These days, there are millions upon millions of blogs. Of those, a good amount are travel blogs, and new ones are constantly emerging. There’s a pretty obvious way, as I see it, to tell the really golden ones from the duds that won’t last for long.
It’s the writing. It’s the skill level and level of authority on the subject. It’s the conversational tone. It’s the feeling that I’m being let into their world, how they think, and what they really like to experience when traveling. Those are the blogs I keep coming back to over and over.
In some cases, I came to meet and get to know the person after already discovering the blog, but in most, I don’t know the writer at all. Yet I search their blogs before I even search Google when I want travel ideas or need to be uplifted.
The following are the best blogs you should be reading if you love travel as much as I do. Both old and new, popular and up-and-coming, and drawn from a large range of niches and focuses, these are my favorites:
Alex in Wanderland
I knew about Alex’s blog when I first started traveling and blogging, and even emailed her when I had questions about SCUBA diving (she spends a lot of time as an underwater videographer on Koh Tao in Thailand). However, it wasn’t until relying on her post about Elephant Falls in Da Lat, Vietnam that I started to read her regularly after realizing that we have a similar travel style.
I feel like I know Alex even though I don’t. Her personality shines through in both her writing and her pictures. She manages never to come off as anything but kind and lovely rather than authoritative and commanding. Her post, Gratitude at Twenty Five, so eloquently describes the amazing years she’s had traveling and is a great way to get to know her blog if you don’t already.
Expert Vagabond
Simply put, Matt does cool stuff and he goes to really cool places. As far as those who travel off the beaten path in a genuine way, I look to Matt for new ideas for destinations and for his awesome photos. He’s adventurous and outdoorsy and I was delighted to get the chance to hang out and accidentally rock climb with him when we happened to be in Thailand at the same time.
A few months ago, he surprised me again with My Caveman Experience: Squatting with Gypsies in Spain. He tends to shine light on the things society is scared of or doesn’t know as much about, and that’s why I keep reading, because I know he’ll make an awesome discovery and illustrate it with really well-captured photos.
Daniel McBane
Daniel was my go-to guru while traveling in China. His posts are helpful, full of practical information, and most importantly, refreshingly honest. If Daniel really likes something, you know. The same is true if he really doesn’t like something. After following a lot of his practical advice on traveling in the more remote areas in China, I wouldn’t hesitate to follow his advice again (as I did in Nepal).
Zen Pencils
Zen pencils is not a travel blog, but rather an inspirational series of comics that Gav expertly chooses and illustrates perfectly. A lot of what he chooses to illustrate could be considered controversial and it’s almost always unexpected. He chooses notable people who talk about breaking the norm, questioning the institutions that put forth ideas we often take for a given throughout our lives, and push the idea of following one’s passions.
Though so many of his are amazing, and the perfect pick-me-up when I need inspiration or a reminder that I’m still on a path to growth even if it’s not meteoric, my favorite is his illustration of Bill Hicks: It’s just a ride.
Nomadic Matt
Matt’s most likely seems a natural blog for me to mention here, particularly because I am now a regular monthly columnist on his site, but his is actually the first travel blog I read. When I first started researching long-term travel online, Matt’s was the first one that opened my eyes to the possibility of travel as a lifestyle. I had no idea before reading articles like the Ultimate Guide to Traveling When You Have No Money that I could do it, too.
That’s why it’s such a pleasure to be more involved with his site now, but I genuinely would consistently check back at Matt’s site regardless of that. He’s the unquestionable expert when it comes to budget travel.
Wait But Why
Wait But Why is a blog I initially discovered because he had written such a brilliant piece on choosing a life partner, and why we normally rush into it and all of the other mistakes that go into it. He is amazingly good at breaking down human habits and observing them as if he had an outside perspective of the human race.
What makes his blog great for travel addicts is his Odd Things in Odd Places series, which saw him visiting unlikely places such as Nigeria, Greenland, and Iraq. But his posts are not just the standard, “I went here and I saw this.” Each one has a great deal of historical background and cultural research that goes into it. In short, Tim knows his stuff.
Bacon is Magic
Ayngelina is another one of those writers who keeps it real. Completely real. She left a stable career and boyfriend at 30 to travel solo for a year in South America. Apart from liking her because she seemed like a total badass, I gained a lot of my solo traveling courage from her words.
