These are the best travel movies ever (in my opinion).
You can watch these films over & over again, and never get sick of
them. Which ones are your favorites?
I started to realize I had a travel obsession when all my favorite movies were based on crazy travel adventures.So here is my personal list of the best travel movies of all time.
Once I’ve finished watching any of these films, I feel the instant urge to pack up everything and head out to explore the world. Great travel movies like these have helped inspire my own personal travel goals over the years.
So if you’re looking for some motivation to push you into a backpacking adventure of your own, sit down and watch a couple of these fantastic flicks with a bowl of popcorn, a glass of wine, and a friend. It’s the next best thing to actually traveling!
Just make sure to get off that couch and experience the real thing once in a while, because no matter how good these movies are, they can never replicate the incredible experiences of actual world travel…
The Motorcycle Diaries
The Motorcycle Diaries
is one of my favorite movies of all time. The true story of two medical
students embarking on a five month motorcycle trip across South America
in order to use their medical training to volunteer for a remote leper
colony along the Amazon river. Based on the personal journals of latin
American revolutionary Che Guevara, it highlights the freedom,
adventure, and personal discovery that is part of the travel experience.
A beautiful movie about one of the most influential people to have ever
lived, no matter whether you think his influence was positive or
negative.
Secret Life Of Walter Mitty
The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty
tells the story of Walter (played by Ben Stiller), an introverted,
awkward, and anonymous photo editor at LIFE Magazine who’s real life is
pretty boring. However Walter has a very active imagination. When his
job is threatened, he embarks on the adventure of a lifetime, traveling
the world from Iceland to Afghanistan in search of his hero while taking
risks and conquering new challenges along the way. A mix of incredible
visual landscapes, a beautiful soundtrack, and some humor is just icing
on the cake. The perfect movie to inspire those yearning for something
more out of life.
A Map For Saturday
A Map For Saturday
is a travel documentary that follows one man as he quits his cushy job
with HBO to travel around the world for a year and live out of his
backpack. It shows the different ways people travel, and gives an
accurate picture of what it is like to vagabond around the world long
term. You get to experience both the ups and downs of his trip at a
very personal level. If you ever thought of doing something like this,
the movie will show you what the experience is really like. It also
shows you that anyone can travel cheaply if they really want to. The
only thing stopping you is, well, you.
180 Degrees South
180 Degrees South
is a documentary that follows the adventure of a group of friends as
they travel to Patagonia in the spirt of their heroes. They pack their
surfboards and climbing gear as they sail and drive along the South
American coast, learning about the losing battle against
industrialization and the destruction of the natural world. Modern
commercial interests fed by the growing human consumption of disposable
goods is ruining our planet, and the film shows what some brave people
are doing to try and stop it. The movie’s beautiful scenery and
fantastic soundtrack mix together with a strong message and travel
adventure to create a true work of art.
The Way
The Way is a
beautiful and inspiring tale about a father walking Spain’s Camino de
Santiago trail to honor his recently dead son. The experience is an
eye-opening an emotional one for him, as he’s forced to make friends
with complete strangers and examine his life during the 800km journey.
It features a very eclectic mix of characters, all walking the path for
their own personal reasons. The movie certainly made me more interested
in traveling along the Camino at some point in my life.
Que Tan Lejos
Que Tan Lejos (How
Much Further) is set in Ecuador, as Esperanza and Tristeza try to get
from the capital city of Quito to the town of Cuenca. It is normally a 5
hour bus ride. The two women decide to hitchhike when local strikes
force their bus to stop. One girl is a local trying to stop the love of
her life from getting married, while the other is a tourist from Spain.
Along the way, they learn from each other while meeting interesting
people who help them re-evaluate the purpose of their journeys. The film
is filled with beautiful scenery from Ecuador, and gives an authentic
portrayal of life in that country.
In July
In July (Im Juli)
is a movie about a road trip through eastern Europe and all the
adventure that goes along with it. Daniel is a shy & boring young
school teacher who never really does anything fun & exciting. He
decides to break out of his shell while chasing a girl from Germany to
Turkey on a crazy road trip that will change his life forever. His
travel partner shows him what he’s been missing as they drive,
hitchhike, walk, swim, get robbed, steal a car, get in fights, escape
from jail, and bribe border guards to get to their ultimate destination.
By the end of the adventure, he’s a changed person.
L’auberge Espagnole
L’auberge Espangnole
(The Spanish Apartment) is about a young, slightly uptight Economics
student who goes on an exchange program in Barcelona to learn Spanish
before he lands a big job. Xavier is not that experienced with the
world, and is in for a surprise when he moves into an apartment filled
with international students. He has to learn to live with 6 other
roommates from different corners of the globe, putting up with their
cultural and personal differences. The adventures they have will open
his eyes to what life can be. It’s a funny and realistic movie, based on
the real life experiences of the director.
The Darjeeling Limited
The Darjeeling Limited
is a wacky film about three wealthy, spoiled brothers taking an
overland train trip through India. They haven’t spoken in a year, and
the trip is supposed to heal and bond them again. Initially it all goes
wrong as they bicker and fight with each other. They are all suffering
from depression, and pop pain killers like candy. When it seems like
nothing is going right, their crazy experiences along the way finally
put things into perspective. The ultimate goal of healing and
rejuvenation starts to happen. They finally start to grow up and turn
into men. The movie is hilarious, and beautifully shot too. It will make
you want to visit India.
