5 Safety Tips For Hosting An Airbnb

Before making available your home or apartment on Airbnb, you’ll want to be aware of some safety precautions and tips. There are several ways to go about listing your home, and it can be a great way to make some money on the side. How to do so in the safest way possible is detailed below.

We hope this list will provide some insight for hosts looking to indulge in the Airbnb experience.

Happy hosting!

1. Private Vs. Shared

When hosting through Airbnb, you’ll have the option to choose between offering private and shared accommodations for a room, multiple rooms or an entire home. This means that guests will either have the accommodation to themselves (private), or you’ll be sharing living spaces with visitors (shared).

In terms of safety, the host must determine which type of hosting option makes them feel more comfortable. If you feel safer and more at ease by being able to be in your home during your guest’s stay, advertise your home as a shared accommodation. If you’re not worried about guests being in your home by themselves, opt for offering private accommodations.

While it may seem obvious, note that offering your home or room(s) as shared accommodations will mean you can command less of a price. Privately sharing your home will inevitably ring in more coinage. It is up to the host to decide what makes them feel more comfortable in terms of safety, and how much they’re hoping to earn through hosting on Airbnb.

Click here for more information on pricing and availability.

2. Obtain Some Basic Information Beforehand

Make sure to interact smartly before hosting. Airbnb suggests that hosts pay and communicate only through Airbnb, and use Airbnb’s messaging system to get to know their guests. Anytime I have personally stayed at an Airbnb, I have been obligated to fill out a form explaining who I was, why I was visiting, and who I’d be with during my stay, etc. Requesting this basic information will provide you some background information on your guests.

Though there are many first-time users on Airbnb who don’t yet have reviews, many guests are returning visitors and have profiles with reviews from other hosts. Looking into a guest’s profile to see if they have any positive reviews is a surefire way to confirm a person is not only legitimate but will be respectable during their stay.

Airbnb also urges hosts to look for verified phone numbers, connected social networks, and references. If a potential guest is new to Airbnb and doesn’t have any of the previously mentioned profile credentials or verifications, don’t hesitate to ask them to provide some of these before accepting their request.

3. Personalize And Specify Your Listing

When creating your listing for Airbnb, personalize and specify as much as possible. Airbnb offers a myriad of specifications and personalization options for hosts to fill out for their accommodation.

In order to ensure safety, it’s imperative to fill out the House Rules, Home Safety Card, and House Manual, allowing guests to know what to expect during their stay.

The House Rules and House Manual allow hosts to specify anything and everything about their accommodation, from whether or not (and where) smoking is allowed, which areas of the house are public or private, and what your Wi-Fi password is, to your interaction with guests and offered amenities, such as a kitchen, parking, washer and dryer, heating, air conditioning, etc.

In the Home Safety tab of a listing, hosts should make sure to fill out any emergency phone numbers, locations of fire extinguishers and fire alarms, and emergency exit routes. Filling out the Home Safety tab ensures that guests know what to do, whom to call, and where to go in case of an emergency.

Hosts may also set requirements for their listing, such as providing an ID for verification, or adding a security deposit and cleaning fee. The more a host personalizes and sets requirements for their listing, the more likely they are to have an enjoyable and safe experience with Airbnb.

Click here to see how to share House Rules with guests.

4. Get Insurance

Airbnb offers a Host Protection Insurance program in order to minimize the risk of property theft or damage, or a third-party claim of bodily injury. The program provides primary liability coverage for up to $1 million per occurrence.

For more information about what is and what isn’t covered through the Host Protection Insurance program, click here.

5. Prepare For Disruptions

Ok, for this one, we’re not talking about rude house guests who want to party all night and leave huge messes (though this is a possibility). What we mean about preparing for disruptions is to acknowledge the fact that becoming a host for Airbnb will inevitably cause some life interruptions. Make sure all parties — spouses, significant others, children — are prepared for such possibilities.

As a host, you’ll have to be present for check-in and check-out, do all the cleaning, deal with neighbor complaints, insurance policies, etc. Make sure that before you host, you’re prepared for whatever issues might come your way when strangers are staying in your home. Being unprepared and unaware of the potential negative consequences or nuisances will result in an unenjoyable and negative experience as a host for Airbnb.

Being a host for Airbnb is an incredible way to meet new people from around the world, show off where you’re from, and make new friends. Don’t spoil this remarkable experience by being unprepared for the safety hazards!

The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In The World

There are a number of ways we could define danger.

When it comes right down to brass tacks, it’s hard to imagine that any city on earth could be more dangerous than Baghdad or Aleppo. But those cities are effectively in war zones. Like many countries in Africa, few people would travel there unless they had no other choice — or unless they were extremely brave and willing to take their lives in their hands in order to volunteer or serve.

What we’re looking at here are the most dangerous cities you as a traveler might actually visit. For that, we’re going to look at the official murder rates for 2017.

