Best AFAR Media Podcasts (2024)

1
Afar, A Retrospective: A Poet’s Travel Guide to Lisbon, Portugal 16:31

1h ago16:31

16:31

This podcast episode is part of Afar, A Retrospective. As part of Afar’s 15-year anniversary celebration, this episode from our sister podcast, Travel Tales by Afar, was selected as one of our favorites. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do—and stay tuned for more archival Travel Tales episodes from September - December 2024. Explore more of our f…

1
Holiday Replay: Ever Wonder Where Unclaimed Luggage Ends Up? This Alabama Store Has the Answer. 37:56

3h ago37:56

37:56

What happens to suitcases that can’t be reunited with their owners? It’s not something we think about that often, but for Bryan Owens, it’s an entire business. He’s the CEO and now-owner of the Scottsboro, Alabama–based Unclaimed Baggage, the only store in the United States that sells lost luggage. As you’ll hear in today’s episode, his dad launche…

1
The 25 Most Exciting, Crowd-Free Places to Visit in 2025 35:16

18h ago35:16

35:16

Mark our words: 2025 will be the year of crowd-free travel. That’s why our editors and contributors spent months seeking out 25 incredible, undertouristed destinations to explore next year. Our annual Where to Go list spotlights under-the-radar escapes, alternatives to popular hotspots, and interesting places around the world you may have been over…

1
Pro Tips for Stress-Free Holiday Travel: Introducing NerdWallet’s "Smart Money" Podcast 29:55

33m ago29:55

29:55

How do you manage stress when you’re traveling during the holidays? And is it better to book with points or cash during some of the busiest travel days of the year? Believe it or not, it’s almost time to book your holiday travel, and our friends at NerdWallet have some tips for traveling stress-free. In this special episode of NerdWallet’s Smart Mo…

1
Afar, A Retrospective: A Malaysian Chef Reclaims Her Past with Laksa 19:45

12d ago19:45

19:45

This podcast episode is part of Afar, A Retrospective. As part of Afar’s 15-year anniversary celebration, this episode from our sister podcast, Travel Tales by Afar, was selected as one of our favorites. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do—and stay tuned for more archival Travel Tales episodes from September - December 2024. Explore more of our f…

1
The Hack That Will Solve All Your Overpacking Woes 36:35

8d ago36:35

36:35

Wendy Mak, the author of The Capsule Wardrobe: 1,000 Outfits From 30 Pieces, shares how to pack with ease by using the philosophy she mastered to help countless clients create capsule wardrobes. From how to create your own capsule travel wardrobe, no matter the weather to multifunctional footwear and space-saving essentials—conquer your packing woe…

1
Afar, A Retrospective: Why a Train Trip Across the U.S. Is the Fastest Way to Slow Down 20:43

9d ago20:43

20:43

This podcast episode is part of Afar, A Retrospective. As part of Afar’s 15-year anniversary celebration, this episode from our sister podcast, Travel Tales by Afar, was selected as one of our favorites. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do—and stay tuned for more archival Travel Tales episodes from September - December 2024. Explore more of our f…

1
The Creepy, Spooky, and Downright Weird Things That Happen in Our National Parks 38:36

14d ago38:36

38:36

Can a scary story inspire you to travel? The hosts of National Park After Dark have been spooking listeners into enjoying the outdoors for years. In this episode of Unpacked by Afar, Cassie and Danielle share the stories that continue to haunt them, what it’s like to stay in historic hotels with ghostly reputations, and how these morbid stories cre…

1
From Gullah Geechee to Beach Jams: Peeling Back the Layers of Myrtle Beach 39:57

21d ago39:57

39:57

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is so much more than its gorgeous beach. This week, follow Unpacked by Afar host Aislyn Greene as explores the 14 communities that make up the Grand Strand, a coastal community in South Carolina. She tours Myrtle Beach's food, music, and culture scenes and drives down the Grand Strand to see the gardens and parks that …

1
Afar, A Retrospective: The Incredibly True Story of Renting a Friend in Tokyo 26:21

23d ago26:21

26:21

This podcast episode is part of Afar, A Retrospective. As part of Afar’s 15-year anniversary celebration, this episode from our sister podcast, Travel Tales by Afar, was selected as one of our favorites. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do—and stay tuned for more archival Travel Tales episodes from September - December 2024. Explore more of our f…

1
I Have Insomnia—So I Tried Sleep Tourism to See if It Could Help 40:00

28d ago40:00

40:00

Would you travel for a better night’s sleep? Sleep packages at luxury hotels ranging from menus with sleep-promoting ingredients to hypnotherapy sessions promise to promote better sleep, both during and after your stay. In this episode of Unpacked, contributing writer Chris Colin travels to four different “sleep hotels” to find a cure for his own i…

1
A Local’s View of Paris: Off the Beaten Path in a Changing City 47:26

1M ago47:26

47:26

Sidestep a stereotypical trip to Paris with cultural insights from journalist and long-time Paris resident Lindsey Tramuta. In this episode of Unpacked by Afar, she shares ways that Paris has changed over the last 20 years and tips for travelers to key into those changes when they travel. From etiquette to fashion, cuisine to favorite neighborhoods…