Refreshingly honest, open, and full of love and loss that just about everyone has experienced, I love reading her blog partially because it guided me through some of the toughest times I had at home and on the road.
Waegook Tom
I love reading expat blogs because they tend to have a much better insight into the peculiarities of various cultures and places than those who move around frequently, as I suppose I do. Tom used to teach English in South Korea and it was both the cultural observations and the really funny, personal, whimsical way that he writes that had me returning to read more.
When he moved to Taiwan, it became even more fun for me to read his blogs because I used to live there as well, and certainly can identify with the culture though it’s interesting to see how it has changed in my absence over the past 7(?!) years.
Wandering Earl
If you read travel blogs at all, then you’re probably familiar with Wandering Earl. His is one of the first blogs I ever read and became hooked to after Please Don’t Be Afraid to Travel On Your Own. I have re-read that post, and sent it along to friends who are on the fence about traveling, many times over the past few years.
He was the first to show me how easy it is to meet people on the road. That post truly made a big impact and was hugely important for me to read during the early days of my travel planning. He let me know this lifestyle is possible solo. For that, I’ll always be a fan.
Mark Manson
Mark has been a location independent world traveler for five years. While his blog does not focus on travel, per se, it focuses on ambition, self-worth, discipline, and becoming a more effective communicator, leader, and human being in general. I read almost every single blog that Mark puts out, but his 7 Strange Questions That Help You Find Your Life Purpose is a recent one that really stood out for its look at finding what makes you tick.
For a lot of people, pursuing a passion or creating a life they’re happy to live every day is the one thing they’re most afraid to do. I know, I was one of them. But reading blogs like this reminds me of why I’m doing what I’m doing and reaffirms my choices to pursue a location independent lifestyle, even if it’s not as lucrative as what I did before.
Rog Law Fitness
Bear with me as this is not a typical travel blog recommendation. Rog’s blog is the first one I started reading after meeting the person in real life and becoming friends. He’s a digital nomad who trains people in fitness and reaching their life goals. He’s also completely hilarious and a great motivational writer.
When his post titled, The Unbearable Lightness of Not Giving a Fuck: Why Caring Less Helps You Live More, popped up on my newsfeed, I had to click and read simply for the clever title (an allegory of the philosophical novel, The Unbearable Lightness of Being). Then I read and realized that everything he said was incredibly spot on. Not only that, it had me laughing out loud constantly. His focus is on pushing out the negativity and that’s a very important skill to develop in life.
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Though there are a lot of awesome blogs out there that cover relevant things and are written by super talented bloggers, many of whom I consider friends, these are the ones in my heavy rotation at the moment. There are also a lot of lifestyle, marketing, and business blogs that I love to read, but more on those another time.
What would you add to the list of the best travel blogs?
Great recommendations. I have heard of a lot but not the first so I’m popping over to check it out!
laura recently posted…2014 Travel: The Dublin Edit (Part II)
They’re all great but hers is wonderful for Southeast Asia which is a place I love as well.
So honoured to be on this list and excited to find a few that I hadn’t heard before. I think the true magic in blogs is when we discover we’re not alone. We can identify with the writer and feel a connection even though we’ve never met them.
Ayngelina recently posted…Make screening a breeze this winter
Completely agree. Impersonal ones that are just facts are super helpful too if I’m doing some travel planning, but I really do like feeling a connection with the author if it’s a website I’m going to revisit frequently.
Thanks for the tips! I’m always looking for new blog recommendations, and I’ve found a few here I need to check out. Cheers!
No problem!
Thank you for all the recommendations! I love reading about travel almost as much as I love traveling.
Kacy recently posted…Week in Review: Rose’s Luxury + Winning
Definitely, and many of these are not straight up travel, per se, but the mindset that accompanies it or is needed to make it happen
I’m a big fan of Adventurous Kate as well!
Yep, when I was planning my Southeast Asia travels some of her posts helped me feel secure about going it alone.
Great list, I know already some of these bloggers but there are few new names for me that I’ll make sure to check out 🙂
Franca recently posted…How To Travel Long Term On A Budget
A few aren’t really travel blogs but are super inspiring and wonderful reads.
