We thought it would be a great time for us to take some time and reflect back on this year – not just at how much AsWeTtravel.com has grown as a site but also at how many amazing other personal travel blogs there are out there – sharing, provoking and living this travel lifestyle to the fullest.
There are so many personal travel blogs out there, and every day more and more are starting up – so it is nearly impossible for us to track, and fully study every travel blog out there.
The 25 Most Inspiring Personal Travel Blogs below are some of the best blogs which we feel have inspired and helped the travel blog industry grow the most this year.
Most Inspiring Personal Travel Blogs
#1 Wes Nations / Johnnyvagabond
Why has he made the list?
Wes is all about the story – he travels around the world ‘ low and slow’ sharing so many well-written travel stories and experiences – I am waiting for the book!
Every time we visit his site, his stories get us laughing, and aside from telling ‘lies’ and taking amazing photos, Wes also shares very useful tips and a great “daily budget” box for each country he visits.
Site: www.johnnyvagabond.com
Twitter: @johnnyvagabond
#2 Matt Kepnes / Nomadic Matt
Why has he made the list?
Matt is one of the few who has turned travel blogging into a full-time career. He is an inspiration to others, and shows everyone what is possible.
Matt’s blog is easily navigated and updated several times a week with both useful information, tips and personal travel blogs. Matt is also a huge inspiration for long term traveling, as he has traveled for many years funding only by the income he’s making online.
Site: www.nomadicmatt.com
Twitter: @nomadicmatt
#3 Rolf Potts / No Baggage Challenge
Why has he made the list?
Rolf Potts recently got back from spending 6 weeks around the world without any baggage – The No Baggage Challenge. On this new blog he shares videos and proves that you don’t need a 60L+ and heaps of gear to be able to travel – less is more.
This is so close to our mindset, the no-excuse way of travel and with so many excuses out there for WHY people can’t travel, it’s great that someone stepped up and did this – even if the trip was funded by high-profile travel companies.
Site: www.rtwblog.com
Twitter: @rtwnobag
#4 Ryan & Liz / Pause The Moment
Why have they made the list?
Currently traveling around the world, Ryan and Liz have built up a great travel blog very fast – with so many awesome tips, videos and photos, it seems like these guys have been around for ages.
Great couple, and they really really prove that this lifestyle is possible for anyone.
Site: www.pausethemoment.com
Twitter: @pausethemoment
#5 Lauren & Todd / GlobeTroopers
Why have they made the list?
Lauren and Todd have created a great unique site for travelers to meet. A place online where you can find other like minded people to travel with.
Meeting people and making friends while traveling is a big part of the whole experience, and many people who travel solo sometimes want to share those moments with others.
Built from the ground up this site really seems amazing and has been featured in Mashable and the Los Angeles Times.
Site: www.globetrooper.com
Twitter: @globetrooper
#6 David Hoffmann / Davids Been Here
Why has he made the list?
Dave has created an informative and professional blog, on which he shares video guides for many places around the world. He also helps people plan trips and gives them tips on different countries in a unique video format on a section on his site called Ask David.
David is now starting to create his own PDF Downloadable City Guides which he is creating for every city he visits. His mission is to inform the world – about the world – because he believes that traveling changes people to the core.
Site: www.davidsbeenhere.com
Twitter: @davidsbeenhere
#7 Stephine Yoder / Twenty-SomethingTravel
Why has she made the list?
Even though she has only just left for her RTW trip – Steph has built her site up into one of the top travel blogs – with a large loyal readership.
On her site you will find a very personal and honest travel journal where she is unafraid to share her thoughts and emotions.
If you want to follow someone from the start of a round the world trip, Steph takes you through from dreaming to planning to making RTW a reality.
Site: www.twenty-somethingtravel.com
Twitter: @20sTravel
#8 Anil Polat / Fox Nomad
Why has he made the list?
Anil is THE tech- guy, sharing practical advice for many necessary things others may over look. Whenever you have a question about where to find Wi-Fi, which lap top to choose, how to jailbreak your iPhone etc, this is it.