Sadly, you’ll notice there’s a very clear pattern in this list: Every single one of the 10 most dangerous cities to visit are in Mexico or South America. Poverty, the drug trade, and governmental neglect are creating a crisis, and violence is reaching epidemic levels.

Belém in Brazil. — Belém, Brazil / Gustavo Frazao / Shutterstock

10. Belém, Brazil

Total murders (2017):1,743
Murders per 100,000 people: 71.38

For a city with a metro population of 2.2 million to crack 1,700 murders is truly horrifying. For comparison’s sake, Chicago has 2.7 million inhabitants, and 700 murders would be a bad year for the infamously violent windy city.

Unfortunately, Belém sits near the Amazon estuary. Apart from water, the Amazon river basin also carries cocaine from west to east, including to Belém, which makes an ideal port for trans-Atlantic drug shipping. However, as Brazil has become wealthier in recent years, it has become one of the world’s top consumers of cocaine in its own right. This emergent drug culture is undoubtedly one of the causes of the violence that wracks Brazil’s major centers.

Despite the high murder rate, Belém is quite safe in daylight. Visitors should think about sticking to the more touristy areas, and avoid any conspicuous displays of wealth.

9. Cuidad Guyana, Venezuela

Total murders (2017): 728
Murders per 100,000 people: 80.28

We don’t even have to get into the appallingly high murder rate in this case. In general, you simply shouldn’t visit Venezuela at this time. To begin with, it remains a hotspot for the Zika virus, so visitors are urged to take serious precautions on that score.

But Zika is really the least of your worries if you’re visiting Venezuela. At the moment, the country is falling apart. The controversial former president Hugo Chávez spent lavishly on social programs, improving the quality of life of many Venezuelans; however, the murder rate quadrupled under his leadership. Since oil prices collapsed in 2014, Venezuela has been in financial straits, and her new president, Nicolás Maduro, has been struggling to cling to power.

Violence, crumbling infrastructure, political instability, and crime (especially near the border with Colombia) have led the U.S. State Department to urge Americans to reconsider visiting Venezuela.

8. Cuidad Victoria, Mexico

Total murders (2017): 301
Murders per 100,000 people: 83.32

Cuidad Victoria (Victoria City) is the capital of Tamaulipas province in northeastern Mexico, which borders Texas to the north and the Gulf to the east. Tamaulipas (and hence Cuidad Victoria) is part of the base of operations for the deadly Los Zetas cartel. The Zetas are considered the most dangerous gang in Mexico. They were formed in the 1990s by commandos of the Mexican Army who deserted in favor of the more profitable drug trade. Much of the violence in Cuidad Victoria undoubtedly involves this merciless syndicate.

Tijuana in Mexico. — Tijuana, Mexico / Sherry V Smith / Shutterstock

7. Fortaleza, Brazil

Total murders (2017): 3,270
Murders per 100,000 people: 83.48

Fortaleza is perhaps most famous for its enticing urban beaches. Sadly, these are occluded by the city’s more infamous aspects.

Let’s all pause for a moment and contemplate a metro area of 4,000,000 or so inhabitants that suffers almost 3,300 murders a year. How do you even keep track of them, much less solve them? The answer is: you don’t.

On top of the violence, Fortaleza is also notorious for prostitution. Foreign men can expect to be solicited, especially in the vicinity of Praia de Iracema. It’s worth remembering that Fortaleza sex workers are known for drugging their clients and then robbing them.

Robbery in general is a major concern in the city. Even in busy areas or on the beach, you must remain vigilant. Avoid using ATMs too frequently, and bring a phrasebook in case you need to have a word with to Fortaleza’s tourist police.

6. La Paz, Mexico

Total murders (2017): 259
Murders per 100,000 people: 84.79

La Paz is the capital of Baja Caliornia Sur — the southern half of the long peninsula on Mexico’s west coast that juts out into the Pacific. But it’s less famous than the nearby twin cities of Los Cabos, with their world-famous beaches. Once a peaceful province and one of Mexico’s most sparsely populated, the murder rate has exploded here as rival cartels fight for territory. One of the causes of the sudden gang warfare was the arrest and extradition to the U.S. of the infamous kingpin ‘El Chapo’, which left a power vacuum in the region.

To get a sense of how the violence has amplified, there were 70 murders in the state of Baja California Sur in 2014. At the time, that was a record high. In 2017, there were 560 murders, an eight-fold increase over three years.

5. Tijuana, Mexico

Total murders (2017): 1,897
Murders per 100,000 people: 100.77

Yes, literally more than 1 in 1,000 residents of Tijuana were killed last year, which is insane when you stop to think about it. That devastating statistic is more than double the murder rate recorded the previous year.