There are a lot of goodies and some new ones I haven’t heard of. I love the blogging community and the support within it – posts like these (and Comment Luv) have made me find a lot of my favourites.
Emily recently posted…And So, What About This Blog?
I also like that when traveling the world, I know I’ll run into a friend somewhere, just because we’re all traveling all the time!
Thanks for including me here, I’m among great company I see! I’m not familiar with all the blogs here though, so plenty of new reading for me 🙂
Tom @ Waegook Tom recently posted…A Bunch Of Stuff That I’m Thankful For
For sure. Your blog always makes me laugh! By the way please bring back daily duck face 🙂
Cool recommendations! I’m familiar with 1-2 of them so always good to be introduced to more. I like your mix of super adventurous travellers as well as those that choose to spend time in single locations for long periods of time (more sedate?) =)
Glamourous Traveller recently posted…Weekly Travel Outfit – Melaka, Malaysia
I like that too. I feel like I’m somewhere in between.
Kristin this post is awesome! A few I followed but now I have a great database of exceptional blogs! What a great idea for a post 🙂
Crystal
Crystal recently posted…I got Pissed on By an Orang-utan
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for including me here! I’m happy you managed to find some useful information among my ramblings. Perhaps some day my other two readers might find one of my posts helpful, too, but I doubt it. My parents don’t really travel that much and only ever to Germany.
Speaking of, you’re in Berlin? I was there for a year and a half and just left earlier this year. I’m shocked you didn’t mention how helpful you found my grand total of three Berlin posts, none of which are really even about the city. Yeah, I failed there, but everyone seems to write about Berlin, so I couldn’t be bothered.
Daniel McBane recently posted…Trekking On Our Day Off From Trekking in Manang
Haha I’m sure you have more than two other readers! You were really the only one who had written about the places in China I was visiting (now I have too, sorry). I’m in the same boat – haven’t written about Berlin. I’m still getting to know it and formulating what I want to say. One can’t just casually talk about a place like this!
Awesome picks. I’m excited to discover some new reads and was happy to see Alex right up there at the top. She’s been a favorite of mine for a couple of years now (and love her site redesign).
Diane recently posted…So you’re gonna be an expat? Tips for the newbie
Her site looks great!
Very nice and diverse list. 🙂
Ligeia and Mindy recently posted…Vegan in Finland by Jenni Pasanen
Good to keep the reading diverse!
I’m obsessed with Mark Manson. I know a few others but these are mostly new to me! Will definitely be checking them out! Love finding new blogs 🙂
Leah recently posted…On Travel and Friendship: Why Losing is the New Winning
He’s so spot on. I really like his law of Fuck yes and no as well.
Great list and thanks for the suggestions. I’ve for a long time been familiar with Alex in Wanderland, Nomadic Matt, Daniel McBane and Wandering Earl. Most of the others are new to me and I’m excited to find out why they are on your reading list.
It is true that many bloggers come and go and the travel field is a very crowded one. Too crowded sometimes. I’ve been doing this for just over 2 years and I feel like a beginner compared to some of these fabulous writers.
The Guy recently posted…Little Venice And The White Windmills Of Mykonos Town
After two years I suppose we are both still beginners compared to these guys 🙂
I’m so excited about (A) being included on this list, which is an honor, and (B) checking out some new blogs I didn’t know about before! Thanks for the intos, Kristin!
Alex recently posted…Greetings from the Gulf
For sure! You belong here!
Just a big thank you for the mention above and I’m really glad that you found that post useful! I have to re-read it myself at times so that I don’t forget how easy it is to meet people almost anywhere on the planet.
Earl recently posted…Another Extremely Important Reason To Travel
I forget that too. I get scared every time I’m about to head somewhere by myself only to laugh in retrospect because just about everywhere, it’s possible to meet others.
Kristin, these are great. I’m already hopelessly engrossed in the depths of “butwaitwhy.”
Might I recommend turning the blog names into anchor text, so people can click through? I cringe when I consider what might have happened were I to have been too lazy to type “butwaitwhy.com” into my browser. I might have continued living my entire life without awareness of how great it is. ;D
Thanks for the links. I should have known better to start investigating these sites you recommend here. Where did my free time go?
-JR
JR recently posted…You Know You’re in Russia When:
Glad you like Wait But Why! I didn’t link to the homepage in the blog names because in the description I linked to the specific post I recommend for each blog, but that’s not a bad idea.
