Become A Professional Traveler + Travel Full Time (10 steps)
Becoming a professional traveler is an awesome thing. It’s a life full of adventure, epic experiences, culture, language, meeting amazing people and doing amazing things.
It’s a movie life and it’s creative and fun.
So this post shares my top moves for how to travel full time.
These tips come from my own experience and how I’m able to wander around and live abroad.
Now let’s get to it!
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What Is A “Professional” Traveler?
A professional traveler is someone who can travel and move around full time. They often earn money directly (through their traveling) or while on the move (remotely).
A professional traveler may sound like some formal title, but there are no degrees or certifications required.
You will however need some confidence, planning and the ability to embrace discomfort.
So let’s keep moving and look at the pros and cons of traveling full time.
Full-Time Travel (pros + cons)
Being a full time traveler is fun — but it’s not always romantic destinations and sunrise waterfall hikes.
Here are a few pros and cons to consider.
Some Benefits of Traveling Full Time
You’re living a life full of adventure and unique experience
You’re getting an unmatched education
You’ll meet amazing people and forge lifelong, global friendships
You’ll develop more of a growth mindset
You become more confident
You find unique opportunities
Some Downsides of Traveling Full Time
It can get lonely traveling full time
It can be hard to always feel like an outsider or not part of your local community
It’s difficult and expensive if you need to return home quickly
You have to say goodbye a lot (to all the amazing friends you meet along the way)
It’s exhausting
Living out of a suitcase (and not having a real home base) gets old
Examples of Professional Travelers
Here are a few people who always inspire me in my own travels:
Essentials for Traveling Full Time (checklist)
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✔ Your passport
This one is obvious, but be sure to check your expiration date and renew it in time
✔ Required documents, visas and things
This varies by country, so just check the appropriate websites to see if you need to prepare anything before arriving
✔ Proof of onward travel
You’ll need to have proof that you’re leaving the country you’re visiting (unless you’re working there and have the proper visa)
✔ Accommodations
You’ll need to share the address and phone for where you’ll be staying (initially) with immigration
✔ An income source
For example, I work as a remote freelancer
✔ Travel Insurance
You know, to cover any medical emergencies or other travel surprises
✔ Universal charger
A universal adapter lets you plug in and charge your stuff anywhere
✔ Essential toiletries
I like to bring extra deodorant and travel-sized toothpaste
✔ A power bank
Having an extra power source is super handy (especially when adventuring)
✔ A credit card with no foreign transaction fees
I use the AMEX Delta SkyMiles Gold Card
✔ A SIM card
A local or international SIM card will do
✔ Hardside suitcase with wheels
Protect your things with a hard shell (and trust me on the wheels…)
Recommended: International Travel Essentials Checklist
How to Travel Full Time (10 steps)
Ready to become a full-time traveler?
Epic. Here’s what I did.
1. Have A Clear Why
So, why do you want to travel full time?
Have you ever traveled for an extended amount of time?
And what are your goals or expectations for living a full-time, professional traveler lifestyle?
Answering these types of questions is a super helpful first step. Sometimes, our expectations don’t match reality. Other times, we just like the idea of something, not the thing itself.
Full-time travel requires a certain mindset and lifestyle. And managing your expectations while knowing your motivations will go a long way.
So if you’ve never traveled before, maybe start smaller with short-term trips.
And once you know exactly what you’re getting into, dial in on some specific goals or motivations for transitioning to the full-time travel life.
Plus, these details can be friendly reminders for those hard days on the road.
Recommended: Here’s Why Mindset Matters
2. Consider Your Traveler Type
Do you know what type of traveler you are?
If not, this is another helpful initial step. Because different travel styles will have different preferences, budgets and requirements.
For example, if you’re an adventure traveler, then paying extra attention to what travel insurance you’re buying is an important extra detail to consider (since you’ll need a plan that covers adventurous activities).
Clarifying your interests, habits and values can help improve your travel self awareness, planning and time abroad.
Of course, your travel style can evolve and be pretty contextual, but having a general sense always makes things easier.
3. Figure Out the Money Thing
Let’s address the elephant. To travel full time, you need money.
So now is the time to make an initial travel budget (of what you’ll realistically need) and figure out how you’ll earn money as a traveler.
Luckily, there are some solid ways to make money abroad, such as:
Freelancing
Working abroad
Starting a travel blog
Building a personal brand
My preferred methods are building a brand, working remotely and finding work overseas. But we can’t do everything all at once. And building a brand takes time.
I started my full-time travel journey by teaching abroad as an English teacher. This was an awesome stepping stone.
After a while, I transitioned to working online as a freelancer. And now, I’m focusing on building a personal brand and blogging.
So if you’re not sure where to start, I would look into working abroad or finding remote work. You can always pivot later.
