Jimmy Im is NYC-based travel writer, TV host and instructor, as well as the cofounder of OutEscapes.com and GayTripperBlog.com. He writes for Travel Channel, Fodor’s, Out and more. As an avid traveler, Jimmy has trekked the globe for exciting adventures, from taking a cargo vessel to the Marquesa Islands to bullfighting in Spain (seriously!). If he’s not discovering new territory, Jimmy can be found in the comfort of his Lower East Side neighborhood.
Cheapflights: How did you get into travel writing?
Jimmy Im: I started with an editorial position at Business Traveler magazine, which launched my career. I always had a passion to travel but never knew I could get paid for it.
CF: What would be your ideal press trip?
JI: An off-the-radar, rustic resort with a group of my other travel writer friends.
CF: We read that your maxim is “You don’t really visit a destination unless you’ve learned something about yourself.” What destination sticks out as the place that had the most profound effect on you?
JI: It depends on what I was going through at the time. I had some moments of clarity on islands in Malaysia (on how my First World problems were ridiculous) and Greenland (on how it would suck to be isolated from human interaction). A safari in Kenya empowered me, especially in my tent at night where I could hear animals on my front porch.
CF: What is an absolute must on your packing list?
JI: Laptop and painkillers (it turns out I’m walking insurance).
CF: Any tips on researching a new destination before taking off?
JI: I generally just go with the flow and don’t read too much about the destination before I get there. I like to learn from the locals, not the guidebooks.
CF: How do you recommend anxious travelers stretch their comfort zone?
JI: Good question, and it’s all about being comfortable with yourself first.
CF: Of the airports you’ve passed through – Stateside and abroad – which is the most convenient?
JI: I love JetBlue’s terminal at JFK. Free Wi-Fi and actually good food!
CF: Who’s the most memorable seatmate you’ve had on a plane?
JI: I sat next to a poet once (Honor Moore), who gave me insight into her crazy world (poets are weird, but in the best way possible).
CF: What countries or regions do you believe offer the best bang for your buck?
JI: Thailand, Arizona (off peak), Cambodia and Belize. Belize is one of my favorites as there are many destinations within the destination (beach, jungle water activities, etc.). I recently stayed at Victoria House, a super intimate resort that’s very luxurious – but they have so many types of affordable accommodations (from infinity suites to plantation rooms) for all types of travelers, most of whom are cool, young couples. It’s on completely dilapidated island (Ambergris Caye), where you drive golf carts to get around and everyone walks barefoot. From here, you can easily access one of the awesome Mayan ruins or go swimming with nurse sharks and manta rays.
CF: Is there a destination that without fail (barring floods and famine) you visit regularly?
JI: I love San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. It’s still off the beaten path, but there are so many unique attractions you can’t find anywhere else in the world. I’m a sucker for astronomy, and the skies here are the clearest in the world, thanks to its elevation and little light pollution. It feels like you can just graze the constellations, they appear so close. I also love Asheville, North Carolina. The food is completely underrated, the locals are creative and the 24 vortexes (strong energy points in the world) really have an effect on me. It also reminds me of growing up in Georgia: You enter a bar (they’re mostly dive bars here) and you’ll hear some straight-up, Southern style booty shake. You can’t find that in New York City.
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(Image: Serge Melki)