1
Afar, A Retrospective: Why Did I Bring a Teenager to Venice? 17:28

2M ago17:28

17:28

This podcast episode is part of Afar, A Retrospective. As part of Afar’s 15-year anniversary celebration, this episode from our sister podcast, Travel Tales by Afar, was selected as one of our favorites. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do—and stay tuned for more archival Travel Tales episodes from September - December 2024. Explore more of our f…

1
Holiday Travel Tips for Stress-Free Trips: Introducing NerdWallet’s "Smart Money" Podcast 24:25

2M ago24:25

24:25

How do you manage stress when you’re traveling during the holidays? And is it better to book with points or cash during some of the busiest travel days of the year? Believe it or not, it’s almost time to book your holiday travel, and our friends at NerdWallet have some tips for traveling stress-free. In this special episode of NerdWallet’s Smart Mo…

1
This Wilderness Lodge Will Take You to the Center of Life in an Ancient Forest 35:16

2M ago35:16

35:16

Explore an ancient, biodiverse rainforest by land, sea and air at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge in British Columbia. In this episode of Unpacked by Afar, follow senior deputy editor, Jennifer Flowers, as she hikes through new and old forests in Ursus Valley, tastes bull kelp on a boat ride in Clayoquot Sound and helicopters to a mountain peak. She lea…

1
These Three Women Travel Solo With Confidence (Now You Can Too). 51:26

2M ago51:26

51:26

Embrace the benefits of solo travel with seasoned tips to conquer fears, make the most of any trip and respond confidently to concerned loved ones. From the best places to visit solo to how to make plans for unexpected hiccups— in this episode of Unpacked by Afar, audio engineer and solo traveler Nicolle Gatleland chats with Pamela Holt, the host o…

1
Afar, a Retrospective: Comedian Negin Farsad Makes Kansas City Laugh—And A Little Uncomfortable 18:22

2M ago18:22

18:22

This podcast episode is part of Afar, A Retrospective. As part of Afar’s 15-year anniversary celebration, this episode from our sister podcast, Travel Tales by Afar, was selected as one of our favorites. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do—and stay tuned for more archival Travel Tales episodes from September - December 2024. Explore more of our f…

1
I’m a Polyglot—These Are the Secrets to Learning New Languages 33:36

2M ago33:36

33:36

What if they don’t understand me, speak too fast, or worse—ignore my attempt and revert to English? Polyglot and Babbel instructor Noël Wolf, is well-versed in overcoming barriers and connecting with locals through language learning. From how learning 10 phrases led to being treated like family, to learning Spanish by playing volleyball— she shares…

1
The Spontaneous (Travel!) Story of How Afar Came to Be 1:03:40

3M ago1:03:40

1:03:40

No plan. No luggage. Five weeks in India. Joe Diaz and Greg Sullivan, dreamed up Afar on a beach in Goa more than 15 years ago. In this candid episode from our sister podcast, Unpacked, they reflect on what they’ve learned by helping people travel deeper. From the spontaneous trips that honed the company’s values to how they’ve helped shape the tra…

1
The Spontaneous (Travel!) Story of How Afar Came to Be 1:07:29

2M ago1:07:29

1:07:29

No plan. No luggage. Five weeks in India. Joe Diaz and Greg Sullivan, dreamed up Afar on a beach in Goa more than 15 years ago. In this candid episode of Unpacked, they reflect on what they’ve learned by helping people travel deeper. From the spontaneous trips that honed the company’s values to how they’ve helped shape the travel industry, get an i…

1
Afar, A Retrospective: A Blind Man's Trip Will Change The Way You Go On Safari 18:38

2M ago18:38

18:38

This podcast episode is part of Afar, A Retrospective. As part of Afar’s 15-year anniversary celebration, this episode from our sister podcast, Travel Tales by Afar, was selected as one of our favorites. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do—and stay tuned for more archival Travel Tales episodes from September - December 2024. Explore more of our f…

1
It's Time to Reclaim the "Tourist" Label 46:57

3M ago46:57

46:57

The world has had enough of "bad" tourists. But while most of us know not to trespass (with a car!) across ancient bridges or defile national heritage sites, the problems with tourism go deeper than that. Enter "The New Tourist" by journalist Paige McClanahan, a thoughtful invitation to engage with the issues facing travel—and the solutions. In tod…

1
Want to Get to the Soul of Switzerland? Jump Into a River. 20:43

3M ago20:43

20:43

Not only can you swim in the rivers of Bern and Basel— but thousands of locals regularly take the plunge. From a morning commute to a relaxing weekend escape, discover how rivers are at the heart of everyday Swiss life. In this episode of Travel Tales by Afar, Bonnie Tsui, author of Why We Swim, follows the currents of Switzerland's alpine rivers i…

