Nicole Cord-Cruz
School
De La Salle University
Expertise
Budget Travel, Asian Destinations, Digital Nomad Life
- Nicole once drove 20 hours to Batad, a remote village in the Philippines, to visit the world-renowned Banaue Rice Terraces.
- Before she even thought about writing for a living, she ran an Angie's List-esque lifestyle blog on Tumblr, where she documented her trips and recommended travel hacks, shows and movies, lifestyle tips, and other interesting finds to an audience of over 5,000.
- In her early 20s, Nicole worked in a wide array of cities, including London, Tokyo, Singapore, and Manila.
Experience
Nicole joined Static Media in 2021 and has written for Nicki Swift, Explore, and Islands. Through her experience with multiple brands, she found that her best writing comes out when she's doling out tips on how to score the cheapest flights or find the best hole-in-the-wall restaurants in cities all over the globe. Nicole discovered that she had a knack for writing when the poem she wrote for the school magazine in third grade turned out to be a haiku. Since then, she has resolved to become a professional wordsmith, stringing words together to tell a compelling story. Her career started in social media, where she had her fun crafting witty tweets and Instagram posts, and then shifted to tech, where she worked as a project manager and produced more briefs than she knew what to do with. But she later realized that storytelling is where her true passion lies and decided to shift to full-time writing. Over the years, she worked on various projects that enabled her to write nearly every type of content, from greeting cards to blogs to listicles to advertorials.
Education
Nicole holds a bachelor's degree in organizational communication from De La Salle University, where she was part of the dean's list for several trimesters. For her thesis and internship, she helped create social media and direct mail campaigns for Make-A-Wish Foundation to help more kids get their wishes granted.
Explore’s content is created by qualified and experienced writers and editors, bolstered by outside field experts. Our mission is to provide readers with well-rounded and accurate information by way of entertaining and engaging articles that deliver a diversity of content, including everything from detailed guides for exotic locales to easily accessible information on domestic travel.
Our editors consistently review and update articles to ensure they're providing current, relevant, and useful information. Complete information on our editorial process available here.
Stories By Nicole Cord-Cruz
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If you travel frequently, you know going through airport security can be stressful. Luckily, TikTok has some tips to help make the process smoother.
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Having a working phone is crucial when traveling. If you're going to Europe, you should consider buying a SIM card to save some money, according to Rick Steves.
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Booking a cruise can be incredibly stressful and time-consuming, but if you know when to do so, you could save yourself tons of money and effort.
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Are you a first-timer going through airport security? Don't worry; we have got you covered with some helpful tips to make the process smoother.
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If you're planning your next vacation and need some research tips, look no further than Rick Steves. Keep reading to learn his top recommendations.
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Traveling abroad can be a great experience, but it also means packing efficiently and planning carefully for various situations, including how to do laundry.
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Flight delays and cancellations are stressful, especially when you don’t know what you’re entitled to. These TikTok tips will help you get through it.
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Putting together your cruise budget? You'll need to set aside a little bit more for the staff. Here's why gratuities are going up across several major lines.
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Nobody wants to lose their money, especially when traveling. Luckily, you can repurpose something you use in the bathroom to protect your funds.
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Fleas aren't just a nuisance for your dog. These pests can show up anywhere in the world. That's why we put together tips to help protect yourself.
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Cyber Monday and Black Friday have become well-known holiday shopping events. Now you can add this exciting discount day to your quest for travel-related deals.
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With Samantha Brown's space-saving tips, you can pack everything you need for your trip in a carry-on and avoid the hassle of checking in luggage.
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We're all guilty of over-indulging when traveling but if you want to be more eco-conscious, there are plenty of easy ways to make your next vacation greener.
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There was a time when you could go directly to a gate even if you weren't flying. Those days are coming back! These airports offer programs just for that.
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Those cruise deals can look too good to be true. Are they? Travel agent Victoria Fricke tells Explore what to do and not to when booking your ocean getaway.
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Europe is one of the top travel destinations in the world, so it can get pretty busy. We share Rick Steves' tips on the best time to avoid the crowds.
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This idyllic Florida town is straight out of the Truman Show. Come experience a slice of utopia that promises a simple, beautiful life -- and plenty to do.
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European subways are convenient and inexpensive -- but they can also be crime hotspots. Travel expert Rick Steves has some practical advice on staying safe.
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It's exciting traveling to a new city or country. However, it's essential to stay safe while exploring, which is easy to do with top hacks from Samantha Brown.
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Uber is amazingly convenient, but it comes at a cost. To help you save some money, we've compiled a list of ways to get free or discounted Uber rides.
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There's more than one leaning tower in Italy, and the Due Torre in Bologna is so unstable that it may close to tourists in the near future because of it.
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The Island in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is a theme park loaded with family-friendly attractions that's open year-round and, crucially, entry is free.
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Europe is digitizing and streamlining its entry process for non-EU citizens, but it's being delayed again. We have everything you need to know.
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Whether it's booking on a Tuesday or booking extra early, we've all heard of these common myths to save some money on flights. We're here to debunk them.
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Airports are the worst. Luckily, we've rounded up some of Samantha Brown's best airport travel tips to help make your experience as smooth as possible.
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Bus tours are a great way to experience Europe, but there are some important things to keep in mind. We’ve gathered Rick Steves’ top tips for a great bus tour.
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Uber can be an essential travel tool, but if you don't have data or wi-fi, it's hard to book a ride. Fortunately, there are ways to book a ride without the app.