Top 15 BEST Travel Books to Read of All Time!

They say “Books Are Man’s Best Friend.” A person never feels alone if he reads books. They take the reader into an entirely different world with a lot of magic and imaginations. It’s like entering into the parallel universe without any medium of teleport. Along with it, traveling is another best thing in life to learn from. What if both of these things are combined? There are some best travel books to read and fuel your wanderlust.

We have listed the best travel books of all time that can sweep you off to the fairytale land and help you escape your mundane lifestyle. Here are the travel adventure books that can charge you up with the motivation to pack your bags and get ready for some fun.

Here’s the list of the best travel books to read

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho

One of the most anticipated and best travel books over the past few years, The Alchemist is a tale to inspire you to chase your dreams.

It is based on a voyage by a young shepherd guy who travels from Spain to Egypt, with a flow, following his instinct and heart. He discovers himself and learns the true meaning of life and love.

This book has no lack of inspiring and heartwarming quotes. If you are dreaming of traveling or you are a hardcore traveler, you must read this book at least once in your life.

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The Beach, by Alex Garland

Along with The Alchemist, this is another world travel book you must give a try. You may also watch a movie based on this novel, but this book is better than it.

Alex Garland’s tales are usually based on backpackers and their hunt for paradise.

The best thing about those travel novels is that you can learn to do something out of the box and choose off-beat destinations.

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The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

The Shadow of the Wind is a detailed and concise analysis and summary to unlock the inspiring side of the story. It is one of the best travel books of all time you can read.

The book is based on Daniel who finds a book in a cemetery of books that have been forgotten in the past.

He reads a captivating yet tragic story that reveals the truth about a mystery. It is translated into 40 different languages, and it is published worldwide. The author has also won a lot of awards.

This book was placed in Barcelona, Spain.

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The Lost Girls, by Baggett, Corbett, Pressner

The Lost Girls is a real fairy tale for a traveler who has ever wanted to ditch the monotonous life and explore the world with a best friend.

It is one of the best travel books to read as it is written by three gifted authors who provide vivid, passionate descriptions of their journeys, with genuine intentions and practical insights. It is indeed a great world travel book and fun read for travel book lovers.

Someone in their twenties who is confused about his life goals will undoubtedly relate to it. Whether you are a male or female, young or old, you will instantly want to pack your bags right away if you have ever wanted to leave the rat race and travel for the adventure and adrenaline that you have ever wanted in your life.

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In a Sunburned Country, by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson is a leading name in writing the best travel books and travel novels. You can’t just decide which one is best written by him. It is because all of the travel stories books are worth read.

This book covers his journey in Australia as he travels from the east towards the west, through coastal towns, tiny towns, and forgotten forests. He moves across the nation in excitement. This book will undoubtedly ignite your urge to backpack to Australia.

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Travel As Transformation, by Gregory V. Diehl

It is one of the most inspiring travel books by a young and passionate author, Gregory V. Deihl. He leaves the comfort of his home in California in his twenties to travel the world, shake off his inner childhood, know about different cultures, and to limit the age-old systems of cultural beliefs and to expand, develop, and understand who he was actually.

With this book, a reader learns how to do it, despite his age. It’s not a typical travel guide. However, it teaches how to deal with different cultures, where to go, how to get visas, find work, and languages.

It’s more an enlightening and inspirational eye-opener book for any person who is frustrated with ordinary life and wants to step outside to access and absorb humanity and get over their everyday life.

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Wild, by Cheryl Strayed

Cheryl Strayed realizes she had lost everything in her life. Followed by her mother’s death, she found her family scattered and even her married life was spoiled soon. When there was nothing more for her to lose after four years, she makes a harsh decision of her life.

Merely following her blind faith, with no skills and experience in traveling, she decides to hike around a thousand miles of Pacific Crest Trail to Oregon and California from the Mojave Desert to Washington State in the USA, and she is going to do it alone.

The story of Wild is told with style and suspense, with the sparkle of humor and warmth to capture the pleasures and fears effectively of a young woman who always walks ahead against all the odds on a voyage which strengthened, enraged, and finally healed her.

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Microadventures, by Alastair Humphreys

Adventure is when you step out of your comfort zone, making your journey exhilarating and new. Experiences change how you can explore the world and transform you from within. You need endless curiosity, lots of zeal and an open mind.

