25 of the Best Books About Traveling the World

YOU ARE READING: 25 of the Best Books About Traveling the World AT PhebinhvanhocEN

After being grounded for a year, it’s time to start dreaming again. The best way I know to spark my wanderlust is by getting inspiration from great travel books.

So, as I count down the days until the world opens up, I want to share some of the best travel books that made me laugh, cry, and inspire me to get out there and travel around the world.

You are reading: Books about traveling the world

best travel books to explore the world

My favorite travel books cover everything from a life-changing experience to overcoming adversity. They make me laugh out loud and inspire me to explore the world. These books don’t focus on one topic, they focus on many. so get your kindle ready and start downloading today!

Disclosure: If you click on the links below and make a purchase on Amazon, we receive a referral fee at no additional cost to you.

1. neil peart’s masked horseman

many people know him as an enormously talented rush drummer. But what they don’t realize is that Neil Peart was not only one of the greatest drummers in music history, he was also an avid cyclist. Sadly, Peart died of cancer, but through his music and his travel books, his genius lives on.

the masked cyclist is an honest and undisguised account of his time cycling in West Africa. is a must read for anyone who wants to go on a great adventure. neil peart lets us see the man behind the rock star and makes us realize that superstars are people too. buy masked horseman – neil peart on amazon

2. in search of gobi by dion leonard

If you love dogs, this is one of the best adventure travel books you’ll read to make you smile. Ultramarathon runner Dion Leonard traveled to China with one thing on his mind; to finish on the podium in a 155-mile race through the gobi desert.

Follows the story of Leonard, whose heart is warmed by the persistence of a stray dog who kept pace through heat and exhaustion for 70 miles. watch leonard transform from a focused veteran to a man who gives up what little food he has in his backpack to share with the stray dog he named gobi. shop finding gobi – dion leonard on amazon.com to see what happens next

3. american shaolin by matthew polly

Mathew Polly, an ordinary American boy, recounts his time living, studying, and performing with Shaolin monks in China. this is a weird and hilarious travel memoir about fulfilling your dreams. He follows Matthew as he leaves Princeton to pursue his ambitions to transform his scrawny physique into that of a kung fu master.

He tells stories of breaking into the secret world of shaolin kung fu which has strange disciplines like “iron crotch” and other indestructible body parts. Check out American Shaolin – Matthew Polly today.

4. crazy rich asians – kevin kwan

The film took the world by storm and is one of the few travel books that translates beautifully on screen. look behind the mirror at the secret billionaire families who have more money than vladimir putin.

follows rachel’s summer vacation with her boyfriend in singapore and finds out that her humble boyfriend is the most eligible bachelor in asia and that everyone (including her mother) is out to break them up. she now reads crazy rich asians by kevin kwan.

5. white tiger – aravind adiga

white tiger speaks of a dirty and implacable Indian, an Indian who does not allow people to leave their caste with their claws. Now it’s a movie on netflix. I haven’t seen it yet, but if it’s any good, you can be sure I’ll add it to my favorite travel movies.

this is a book that none of us could put down and a book that we believe is a must read for all travelers to india. those who have spent their time in an ashram or driving around the country on an organized tour insulated from the truth will not like it. But, as one reviewer put it, “this is the book the Indian tourism doesn’t want you to read.” get white tiger from aravind adiga on amazon.

6. alex garland’s beach

let me make one thing clear, i hated the movie the beach, but i loved alex garland’s book. the beach captures what it was like to travel in thailand in the 1990s. (trust me, we were there).

Thai guesthouse rooms were filthy and the streets were full of adventure-seeking backpackers escaping the world by drinking cheap beer. there were still undiscovered coves and beaches that no one had ever heard of, and there were probably several drug lords running the land.

visiting thailand for the first time is still a great adventure and this is a must read for anyone going to the land of smiles for the first time! alex garland beach is available on amazon.

7. in a sunburnt country by bill bryson

anything by bill bryson is a hit, but my personal favorite bryson memoir is “in sunburned country”. this was the first bryson book i read and it inspired me to read them all! I laughed out loud.