As with La Paz, the increasing brutality is a result of the downfall of ‘El Chapo’, whose Sinaloa cartel have come under attack from aggressive, opportunistic newcomers. Nearly 90% of these murder victims are reportedly low-level players in the drug game, but tourists should definitely be on their guard as well. Anyone can become an innocent bystander, and sadly, Tijuana has a well-deserved reputation as a city run by the cartels.

Natal in Brazil. — Natal, Brazil / nicolasdecorte / Shutterstock

4. Natal, Brazil

Total murders (2017): 1,378
Murders per 100,000 people: 102.56

The city of Natal, in Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil, has become one of the most dangerous places on earth. Between 2005 and 2015, the murder rate increased by a shocking 232%. 8-14 violent deaths per day are nothing to write home about in this city of 1.3 million people.

According to local police, the explanation is the PCC (Premeiro Comando da Capital), the most powerful criminal organization in Brazil. Largely run from within the prison system, the PCC arrange fatal jail riots, rob banks, and smuggle drugs and arms to and from Paraguay and Bolivia. The punishment for anyone who betrays them is death.

3. Acapulco, Mexico

Total murders (2017): 910
Murders per 100,000 people: 106.63

Acapulco was once the crown jewel of Mexican tourist towns, a beach resort popular with movie stars and moguls. But since its heyday in the 50s and 60s, drugs and crime have comprehensively ruined the place. At this point, Acapulco is so dangerous that U.S. government employees are literally forbidden from visiting, and civilians are urged not to try their luck either. The CIA apparently compared the violence here to Syria and Iraq.

As elsewhere, gangs have turned Acapulco’s beaches into dumping grounds for the corpses of their victims.

Even worse, the police aren’t to be trusted. In September 2018, the Mexican military actually disarmed the city’s law enforcement, claiming their ranks had been thoroughly infiltrated by the cartels.

Los Cabos in Mexico. — Los Cabos, Mexico / Galina Gutarin / Shutterstock

2. Caracas, Venezuela

Total murders (2017): 3,387
Murders per 100,000 people: 111.19

As we noted previously, Venezuela is falling apart. It’s no wonder, then, that it has the world’s most dangerous capital: Caracas.

In reality, statistics are kind of meaningless here. No one really knows the true scope of what’s going on in Caracas, because large swaths of the city are essentially lawless. The government often clashes violently with opposition protest groups. Meanwhile, crime is epidemic, and often goes unreported and unpunished.

As one report evocatively put it, Venezuela has become “incapable” of even “counting the dead.”

1. Los Cabos, Mexico

Total murders (2017): 365
Murders per 100,000 people: 111.33

As we noted with La Paz, the capital of Baja Carlifornia Sur, the outbreak of violence in the twin resort cities of Los Cabos seems to be a result of rival factions rushing to fill the vacuum left by the drug lord and escape artist known as ‘El Chapo’. The violence hasn’t generally been directed at tourists — Los Cabos is one of the most popular resort regions in the country — but the U.S. State Department still recommends ‘increased caution’ for those visiting Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo. Proportionally, the municipality has the highest per capita murder rate on earth.

If you’re planning a trip to Central or South America, we hope you’ll bear all this in mind and be safe. Want more on country-specific safety? Read about these 13 dangerous places where travel is strongly discouraged.

Best Alaska Cruises Happening In 2019

Have you always dreamed of visiting Alaska, but haven’t the slightest clue how to get to (or around) this remote state?

If so, don’t panic. Planning a trip to Alaska can be incredibly overwhelming. Consequently, it may be time to consider an Alaskan cruise. Embarking on a cruise ship through Alaska will take you on an unparalleled journey through pure wilderness, massive glaciers, snow-capped mountains, and winding passageways across the Last Frontier State.

We’ve laid out the best cruises to take to Alaska in 2019, with a variety of price ranges, activities, and destinations to choose from. Whether you’re a solo traveler, on a couples getaway, or planning a large family reunion, these Alaskan cruises come fully-equipped with comfortable lodging, eclectic dining, and endless entertainment.

If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to embark on a journey to Alaska by sea, check out 7 Reasons To Consider An Alaskan Cruise.

1. 10-Night Ultimate Alaska Cruise

Price: $1,719
Departs: Vancouver, British Columbia
Destinations: Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Tracy Arm Fjord

Purchase Tickets

With salmon so fresh and air so crisp, this 10-night Alaskan adventure takes you through Ketchikan, known as the “Salmon Capital of the World” and home to the Tlingit people, an indigenous group who has carved the world’s largest collection of totem poles.

Travelers on this cruise can take a canoe and nature trail excursion through the rainforest and tour the wild. A visit to Tracy Arm-Fjord Terror Wilderness is filled with crashing waterfalls, glimpses of humpback whales and harbor seals, and stunning snow-dusted mountain peaks.

Day five takes travelers through Skagway, with remnants of the Klondike Gold Rush sprinkled throughout, set amongst restored 19-century buildings and a historic railway.

