Truly Expat Travel
Truly Expat Travel Podcast brings you the world's best travel destinations through conversations with expats who've made foreign countries their home. Discover hidden gems, local insider tips, and authentic travel experiences you won't find in guidebooks.
Each episode features expats sharing their favourite destinations, secret spots, cultural insights, and practical travel advice from cities and countries across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. From weekend getaways to bucket list adventures, food scenes to cultural experiences, our guests reveal what makes their adopted homes special.
Perfect for travellers seeking authentic local perspectives, digital nomads planning their next move, or anyone dreaming of exploring the world beyond tourist traps. Get real recommendations from people who live the expat lifestyle every day.
What you'll discover:
• Hidden travel gems recommended by local expats
• Insider tips for popular and off-the-beaten-path destinations
• Cultural insights and authentic local experiences
• Practical advice for international travel and living abroad
• Real stories from expats around the world
🌍 New episodes weekly
✈️ Subscribe for authentic travel inspiration
📧 Collaborations: info@trulyexpat.com
Episodes
62 episodes
Too Old to Travel Alone? What Nobody Tells You About Solo Travel After 50
Scared to travel alone after 50? So was I. From hiding in a hotel at 21 to driving Sicily solo, here's how I learned to love solo travel, plus my safety tips.This week it's just me, and it's personal. I share how I went from eating dinn...
Everything You Need to Know Before Your First Cruise
Everything You Need to Know About Cruising — The Hacks, the Freebies & Why You're Doing It WrongIf you've ever been cruise-curious but didn't know where to start, this episode is for you. Shannon and Anne from Travel Time Stori...
South Carolina Will Surprise You — Here's Why It's America's Most Liveable State
She lives on an island with palm trees, walks to world-class restaurants, and says the mountains are only an hour away. Shannon Bednarova moved to South Carolina's Isle of Palms — and makes a very convincing case that it's the most liveable pla...
San Miguel de Allende: Why This UNESCO Mexican City Has Been Voted #1 Small City in the World 7 Times
Voted the #1 small city in the world seven times by Condé Nast Traveler. Spring-like weather 365 days a year. A Waldorf Astoria moving in next door. This isn't a fantasy — it's San Miguel de Allende, and today's guest has lived there for 17 yea...
Nepal Beyond Everest: The Hidden Himalayas Your Guide Doesn't Want You to Miss
Everyone knows Everest. But Nepal has over 6,000 peaks near 6,000 metres — and most of them have never been climbed. This week, third-generation mountain guide and CEO of Everest Holiday, Shreejan Simkhada (call him Joe), takes us off the touri...
Bored of Singapore? These 3 Indonesian Islands Are Just a Ferry Ride Away
If you're living in or visiting Singapore and craving an easy escape, you don't have to go far. Host Paula shares her personal experiences on three Indonesian islands you can reach by ferry — perfect for a day trip, a girls' weekend, or a full ...
Never Pay Full Price for a Hotel Again — The Points Strategy Explained
Paula sits down with Todd Hata — content creator, food lover, and full-time traveller for the past three to four years — to talk about something every traveller should know more about: hotel loyalty programs. Todd has been working the points sy...
Thinking of Visiting Dublin? A Local Tells You Everything the Guidebooks Miss
If you think Ireland is just about rain and Guinness, this episode will change your mind. Paula sits down with Dani — a Dublin local and founder of Nomadeire— for an insider's guide to one of Europe's most underrated holiday destinations. From ...
Medellin Colombia: Safer Than You've Been Told
Paula is joined by Neil H Solomon — entrepreneur, author, and nomad — who gave up everything in the US in 2018 to travel the world. Now based in Mexico City, his other great love is Medellin, Colombia. In this episode, he breaks down the myths,...
The Inland Melbourne to Sydney Road Trip Nobody Takes
Most people who drive between Melbourne and Sydney take the coastal route — and yes, it's beautiful. But in this episode, Paula reveals the road trip that most Australians have never done: the inland heritage route, through tiny historic towns ...
Samoa: The South Pacific Island You've Been Sleeping On
Samoa doesn't usually make the bucket list — but maybe it should. Linda King from The Smart Travelista has visited almost every South Pacific island and says Samoa genuinely surprised her. We get into where to go, what it costs, and what to pac...
