'Thirst' Host Shay Mitchell Shares Her Best Travel Tips (EXCLUSIVE)

Traveling is a luxury that's as tiring as it is exhausting but there might not be anyone more qualified to speak on it than actress Shay Mitchell. Between her original travel show Thirst with Shay Mitchell and her luggage brand BEIS, she's well-versed in the ins and outs of making the most of a packed trip or relaxing vacation.

Following the conclusion of the first season of the Max original, the actress spoke exclusively with Distractify via email about some of her best travel tips and hacks for those looking to explore the world with a similar grace.

Changing time zones is often one of the most exhausting parts of traveling. Following the hours spent cramped in a tiny seat on a plane, the body's difficulty adjusting to a new time zone often leaves travelers fatigued throughout their stay.

To film the first season of Thirst, Shay squeezed in visits to four different countries in South America in a short span of time — but she couldn't let feeling a little sleepy get in the way of her plans.

"I have a strict policy on jet lag….I don’t believe in it," she said. "When you land in your destination, you drop your stuff and get on that time zone."

Sometimes powering through is the best option — especially when you have tight plans you'd otherwise miss. Sure, it may take a little extra time to recuperate when you land back home, but to get the most out of your travels, pushing through the jet lag seems to be the best way.

"I actually got super sick while we were on the road… like sicker than I have been in a long time," Shay confessed. "I truly can't recommend that...when you are filming a travel show, the show must go on. You have flights to catch, plans to make, and a hard out so that definitely made things a little difficult."

In between tastings of some of the best drinks in South America, Shay and her team still tried to hit some of the big attractions in the countries they visited.

"For this show, we did not have any time to indulge in jet lag or rest," she continued. "When you see Machu Picchu, Palenque in Colombia, and vineyards and San Telmo in Argentina, that is us acting like jet lag doesn’t exist."

Launched in 2018, Shay uses BEIS luggage on all of her trips — further testifying to her faith in the brand she created.

"BÉIS is an extension of me," she said. "There is not a zipper on a bag that I did not pick or a sample that I did not approve. I travel often for work so I am always using products, testing them, and seeing what works and what doesn’t work. And as I have evolved into being a mother, to having young kids, the brand has grown as well."

Since the brand's launch, Shay has said that "everything can be a learning lesson," evolving the brand as she goes. When packing for her trip through South America, BEIS was her go-to for all of her packing needs.

"I am not one to pack light," Shay confessed, detailing the various pieces that go into her travel kit for a trip. "I need our biggest roller — the 29” — to start. Then I always have a 21” roller with me on the plane, in addition to one of our totes."

Despite the clear ups and downs she faced while filming Thirst, the show aired all four episodes on Max through late May and early June, ultimately achieving the show's goals. Though there's not yet word on if there'll be a Season 2, rest assured she'll be taking all of the travel tips she learned with her on her next adventure.

Season 1 of Thirst with Shay Mitchell is now available to stream on Max.