Written at a time when the world was still getting to know Australia, it showcases the quirkiness of the island country and makes you want to book a ticket to see for yourself. if you pick up a bill bryson book you won’t regret it, but in a sunburned country it’s our favourite.

go around the world with bill bryson:

a walk in the woods
a stranger to myself
the best American travel writing
the road to a little dodge – an american in britain

8. dave barry does japan

It may be old school, but Dave Barry is hilarious. it was dave barry who sparked my love of travel writing and how powerful, fun and inspiring it could be.

I never thought I’d become a travel writer, but I loved reading about your escapades around the world. he explains Japanese traditions through humor and experiences at karaoke bars, geisha hangouts, kabuki theater, and confusing comedy clubs. Japan is still very confusing even today, so it’s worth a read. check out dave barry does japan and have a lot of fun today.

9. i love africa by jeffrey gettleman

love africa tells the story of jeffry gettleman, east africa bureau chief of the new york times. It begins with his first trip to Africa when he volunteered and fell in love with the continent.

but his other love, courtenay, his girlfriend, who is a criminal defense attorney, kept calling him in the united states. Follow his career as a journalist, his love for Africa and his true love affair with Courtenay. we know how Africa can tug at your heart.

can you have it all? Read and follow this Africa travel memoir, because we’re not giving it away. buy love africa by jeffrey gettleman on amazon.

10. paulo coelho’s alchemist

is an old but good. Paulo Coelho’s Alchemist is the story of a shepherd boy named Santiago who sells his flock and buys a ticket to Tangier, where he is robbed and must work in a store to find his way home. > p>

He ends up going on a grand adventure across the Sahara, and after all his adventures, he finds his fortune right where it started. i read this book before we started traveling full time and it made me want to wander. and appreciate life. I think the alchemist was the catalyst for me to dream of becoming a travel writer and taking the leap to explore the world. buy the

11. a long road traveled by ishmael beah

This no-holds-barred autobiography of child soldier Ishmael Beah is gripping. A Long Way Gone tells how an innocent child can be forced into a savage war in Sierra Leone.

having lost everything, including his family, his home and his soul, ismael recounts his journey to evade the military. him for three years he hid in the jungle and died half starving. he recounts the fear and despair he felt each day until he was finally captured by the government army.

consumed by drugs, he was forced to commit unthinkable acts. this is a story of going to hell and back, living a life of revenge and violence. he was rescued by unicef but it was a long and painful rehabilitation. read a long way gone by ishmael beah

12. The Bang Bang Club – Greg Marinovich & jaoa silva

Set in apartheid-era South Africa, The Bang Bang Club is a true story that tells the story of four photojournalists who dared to enter the townships and document history as it unfolded.

was written by two of the journalists greg marinovich & jaoa silva heartbreaking and shocking, the bang bang club doesn’t stop at recounting the brutality of that time. the photographers had to come to terms with their own demons and what they witnessed day after day as war correspondence reporters. His photos made history and set new standards, winning a Pulitzer Prize for two of the photographers. get your copy of the bang bang club – greg marinovich & jaoa silva

13. the girl in the photo – vietnam

during the vietnam war, photographer nick ut captured the shocking photo of children fleeing a napalm explosion. Kim Phuc was the center of that photograph, her naked body covered in severe burns. It became known as “the photo of the century” and won the Pulitzer Prize

in her own words, kim tells her story of what happened to “the girl in the picture” read the fascinating story as she traveled from vietnam and eventually landed in canada, where she faced many hardships along the way. the girl in the photo – vietnam

14. touching the void – joe simpson

Joe Simpson recalls his harrowing climb of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985 with Simon Yates. Disaster struck after he summitted when Joe fell into a crevasse and broke his leg (badly).