He also writes a lot of safety advice, many about things that many people wouldn’t think about but then end up needing advice on. Anil also belongs to one of the few who are making a living and travel completely funded by his blogs.
Site: www.foxnomad.com
Twitter: @foxnomad
#9 Keith Savage / Traveling Savage
Why has he made the list?
Keith writes in a completely different style from most other travel bloggers. He writes more about thought-provoking subjects, and in a way which makes you contemplate, wonder and think twice. His mission is seeing the world one month at a time – while still having a home base.
He is the philosophical traveler who in a poetic way writes about things that many travelers can relate to, and subjects that engage people on a different level.
Site: www.traveling-savage.com
Twitter: @travelingsavage
#10 Christine Gilbert / Almost Fearless
Why she made the list?
Christine Gilbert is currently in the process of making of a film about digital nomads, and is traveling around the world filming those of us who have left the 9/5 life in search of other options. She has also released 3 books about leaving the 9/5 life and creating a life of freedom.
On her site you will find many guest posts, which makes her site a resource where you’ll find different styles of writing and view points from each guest poster.
Site: www.almostfearless.com
Twitter: @almostfearless
#11 Matthew Kyhnn / Backpacking Matt
Why has he made the list?
Matt is a seasoned traveler who has just spent the last 6 months exploring the depths of New Zealand, and shares many good quality articles about the country. So if you have any questions about New Zealand, send him an email, he prob. knows more about the place than me (and it’s my home country!)
Currently Matt is in Thailand, so keep a look out for more awesome info about South-East Asia. I am sure he will bring the same detailed passion he used to share New Zealand with the world.
Site: www.backpackingmatt.com
Twitter: @backpackingmatt
#12 Aracely Santos and Jason Castellani / Two Backpackers
Why have they made the list?
Aracely and Jasons way of travel is very similar to Johny Vagabond’s ‘low and slow’ – they are currently in South America, and are sharing so many amazing videos of the places they visit.
On their easily navigated and well-designed blog, you will also find a lot of practical advice – based on real experience.
Site: www.twobackpackers.com
Twitter: @twobackpackers
#13 Craig & Linda Martin / Indie Travel Podcast
Why have they made the list?
Craig and Linda have a Lonely Planet Award-winning podcast every week where they talk about the places they’ve been to, have interviews with other travelers etc.
They are one of the few couples who travel the world funded by their websites, which is a big inspiration to us, and it is great to have Craig share many great tips about making money on your travel site via makemoneytravelblogging.com
Site: www.indietravelpodcast.com
Twitter: @indietravel
#14 Brock Groombridge / Backpack With Brock
Why has he made the list?
Brock is the HD film master – he has nearly finished a 12 month trip around the world, and shared every step on his site via full HD film.
Despite being a solo traveler he manages to film himself a lot rather than just the surroundings like many others do. It’s always much appreciated to see the face of a blogger you follow – it really helps to build a strong connection.
Site: www.backpackwithbrock.com
Twitter: @backpackerbrock
#15 Gary Arndt / Everything Everywhere
Why has he made the list?
Gary is a great photographer and shares photos daily with his visitors – also offered as desktop wallpaper.
Apart from sharing daily photos he also has a very active travel forum, but the best place to get to know Gary is on his weekly audio podcast where he talks with some of the big-name people in the travel community.
Gary is known as one of the best travel bloggers out there, and he certainly is very successful in terms of getting thousands of visitors a month coming to his site.
Site: www.everything-everywhere.com
Twitter: @everywheretrip
#16 Amar Hussain / Gap Year Escape
Why has he made the list?
To us Amar has been one of the friendliest guys out there, taking the time to chat, and share his experience – one of which is getting trips, and other things for free while traveling.
He is currently writing an ebook about how to get things, trips and hostels etc. for free, something I’m sure everyone would like to know more about. He just arrived back in the UK, but I am sure you will see him out there again traveling soon.
