Joseph "Rich" Francis is a travel writer and full-time traveler of more than 10 years. He's lived on multiple continents and in a hodgepodge of different destinations, from the beach towns of the Mexican Pacific to the idyllic isles of southern Thailand, the ski centers of the Alps to the historic cities of Central Europe. He's a niche expert in surf-travel and adventure travel, and has published work in leading travel brands like Lonely Planet, The Culture Trip, and Seeker.
Today, you can find him blogging about the latest in surf destinations over on The Surf Atlas or about the latest bars in Krakow on KrakowBuzz. You can also find his portfolio site at JosephRichardFrancis.com.
Mexico takes over where the USA leaves off, rolling through some of the most wave-rich sectors of the central Pacific. Hop over the state line with California and you’ll hit the Baja, a region of pumping party towns, cacti-sprouting deserts, and point breaks that make the pros salivate. Keep going and the jungled hills creep …
Sri Lanka has an allure that few places on the globe can match. A mystical island steeped in verdant rainforests, topped by tea fields, speckled with ancient fortresses, and writhed in enthralling tales of Hindu demons and enlightened Buddhas, it’s a mishmash of cultures and creeds and natural landscapes that always manages to surprise. Then …
Portugal is to Europe what Bali is to Indonesia. It’s the surf haven of the whole continent, offering the most consistent swells across a veritable hodgepodge of breaks, some uber-famous, some totally hidden. You can come here to score peeling beachies that curl into the golden sands of the sunny Algarve. Or you can come …
Indonesia is a surf mecca like no other on earth. Set over a whopping 17,000 islands between the Sulu Sea and the Indian Ocean, it’s a land that hoovers up swell from the depths of the Southern Hemisphere and combines it with tropical islands laced with coral reefs and underwater volcanic topography. The result? A …
Welcome to the Emerald Isle! A land of rolling greenery, craggy mountains, mysterious Celtic ruins, crumbling castles, leprechaun-dotted forests, shanty pubs set to the ditties of Gaelic folk, rowdy beer bars and salt-sprayed coastlines, Ireland really is a wonder to behold. Here, we take a look at 15 of the top spots that every traveler …
Malaysia is the crowning jewel that lies at the very end of Southeast Asia, jutting out with the Malaccan Straits to meet the islands of Indonesia and the Java Sea. It’s a nation distinctly divided in two. On the western side sits built-up Malaya; the old stronghold of British colonial power that’s now buzzing with …
There was a time when Mongolia could have ruled the world. Up here, high on the plateaus that sweep out from the glacial Altai Mountains, the mighty Mongolian Steppe has played host to hordes of riders and footmen, all commanded by that now-mythic figure: Genghis Khan. However, the prophetic Turkic empire from the east wasn’t …
Left to the mercy of the soft and lapping Indian Ocean, the islands of the Maldives have been sculpted and formed into unquestionably one of the most quintessentially beautiful tropical places on the globe. Ranging from the powdered beaches of the northern atolls to the earthy sea shacks and fishing hamlets of the southern isles, …
From energised rocks in the middle of the Aussie Outback to spooky hotels a la Stephen King, the homes of famous vamps to off-the-beaten track groves of malformed trees in the depths of Slavic Europe, this list of the world’s most mysterious places to visit is sure to have something to pique the interest. No …
Liberia has not exactly had the smoothest of journeys. Founded by freed slaves, you could say the country was built on the darker histories of the 18th and 19th centuries. But Liberia also signified a newfound liberation for the returned victims of the Slave Trade. It meant a nostos to the homeland, and a country …