2. 7-Night Alaska Northern Glacier Cruise

Price: $879
Departs: Vancouver, British Columbia
Destinations: Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway, Hubbard Glacier, Seward

Purchase Tickets

Passengers heading out on this cruise will sail beyond the Inside Passage, Alaska’s most iconic coastal route, weaving through the islands on the Pacific Northwest coast of North America. An intricate maze of bays, fjords and lush green islands capture the essence of this breathtaking passage, with opportunities to gaze upon Alaska’s diverse wildlife, including orcas, bald eagles, puffins, and sea otters.

The ship drops anchor in Alaska’s remote capital of Juneau, a popular cruise ship stop that can only be reached by boat or seaplane. This exclusive layover offers passengers the opportunity to embark on a glacial dogsled adventure.

Ice fragments in the water, snowy mountains in the background, Inside Passage, Alaska — Alaska’s most iconic coastal route, Inside Passage. Pixabay / Schmid-Reportagen

3. 7-Night Alaska Southern Glacier Cruise

Price: $699
Departs: Seward, Alaska
Destinations: Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan

Purchase Tickets

A slightly more affordable 7-night cruise through Alaska, the Alaska Southern Glacier Cruise begins in Seward, a town lying on the edge of the Kenai Peninsula encompassed by the glacier-covered Kenai Mountains.

Within reach is Harding Icefield, an expanse of snow and ice created over 23,000 years ago. Extending 700 square miles, it remains one of the four major ice caps in the U.S.

Day two of this cruise arrives at Hubbard Glacier, situated 30 miles north off the coast of Yakutat and deemed one of Alaska’s most galvanizing natural treasures.

4. 7-Night Alaska Tracy Arm Fjord Cruise

Price: $1,049
Departs: Vancouver, British Columbia
Destinations: Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway

Purchase Tickets

Beginning with a day spent in Vancouver, this 7-night cruise allows passengers to explore one of the world’s most livable cities. Travelers can indulge in one of the culinary capitals of the world, tasting their way through fresh local seafood, farm-to-table produce, and authentic Asian flavors.

Guests will feel like celebrities with this cruise’s elite accommodation options. The cruise ship’s suites are attended by a personal butler who will assist you during every step of the journey, and you’ll receive exclusive restaurant and lounge access as well.

The voyage ends with a day spent in Victoria, the seaside capital of British Columbia. Visitors can venture through the area’s bohemian shops, coffee bars, and international eateries.

Cruise ships moored at peer beside tree-covered mountain, Alaska — Cruise ships in Alaska. Wikimedia Commons

5. 7-Day Awe of Alaska: Inside Passage and Glacier Bay

Price: $999
Departs: Seattle, Washington
Destinations: Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park, Ketchikan, Victoria (British Columbia)

Purchase Tickets

Natural wonders, authentic wildlife sightings, a dogsled journey in Juneau, and an adventurous ride through Misty Fjords on a jet-powered catamaran are just a few of many things to experience on this 7-day Alaskan expedition.

Passengers of this cruise will hop aboard the Norwegian Bliss, a custom-built vessel featuring a revolutionary Observation Lounge designed to help you soak in every moment of your voyage. Catch glimpses of bald eagles soaring over glaciers, or humpback whales’ tales gracefully bursting out from crystal clear Alaskan waters.

Whether you’re a solo traveler on a budget or a rainforest couple looking to splurge, this massive cruise ship has an abundance of comfortable accommodation options. Lavish travelers can settle in at The Haven, the ship’s most luxurious accommodation hidden at the top of the ship, featuring a 24-hour butler service, concierge service, and private sundeck.

6. 7-Night Alaska Cruise

Price: $699
Departs: Vancouver, British Columbia
Destinations: Inside Passage, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier, Seward

Purchase Tickets

Departing from Vancouver, this reasonable 7-night cruise takes passengers on a journey through some of Alaska’s most prominent backdrops.

A day in Skagway can be spent unlocking the area’s fascinating history with a visit to Klondike Gold Rush National Park Museum. Visitors get an in-depth look at Klondike and the two routes out of Skagway — Chillkoot Pass and White Pass.

Cruising through Glacial Bay National Park and Preserve, travelers get the chance to bask in the bay’s towering peaks and glaciers, including Mount Fairweather and Grand Pacific Glacier.

Cruise ship sailing up river flanked by mountains, Alaska — Unsplash / Heather Shevlin

7. 10-Night Family Tundra Express Cruisetour 9A (Post Tour)

Price: $1,779
Departs: Vancouver, British Columbia
Destinations: Inside Passage, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway, Hubbard Glacier, Seward, Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali

Purchase Tickets

Photo ops galore abound on this 10-night Alaskan adventure, cruising through vast wilderness, rainforests cloaked in mist, and dramatic seascapes.

