Welcome to BWAB!
I’m Jona—a full-time SEO and content manager, weekend travel blogger, and lifelong storyteller. My journey began with reading Resil Mojares' House of Memory and Oliver Sack's The Island of the Colorblind, inspiring me to explore over 30 countries across Asia, Oceania, and Europe.
For over a decade, Backpacking with a Book has grown from a personal blog into a trusted guide for digital nomads—packed with practical travel tips, thrilling dive experiences in Southeast Asia and beyond, and thoughtful bookish destinations. I also run homehums.com, where I share my experiences as a traveling mom along with practical parenting hacks and honest product reviews.
I’m open to paid collaborations and travel sponsorships in exchange for high-quality UGC or SEO-optimized content. Let’s create something impactful together!
For real-time puns and awkward travel stories, follow me on Instagram.
what's popular
destination guides
You may not know how to save your soul, but you know how to put one foot in front of another.—Rebecca Solnit
May 7, 2025
As someone who grew up surrounded by waters, I thought I’d seen every kind of blue – but then came Lugano. It was my first taste of Switzerland, and let’s just say… it left a lasting aftertaste of awe. My German-Swiss partner, ever the meticulous planner, mapped out a week-long […]
March 30, 2025
We all have that one story of how the travel bug bit us. Mine? It started back in university. I was leading the school publication, and the student body president and I were invited to a nationwide student leaders’ press con… in Boracay. That was nearly twenty years ago. Since […]
March 29, 2025
I moved to Munich, Germany in November 2021. Despite being three hours by train away, Paris never appealed to me and only traveled there in December 2022 to meet some dearly missed friends. Traveling to Paris in December has its own charms and pitfalls. I would love to visit the […]
January 16, 2025
When I learned that Vienna has a Shakespeare and Co, I knew I had to visit. As someone who fell in love with its Parisian counterpart, stepping into its Viennese location felt like revisiting an old friend in a new city. Nestled in the heart of Vienna, this cozy bookshop […]
digital nomad guides
And her joy would become a restless thing, flapping its wings inside her, as though looking for an opening to fly away.
― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
May 21, 2024
Travel or study… which one will you pick? The thing is, they’re both important – perhaps even essential – in their own way, but you can’t do them both at the same time, and at some point, you’ll need to make a choice. That’s right, isn’t it? Well, perhaps not. […]
May 3, 2024
Traveling for business can be fun until you find yourself filling out the expense reports. Doing so accurately does take a lot of time away from both business and pleasure. But there’s no overstating the importance of due diligence in this area if you want to maintain your business’s financial […]
April 10, 2024
Modern-day adventurers, we find ourselves living in an increasingly globalized and connected world. Gone are the days when intrepid explorers had to cart around hefty fanny packs filled with travelers cheques or multiple currencies. In the age of digital currencies, and specifically Bitcoin, the digital nomad landscape has undergone a […]
January 3, 2024
As a poet, fictionist, and an essayist, it is ingrained in us that it is one of our duties to write about and write for our own people. My people, in this context, means my fellow Filipinos and their own brand of triumphs and sorrows. Perhaps I’m too individualistic or […]
reading life
My grandfather says that's what books are for," Ashoke said, using the opportunity to open the volume in his hands. "To travel without moving an inch.― Jhumpa Lahiri
March 20, 2023
Seattle is a city with an infectious love for literature and a thriving independent bookstore scene. Visitors to the city should not miss the opportunity to explore the many charming and unique bookstores that Seattle has to offer. From the iconic and the hip to the cozy neighborhood feel, each […]
March 1, 2023
Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Mohsin Hamid, Carmen Maria Machado, Tracy K. Smith, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, and Little Gems on the Internet I aimed for fifty books read last year. I only read 20. I still considered it as an achievement of sort, considering the personal turmoil I had adapting to a new country. Before coming […]
May 9, 2018
MISREADINGS: We Loved Our Lives More Than We Ever Knew | Lorrie Moore | A Gate at the Stairs Let me start with a confession. Lorrie Moore was a bandaid after my bedtime attempts and failures on reading and understanding Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch, which absurdly became strings after strings […]
August 8, 2012
Jeffrey Eugenides’ Middlesex novel is on the mysterious convenience of biology, on Detroit in the 60s, and the doubts, regrets, and triumphs of love. Buy Middlesex here. “What time did you go to bed last night?” asked P, who is always concerned about my crazy sleeping habits, which he thinks […]
life and food
One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.—Virginia Woolf
July 8, 2024
Portland, Oregon, where untamed wilderness converges with cutting-edge creativity, is a city of contrasts. Picture yourself hiking through dense forests in the morning and savoring artisanal coffee in a cozy cafe by afternoon. It’s a place where food trucks offer gourmet surprises and indie musicians set the night on fire. […]
July 8, 2024
Durham, where history’s grit mingles with vibrant modernity, is a city that defies expectations. Imagine wandering through old tobacco warehouses repurposed as trendy eateries by day, then enjoying a craft beer in a buzzing pub by night. This isn’t just a place; it’s a testament to transformation, where tradition and […]
July 7, 2024
There is New York the city and there is New York the state. Nestled in the heart of the Adirondacks, Lake George is where rugged wilderness meets old-school charm. Picture this: you paddle across crystal-clear waters by day and relish a hearty meal in a cozy lakeside tavern by night. […]
July 5, 2024
Boston is a city that wears its history on its sleeve, where cobblestone streets meet cutting-edge innovation. It’s a place where you can sip chowder in a centuries-old tavern, then catch a game at Fenway, where the ghosts of revolutionaries linger in the crisp New England air. This isn’t just […]