TRAVEL NEWS ·Mar 20, 2024

The Best Travel Shows To Binge-watch For Wanderlusts

If you are a travel enthusiast, watching the best travel shows is one of the best entertainment options you can enjoy anywhere. With so many travel shows on different platforms, choosing your next programme to binge-watch can be difficult.

Be it travel documentaries or travelogue films, start travelling with your favourite hosts to visit unique locations, explore local cuisine and get inspired for your next trip with these superb travel shows.

From free-of-charge travel channels on Youtube to shows that are available with a subscription, now is an excellent time for armchair travellers. Open your heart and mind to new experiences worldwide until your next adventure by binge-watching these best travel shows at home.

Best Travel Shows On Netflix

Best Travel Shows On Nat Geo TV and Disney Plus

Best Travel Shows On Youtube

Best Travel Shows On Amazon

What Are Travel Shows?

Travel shows let you learn more about different countries right in the comfort of your home. Photo by stokkete on stock.adobe.com

Travel shows can come in educational formats, such as travel documentaries and more entertaining, such as reality shows. Travel documentaries usually feature destinations and their highlights without recommending a particular package offer or a travel agency. You can stream right at home and enjoy adventures beyond borders.

There are many options: traditional shows like Rick Steves' Europe and Passport to Europe with Samantha Brown and more experiential ones like Dark Tourist on Netflix and BBC's Planet Earth.

From mini-series to long-running travel series, depending on your preferences, there is always something to enjoy bingeing, whether you are at home or on the go. Let's explore the best travel shows to binge-watch on different platforms and choose ones that match your interests.

Best Travel Shows On Netflix

There are many travel shows available on Netflix for you to watch at home or while on the go. Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva on Pexels

Netflix has a great variety of binge-worthy series and documentaries on travel, culture and food. You can learn interesting facts about bizarre local customs or be inspired to visit Asia on your next trip to try out delicious street food.

If you have a Netflix subscription, you are in luck. If you enjoy shows while on-the-go, be sure to download these shows. Here is our list of Netflix travel shows to binge-watch.

Street Food

Watch Street Food on Netflix now

“A portal to a word of culinary heritages” - Take part in a global foodie adventure with this fascinating series. In the first season, you can explore the iconic dishes of different countries in Asia, such as Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.

The show goes beyond the food and the cooking techniques. You can learn more about the stories of the chefs, the cities and the countries. The second season focuses on Latin America with countries like Mexico, Argentina, Peru and Bolivia. This show is truly made for food enthusiasts.

The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals

Watch The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals on Netflix now

Three best friends, Jo Franco, Luis D. Ortiz and Megan Batoon, will take us worldwide to find the most unique vacation rentals. What they found in the show will go beyond your imagination.

Think private islands in the Caribbean, floating mansions in Miami and ice cabins in Finland. The show offers high-quality cinematography and useful tips for finding accommodations that fit your budget and travel preference.

Dark Tourist

“Why are we doing this?” - “I think because we can.” Quote from a conversation in the show. Photo by tanyaeroko - stock.adobe.com

Watch Dark Tourist on Netflix now

Warning: Heavy subject matter.

Unusual destinations with a dark history are not among your usual picks for holidays. However, if you find morbid destinations such as haunted forests fascinating, then Dark Tourist is the show for you.

Dark tourism is where people visit places that were associated with dark events of history and difficult heritage. Join journalist David Farrier on an unique adventure with experiences such as observing an exorcism in Mexico, swimming in a nuclear lake and walking through a haunted forest.

Our Planet

Watch Our Planet on Netflix now

Made by the collaboration between Planet Earth's creators and the World Wildlife Fund, Our Plant is a documentary series that takes armchair travellers from the deep oceans to the remote grasslands.

Do you know the series is a collective effort of over 600 people in 50 countries? If you are interested in learning the story of the production team and how they make it, be sure to check out Our Planet: Behind the Scenes as well.

Best Travel Shows On Nat Geo TV and Disney Plus

The magnificent nature is captured beautifully in the Disney+ original series. Photo by oleksiy latunin on stock.adobe.com

The acclaimed travel shows from National Geographic are known for their stunning photography and videography. You can enjoy it on both Nat Geo TV and Disney+. Discover the wonderful sides of nature and follow the exciting journeys with these interesting travel documentaries filmed from all over the world with National Geographic's explorers.

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted

Watch Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted on Disney+ now

Chef Gordon Ramsay takes on new adventures and visits some of the most remote destinations in the world. The show is full of culinary inspirations and unique cultural experiences. From the Mekong of Laos to the mountains of Morocco, the art of cooking and the secrets of local cuisine are always full of surprises.

