technology is a tool, not a destination. It should be smart, non-intrusive, and support a regenerative lifestyle. You should also be able to turn it off.

Save that thought