Hear how selling his startup, falling in love with travel, and reconnecting with China transformed Jason’s life. Jason Wang shares his experience growing up in a Chinese immigrant family in the San Francisco Bay Area, building and selling a Silicon Valley startup, and tells the story of how one trip to Europe completely changed the trajectory of his life. He explains how he fell in love with travel, visited 185 countries, and why he believes now is the perfect time to explore China. He reflects on returning to his birthplace of Nanjing nearly 40 years later, and takes listeners from the futuristic skyline of Chongqing to the Ice & Snow Festival in Harbin. He also tells stories from his travels in West Africa, from music festivals in the legendary city of Timbuktu in Mali to meeting the sacred crocodiles of Burkina Faso. He then reflects on the impact of connecting with Chinese diaspora communities across Africa and around the world. Jason also shares how years of designing entire trips around food have shaped the way he experiences cultures and reveals some of the most memorable culinary experiences from his travels around the world.
Cyberpunk Cities in China, Music Festivals in Timbuktu & Chasing the World’s Best Food with Jason Wang (Ep 402)
Episode Summary
Get The Maverick Show's
Monday Minute Newsletter
Get 3 recs from Matt for travel, culture & living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds a week.
About the Guest

Jason Wang
Jason Wang is a former Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur who sold his company and walked away from the corporate world in 2016 to pursue one of the most ambitious travel quests on the planet: visiting all 193 UN-recognized countries, summiting the Seven Summits, and reaching both the North and South Pole. One decade into the quest, at the time of this recording, he has reached 185 countries, been the South Pole and, in 2025, he summited Mt. Everest to complete the 7 Summits. He has done it all together with his relationship partner Grace, and together they also run “City Foodsters” where they document their culinary experiences around the world. Jason now focuses on helping others break free from conventional travel and craft journeys that venture far beyond typical tourist circuits.
What You'll Learn
- How one trip abroad completely transformed Jason’s life—and why nothing compares to experiencing a place in person.
- Why Jason believes this is the perfect time to explore China, along with his top recommendations for a first-time itinerary.
- How designing entire journeys around food can unlock deeper cultural connections and some of his top recommendations for food around the world.
Links From the Episode
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you click through any links and make a purchase, you should assume that Maverick will receive financial compensation (at no additional cost to you). We greatly appreciate you using our affiliate links because it helps to support the show and cover production costs of the podcast.
_____________________________
GET THE MONDAY MINUTE – Matt’s weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders that you can read in 60 seconds.
FOLLOW THE MAVERICK SHOW AND DM MATT on Instagram
_____________________________
JOIN MATT AND JASON AT THE EXTRAORDINARY TRAVEL FESTIVAL IN BANGKOK IN OCTOBER 22ND TO 25TH 2026 (Use code Maverick to get $100 discount)
CONTACT AND FOLLOW JASON
LOCATIONS WHERE THE INTERVIEW TOOK PLACE
- Jason: California
- Matt: Asheville, North Carolina
PLACES IN AFRICA MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE
- Algeria
- Bamako (Mali)
- Burkina Faso
- Timbuktu (Mali)
PLACES IN CHINA MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Beijing
- Chongqing
- Foding Palace (Niushoushan)
- Great Wall of China
- Guilin
- Hangzhou
- Harbin
- Hong Kong
- Macau
- Nanjing
- Nanjing Porcelain Tower
- Ruyi Bridge (Taizhou)
- Shanghai
- Shenzhen
- Sichuan
- Yandang Mountains
- Yunnan
PLACES IN MALAYSIA MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
PLACES IN VENEZUELA MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
CAMERA MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
COMPANIES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
EVENTS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
GROUP MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Tuaregs (Algeria)
INSTITUTIONS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
MUSICAL ARTISTS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
PERSON MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
WEBSITES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
OTHER PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Time Stamped Show Notes
**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.
[0:46] Introducing Jason Wang
[2:21] Being in Venezuela During the June 2026 Earth Quake
[6:57] Jason’s Parents’ Life in China and Immigrating to the U.S.
[8:32] Growing up in the Bay Area, California
[11:58] Becoming an Entrepreneur
[17:39] Meeting his Relationship Partner Grace
[21:00] Transitioning into a Life of Travel
[22:04] Culinary Travel and Food Recommendations
[27:25] Jason’s Deepening Relationship with China
[30:18] Nanjing
[32:24] Yangdang Rock Climbing and the Ruyi Bridge
[34:35] Harbin Snow and Ice World
[37:51] Chongqing
[39:41] Why China is the Best Country in the World as a Traveler
[45:09] Burkina Faso
[47:25] Mali
[52:45] Connecting with Chinese Diaspora Communities Around the World
[54:04] Follow and Connect with Jason