It’s fantastic to read one of these lists and find some blogs I’d never heard of, and even better when those blogs turn out to be addictive reads! I’ve just spent the last hour reading through posts on Wait But Why, how I’m ever going to get some work done today I don’t know! Thanks for sharing these!
Charlie recently posted…Why quitting my job was the easiest decision I’ve ever made
Nice to see Alex’s blog as recommendation.. I have been following her blog from a long time…
Peter recently posted…Enjoy Some of Our Local USVI Cuisine
hers is one of the first ones I ever found.
Thanks a lot! I will be checking these blogs soon 🙂 I’ve been actually considering leaving my city right after graduation, see where life, my savings and my abilities take me, so I’m taking on reading as much of other people’s experiences as I can, to both be warned and be inspired about it. It’ll be extremely helpful, thanks 🙂
Raquel Mars recently posted…Christmas is in the air
That’s a great idea. I read travel blogs like it was my job before I took off on my own trip!
Love this list! There are some of our favorites on here as well as some new ones that we’re excited to check out.
Thanks Tawny! I also love your blogs and especially your videos!
All are winners Kristin, and I follow more than a few from this list. I love Earl’s blog, and Matt’s blog is way cool too. One secret is to follow a travel blogger who has an authentic voice. Even though I don’t run a travel blog per se, I do offer blogging tips from paradise, and i blog here and there about my tropical hot spots/homes with posts featuring where I happen to be at the time. When I blog, I blog from my heart, which means I’ll be offering my insights from a genuine, authentic space.I feel that’s what makes me stand out from the crowd.
As for the list above I’d say Earl is my fave. He offers such simple yet powerful advice, with no wasted motion. He also inspired me to be more assertive and social on the road. Even though I travel with my fiancee Kelli I did spend a month in Thailand this past year alone. She had to stick around in the States to take care of some stuff and I had to do the solo bit. Seeing his blog inspired me to do more stuff on my own, which was such a rewarding experience for me.
I tend to go into a travel cave when I do the solo bit but this time I did more stuff outside, taking selfies, chatting with folks and meeting more friends than I ever had in CM. One downside of non solo travel is that you’re automatically not as approachable, but when you do solo, people chat with you more freely. Happened to me quite a bit in Fiji this past year too, as when I walked into town in Savusavu without Kelli folks would strike up conversations with me, with like little effort.
I’d engage, we’d be invited to someone’s house for grog, and we struck up more friendships with both Fijians and other expats, or tourists, from Australia, Ireland, Finland, and from other places too. It was a hoot!
Thanks Kristin, love this list. Bookmarking a few as we speak!
Ryan
Ryan Biddulph recently posted…Review of I Will Teach You SEO
I agree with the merits of solo travel. Especially selfies 😉
Just kidding I don’t take many of those, but it does open you up to meeting all kinds of people and ending up in situations that simply wouldn’t happen if you were with someone else. I definitely firmly believe that. All of my craziest and most amazing stories happened because I was by myself. I see the merits of couple’s travel as well, for sure, but solo travel is definitely a gift everyone should give him or herself. I’ve been doing it for over 2 years now and it’s still my preferred method.
Great recommendations, i’ll definitely be checking out some of these favourites! Love the blog by the way chick! 🙂
Thanks!
Thanks for the list, I have a lot of reading to do, now!
Pauline recently posted…Comment réussir son road trip
What was your first blog post?!?!
My favorite blog on this list is definitely Wandering Earl. He keeps it real and I appreciate that.
Ben recently posted…13 Best Things to Do in Iceland
These are all great sites but they all seem to be young people.
As a regular reader in his early sixties I love the young enthusiasm in yours and other blogs. My wife and I have used several of your travel tips on some of our outings.
However, for us old backpackers there are many blogs to prove that you are never to old to travel. The first is a couple in their late forties who travel and work:
http://www.travellifex.com/
The second blog, and one of my favourites, is a couple in their early seventies. They sold everything up in 2011 and have been house sitting and travelling around the globe since:
https://alisonanddon.com/
Keep on truckin’ Kristin
Thanks for this! Yes people of all ages travel. I guess I just connect with these guys more because I feel more similar to them 🙂