THERE is nothing like immersing yourself in a book about travelling to a new place and experiencing the adventures that follow. Whether you’re on the road or at home, you can become lost in adventures of love, grief, redemption, and self-discovery.
We can change our future lives by reading the appropriate book. It’s a valuable tool to have while embarking on a journey to learn more about the world around us and our own humanity. When it comes to these books, what really matters are the places that they take our imaginations and the enormous lengths of miles that we end up walking, driving, and flying as a result of being inspired by the stories within them.
Are you ready for a reading list that will revolutionise the way in which you vacation? According to globetrotters all across the world, the following are the top 15 travel books that everyone should read.
A Cook’s Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisine by Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain redefined food. He taught us to appreciate unusual and diverse global cuisines, and that some of the best meals are had at a plastic table in an alley. Bourdain’s no-holds-barred style launched his TV career. In this book, Bourdain eats in choice dining spots inFrance, Vietnam, Morocco, Japan, Cambodia and Mexico, among others. He even eats a still-beating snake heart in Hanoi.
The Lost City of Z by David Grann
This book analyses Percy Fawcett, an explorer who searched for the lost city of Z in the Amazon jungle.
Grann combines history, biography, and travelogue to relate Percy’s life and expeditions with the Z myth and the possibility of undiscovered advanced civilisations. Grann shows extensive knowledge about the region’s pre-Western cultures.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig
This book is useful for bikers and lone travellers, and follows a middle-aged man and his son who ride with an adult couple across backroads from Minnesota-to-California. The man remembers hearing the wind over the plains, seeing birds rising from marshes adjacent to the road, and riding through a violent storm.
The Beach by Alex Garland
Richard is tired of Southeast Asia’s tourism. In a Bangkok motel, he’s given a map to an unspoiled Gulf of Thailand beach. He discovers the seashore with Françoise and Étienne. It’s about adventure, passion, treachery, and marijuana. It’s a must-read for anyone visiting Thailand.
Vagabonding by Rolf Potts
Rolf Potts’ book is a must-read for long-term travellers. Rolf spent 10 years travelling (he walked across Israel), and his book is full of useful advice. This motivating book is a must-read, and influenced a lot of travel enthusiasts. No other book digs as deeply into the whys and philosophy of long-term travel.
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Wild is a New York Times best seller on how travel can spark transformation, reconciliation, and the desire for a fresh start. The author treks from the Mojave Desert to Washington after hitting rock bottom, in a 1,100-mile solo journey that ultimately rebuilds her. This narrative will please solo travellers and mountaineers.
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Heart of Darkness is 100 years old but still interesting, and inspired the legendary film Apocalypse Now. Charles Marlow is fascinated with “blank areas on earth”, which covers of wild, unmapped locations, and embarks on a trip up the Congo River to a trading post run by a man named Kurtz. Marlow’s trip to Africa is full of colourful imagery and 19th-century imperialism. This book is action-packed.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
This is one of the most widely-read books in recent history; it is a book about pursuing one’s dreams, focusing on a young shepherd boy travelling from Spain to Egypt as he follows his heart, and learns about love and the meaning of life. The book is loaded with beautiful and uplifting quotations.
The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World by Lonely Planet
This is not only a travel guide, but a quick summary of every country. Each article includes photos, statistics, and helpful phrases. The 450-page trip book is heavy. I wouldn’t advocate bringing it on a trip, but it’s great for inspiration. Lonly Planet sums it up as “850 photos, 230 countries, one full picture.”
Travel the World on $50 a Day by Matt Kepnes
The BBC called this “the affordable travel handbook.” The author is the founder of the popular travel blog Nomadic.com. Master travel so you may save money, get off the beaten route, and have a more local, richer experience. Travellers may plan their journeys with detailed cost and location information.
