About Just Wanderlust

Hi, I’m Diana—a longtime traveler, curious wanderer, and the one behind Just Wanderlust.

My love of travel has taken me to over 100 countries in the past 25 years. I started out visiting the most popular destinations, checking off “must-see” lists on whirlwind trips I planned during the limited vacation days I had (yes, I have a full-time job!).

But the more I traveled, the deeper I fell in love with the world. I fell in love with the places, people, and cultures I’d rarely been exposed to back home. I fell in love with wandering centuries-old markets, marveling at ancient architecture, uncovering forgotten histories, and the humility and hospitality so graciously offered to me—a random Asian woman who no doubt stands out in these lands—by strangers along the way. I fell in love with nature’s wonders too: windswept coastlines, towering sand dunes, and otherworldly landscapes. I fell in love with visiting places few think to explore.

These days, you’ll find me traveling solo, with my husband, with my kids— or any combo of the above.

Visiting some of the world’s most overlooked and underrated places has taught me to unlearn truths, rethink assumptions, and reflect deeply on our place in the world. I’m endlessly grateful to get to share these experiences with my family.

I’ve learned that the real magic from travel hides in some of the barely-touched corners of the world, exploring the places that are overlooked yet quietly, wildly rewarding.

I created Just Wanderlust to help you do the same.

Here, you’ll find guides, tips, and my unfiltered experience about what it’s actually like to explore lesser-known places (and the occasional more popular place).

My goal? To expand your sense of where’s worth going, save you time and stress, and inspire you to travel off the beaten path with confidence.

Let’s be real – travel advice is only as good as the experience behind it. The more you’ve seen, the harder you are to impress. 😉 Having explored the world for over two decades, it takes a lot more to “wow” me today than it did when I first started out.

Here’s a glimpse of my “travel resume” so you know where my perspective comes from. 👇🏼

Where I’ve been:

countries I’ve visited are shaded

Travel Highlights:

Travel far and often enough, and the highlight reel gets long. It’s impossible to list them all, but here’s a peek at the kind of adventures that fuel my wanderlust and my travel advice:

  • Walking through ancient Babylon in Iraq
  • Witnessing the start of a revolution in Syria
  • Wild camping in Socotra
  • Hanging with the Himba tribe in Namibia
  • Staying in a yurt in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia
  • Visiting tea plantations in Bangladesh
  • Cooking matapa in Mozambique
  • Coming face to face with an elephant outside my tent in Botswana
  • Road tripping through Oman
  • Standing a few feet from rhino in Eswatini
  • Roasting marshmallows on a volcano in Guatemala
  • Shopping at a fish market alongside sea lions in the Galapagos
  • Watching glaciers crumble into the water in Patagonia
  • Having tea with Bedouins in Jordan
  • Getting lost in the bloody past of Algiers’ Casbah
  • Hiking in Greenland

My Travel Style:

I’m an independent traveler who’s always looking for something different. I’m way past my party girl era (Thailand’s Full Moon Party would be my idea of a nightmare!), done with crammed group tours, and have zero interest in checking off the same “Top 10” lists. I’m after the wild landscapes, must-eat foods, ancient ruins, and local ways of life in places that still feel like themselves. I’m searching for places with soul, not the places that have traded that for mass tourism!

I’m a planner (I have to know where I’m staying at night) but I always leave flexibility to wander and linger.  If a side street looks interesting? I’m checking it out. If a cafe has a special view? I’m making time for drinks! The day may be packed but the pace won’t feel rushed.

I look for value, comfort, and local character—boutique stays when possible, budget-friendly when practical, and I’ll splurge when it adds real value (think: private guides or once-in-a-lifetime experiences).

I don’t mind if a place has minimal tourism infrastructure. In fact, that might actually excite me a little bit. 😉

My recommendations are for the independent traveler who wants to go deep but keep things practical — the backpacker who’s grown up, has a bit more money (and less time, no thanks to adulting), but who’s still yearning for that natural travel high and the stories they’ll tell when they’re older. If that’s you, you’ll like it here!