A Good Year
A Good Year is
about a high powered London stock broker who’s favorite uncle passes
away, leaving him a chateau and vineyard in France. When he visits to
quickly prepare the property to be sold for millions, he gets addicted
to the laid back, stress-free lifestyle of the French countryside. He
falls in love with a local beauty, and has fond flashbacks of his
childhood under the care of his womanizing uncle. The whole thing is
very funny, and it’s a great date movie! The underlying theme is that
there is much more to life than money, plus it will make you long to
visit the South of France.
Lost In Translation
Lost In Translation
is based on two separate travelers, Bob & Charlotte, visiting Tokyo
at the same time. They meet each other and form a friendship as they
experience confusion and hilarity in a strange and curious city. Bob is
an aging actor starring in commercials, while Charlotte is the bored
wife of a photographer there on business. They are an unlikely pair,
experiencing a degree of loneliness in a foreign city filled with
millions of people. This is another beautifully shot film that also
shows how funny and interesting traveling in a new country can be. The
many little random experiences that present themselves while traveling
are often the most memorable.
Lawrence Of Arabia
Lawrence Of Arabia
is the classic story of a young, eccentric British army officer who
heads into the Arabian desert to gather intelligence about the Arab
revolt against Turkey during World War 1. He ends up leading a guerrilla
force of them to attack the Turks. The setting of the film is
fantastic, and it follows Lawrence as he learns about the people and
starts adopting some of their customs. I think this is one of the
benefits of travel. You learn from other cultures, and adapt your
lifestyle around what you’ve learned. Although the “white man leads a
bunch of natives” theme is kind of cheesy, overall the film is great.
Into The Wild
Into The Wild is
the true story of Christopher McCandless, a recent college graduate who
gives away his live savings and hitchhikes to Alaska. He meets all kinds
of people along the way, each with their own stories. In Alaska, he
heads out into the wilderness to live on his own. His life is filled
with random adventures and experiences while he makes his way up to “The
Last Frontier”. This is what travel is all about to me. Experiences,
good and bad, make you who you are. And long term travel is FULL of new
experiences. The key is to not completely get in over your head (like
Christopher did).
Seven Years In Tibet
Seven Years In Tibet
is about an Austrian mountaineer who heads out to conquer a Himalayan
mountain in 1939. After getting captured and sent to a prison camp, he
ends up breaking out with another man and sneaking into the holy Tibetan
city of Lhasa. He befriends the young Dalai Lama just as the Chinese
attempt to invade Tibet by force. Both men are from totally different
worlds, yet become great friends and learn from each other. The
character starts off as a selfish prick, but slowly changes his outlook
on life when confronted with new experiences in a very foreign land.
It’s a good movie that shows you how travel adventures can transform
your life.
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Y Tu Mama Tambien
is about two best friends who meet an older woman at a family wedding in
Mexico City. They convince her to come with them on a road trip to a
magical hidden beach that doesn’t exist. She agrees when she finds out
her husband has been cheating on her. They head out to find a beach
that matches their made-up story. Along the way there is passion,
conflict, and jealousy. The film is unrated and has some pretty risqué
scenes in it, and may not be for everyone. Their trip reveals the harsh
realities of poverty that exist outside their privileged life of the
city. It’s an eye opener that all travelers experience at some time in
their wandering.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
is the tale of two friends who take a vacation to Barcelona, where they
meet a mysterious painter, Juan Antonio, who asks them to spend the
summer with him. Vicky is the more reserved of the two, engaged to be
married, while Cristina is more of a free spirit. The relationship
between the three is sexually charged, and drama ensues. Things only
get more complicated when Juan’s mentally disturbed ex-wife shows up.
The movie is quite entertaining, and is set in the beautiful landscapes
& cityscapes of Spain. I especially enjoy it because it shows how
travel can open you up to new experiences. You learn what you’re really
made of on the road.
Encounters At The End Of The World
Encounters At The End Of The World
is an incredibly beautiful and funny movie about the people and animals
who live in Antarctica. The film is done by Werner Herzog, one of my
favorite directors. The individuals that work at the National Science
Foundation research station are full of character, and most are
permanent world travelers. Even if you’ve seen Discovery channel shows
about Antarctica, this is totally different and fresh. I liked it much
more than I thought I would, and it has earned a spot on my best travel
movies list because as soon as it was over I wanted to pack up and head
down there for a bit!
UP
UP is about an old
man who spent his life dreaming of world travel and adventure with his
wife, only for the both of them to grow old without ever taking any
action. Then he finally decides to do something about it, and ends up
having the adventure of a lifetime! This animated movie had it all, and
was definitely not just for kids. Most people spend their whole life
pushing travel goals off to the future, when they should be living those
dreams right now. Life is short, and you have to fill it with
interesting experiences as often as you can. This movie does a good job
of emphasizing that theme.
Indiana Jones Series
The Indiana Jones Series
are not particularly accurate travel movies, but they sure are fun!
These movies helped plant the seed of adventure in my head many years
ago. Who wouldn’t want to go searching for lost artifacts in remote
jungles and deserts all over the world? Indy’s wild adventures have
inspired many travelers over the years. Sometimes group tours won’t cut
it. Heading out by yourself into the unknown is a whole different kind
of travel experience, and very rewarding. But the last one, Kingdom of
the Crystal Skull, sucks monkey balls.
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