About Us
Welcome to Sand In My Suitcase! We’re humbled you want to know more about us.
Luxury travel with a twist of adventure!
We’re George and Janice Mucalov – former lawyers turned travel writers and publishers. Much more fun, don’t you think?
Sand In My Suitcase is where we share the kind of travel we love – luxury escapes, beautiful hotels, outdoor adventures and cultural discoveries. Sometimes indulgent, sometimes surprisingly affordable…
If you’re ready to explore, you can jump right in: 👉 Start here
What we’re about
We believe luxury travel doesn’t have to be stuffy – and adventure doesn’t have to be rough. And that’s exactly what you’ll find here on our award-winning travel blog:
- Inspiring destination guides
- Reviews of boutique hotels, villa resorts and private-pool suites
- Small ship and luxury cruising experiences
- Cultural discoveries, global flavors and hidden gems
- Practical travel tips to make your journeys easier and more joyful
Who we are
We’re both lifelong travelers.
George was born in Romania and grew up in Germany. Janice was born in England and raised in Australia.
We met while working as lawyers in Calgary, later moved to Vancouver, and now live in Victoria (British Columbia).
Shortly after we married, Janice left law to pursue travel writing full-time. Her work has appeared in:
- USA Today
- The Globe and Mail
- Toronto Star
- South China Morning Post
- Vancouver Sun
- enRoute
- TravelAge West
- AAA Carolinas GO
As the Internet reshaped how travelers searched for information, we launched Sand In My Suitcase in 2012 – a place where we could bring our love of luxury travel and adventure together.
Today, thousands of readers visit the blog for trusted travel inspiration, and we have a thriving newsletter and Facebook community.
Janice Mucalov
Founder and Chief Luxury Writer
Driven by wanderlust and an unapologetic taste for traveling in style, Janice is always searching for bucket-list places and gorgeous stays. She’s the planner (and the worrywart). Her happy place? Paddling a SUP board.
George Mucalov
Co-Publisher and Editor
George is Janice’s travel companion, researcher, editor and calm navigator. Curious about the world, he’s always eager to learn about the story behind a place. People think he sounds Irish, though he’s never been to Ireland. Yet.
✨Awards and recognition
We’re tickled that our blog and travel writing have been recognized with several awards, including:
- Best Travel Blog – 1st Place (SATW Canadian Chapter, 2017)
- Best Travel Column/Blog – Finalist (TMAC 2018 Awards)
- Best Blog Post – 3rd Place (SATW 2018 Awards)
- Best Independent Travel Blog – Silver (NATJA 2015 Awards)
Our travel style
We confess. We’re luxury lovers, drawn to overwater bungalows and boutique hotels full of charm.
Our best trips blend comfort, culture and just the right amount of adventure, whether that’s hiking a scenic ridge, exploring a medieval town or snorkeling.
We also care about traveling responsibly and gravitate toward places and experiences that support local communities. We regularly donate to Doctors Without Borders.
Where we like to travel
Sunny winter escapes
Mexico (hello Los Cabos!) feels like our second home.
We also love islands in the Caribbean (especially St. Martin/St. Maarten) and the Hawaiian sunshine.
Europe
Every spring or fall, we find ourselves returning to Mallorca, Croatia, Italy, Portugal, the Greek islands, Turkey and more.
With George’s family in Germany, Europe will always be part of our story.
British Columbia
In summer, we stay close to home, exploring our home province of British Columbia – its mountains, wine country and islands. There’s always something new.
Far-flung adventures
Occasionally wanderlust takes us far – maybe Bora Bora, Zanzibar or Thailand. Between us, we’ve visited all seven continents, even Antarctica!
Cruises
We also have a crush on cruising – especially small ships, tall ships and river cruises offering a more intimate, immersive experience.
What we like to do when traveling
You’ll often find us hiking, snorkeling, biking, exploring UNESCO sites, strolling city streets, chatting with locals, and savoring ethnic cuisine and good wine.
And yes, we like to have fun while we do it!
Professional memberships
Janice is a long-time member of:
Our promise to you
We write what we truly think – the good and the not-so-good. We follow SATW and NATJA codes of ethics.
See our editorial and disclosure policy for details.
Start exploring
Enough about us… Ready to discover some beautiful places?
👉 Start here – For our destination guides, top posts and travel inspiration.
👉 Media kit – If you’d like to collaborate.
👉 Contact – Say hello at any time!
Our top travel tips and resources
→ General trip planning: TripAdvisor is a helpful starting point, offering loads of user reviews on hotels, restaurants and things to do.
→ Hotels: Booking.com is our go-to for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – often at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. (We especially like Booking’s flexible cancellation policy!) You can also find great discounted rates on Expedia, especially for hotels in the U.S. and Mexico.
→ Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
→ Flights: For the cheapest flights, search on Google Flights or Expedia. (Just be aware Expedia tickets are often non-refundable. If you want more flexibility, it’s usually worth booking directly with the airline, even if it costs a bit more.)
→ Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!
→ Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
→ Car rental: Renting a car is often a great way to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the lowest rates.
→ eSIMS: Stay connected affordably with Airalo eSIMS covering 200+ countries and trusted by 10 million+ users, including us! (No more huge roaming bills!)
→ Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.
→ Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)
→ Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.
If you make a booking or purchase through our site, we may earn a small commission (at no cost to you). Thanks!
About the authors