We love adventure travel, but this is a whole new level. The book stands the test of time as Joe recalls the three days he spent trying to get down the mountain after a near-fatal fall and what he endured along the way. it was also made into a movie in 2003. touching the void – joe simpson

15. in the air – jon krakauer

many people put krakauer’s “into the wild” on their “best lists”, but i enjoyed “into thin air” more. maybe i’m the adventurer in me, but reading about those who choose to climb everest and understanding what it’s like to go to the death zone is amazing. krakauer remembers the fateful climb in 1996 where 8 people died.

we have been to mount everest base camp and it was exciting to read about a place we have been and retrace steps through namche bazar, tengboche monks and sherpa memorials to those who have fallen. in the air – jon krakauer

16. dark star safari – paul theroux

paul theroux is one of the best travel writers of our time. And he has written many classics like Mosquito Coast and The Great Railway Bazaar, but our favorite Paul Theroux travel book is Dark Star Safari.

Dave and I begin our cycling adventures from cairo to cape town and the dark star safari takes theroux overland as he revisits the mainland. this book took us back to Africa and brought back all the feelings we had: the good, the bad, the ugly, the depressing parts that we forgot. dark star safari – paul theroux

17. savage – lost and found on the pacific ridge trail by cheryl strayed

adventure travel can be transformative. taking on a challenge is an emotional roller coaster. I have definitely been there with negative and productive thoughts and regrets. but like the end of any great adventure, it can be healing and you can come out on top. Follow as stray cheryl faces her demons and makes her way along the pacific ridge trail in the wild: lost and found on the pacific ridge trail. buy it here

19. 1000 places to see before you die by patricia schultz

1000 Places To See Before You Die is the brainchild of the talented and wonderful Patricia Schultz. If you have a serious case of wanderlust for traveling around the world, buy this travel book by Patricia Schultz. I grabbed my sharpie marker and checked out all the destinations around the world that she recommends. 1000 Places to See Before You Die is the world’s best-selling travel book. I wish I had thought of this idea.

20. eat pray love by elizabeth gilbert

i read eat pray love by elizabeth gilbert while traveling in india so it certainly reminds me of my travels there. It is the real life story of Elizabeth Gilbert finding herself after her divorce. I didn’t relate to the Indian (pray) part of the book as I was there at the time, but I could definitely embark on eating around Italy and finding love in Bali.

21. great adventures of alastair humphreys

grand adventures is written by national geographic adventurer of the year, alastair humphreys. we first heard about alastair while he was biking around the world and he inspired us so much that we followed him on his pedal bike to africa by bike. This book brings together the world’s greatest adventures to inspire you to try your own. (We also make an appearance or two from one of our adventures around the world.)

22. confidential concierge by michael fazio

Michael Fazio’s Concierge Confidential provides behind-the-scenes insider information on the rich and famous. He was the best concierge in New York and shares stories and secrets of the madness of catering to the elite. from the ridiculous demands to having to take people anywhere, it’s a sometimes hilarious read. I wouldn’t want his job for the world, but it’s fun to take a peek inside the secret life of a janitor.

23. Ontario Escapes For Jim Shoppers

Ontario Escapes is written by veteran journalist and Canada’s best travel writer, Jim Byers. Share his personal experiences and tips for traveling in Ontario, Canada. As a native Ontario resident, I found many hidden gems in this book that offers great tips and ideas for traveling to Ontario. I love Jim’s writing style as he shares practical information with recommendations and inspiring personal stories.

24. ultimate trips for two by mike and anne howard

ultimate journeys for two was written by our friends mike and anne howards mike, who are currently on the world’s longest honeymoon. And you can also find us there talking about trips to Greenland! This book gives people travel ideas to inspire couples to get out and see the world and have a great adventure. There are ideas to travel as a couple on all continents!

25. how to travel the world on $50 a day – matt kepnes

how to travel the world on $50 a day by matt kepnes shares tips for saving money on transportation, food, drinks, accommodation and airfare, is the practical guide for budget travelers in their twenties. nomadic matt has turned his highly successful travel blog into a bestselling travel book on the new york time bestseller list.

if you are looking for good travel guides while traveling, we recommend lonely planet. It remains our favorite travel book to help plan our adventures.

Are you ready to go around the world? what is the best travel adventure you have read?

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