September 15 - October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month, a time where Latino and Hispanic cultures are celebrated. Here at HomeExchange, we strive to make travel as diverse and accessible as possible, and that includes lifting up Latinx travel influencers. If you’re looking for new social media accounts and blogs to follow, we’ve put together a list of 6 Latino travel influencers to tune into to help you plan your next getaway.
Discover HomeExchangeOlga Maria Czarkowski, founder of Latinas Who Travel and Dreams in Heels
If you’re looking for advice on how to travel solo (and even in heels), then Olga Maria is is a great resource! Her blog, Dreams in Heels, documents her trips and gives advice on how to safely and confidently be a solo female traveler. Originally from a small town in Puerto Rico, Olga Maria was bullied for having a leg condition that altered how she walked, but she found comfort in putting on a pair of heels and taking on the world. At the age of 18, she moved to New York City, even though she didn’t know English. She built a life for herself, and then created her own adventures through travel. Wearing her heels, she explores the world and shares her journeys with her audience. On top of her lifestyle blog, she is the founder of Latinas Who Travel, a community and movement dedicated to encouraging Latinas and women of color to travel more.
Olivia Christine, founder of the blog, O. Christine
If you’re a beginner to travelling or if you would like to take it easy while on vacation, then O. Christine’s blog is guaranteed to be an excellent resource. An Afro-Latina influencer from the South Bronx in New York City, "O." has travelled to over 35 countries and has visited more than 40 states. As someone who is living with lupus, an autoimmune disease , O. shares ways to travel, go on exciting adventures, and enjoy the great outdoors in ways that are both fun and accessible. If you’re a city slicker who wants to spend some more time outdoors, then her blog is perfect for you!
Gloria Apara, founder at Nomadic Chica
With her love of travel, it’s no surprise that Gloria Apara decided to share her passion for discovery with others. A former physiotherapist from Santiago, Chile, Gloria started her journey when she was 18 and took a trip to Peru and Ecuador by herself and realized how fulfilling it can be to travel solo. On her blog, she shares her experiences wandering around the world, travel tips, and what it’s like to travel the world solo as a Chilean and Latina woman.
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Dash Harris Machado and Javier Wallace, co-founders AfroLatinx Travel
Did you know that there are over 150 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean of African descent? As the founders of AfroLatinx Travel, Dash Harris Machado and Javier Wallace hope to share the culture and beauty of the African diaspora in Latin America with others. Since 2010, the two have worked together to facilitate cultural exchanges and tours that educate travelers on AfroLatinx heritage. Through their organization, they also offer other activities to help people reconnect with their African roots, such as doll making, cocada-making tutorials (a coconut candy from Colombia), and book discussions. Head on over to their website to see what activities they have going on, and consider taking their AfroPanama Day Tour in Panama City, Panama if you’re planning on taking a trip to South America.
Flavia Cornejo Vargas, creator at Latina Traveler
Flavia is a first-generation Peruvian-American expat currently living in Barcelona, Spain who shares her love of traveling solo with her blog’s readers. When a visitor first arrives on her blog, one of the first things they will see is “Viaja more y live más.” This means “Travel more and live more,” which is the ethos of Flavia’s approach to life. Through her blog, podcast, and social media, she shares tips on traveling solo, her experience as a Peruvian American woman, caring for your mental health, and other lifestyle topics.
Jessica van Dop DeJesus, creator of The Dining Traveler and author of The Dining Traveler Guide to Puerto Rico
As an award-winning travel and food influencer, Jessica van Dop DeJesus has been actively traveling for over 25 years and has visited more than 60 different countries. Her journey as an adventurer began when she was serving in the U.S. Marines and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. After a love of travel was instilled in her, she began jetting off to other parts of the world, even going so far as to call several places her home: Brussels, Belgium, Washington, DC, and Western New York. As a foodie, Jessica also enjoys cooking and trying out new cuisines and loves sharing stories of global foods.
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Inspiring, strong, and adventurous - These Latino travel influencers are breaking boundaries and building bridges between cultures. If watching these adventurers explore the world gives you an overwhelming sense of wanderlust, then HomeExchange can help you have a life-changing and affordable vacation.
