Laura Schulthies

A University of Oregon journalism graduate, Laura began her passion for exploring the world during her first visit to Mexico at age 12, which sparked a lifelong dedication to discovering and sharing authentic travel experiences. Since launching her professional writing career, Laura has traveled to over 40 countries worldwide, combining academic study in destinations including Guatemala, Mexico, Taiwan, and Thailand with sustained travel journalism that provides both cultural depth and practical travel insights.

As a professional tour guide in multiple international destinations, Laura gained invaluable ground-level experience working directly with travelers and developing intimate knowledge of local customs, hidden gems, and authentic cultural experiences. This hands-on guiding experience, combined with her extensive travel writing background, allows her to provide practical advice rooted in real-world tourism operations and guest expectations.

Laura has also created travel video content for web platforms, with her online travel videos garnering tens of thousands of views and complementing her written work with visual storytelling. Her primary focus remains on in-depth travel writing that captures the essence of destinations through detailed cultural observation and practical travel guidance.

Since 2016, Laura has co-owned an adventure tour company that has earned TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards for five consecutive years, demonstrating her ability to deliver exceptional travel experiences beyond just writing about them. This hands-on business experience provides her with unique insights into tourism operations, guest satisfaction, and destination logistics that enhance the authenticity and practical value of her travel content.

Currently based in the Caribbean, Laura offers insider perspectives that go beyond typical tourist experiences. Having lived and studied extensively in Taiwan, Central America, and Southeast Asia, she provides unique insights into regional differences, local customs, and authentic travel opportunities. Her particular expertise spans numerous Caribbean islands, Hawaii, Mexico, Guatemala, Taiwan, Thailand and more, providing her with a deep knowledge of these premier tropical and cultural destinations. Her professional tour guiding experience across multiple locations, combined with her commitment to cultural immersion, ensures authentic and practical travel advice from someone who has both lived in and professionally guided travelers through these destinations.

Laura focuses on tropical and island travel writing with cultural immersion, making her a leading authority on:

• Caribbean islands destinations and inter-island travel
• Hawaii travel and Pacific Island experiences
• Central American travel and cultural destinations
• Taiwan and Southeast Asian cultural immersion
• Sustainable and responsible tourism practices
• Professional tour guiding insights and guest experience
• Authentic local experiences in tropical settings
• Travel content creation across multiple platforms

Her extensive time living, studying, and working as a professional guide in these regions, combined with her journalism background and travel writing expertise, ensures readers receive accurate, current, and culturally aware travel advice from someone who has truly experienced these destinations from multiple perspectives.

Laura continues to explore and document the world’s most beautiful tropical destinations, sharing her discoveries through Island Life Guides and other travel platforms. Her commitment to authentic, experience-based travel writing helps readers discover the true essence of paradise destinations worldwide while respecting local cultures and communities. Drawing from her extensive travel writing portfolio and professional guiding experience, Laura provides insights that bridge the gap between visitor expectations and authentic local experiences.

Contact Laura at laura@islandlifeguides.com