How to Earn Airline Status (And Why It Changes Everything)
Airline Status: Lounges, Upgrades & Points Strategy with Tim LewisMost frequent travellers are so focused on collecting points that they completely overlook airline status — the thing that actually gets you into the lounge, moves you...
Is the European Summer RUINING Your Holiday? Heat, Crowds & Better Alternatives
Paula is joined by Camille and Rosalie (friends from way back in Sydney) to talk real talk: 40-degree days in Puglia that wrecked a meticulously planned itinerary, buildings across Europe that simply aren't built for heat, the post-COVID over-t...
Honky-Tonks, Hot Chicken & Whiskey: My Whirlwind Nashville Trip
Paula shares an honest, first-hand Nashville travel guide from her solo 3-day trip — Broadway honky-tonks, the Johnny Cash Museum, a Jack Daniel's Distillery tour, must-try food, and the mistakes she wishes she'd avoided. Want to hear more abou...
Belize: The Caribbean Paradise You Haven't Visited Yet (But Absolutely Should)
Belize has the second-largest barrier reef on the planet, Mayan caves you can swim inside, jaguars in protected jungle, and one of the most surprisingly multicultural societies on earth — and most travellers have never even considered it. This ...
Slow Travel vs Fast Travel: What Stage of Life Are You Really In?
Slow travel or fast travel — which style actually fits your life right now? Paula sits down with returning guests Deborah De Reeper and Jo Hunter for an honest panel conversation about how travel changes as we get older, why the "travel while y...
Is Kuala Lumpur Worth Visiting?
Think KL is just a stopover? Think again. Paula Barnes lived in Kuala Lumpur for three years and is here to tell you why it's one of the most underrated cities in Southeast Asia — great food, incredible shopping, rich multicultural culture, and...
Uganda Travel Guide: Gorillas, Safari & Hidden Gems
Have you ever dreamed of tracking mountain gorillas through a UNESCO World Heritage rainforest, tasting food wrapped in banana leaves, or watching chimpanzees leap through the treetops? In this episode, host Paula Barnes sits down with Lynet...
Affordable Adventure Travel to 50+ Countries
What does it actually take to visit 50+ countries without draining your bank account? John Johnston of The Bucket List Things has been doing exactly that — chasing bucket list adventures across Africa, South America, the Baltic States, and beyo...
Munich Travel Guide: Hidden Gems, Food Culture & Expat Life in Germany
In this episode of the Truly Expat Travel Podcast, Paula Barnes speaks with Canadian expat Keltie Maguire, who has been living in Munich, Germany for over eight years.Keltie shares her fascinating journey from Vancouver to Sydney and eve...
Is Sydney Harbour really the most beautiful harbour in the world?
🎙️ Is Sydney the Most Beautiful Harbour in the World? 🇦🇺 Ultimate Sydney Travel Guide + 7-Day ItineraryIn this episode, Paula shares a local’s perspective on Sydney—the city she grew up in—and breaks down exactly how t...
The Simple Travel Hack That Can Save You Hours Planning Your Next Trip
Join host Paula Barnes as she dives into innovative travel strategies that can transform your trips — from time-saving hacks to must-have apps for planning and on-the-go. In this episode, Paula chats with Michelle from
Accessible Air Travel Tips with Phoenyx from Phoenyx Travels
If flying feels overwhelming, exhausting, or like you're starting from scratch every single trip — this episode is for you.This week I'm joined by Phoenyx from Phoenyx Travels — a content creator and accessible travel expert who has buil...
Digital Nomad Family Travel Tips: Finding Events & Things to Do Anywhere in the World
You've landed somewhere new. The bags are unpacked. And then comes the question every travelling family knows too well — so what do we actually do here?This week I'm back with Julie Talbot — British ex-expat turned global nomad — who aft...
The Tulip Season Secret Most Visitors Get Wrong — with Gerrit from Hidden Holland
Most people planning a trip to Holland for tulip season get the timing wrong. They book Keukenhof, they show up, and they either miss the peak bloom entirely or find themselves shoulder to shoulder with thousands of other tourists wondering why...