Witness the process known as calving, where massive chunks of ice crash into the bay, an occurrence that the Tlingit people refer to as “White Thunder.”

Considered a family-friendly cruise, this specific Alaskan adventure features the Murie Science and Learning Center Denali Family Experience, combining ranger-led time with interpretive stops, while venturing into the park and seeking out wildlife.

8. 4-Night Alaska Getaway Cruise

Price: $499
Departs: Vancouver, British Columbia
Destinations: Ketchikan, Misty Fjords National Monument

Purchase Tickets

Another wallet-friendly Alaskan cruise, this four-night journey boasts off-the-charts exploration and unique experiences, including the ship’s rock climbing wall and mini-golf course.

The cruise ship features a casual Italian trattoria with indoor al fresco seating, live entertainment, outdoor movie nights, and a spa and fitness center.

Use Your DNA To Plan A Custom Ancestry Trip

The beauty of the world is that it is limitless in its diversity. Chances are that, when you first began traveling, you were drawn to the most distant, mysterious, unfamiliar destinations. On the surface, you had nothing in common with these places or their inhabitants. Human nature propels us insatiably to pursue newness, exoticism, and even novelty. This fuels our interest in other cultures, the allure of foreign tongues, and the romanticism of landscapes different than our own. We want to have our minds flipped sideways, to learn what always existed, just not in our own parameters.

We find ourselves reaching outward to explore, to get to know the “other.” We seek to escape ourselves, to become immersed in other ways of life, of thinking, of being. This is exemplified in the famous contemporary journeys of Bill Bryson, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Chris McCandless. They traipsed into the woods, escaped from failed marriages in ashrams, and swore off money while picking berries in Alaska. While their stories were distinct, they each ventured into the outside world seeking something, anything other than the reality of their own lives. Their commonality, however, was that they each came to know themselves more deeply than they could have in their comfort zone — their hometowns.

Unintentional Biases and the Stories We Tell Ourselves

It’s an unflattering truth, but even the most open-minded of us have our biases and prejudices. No matter where you were born, you were likely handed down a sense of pride and nationalism. Especially if you’ve been raised in the United States, you likely cling onto your cultural roots. It’s not just who you hung out with way back in high school, it’s the people you play poker with, attend church with, invite over to watch Sunday night football. Do they belong to (what you believe is) your same cultural background?

Paper lanterns hang over commercial street in Chinatown — Unsplash / Eduardo Santos

This argument may seem counterintuitive, but bear with me. Examining melting-pot cities like San Francisco, New York, and Miami, there’s still a very clear division of neighborhoods according to ethnicities. There’s Chinatown, Little Italy, The Mission, Little Haiti, and the list goes on.

While these nuclei offer visitors a rich cultural experience and a sense of belonging to those who were exiled from their homelands in generations past, they also perpetuate a fixed sense of identity. It’s quite possible that most people living in these neighborhoods are third generation North Americans, and that clinging so tightly to the traditions they’ve known all of their lives may actually be hindering their sense of self.

It’s important to honor the ancestors forced into slavery on San Francisco’s railroads and the great-grandparents who risked their lives seeking asylum from Castro’s dictatorship. But what if this is only one part of the story? What if you’ve grown up your whole life thinking that your ancestors all came from Vietnam, or Mexico, or Namibia, yet the stories you were told were wrong?

The Power of DNA Testing

In the not-too-distant past, we had to rely on our grandmothers’ shakily hand-drawn family trees and our parents’ far-fetched stories to determine our genealogy. Thankfully, times have changed and our family history doesn’t have to rely on folklore. Sites like ancestry.com are helpful. However, scrolling through thousands of records littered with our parents’ last names can often be misleading. Doing a DNA test, however, can take the guess work out of your research and provide you with relatively quick access to your genetics.

With companies like 23andme, examining your DNA is now easier and more affordable than ever. Just a small saliva sample can determine nearly every nation where your ancestors originated. These tests go back thousands of years, providing a comprehensive view of your lineage.

I have always felt very close to my Mexican roots, and have taken several trips through the country, exploring the cities where my great-grandparents rode the bus to work, bought masa for their tortillas, and danced the night away to rancheras. Traveling throughout Mesoamerica has deepened my understanding of who my predecessors were, and essentially, who I am now. Having family that still lives in Mexico enriches this experience even further. However, what about those places that I’m just inexplicably drawn to?

After having my DNA tested, it turns out that several countries that have always called to me were also part of my heritage. Brazil, Colombia, Spain, the UK, and even Israel. There was a nagging, an obsession, a craving to see these places, and now I knew why. Even if you believe that we become who we are more due to our environment than the genes that have been passed down to us over the centuries, an ancestry trip is a fascinating way to see the world while interacting with people who just might share your same lineage.

