Matthew Allison · World Explorer
Visited Every Country on Earth
Adventures in remote cultures, wildlife habitats, caves, and wilderness regions across 197 countries and 250+ territories.
The Journey
Explore the World Through My Map
Click on any country to discover stories, photos, and videos from my adventures around the world.
Explore the MapLatest Stories
Exploring the Pristine Jungle Clad Islands and Sea Gypsy Villages of the Mergui Islands, Myanmar
May 2005: For years I would stare at the map and wonder about the uninhabited archipelago of islands in the south of Myanmar and the sea gypsies, their only occupants who tend to live longer on the sea in their makeshift boats than on land. The islands were one of...
Road Trip Across the Fairytale Land of Mystical Castles, Mountains and Superstitions-Transylvania
May 2005: My friend and I rented a Dacia, a small Romanian-made car, and spent a week driving around Romania, focusing on Transylvania. This mountainous region in central Romania, with an average elevation of 5,000 feet, is steeped in superstitions about werewolves...
Seeing Syria-One of the Least Visited and Most Rewarding Places on Earth Before the War
Damascus, Palmyra and BosraA Glimpse of Syria Before It Changed Forever March 2005: As part of a larger Middle East journey, my friend and I spent three days in Syria, determined to see as much as possible in our limited time. Even then, we sensed that visiting as...
A Cold Snowy Day in Amsterdam, Netherlands
A Stopover in Amsterdam and Haarlem: Bicycles, Canals, and a City of Contrasts March 2005: As part of a 10-day trip to Jordan, Israel and Syria, and even a short layover to have dinner with my family in my childhood neighborhood in Minneapolis, my friend and I visited...
Petra, Haunted Desert Castles and the Desert of Lawrence Arabia and the Beduin-Wadi Rum, Jordan
Chasing Legends: My Journey to Petra and Beyond March 2005: Jordan had been calling to me for years—its ancient ruins, biblical history, and vast mystical deserts igniting my imagination. But above all, one place stood at the heart of my wanderlust: Petra. Like many,...
Visiting One of the Most Magical and Conflicted Cities on Earth-Jerusalem, Israel & Palestine
Walking Through History: Three Days in Jerusalem March 2005: As part of a larger 10-day journey with a friend—one that took us through Jordan, Syria, and even Amsterdam—I spent three days in Jerusalem, Israel. From the moment I arrived, I was acutely aware that I had...
About Matthew
A Lifetime Spent Beyond the Familiar
I have spent more than 29 years exploring the planet, visiting every country on Earth and experiencing some of its most remote cultures, wildernesses, and wildlife. My mission is to inspire curiosity, respect for different cultures, and a lifelong desire to explore.
Learn More About Me