Hear stories of the best scuba dive in the world, the most beautiful city in Africa & over-the-top kindness in Pakistan. In Part 2 of this interview Phil Marcus tells the story of the incredible kindness he received from complete strangers when he needed help on multiple occasions in Pakistan. Matt and Phil then share stories about crashing a wedding in Guinea and a Bachelorette Party in Siberia. Next, Phil tells stories from his spectacular experiences in Algeria and why he feels Constantine is the most beautiful city in Africa. He then talks about completing 300 scuba dives and names his top 3 scuba destinations in the world, including his most memorable dive of all time—The Sardine Run in South Africa. Finally, Phil reflects on the ethics of making travel documentaries, the impact travel has had on him, and the lessons he has learned from visiting 190 countries.
338: The Kindness of Strangers in Pakistan, Scuba Diving the Sardine Run, and Lessons from Traveling to 190 Countries with Phil Marcus
Episode Summary
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About the Guest

Phil Marcus
Phil Marcus is travel documentary filmmaker and the creator of the YouTube Channel “Phil’s Guide to the World”. The mission of his work is to spread global positivity with a particular emphasis on showing the good people of the countries that Western media usually represents only negatively. Phil’s high quality video documentaries allow you to see for yourself the beauty, humanity, and joy of people and cultures all over the world. As a former CPA, lawyer and tech entrepreneur, after selling a successful company, Phil went all-in on his passion for world travel and cross cultural connection, and he has now been to 190 countries.
What You'll Learn
- The top 3 scuba diving destinations in the world
- The most beautiful city in Africa
- Lessons from traveling to 190 countries
Links From the Episode
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WATCH PHIL’S GUIDE TO THE WORLD ON YOUTUBE
WATCH PHIL’S VIDEOS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE
CONTACT AND FOLLOW PHIL
#1 BOOKS THAT PHILLIP RECOMMENDS
#1 PERSON WITH WHOM PHILLIP MOST WANTS TO HAVE DINNER
TOP 3 FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS
TOP 3 BUCKETLIST DESTINATIONS
- Scuba Diving in Antarctica
- Road-trip Through Japan
- Road-trip Through Australia
LOCATIONS WHERE THE INTERVIEW TOOK PLACE
- Matt: Asheville, North Carolina
- Phil: San Francisco, California
PLACES IN ALGERIA HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS EPISODE
PLACES IN TURKEY HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS EPISODE
MOST EPIC DIVING LOCATIONS
OTHER PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Afghanistan
- Armenia
- Barbados
- Black Sea
- China
- Cambodia
- Ethiopia
- Europe
- France
- Georgia
- Guinea
- India
- Iran
- Karachi
- Nice
- North Korea
- Pakistan
- Paris
- San Francisco
- Saint Lucia
- Thailand
- New Zealand
- Syria
- West Africa
CONTACT AND FOLLOW PHILLIP
Time Stamped Show Notes
**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.
[1:52] Random Acts of Kindness in Pakistan and Nigeria
[8:31] Crashing a Wedding in Guinea and a Bachelorette Party in Siberia
[12:17] Why Constantine, Algeria is the Most Beautiful City in Africa
[14:15] The Otherworldly Desert Scape in Algeria
[15:57] The Extensive Roman Ruins in Algeria
[17:24] Phil’s Passion for Scuba Diving
[18:52] The Sardine Run in South Africa
[21:16] Phil’s 3 Most Epic Dive Locations
[24:40] Documenting the Moment vs. Being In the Moment
[26:36] Reflections on Travel Ethics and Filming Human Beings Around the World
[30:18] The Impact Travel has Had on Phil
[31:44] How Phil’s Conception of Travel Has Changed Over the Years
[33:52] The Role Travel Will Play in Phil’s Life After He Completes All 193 Countries
[36:17] The Lightning Round
[44:50] How to Follow and Connect with Phil