1
Only 10 People Have Walked Around the World—and One Dog. 48:20

3M ago48:20

48:20

Tom Turcich and his dog, Savannah, completed their world walk in 2022. On this week’s episode of Travel Tales, we hear their story. We first talked with Tom and Savannah back in 2021, when they were in Kyrgyzstan, six years into their journey, which began in 2015. They had been held up by the pandemic, which was only one of many ordeals they faced …

1
A Cross-Country Road Trip Helped Make the World Safer (and More Fun!) for Queer Travelers 18:34

4M ago18:34

18:34

Road trips are such funny things. They allow more room for whimsy and spontaneity. They can inspire frank conversation, sitting side by side with someone, looking out at endless stretches of highway. And they can be dull (all that endless highway) in a way that somehow opens your mind to other possibilities and maybe even other lives. That’s what h…

1
I Traveled the World With President Obama. Now, I Help Give Young Women the Same Chance. 23:44

4M ago23:44

23:44

Deesha Dyer never thought she’d wind up in the White House. As a kid growing up in Philadelphia, she desperately wanted to travel but it always felt out of reach. Until she landed a coveted internship in the Obama administration, working in the office that arranged all of the president’s travel. Over the next eight years, she would travel around th…

1
When Zebras Taught Me to Drive in Namibia 34:23

4M ago34:23

34:23

Imagine this: You’re slowly driving through Etosha National Park, Namibia’s renowned conservation area. There are elephants and zebras and antelopes and lions all around you. In fact, you’ve been warned not to exit your car because of those very lions, which are pros at camouflaging themselves in the desert landscape. And then your car stalls—becau…

1
Is This Europe’s Most Underrated Food Tradition? 24:16

4M ago24:16

24:16

Some of our favorite travel moments are the ones you’d never in a million years expect. These are where the best travel stories are born. And this week, Afar’s executive editor, Billie Cohen, has a very delicious, very serendipitous story for us. As you’ll hear in the episode, Billie was in Estonia (one of Afar’s picks for where to travel in 2024) …

1
In Mumbai, Everyone Thought I Was a Local. Here’s How I Became One. 19:27

5M ago19:27

19:27

When Afar editorial director Sarika Bansal was 22, she moved to Mumbai. As you’ll hear in her Travel Tale this week, she grew up in New York and visited India (where her parents were born) frequently. Yet the visits often felt cloistered. But many years later in Mumbai, she didn’t have to worry about meeting family expectations, and she was free to…

1
The Unexpected Magic of a Turkish Barbershop 20:20

5M ago20:20

20:20

When it comes to relationships, often there’s the planner—and then there’s the go-with-the-flow-er. And today’s episode of Travel Tales by Afar is all about what happens when the planner hesitantly chucks the travel to-do list and lets serendipity lead the way. Beth Santos is the planner in this particular story. She’s the founder of Wanderful, an …

1
Replay: Comedian Michelle Buteau, "I Got Stood Up in Paris!" 23:28

5M ago23:28

23:28

This week, we’re replaying one of our favorite Travel Tales episodes: Comedian and actress Michelle Buteau—and her best friend—fly to Paris to meet their supposed French boyfriends. Only things don’t exactly go to plan . . . Michelle Buteau is a comedian and actress, known for her roles in Always Be My Maybe, The First Wives Club, Someone Great, Ru…

1
Why This Man Biked Across the United States—Without Any Food or Money 35:21

5M ago35:21

35:21

In late 2016, Daniel Troia was struggling with grief. Grief over the loss of his parents and grief over the division he saw unfolding on his TV, night after night. It made him angry, and that made him want to do something to change things, or at least to change his perception of things. So, in 2018, he set out on a cross-country bike ride. His plan…

1
A Poet’s Pilgrimage to Italy’s Violin-Making Capital 30:12

6M ago30:12

30:12

When poet Tess Taylor’s son, Bennett, was three years old, he heard the violin for the first time. For weeks afterward, every day he asked her for a violin, so finally she took him into a local violin shop and asked for help. The shop owner put a tiny violin and bow in his hands and Bennett asked, “But how do I make it sound beautiful?” Fast-forwar…

1
Big Animals, and Even Bigger Adventures, in a Part of Argentina Few Travelers Visit 33:01

6M ago33:01

33:01

When most of us think about nature in Argentina, our minds go immediately to Patagonia—which is a spectacular place worth visiting (it’s one of the most memorable places I’ve been to). But in this week’s episode, we’re exploring two regions in Argentina that most travelers miss: El Impenetrable National Park in the north and Patagonia Azul in the s…

1
I’ve Made Polar Bears My Life’s Work. Here's Why Everyone Should Travel to See Them. 24:58

6M ago24:58

24:58

Today we’re launching Travel Tales, season five. And we’re kicking off this season with a roar, although the subjects of today’s episode (polar bears) are much quieter than you’d imagine. Nearly two years ago, host Aislyn Greene attended a TED Talk event in New York, held in partnership with the Canadian tourism board. There she met environmentalis…

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