Mariachi band playing in outdoor square, Mexico — Unsplash / Benjamin Patin

Benefits of Ancestry Trips

There are so many advantages to taking a custom ancestry trip — whether you choose to visit one country for a month or opt to fit in as many as possible for a few weeks. Getting to know the customs, religions, physical characteristics, work, and food can reveal much about your own character and help you piece together answers to questions that have plagued you your entire life. That is not to say that you should blame your temper on your “Fighting Irish” great-grandmother, but it could explain why you — and no one else — picked up a knack for the cello or just a bridged nose.

The point is: we are taught to think that we, as humans, are wildly different from one another. Discovering your ancestry, and going a step further to take an ancestry trip, allows you to experience just how similar we are despite our diverse habits and beliefs. People who we may judge, or even dislike, could actually be related to us. It’s so powerful to imagine every single person in our family tree — whether they came from Norway, South Africa, or Iran — and know that our lives wouldn’t be possible if they hadn’t lived or loved. We owe our lives to them, and getting to know their culture is actually a form of honoring who we are as individuals and human beings in general.

Use Your DNA to Plan a Custom Ancestry Trip of a Lifetime

If you’re interested in doing a custom ancestry trip (which you should be), you’re in luck. DNA Unwrapped will do all the legwork for you, from the DNA analysis to the trip planning! Get in contact with them, and get out in the world, walking the same streets your ancestors did!

Thanks for reading. We hope you convinced you it might be interesting to get a DNA analysis done, if nothing else. You might just be surprised by exactly where your ancestors came from.

The 8 Least-Visited European Countries

Maybe you’re looking to visit Europe, but not that Europe. Not the Paris boulevards clogged with beret-wearing aesthetes, or the endless swirl of Vespas around the Roman colosseum, but the sedate countryside around some ancient, little-known castle, or an alpine town that time forgot where you can imagine you’re part of a high renaissance drama.

Or maybe you just came here to test your geography.

Either way, you’re in luck. Here are Europe’s 8 least-visited countries.

Note: The figures regarding number of visitors come from the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

8. Serbia

Total tourists (2017): 1,281,000

This landlocked Balkan nation may be little-visited partly because it was so hard to see for so long. During the Cold War, Serbia was part of the larger state of Yugoslavia, a decidedly Communist place. In the 90s, the region was roiled by ethnic violence as Yugoslavia splintered up into many smaller autonomous countries. But today, Serbia is plenty safe and pleasant to visit, though it has yet to really make a name for itself in the world of tourism.

Visitors report that the capital, Belgrade, rivals Berlin in terms of fun and nightlife. If history is more your thing, you’ll find ruined castles aplenty. Also, more Roman emperors were born in Serbia than anywhere else aside from Italy, and most of them left some statues and relics behind.

Old house on the shore of the Danube, Serbia — The shore of the Danube River, which separates Serbia from Romania.

7. Luxembourg

Total tourists (2017): 1,054,000

Not quite France and not quite Germany, Luxembourg is smack dab in the middle of the territory that was disputed between the two for more than a thousand years. The remains of fortifications, which can still be seen today in the city of Luxembourg, testify to its strategic (and vulnerable) position at the crossroads of Western Europe.

It’s hard to say why the world’s only Grand Duchy isn’t more popular with tourists. Perhaps it’s because the whole country is less than 1,000 square miles and not terribly well-known. Another factor could be the famously high cost of living and visiting.

6. Bosnia and Herzegovina

Total tourists (2017): 770,000

Like Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina is a former Yugoslav republic that descended into chaos in the 90’s as that country disintegrated. While things are much calmer today, B-H remains largely overlooked in favor of its far more popular neighbor, Croatia.

One possible reason is that Bosnia-Herzegovina is almost entirely landlocked, with only a 12-mile coastline on the Adriatic. The rest of that coast — rich with beaches, villas, and ideal for sailing — is now part of Croatia. Another potential reason few travelers venture here is the lack of infrastructure. Bosnia-Herzegovina has few highways, and landmines (a relic of wars in the 90s) remain a genuine concern. Despite vigorous efforts to find and remove them, there may still be as many as 80,000 mines dispersed throughout the country.

Those who do visit will find a diverse, mountainous terrain, and a fascinating population that’s almost equal parts Christian and Muslim.

5. North Macedonia

Total tourists (2017): 510,000

The modern incarnation of Alexander the Great’s homeland (contrary to common misconception, he technically was not Greek), Macedonia was once a great power of the ancient world. Today, it’s far less famous (and less visited) than its historic neighbor to the south — Greece. But all that may be about to change.

North Macedonia (formerly Macedonia — its name was officially changed in 2019) has been a candidate member of the European Union since 2005. These days, it looks like it’s about to perform a reverse-Brexit and attempt to join the EU as a full-fledged member. That could mean a major influx of tourists from elsewhere on the continent, so we may be witnessing the last of the country’s sleepy, undiscovered days.

