7 Travel Books That Will Change The Way You See The World

1. Ultimate Journeys 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 find us there too talking about Greenland travel!

This travel book is more of an account of a bunch of couples giving advice and snippits about a place. Its more of a travel reference giving people travel ideas to inspire couples to go out and see the world and have a great adventure. There are ideas for couples to travel on every continent!

2. How To Travel The World On $50 A Day – Matt Kepnes

How to Travel the World on $50 a Day by Matt Kepnes shares money-saving tips on transportation, food, beverages, accommodation, and airline tickets, it’s the how-to guide for twenty-something budget travelers. Nomadic Matt has parlayed his highly successful travel blog into a best-selling travel book on the New York Times best sellers list.

While I’m not sure if you really can travel for $50 a day in today’s world, it is still a good reference for budget travel and budget tips and advice.

3. Lonely Planet’s Best In Travel 2023

If you are going on a trip and want a good travel guide book, we suggest Lonely Planet. It is still the book we use to help us plan our trips.

People used to say that Lonely Planet was "The Bible of Travel." Dave and I never planned a trip without first getting a country guide from Lonely Planet. Even though travel blogs have cut into the sales of travel guidebooks, the Lonely Planet is still very well known. And you can't go wrong with the Best in Travel series from Lonely Planet. The Best in Travel 2023 from Lonely Planet follows the same format as the other Best in Travel books.

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel is a collection of the best places, things to do, and travel trends from around the world, chosen by travel experts and published every year. What are the best places to go in 2023? To find out, you'll have to buy it.

A cool fact is that in 2007 we named The Planet D after The Lonely Planet. We were so inspired by the Lonely Planet travel books that when we were trying to come up with a name for our travel blog, we just took the lonely out and added a "D" Also, the Lonely Planet is what made me want to start writing about travel. One day, I wanted to write for them.

4. The Innocents Abroad By Mark Twain

5. Right Turn At Machu Picchu By Mark Adams

Mark Adams's travel memoir, Right Turn at Machu Picchu, is a mix of history, archaeology, and personal discovery. Adams follows in the footsteps of Hiram Bingham III, the explorer who found Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca citadel.

He mixes his own journey experiences and people he meets with interesting and informative facts about the history and culture of the Incas to make a story that will make readers want to keep turning the pages to find out more about Machu Picchu.

One of the best things about the book is that Adams is able to show how beautiful and mysterious the scenery of Peru is. Adams writes about the area around Machu Picchu in a way that sounds like current travel writing. He takes readers through the area's rough terrain, lush jungles, and amazing ruins.

It even provides a wealth of historical and archaeological information, offering a deeper understanding of the site’s significance.

6. This Contested Land: The Storied Past And Uncertain Future Of America’s National Monuments By McKenzie Long

This Contested Land: by Mckenzie is a new book on our list of the best travel works. Long goes into the history and complicated problems surrounding America's national monuments.

Long explains how America's national sites were made, what they mean, and the ongoing arguments about how to run them. Long uses modern travel writing to look at how the stories of nature conservation, cultural preservation, and competing interests that have shaped these places are all connected.

This Contested Land doesn't avoid talking about the problems and disagreements that come up around national sites. Long looks at the different groups that have a stake in the issue, such as local towns, indigenous groups, environmentalists, and businesses. By showing different points of view, the book makes readers think about the delicate balance between protection, public access, and economic growth.

This Contested Land serves as a valuable resource for anyone interested in America’s national monuments and the broader debates surrounding land conservation and cultural heritage

7. In The Kingdom Of Men By Kim Barnes

In her book "In the Kingdom of Men," Kim Barnes takes readers on a fascinating trip into the heart of Arabia. The story takes place in Saudi Arabia in the 1960s. Barnes writes vividly about the desert scenery, taking readers to a world full of contrasts and contradictions in the Middle East. From the huge stretches of sand dunes to the luxurious buildings and busy markets, the setting becomes as much of a character as the people who have to figure out how to get around in it.

The main character, Gin McPhee, is a young American woman who is thrown into the unfamiliar society of Saudi Arabia. She gives the story a new point of view. As she tries to deal with stifling social norms and her own need for freedom, the reader is drawn into her battle and strength.

Barnes does a good job of showing how tradition and technology clash, especially through the roles of men and women and the huge gap between Western expatriates and the Saudi people who live in the Middle East. She looks into the complicated web of power, politics, and cultural issues to show how hard it is to bring people together across these gaps.

Have any of these books on travel piqued your interest in going on an adventure? Which book do you consider to be the most exciting travel trip you've ever read? We are constantly seeking for new books to add to our reading list, so if you know of any other interesting travel novels, please feel free to recommend them in the comments section below.