If you enjoy the celebrity chef’s characters, prepare for more fun content as Gordon attempts to gather the cooking ingredients. Then he learns from and competes with local chefs to master local dishes.

Welcome To Earth

Watch Welcome to Earth on Nat Geo TV now

Hosted by Will Smith, this show perfectly showcases incredible moments on Earth with its natural beauty. "Welcome to Earth'' has amazing visuals and captivating stories that will inspire you to explore our world and pay more attention to the global issues at hand.

Primal Survivor

Primal Survivor offers valuable survival tips to its viewers. Photo by ME Image on stock.adobe.com

Watch Primal Survivor on Nat Geo TV

Join the survivalist Hazen Audel in some of the most extreme environments on Earth and watch as he takes on impossible challenges in the wilderness. From the unexplored Amazon to the frozen Andes and ancient Atlantic Forest, witness how survival skills and hard-earned experience can conquer even the harshest environments.

Epic Adventures with Bertie Gregory

Watch Epic Adventures with Bertie Gregory on Disney+ now

Hosted by Bertie Gregory - a wildlife photographer and National Geographic adventurer, we can witness his amazing adventures in a highly visual show. With modern technology, the documentary show captures surreal footage of wildlife in their natural habitats in the most spectacular corners of the world.

Hostile Planet

Watch Hostile Planet on Nat Geo TV now

Deserts are getting hotter and drier. Despite that, do you know there are remarkable animals, such as hyenas and meerkats, that can still survive in such tough conditions?

In some of the highest mountains of the Earth, the weather can get extreme, the food supply is scarce, and the oxygen is limited. Yet, tough animals such as mountain goats, snow leopards and gelada monkeys can survive with such an attitude.

Explore the toughest landscapes in the world and learn how animals have adapted to such harsh environments with our host Bear Grylls. This show offers us different perspectives on nature and the continuous battle for survival in the wilderness.

Best Travel Shows On Youtube

Youtube offers many entertaining videos, including popular travel shows and series. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

For many of us, browsing our favourite channels and enjoying entertaining videos on Youtube are laidback ways to unwind after a long working day. There are many fun travel vloggers to watch and endless travel content from wonderful channels that enable you to travel anytime. Here is our Youtube channel list offering informative guides, stunning videos and engaging content.

Fearless And Far By Mike Corey

This Youtube channel will surely ignite a sense of adventure in every viewer. Mike Corey takes us worldwide to witness the most unexpected and unique experiences. His channel features niche content from staying with the hunter-gatherer tribe in Tanzania to trying out mud pies and Spider cheese.

Eva Zu Beck

Eva is an inspiration for solo women travellers across the globe. Eva shares her adventures with us in her videos via relatable and funny content. Solo travel is a beautiful way to immerse yourself in new cultures on the road. It is also one of the best ways to meet like-minded individuals and make friends. Let Eva and her inspiring stories inspire us to travel more courageously and embrace new experiences.

Migrationology With Mark Wiens

Migrationology is the channel for food lovers across the globe. Mark Wiens and his love for delicious local food are truly infectious. Starting in 2008, Mark Wiens has been featuring street food and popular local dishes from countries worldwide in his vlogging-style videos.

Based in Thailand, he has great content about delicious Thai food and popular dishes in neighbouring countries such as Vietnam, China and the Philippines. Aside from food-related content, his videos are also informative as he provides information about cultural differences and history.

Gone With The Wynns

Travel bloggers Nikki and Jason Wynn are loved for their unscripted content of everyday life on the road. This lovely couple has been inspiring travellers around the world to find new adventures.

Started almost a decade ago, the Wynns began their adventure on a road trip in an RV across North America. The duo’s content is also very diverse and educational. Follow their footsteps to learn what life is like on a sailboat and the stops they make along the way.

Virtual Walking Tours

Sometimes you just want to get a feel of the place, and watching a 20-minute clip of someone driving or walking around might do just that. No commentary, no scripts, and virtual walking videos don’t cover the most popular attractions of a place. Instead, they will make you feel like you are there and exploring every nook and cranny by yourself. It’s a nice change of pace when you want to wind down and take a break from all the hyperactive kind of travel content.

Our recommendations:

Attaché

This is a hidden gem among travel youtube content. The photography is stunning. And the narration is great, some may call it lacking excitement, but we like its honest, almost heartfelt, presenting style.