Microadventure is something which is simple, cheap, close to home, 100% guaranteed and short to refresh your life. It takes the soul of adventure and shortens it into even a few hours. With Microadventure, the key is that there is no need to have lots of money and time to connect with a new challenge.

This handy guide is full of ideas for the best travel experience with your family and friends, including more than 150 stunning tips and photographs along with advice on kit and safety.

Be it the cycling Isle of Wight, sleeping on a hilltop or going for wild excursions, or walking for Christmas, you can always discover something new about the world out of your comfort zone and find yourself.

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Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer

Into the Wild is an exciting and unmatched journey of Christopher Johnson McCandless, who comes from a well-to-do family and wanders into the woods. He leaves his sister and loving parents behind, leaves what he had and recreates a new life on his terms.

After four months, his family finds his decomposed body into the wilderness. How he died is the tale that will leave a great impression on you.

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How NOT To Travel the World, by Lauren Juliff

Lauren Juliff starts the journey without common sense, life experience, and without eating rice in her life. She faced anxiety, eating disorder and even heartbreak. She hoped to leave and travel the world to heal herself. Instead, the journey was full of misfortune and deadly experiences.

Within a year, she was assaulted and scammed, swallowed a cockroach and lost teeth. She fell into rice paddles infested with leech and even suffered a tsunami. She faced a very tragic ending, and her bike’s brakes failed. When Lauren ended up traveling, she finally finds a dashing New Zealander who has a love affair with the challenge.

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Wanderlust, by Elisabeth Eaves

Covering around 15 years of travel, Wanderlust covers the avid urge of Elisabeth Eaves when she is a sophomore in her college life, for the unknown and the experience of new cultures and meeting new friends. She is a young and independent woman who travels to five continents and chases both romantic and cultural destinations.

She gets lost in the wilderness of Papua New Guinea. Being a tour guide in Australia, she meets her high school boyfriend in Cairo only to explore the pattern which will transform her life in the long term. When long-distance relationships are suitable to her, other relations won’t be.

Well, Wanderlust is all about self-discovery. On her journey, she discovers herself and the feel of a home she has been missing since her childhood.

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Under the Tuscan Sun, by Frances Mayes

Frances Mayes tells an enchanting story about her life, traditions, and cuisines of Tuscany in Italy. She visits the whole new world when she started work on an abandoned villa in the pristine countryside under the Tuscan Sun and restored it.

This travel book includes the unmatched treasures in every turn. She shares a lyrical voice of poet, discerning dish of a cook, eye of a veteran traveler, and a food blogger to evoke readers’ attention to explore the pleasures of life in Italy.

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Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert

This book always comes first when it comes to travel. It is based on the life of Eliza Gilbert, a modern American woman who leaves her life to explore and connect with nature. She discovers the pleasures of Italy, dedication in India, and finally visits Bali in Indonesia.

When she travels to various nations, you would surely love to be with her. Every part of this book brings inspiration to your life and to explore the world.

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Neither here nor there, by Bill Bryson

The first travel book by Bill Bryson, The Lost Continent was one of the best funny travel books over the years. But Neither Here nor There will undoubtedly tickle your funny bones with the unique blend of humor as he packs his bag, holds his wallet tight, and travels from the northeastern town, the Hammerfest to Istanbul.

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Vagabonding, by Rolf Potts

This book is one of the best travel books rich in motivation and travel philosophy for those who travel solo but have had never dared to take a path and walk on it on their own.

Written by Rolf Potts, known as the Godfather of Vagabonding, this book tells the story of him traveling the world for years.

This book has practical information to learn how to save and to finally start the journey. If you are planning to begin a long-term trip, it will surely help you.

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About me

About Me

Evan Kristine a.k.a Pretty Wild World is a professional travel blogger with over 10 years of experience in content creation. Originally from the Philippines, she's been living in Finland for 15+ years working as a chef and entrepreneur in Tampere, Finland.

She's an expert in Finland travel and explores the country often sharing her insights and tips in this blog and social medias. She also splits her free time either going for weekend getaways in Europe or galavanting to different European destinations on her holidays. All her useful Europe travel guides are also in this blog!

Evan Kristine is also the food blogger behind at The Kitchen Abroad and on her free time, she enjoys decorating her 75m2 apartment and shares her experience over at Solía Avenue.

A true master of her own life and despite her busy schedule juggling life as a chef, blogger, and entrepreneur, she still finds time to read 50+ books a year and indulge in several hobbies like hiking, working out, yoga, and painting.

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