Interview with an Affiliate: The Restless Adventurer

Hailey is a new member of the Manawa affiliate community, having joined us in early 2024. Growing up in Ontario, Canada, Hailey is from a family of outdoor adventure fanatics who spent their summers exploring Canadian national parks or travelling further afield to the USA and the Caribbean. In recent years Hailey has travelled to Kenya, Nepal, Norway, Croatia, Iceland, and among other destinations, Mexico. The Restless Adventurer is an ode to seizing the day and embarking on epic adventures!

What was the inspiration behind starting The Restless Adventurer?

In 2019, I embarked on an internship at a Fair-Trade Women’s organization in Kathmandu, Nepal. While I had travelled before, living abroad for 7 months sparked a strong desire in me to integrate travel into my regular life. During my time there, my mom and sister came to visit. I eagerly spent hours meticulously planning an itinerary for us to explore all the best things Nepal has to offer. This experience solidified my passion for trip planning and travel research. After my mom and sister left, I started a small travel blog to document my journey toward completing 30 bucket list adventures before turning 30. The list was more than just a catalog of adventures I’d like to do one day, it served as a personal challenge and reminder to stay proactive and seize every opportunity for epic experiences. Still, now, I live by that code. Whether I’m out in the world travelling or living in my home province, I make sure that adventuring is part of my life in some capacity. This is what inspired me to start The Restless Adventurer shortly after coming home from Nepal.

What made you want to join Manawa as an affiliate?

When Manawa approached me to join their affiliate program, I was thrilled. As a content creator for restless adventurers who share my love for outdoor and off-the-beaten-path activities, I knew my audience would resonate with Manawa’s epic adventures. As I scrolled through Manawa’s offerings, I found myself eager to participate in them. For me, recommending Manawa to my readers was a natural choice because these were experiences I personally wanted to embark on. In addition to the activities, I was impressed by the personalized approach and the sense of working with a small company that values feedback and responsiveness. One that I knew would provide genuine human support if I ever needed it when booking an activity with them.

What are your favourite destinations for outdoor activities in Canada?

Growing up in Canada, I had a massive playground of outdoor adventure destinations. Some of the best and my favourite are Jasper National Park in Alberta, Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland, and Whitehorse in the Yukon. Most people have heard of Banff National Park in Canada, however, Jasper National Park is only 3.5 hours from Banff with just as stunning landscapes and a lot fewer crowds. It maintains a more authentic and local feel, which is always my preference when travelling. Jasper offers so many amazing hikes to experience the Canadian Rockies, fantastic adventure tours, rafting excursions, and a better chance at spotting wildlife. The province of Newfoundland and Gros Morne National Park is in my opinion the most underrated area of Canada. Picture Norway's fjords and coastal towns, combined with Irish cliffs and culture, and Iceland’s impressive geology, all packed into one National Park on an island in the Atlantic. This is the area of Canada I most recently visited and was blown away by the adventures available there. Finally, the town of Whitehorse in Canada’s Northern Yukon Territory is the perfect destination for a rugged outback adventure in some of the country’s most impressive landscapes. Whitehorse is the largest city in all of Northern Canada, with only 25,000 people. It is surrounded by pristine wilderness, stunning mountains, and expansive ice fields. Whitehorse is an ideal basecamp for hiking in Kluane National Park, canoeing and kayaking on the Yukon river, spotting wildlife, and experiencing the Northern Lights.

Outside of Canada, what’s your favourite destination you’ve ever visited (we know there are many!)?

As most travellers will respond to this question, it is impossible to choose a favourite. However, one of my favourite destinations from my most recent travels is Patagonia in Chile. I spent my time in Torres del Paine National Park, trekking the famous W Trek. Another favourite would have to be Croatia. I was surprised by the number of outdoor adventures there are to do there. One of my favourite activities was a ziplining excursion through Omis’ mountains and over the Cetina River.

Of all the Manawa activities offered on Manawa, which one is your favourite?

My favourite Manawa activity has to be the Cruise Along Mostraumen Fjord and its Waterfalls in Bergen, Norway. Bergen ended up becoming one of my top 3 favourite cities in the world and I loved cruising through the towering fjords and seeing the colourful coastal towns within it. I also loved hiking atop Mount Floyen, one of the mountains surrounding Bergen. Both of these experiences make up some of my favourite memories of my trip to Norway.

In your view, what are the advantages of the Manawa affiliate program?

Manawa is by far my most successful affiliate partnership with the highest conversions out of any of the other travel companies I’ve been partnered with. I love recommending the activities to my readers because of how well they suit my audience and I trust that Manawa will do right by them. The tailored lists of activities that fit the destinations I’ve already written about, as well as trending destinations, are also incredibly helpful and spark ideas for future blog posts and even trips for myself.

And finally, which destination is next on your bucket list?

A bucket list destination for me right now is Costa Rica. The opportunity to hike on volcanoes, surf on stunning beaches, and wander through cloud forests is part of what puts this country high on my to do list. I’m also really drawn to the activities that Manawa offers there, such as the canyoning tour in La Fortuna’s waterfalls. I’ve also always wanted to try freediving, and Costa Rica’s Tamarindo is a great place for it!

Thank you to Hailey of The Restless Adventurer for the interview! Find out more about the Manawa affiliate program.