Although landlocked, this relatively small country has a number of beautiful lakes. It’s characterized by its hills, valleys, and historic architecture — mainly inspired by Orthodox Christianity but influenced by its Albanian Muslim minority as well.

Church overlooking one of Macedonia's great lakes. — Church overlooking one of Macedonia’s great lakes.

4. Monaco

Total tourists (2017): 336,000

For such a small country, Monaco really packs a punch. It is world-famous for its annual Grand Prix race, the Monte-Carlo Casino, and for a third of its people being millionaires (the highest concentration on earth). And it does all this in an area of less than 0.8 square miles with fewer than 40,000 permanent residents.

Perhaps Monaco’s reputation as a gambling and yachting haven for the super-rich has kept the tourists at bay more than anything else. While Monaco definitely merits a visit, there are cheaper places to see France’s Mediterranean coast.

Port Hercule, Monaco, lined with the yachts of the super-rich.

3. Moldova

Total tourists (2017): 121,000

121,000 visitors sounds pretty small, but it’s actually a drastic improvement for Moldova, a smallish landlocked country between Romania and Ukraine. Back in 2014, the county reportedly welcomed just 11,500 foreign tourists! The greatest challenge to upping that number is likely the fact that most people have never heard of Moldova. That, in turn, is likely due to the fact that it has only existed since 1991.

Fascinatingly, there’s another country you’ve never heard of inside this county you’ve never heard of. A breakaway faction in the east of Moldova actually controls its own republic, which is known as Transnistria. Although it isn’t recognized by any other countries, Transnistria is recognized within Moldova as an autonomous region. Moldovan nesting dolls!

Though some have characterized it as gloomy and poor, Moldova has become somewhat more popular due to cheap flights from European hubs. And the country is a god place to spend a relaxing weekend, with its old world charm, bikeable steppes, and wineries.

2. Liechtenstein

Total tourists (2017): 69,000

Landlocked between Switzerland and Austria, the Principality of Lichtenstein is undoubtedly the micro-nation with the most entertaining name. Still, with a population of less than 40,000 people living in an area about 60 miles squared, it’s not hard to imagine why few visitors come to call. The relative isolation is heightened by the absence of an airport, which means the best way to visit Liechtenstein is probably via train or bus.

The last surviving vestige of the Holy Roman Empire, Liechtenstein will surely make you feel like you’re in an old world principality, with its castles and sweeping alpine scenery. But in other ways, it’s a very modern place. Residents have a standard of living comparable to any neighboring country, and a vibrant financial sector that has made the them rich. In fact, Liechtenstein is known for it’s ask-no-questions banking, and is a popular place to set up sketchy holding companies.

You know. Just in case you were hoping to launder some money while you’re in town…

Castle of Liechtenstein on a forested hill, overlooking the alps in the distance — One of the scenic castles of Liechtenstein.

1. San Marino

Total tourists (2017): 60,000

San Marino is a tiny country about half the size of Liechtenstein, surrounded by Italy, close to that nation’s Adriatic coast. According to legend, San Marino is the oldest republic in the world, founded by a mason named Marinus at the beginning of the 4th century AD. The beating heart of San Marino is Mount Titano, the site of the capital. The great height, and the walled towers constructed on the pinnacles of Titano, provide a breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside. Smaller towns dot the shoulders of the mountain, comprising the rest of the country.

As to why so few outsiders visit, the truth is the same for many of the destinations on this list: San Marino is unjustly overlooked.

One of the walled towers of Mount Titano, San Marino. — One of the towers of Mount Titano. Wikimedia Commons

We hope this list of the least-visited countries in Europe has made you consider boldly going where few have gone before. Happy trails!

11 Tips To Planning A Road Trip

Ah, the open road. There’s truly nothing like it. Riding in the car with your windows down, the wind blowing through your hair while Springsteen plays in the background… It’s an experience only to be had on a cross-country road trip.

But before you set off on this superlative journey, it’s vital to first make sure you’re fully prepared for any sort of bend in the road.

Below is a list of useful tips for planning a road trip, detailing everything from advantageous GPS apps to friendly reminders that will make for a smoother ride.

After all, tramps like us were born to run!

Open road in the desert, mountains in the background — Unsplash / Pietro De Grandi

1. Don’t rely on technology

How awful would it be if you’re hundreds of miles away from home, halfway through your road trip, driving down a dusty dirt road and, all of a sudden, the GPS on your phone completely stops working? Now you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere and have absolutely no idea where you’re going. You look around and there appears to be no one in sight; not a gas station, motel, nor restaurant. You have officially reached full panic mode.

Even though it’s 2018 and we tend to rely heavily on technology, doing so on a road trip could lead to disaster. If you’re traveling through rural areas with small populations, you could get weak signals and lose the ability to navigate maps on your phone or GPS device.