Recommended: Best Remote Jobs for Travelers (what I do)
4. Start Planning
If you’re working overseas, your company sponsor should help you with the next couple of steps.
But after you’ve figured out the money thing, planning would be my next move.
For me, planning means:
Choosing your destination(s)
Researching your destination(s)
Exploring flights and accommodations
Figuring out all entry requirements
Finalizing your travel budget
Once you have a clearer picture for these details, it’s time to put your plans into action.
Recommended: 11 International Travel Essentials You Need
5. Book Stuff + Go
After planning, it’s time to book your tickets, reserve your accommodations and (the best part) go!
When purchasing your plane tickets, remember to buy another ticket for proof of onward travel. You may not always be required to show it, but it’s important to have (so you can prove you’ll be leaving each country you enter).
For accommodations, I usually book long-term stays, since I prefer slow traveler and usually stay in one place for a couple months at a time (while working on creative projects).
I usually use:
Once you’ve got your flights and accommodations (and any other reservations) booked, it’s time to pack your bags and go. Just be sure to always double check for any extra entry requirements you may need.
For example, South Korea was requiring an electronic entry registration for a while — although, this requirement was paused for many countries recently, including for U.S. citizens.
Still, it’s always best to double check everything so you know you’re good to go.
Recommended: Alternative Airlines Review (my experience)
6. Stay Flexible + Take Breaks
“The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.”
This is one of my favorite Japanese proverbs. And it’s the perfect reminder for full-time travelers!
Because things rarely go as planned and staying adaptable is a huge advantage. Simply planning ahead (by having a plan B) or just learning to love the bumps along the road can keep your adventures more chill.
Long-term travel requires a flexible, carefree mindset.
So remember, it’s okay to backtrack, pivot, take breaks or even quit altogether if you find things aren’t working.
Alternatively, starting as a part-time traveler is a solid option. This is actually pretty close to how I often travel (for example, staying in Japan for a few months and then visiting family for the summer).
So stay flexible, don’t feel like you need to always be traveling and embrace the journey for what it is (good or bad).
Recommended: How I Keep Travel Carefree + Stress-Free
7. Have An Exit Plan
If things get sketch, it’s important to have a way out — or a way home.
That’s why I like to always have an exit plan.
For me, this is a contingency fund that covers at least a flight back home if I need it.
So I like to keep a credit card as an emergency option or have some available PayPal credit to use for flights (through Alternative Airlines).
This is also another reason I like to keep my credit score in decent shape (in case I need a micro loan or to finance a flight).
So if you’re traveling full time, remember to include plans for a way out.
8. Connect With People + Find Community
Solo traveling can get pretty boring if you don’t have people to connect with.
So finding a travel community is an important part of full-time travel life. This is actually a big reason I like to stay at share houses while traveling — it’s an instant network.
Luckily, it’s pretty easy to find like-minded people these days. You can try sites like Meetup, go to cowork spots or just to find a community wherever you’re staying at.
Most countries will also have local expat communities you can connect with.
I’ve also used messaging apps like Tandem with success.
But of course, remember to use your best judgment and intuition (i.e., avoid weird people).
Recommended: Solo Travel Tips for Introverts
9. Have A Travel Project Or Purpose
This step isn’t necessary, but having a travel project has been a huge part of my journey.
It creates a higher sense of purpose and makes the adventure more creative. Travel projects or specific goals to work on while abroad. They give you motivation and a strong source of personal fulfillment.
For example, you could:
Grow a personal brand using social media
Make travel films
Make travel-inspired music
Start a travel blog
Do art and “paint the world”
Do cultural research
Learn the local language
While there’s nothing wrong with a little aimless wandering, having a bigger project in mind supports a more sustainable long-term travel strategy.
And your pursuit doesn't need to be complex or some grandiose vision. Simplicity works too.
Just remember to have fun.
Recommended: Create Your Travel Project + Purpose
10. Don’t Forget About Taxes
Even if you spend no time in your home country, you still need to file taxes.
I can only speak from experience as an American citizen, but if you’re living abroad, don’t forget to keep up with your tax stuff and file them in time to report your income.
Of course, I am the furthest thing from a tax professional, so don’t listen to me.
But Kathy from wanderers.wealth has a ton of valuable resources and videos about how to manage your finances as a full-time traveler. So check out her content to learn more (or talk to a tax professional).
Later ✌️
Full-time travel is a life full of adventure, creativity and fun.
While it’s not always easy, it’s more than possible. The most important thing is to clarify why you want to be a professional traveler and then figure out your logistics (like how to make money, what you need and budgeting).
To sustain life as a full-time traveler, it’s super helpful to have a community of like-minded explorers, not be afraid to take time off and create rewarding travel projects for your adventures.
Or, start slow by becoming a part-time traveler. This is just as fun and there are no rule, so whatever you can do is good.
Alright then, thanks for stopping by and epic travels out there!
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