My Wishlist
1.800.557.2841or Contact Your Travel Advisor
Indonesia Bali
Home/Our Experts/Asia/Maria C. Spitman
Maria C Spitman
Asia
Indian Ocean

Maria C. Spitman

I picked up the taste for adventure at nine years old, visiting my relatives in Sicily for the first time. When I later qualified as a teacher, I knew I'd be living abroad. I spent years in South Korea and then England, immersed in both cultures and wandering across Asia and Europe at every opportunity. One brimming passport later, I retired my teacher's hat, entered the travel industry professionally, and have never looked back.

In Korea, you do everything with two hands to show respect. Handing a cashier your money? Topping up your friend's drink? Being handed a towel at the gym? Two hands! The "short form" is physically handing it over with one hand, having your other hand touch your forearm.

"Jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul." - Jaime Lyn

On my first visit to Naples, we were heading from the museum to the castle, where I found myself chatting with our taxi driver while stuck in traffic, using the little Italian I knew. He found out that I am Sicilian just from my accent, and he offered to take us on his own tour of Naples, absolutely free. We thought it might be a scam, but what followed was the best four-hour tour of the area I could have asked for. Fontanelle Cemetery, the best cafe for espresso and sfogliatelle, and Castel Ovo, just to name a few. We wound up driving down the coast to Sorrento at sunset, where he invited us for dinner with his family. Regrettably, we had the evening train to Rome already booked, so we had to decline. Everything about that experience, including small gestures like his refusal of our offer of gas money at the end of the day, showed me just how much love locals have for their home and how warm they are in wanting to share its beauty with visitors. This memory stays with me to this day. has stayed with me years later.

Some of Maria's Favourite Places

01

Phuket

Aerial view of Big Buddha viewpoint at sunset on Phuket with a view of the water and coast below
02

Killarney

Scenic view of Gap of Dunloe
03

Rome

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican
04

Yorkshire Moors and Dales

North Yorkshire Moors
05

Seoul

Sunset view of Seoul City Skyline, South Korea
06

Bali

Famous temple with morning mists over the Danau Beratan lake
ExcellentBased on 5,159 Reviews
Verified
Everything was expertly planned, from the drivers to the hotels to the tours to the flights. We particularly enjoyed Hobart and the animal sanctuary, Adelaide and the trip to Kangaroo Island, Melbourne and the evening tour with dinner and drinks, and Sydney with the private boat cruise of the Harbour. We will definitely use Goway again.SARA Wiebe
Verified
There were 4 travelers on this trip. All of us were in our late 70's. We started planning this trip 6 months prior to our travel date and had a lot of questions regarding this trip. Our Goway Travel Specialist, Karen Larrota, always answered our questions in a timely and complete manner. We traveled to Quito, Ecuador, the Galapagos, The Sacred Valley in Peru, Machu Picchu, and Cusco in Peru. Not only were the destinations and accommodations excellent, but every tour guide and driver were beyond excellent. The entire trip went smoothly every step of the way, which was amazing given the fact that there were numerous flights and hotels included in our package. We found out that the tour company that Goway used, Condor Travel, checked on us with our guide to make sure we were doing OK which we thought was very nice but also amusing as we are fairly fit older adults. Would also like to mention that we did a cruise thru the Galapagos on the Galapagos Legend which was arranged thru Go Galapagos - Kleintouurs. This portion of our tour was also excellent as were the wildlife guides and staff. We continue to discuss how wonderful this trip was with our family and friends and how wonderful this experience was. Would definately use Goway for our travel needs in the future.Dianne
Verified
After spending some time with our agent, we felt that she understood exactly what we had in mind as far as the level of service, etc, we were hoping for. The trip exceeded our expectations. Lori kept us busy(not too busy!) and we had many, many very exciting experiences. Bruce Belshaw
Verified
Aylin is an exceptionally proficient advisor. Coordinating my clients simultaneously often feels like herding cats, but she has remained patient and accommodating through every modification and delay. Goway continues to be my go-to for complex itineraries, and they never disappoint.Nick Cron, ACC
Verified
Mahalo Goway Travel for helping in planning our group Japan's trip. Lawrence was very helpful & patient with all the changes & additions we did. Also, mahalo to Natasa who helped planned my Australia trip past November. The planning from transportation to tours to hotels worked very smoothly. I'll continue to use Goway travel for all my International trips. I'll also will recommend to my friends & family to use Goway...MahaloTanya Laguatan
Verified
Maria Spitman was wonderful to work with. She was very helpful in designing our trip to Japan and equally wonderful when we had to cancel it. I loved the service she gave us.Sandy Warren
Verified
My daughter and I had a wonderful 2 weeks in New Zealand! The country is so beautiful and the people so friendly. Our destination specialist did a great job with planning and organizing the itinerary, choosing our hotels, and organizing transportation. The hotels were absolutely beautiful and we had great views. We felt right at home and found all of the staff to be friendly and accommodating. There were no issues with our itinerary and our excursions we were always on the list. Our transportation was always ready and waiting for us. We want to thank Goway Travel for their hard work and patience with us in planning this trip. Any changes that needed to be made were communicated timely. We also want to thank you for the beautiful weather during the entire 2 weeks it was perfect every day 😀. It was a memorable trip that we will never forget and we will think of Goway when we plan our next adventure. Because it was not just a vacation; it was an adventure!Connie Wenhardt
Verified
We had a great travelling experience with GoWay ! Thank you all involved in organazing our trip!Maia
Verified
Brigitta Fuller is Amazing! She was my group coordinator. She understood the assignment and all the nuances I was trying to achieve. The itinerary she curated was fantastic. If you want someone who truly cares about her group and what they are trying to achieve. I will always reach out to Brigitta first for Europe groups. Kathryn Walker
Verified
My clients had a wonderful time on their trip to Easter Island. They were very pleased with the Hare Nua Hotel Boutique and especially noted the warmth and hospitality of the hotel staff as well as their excellent breakfasts. Jaime Vargas-Hendandez was an exceptionally gracious and knowledgeable agent, who went out of his way to ensure that my clients had the best possible experience. I will definitely contact him for future bookings and will recommend him to my colleagues.Alethea Kardas
Goway Staff

Get Started

Join our growing team at Goway.

Explore Open Positions

Unlock more by subscribing to our newsletter.

With our newsletter, you’ll get access to regular communications that inspire you and help you explore the world your way.
Exclusive Savings
Insider Benefits
Trending Stories
Newsletter signup visual
Follow Us On
instagramfacebook
Contact UsCustomer ServiceGeneral Inquiries
Featured in
Travel + LeisureAfarForbesSmithsonian
Accreditations & Memberships
USTOAASTA TOPASTATICOACTA
 
© Copyright 2026. Goway Travel