School
New College Of Florida
Expertise
Sustainable Travel, Latin America, The Caribbean
- Mariana has over ten years of experience as a travel writer.
- She was a staff writer at Far & Wide, where she regularly covered hotels, food, culture, and all things travel.
- She has lived in several countries and speaks English, Spanish, French fluently, and Korean at a basic level.
Experience
Mariana was born in Colombia before moving to the U.S. at the age of 10. She's lived in France and South Korea and has traveled to over 45 countries. Before 2020, she was a digital nomad for several years. She mostly looks for off-the-beaten path destinations and experiences and focuses on sustainable travel and food. She's also an avid hiker and a certified scuba diver. Her work has been published by the BBC, Travel + Leisure, Atlas Obscura, Thrillist, and more.
Education
Mariana has a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from New College of Florida. She also completed a semester at the Institut Catholique de Paris, where she studied French and sociology.
Islands content is created by a team of veteran writers and editors passionate about travel. Outside experts with deep field knowledge sometimes inform our work with additional context and perspectives by way of exclusive commentary. Our goal is to offer readers well-rounded and diverse articles that inform, entertain, and inspire.
Our editors consistently review and update articles to ensure they're providing current, relevant, and useful information. Complete information on our editorial process is available here.
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Destinations
By Mariana Zapata
Swim in a luxurious glass-bottom rooftop pool at this well-reviewed Miami Beach hotel that offers world-class amenities and a prime beachside location.
By Mariana Zapata
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Destinations
By Mariana Zapata
When visiting the futuristic and modern Singapore, make sure you don’t bring chewing gum with you, since the product is illegal in the unique Asian country.
By Mariana Zapata
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Destinations
By Mariana Zapata
Fort Lauderdale houses a premium neighborhood that makes it easy for visitors to either stay in the quiet spots, or get right into the center of action.
By Mariana Zapata
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Destinations
By Mariana Zapata
Treasured national parks across the United States are facing a chaotic and uncertain future in the wake of a federal shake-up that may hinder future vacations.
By Mariana Zapata
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