Before you head out on your road trip, make sure you have hard copies of maps, brochures, and print-outs of any addresses and directions to hotels, motels, or campsites. Having hard copies of maps with your route outlined will help you in any sort of technological bind you may encounter.

2. Download some apps

Ok, we know we just told you not to rely on technology during your road trip, but it also wouldn’t hurt to download some traveler’s apps before embarking on your journey that will help with pre-departure planning and mapping along the way.

Weblog Lifehacker suggests downloading Roadtrippers, a service that uses Google Maps-based directions to plan your route. With this app, you can save and edit your trips and calculate fuel costs, time and distance.

Along the Way offers travelers a new way to search for hotspots while exploring the open road. This app works anywhere in the world, using your route to provide interesting places nearby, such as pubs, cafes, landmarks, and restaurants.

Remember how we told you not to rely on technology during your road trip? Luckily for travelers, there are new mapping apps out there that don’t require a data plan or service to work, just in case you find yourself off the grid or without signal along the way.

According to Wired, an emerging technologies magazine, there are now various apps that feature GPS with offline map support. These offline maps require your phone to use its built-in GPS radio, working independently from your data plan. Download these apps before your road trip and use them if you accidentally venture into no man’s land!

Click here for Wired’s review of four GPS apps that work offline.

If you’re interested in learning more about optimizing your phone for travel, check out 4 Must-Have Travel Apps And How They Work.

3. Bring some entertainment

Don’t forget to stock up on new music, games, DVDs, podcasts, and playing cards, especially if you’re traveling with the grandkids.

Having that recently released third season of Unexplained on your iPod will help keep you awake when driving through the night, and kids will stay entertained while watching their favorite episodes of Peppa Pig throughout the trip.

If you’re renting a car for your road trip, don’t forget to have the right technology with you in order to access your entertainment, i.e. a cigarette charger, USB port, charger cables, etc.

Hand pushing tape into car tape player — Make sure to bring sufficient entertainment along on the trip. Unsplash / Tobias Tullius

4. Have your car checked before departure

Get your tires rotated, change your oil, and make sure your car is fully-equipped for a lengthy road trip. Head to your local mechanic about a week before your trip and have them check the vehicle’s fluid levels, brakes, and anything else your mechanic sees fit to make sure there isn’t a problem with your vehicle that you weren’t aware of.

Also, make sure to have all of the appropriate documentation with you, such as drivers’ licenses and proof of insurance.

5. Make reservations ahead of time

Though being out on the open road provides travelers an ultimate sense of freedom and the temptation to just “go with the flow” and plan along the way, it’s also not very fun to find yourself stranded without any place to sleep due to lack of preparation.

Make hotel or other accommodation reservations ahead of time. If you’re going camping in certain areas, just make sure you know how to get there and that you plan ahead enough to arrive during daylight with plenty of time to set up your campsite.

6. Purchase a gas card

One of the biggest expenses while road tripping is, of course, gas. Purchasing a gas card will result in a ton of free fuel points, discounted groceries and cash back on hotels.

7. Have a coin purse handy

Though some states in the U.S. have ditched their toll roads, many still remain, so carrying a change purse to pay for tolls along the way isn’t a terrible idea.

Missing tolls and having to pay for them afterward is a huge pain; avoiding this situation altogether will be in a traveler’s best interests during his or her road trip.

8. Bring a spare key

This may seem like an obvious tip, but bringing a spare key is a must-do for a road trip. Put it in your wallet, purse or backpack and carry it with you at all times.

You never know when accidents may occur along the way, and having a spare key handy could save you lots of time and trouble. Plus the slapstick embarrassment of locking yourself out of your car. (We’ve all been there.)

9. Consider joining AAA

If you do in fact lock your keys in the car and didn’t bring a spare, having AAA (Automobile Club of America) will be your life saver.

AAA offers not only roadside rescue, but they are an excellent resource for travelers, offering planning assistance, destination guidebooks, and more.

Man leans on his SUV on the side of a desert highway — Purchase AAA for any roadside assistance you may need. Unsplash / Jamie Street

10. Have a plan, but not a definite one

Living out your ideal road trip is a combination between going with the flow and having a plan before setting out on your adventure. It’s always smart to have an idea of where you want to visit, and to reserve a majority of your accommodations in advance.

At the same time, road tripping is about spontaneity, and you don’t want to have a jam-packed schedule with little time for impromptu adventure and exploration. Our advice? Balance. Balance your time between structure and spontaneity, and you’re sure to enjoy your road trip to the fullest.

11. Embrace the journey!

Going on an extended road trip will inevitably lead to some unexpected bumps along the way. You might get lost, run out of gas, book the wrong date for your hotel, or get a flat tire. Don’t panic! These hiccups are all part of the journey. These are the “mistakes” that lead to great stories you go home and tell your family and friends.

So, embrace the journey, roll with the punches, and you’ll set off on an adventure that will give you memories to last a lifetime.