They care about you and let you know how to get the most out of a trip: how to get around, local etiquette and customs, tips to each unique city, etc. They are worth a watch (and a subscribe if you find them worthwhile).

Best Travel Shows On Amazon

Amazon Prime Video can be streamed conveniently across many different devices. Photo by Angelov on stock.adobe.com

TV travel can be an interesting way to spend your time unwinding after long hours of work. Amazon Prime Video is a convenient platform to stream many binge-worthy series and fuel your adventurous spirits. Aside from browsing short travel content on social media, long-run TV travel series can be ideal for whenever wanderlust hits you.

Travel Man: 48 Hours in…

Watch Travel Man: 48 Hours in… on Amazon Prime now

Hosted by the British comedian Richard Ayoade (famously known as Moss from the IT crowd), this fun-filled show features top tourist attractions from different refreshing angles. Usually accompanied by a celebrity guest in different episodes, you can travel with the fun duo to various cities as they take on their 48-hour adventures.

Passport to Europe with Samantha Brown

Watch Passport to Europe with Samantha Brown on Amazon Prime now

Europe has always been one of the most popular destinations for travellers around the world. Released in 2004, this unscripted documentary with travel hostess Samantha Brown offers useful travel tips on notable destinations in Europe. Entertaining, wholesome and educational. Samantha's shows are truly binge-worthy.

Globe Trekker

Watch Globe Trekker on Amazon Prime now

From the first episode released in 1994, Globe Trekker is a successful adventure tourism TV series that features various exotic destinations around the world. From discovering wonderful sights to learning about history and local cultures, you can be entertained yet educated with friendly hosts. Staying with locals in both popular locations and off-the-beaten-path destinations is a refreshing take on travel content from the show as well.

Planet Earth

Planet Earth showcases different habitats and wildlife on Earth with superb visuals and informational content. Photo by 1xpert on stock.adobe.com

Watch Planet Earth on Amazon Prime now

This well-funded production from BBC has been awarded several times for its exceptional episodes on wildlife on Earth. In each episode, a different habitat is covered, from deep oceans to polar regions and remote jungles. Planet Earth is widely praised for its incredible imagery that highlights the world's natural wonders and amazing wildlife.

Conan Without Borders

Watch Conan Without Borders on Amazon Prime now

This travel series began in 2015 and was hosted by the late-night host Conan O'Brien. From visiting historic Berlin to the island nation of Haiti, we can enjoy the refreshing and fun content of the charismatic host as he engages with the locals to learn more about their unique cultural highlights.

The Layover with Anthony Bourdain

Watch The Layover with Anthony Bourdain on Amazon Prime now

Premiered in 2011, the charming host Anthony Bourdain takes us on unexpected adventures to major cities in Europe, Asia and the US for 24 to 48 hours. Be inspired by the most exciting places to visit and shop. Add to your list all the must-visit local food places in some of the world's greatest cities for your next trip.

Joanna Lumley: Japan

Watch Joanna Lumley: Japan on Amazon Prime now

We travel to all corners of the world with a lovely British actress as a companion in this insightful mini-series. In this series, Lumley travels across four main islands from Northern to Southern Japan to explore the beautiful country with its unique charm and mystical corners. She does all sorts of adventures: from visiting the city of Sapporo during winter time to flying over Tokyo in a helicopter. This show is entertaining to watch.

FAQ

Watching travel shows can be an inspiring way to plan and prepare for your next trip with friends. IG: @IDAinteriorlifestyle

1. What Makes A Travel Show Binge-Worthy?

A great travel show must be entertaining and offer unique insights into interesting locations with creative and engaging content. High-quality videos and shot diversity are major indicators differentiating budgeted and well-invested travel shows.

However, not all great travel shows come from major productions. Many binge-worthy shows are loved for their unique stories and brilliant storytelling skills.

2. What Are The Genres Of Travel Shows?

Travel shows can be travel documentary films, an online series, a TV series or a travel channel that feature destinations and cultural highlights without recommending a specific travel package or travel company.

Each travel show can have its unique content to attract certain audiences. For example, some travel shows focus on featuring exotic and unusual locations while others focus on highlighting the food and life of the locals.

3. Are There Travel Shows On Netflix?

Yes, Netflix offers various shows for travel enthusiasts, from travel documentaries to food-focused content and wildlife-focused shows. Depending on your interests, there are many popular travel shows on Netflix to binge-watch.

Street Food in Asia and Latin America are exciting shows for food lovers. For nature lovers, Our Planet is an amazing documentary that is both educational and visually entertaining.