Site: www.gapyearescape.com
Twitter: @gapyearescape
#17 Benny Lewis / Fluent In 3 Months
Why has he made the list?
Benny has taken on a smaller niche in the travel blogging community – learning languages. Knowing a few languages while traveling certainly makes it easier, and knowing the language in the current place you are is even better.
Benny can speak 8 languages and is constantly striving to get better, and to learn more languages. Whether you want to hear how it’s going for him or learn from his tips and advice, his blog is the place to be for language lovers.
Site: www.fluentin3months.com
Twitter: @irishpolyglot
#18 Robin and Amanda / Mango Manjaro
Why have they made the list?
Robin and Amanda are the authors behind a new travel blog – which is about something that most people would love to do, but would be way too scared…
Their plan is to hitchhike (YES – hitchhike) from Sweden all the way down to India.
They share videos of all the drivers who pick them up. They’re a small but very inspiring blog who truly deserve a shout out.
Site: www.mangomanjaro.se
Twitter: N/A
#19 Andi Perullo / My Beautiful Adventures
Why has she made the list?
Andi’s bubbly personality shines through so strongly on her personal travel journal where she shares her beautiful adventures. She seems like an amazing person, who never stops smiling and really just seems to CARE.
What makes her stand out the most are the amazing pictures she shares, and the well thought-through songs that she picks to match each of her blogs – to really get you in the right blog-reading mood.
Site: www.mybeautifuladventures.com
Twitter: @andiperullo
#20 Dave Lee / Go Backpacking
Why has he made the list?
Dave is a great inspiration for those wanting to get away and travel – he runs gobackpacking.com sharing many great tips and inspiration for world travel – he also earns a full-time living from his sites, which helps fund his travels.
He has been blogging since 2007, so has spent many years in the game, and can offer many tips – which he shares via his online course called Travel Blog Success.
Site: www.gobackpacking.com
Twitter: @rtwdave
#21 Audrey Scott & Daniel Noll / Uncornered Market
Why have they made the list?
Audrey & Daniel have been traveling since 2006 with a mission to humanize the places they visit, drawing their readers in through photographs and stories, so they connect with people and places they might otherwise never hear about or actively disregard.
I love the way they measure how far they travel around the world by how many footsteps they take – 39,537,390 right now!
Site: www.uncorneredmarket.com
Twitter: @umarket
#22 Caz and Craig / Y Travel Blog
Why have they made the list?
They have been working abroad in different countries for 10 years, and finally created this site in 2010 as a source of inspiration and encouragement to others.
They have built up ytravelblog very fast, and it is great to see them building such a great strong community-feel on facebook etc. I am sure in the future, this site will be one of the top ones out there.
Site: www.ytravelblog.com
Twitter: @ytravelblog
#23 Colin Wright / Exile Lifestyle
Why has he made the list?
Colin Wright has done what so many people aspire to do, he not only left to go travel on an open ended journey. He moves to a new country every 4 months, and his readers decide where he will go next by voting.
I love this guy’s mindset, and even though we haven’t met yet, I can tell this guy has it figured out, and we can all learn a few things from him about developing an awesome location-free lifestyle.
Site: www.exilelifestyle.com
Twitter: N/A
#24 Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil / The Planet D
Why have they made the list?
With a mindset of ‘Anyone Can Do It!’ you know this blog is going to share some great value to it’s readers.
Dave and Debra really are the adventure couple, traveling around the world doing many crazy things like: cycling 12,000km through Africa, and climbing to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Look out for their next adventure to Fiji, I am sure it will be full of many amazing stories.
Site: www.theplanetd.com
Twitter: @theplanetd
Well wasn’t that a big list! If you have read all these blogs and would like to read more – then make sure you check out our Travel Blog Directory - which includes over 100 more awesome travel blogs.
We really look forward to 2011 to see what happens in the travel blog industry – hope to see your blog on there!
The post 25 Most Inspiring Personal Travel Blogs appeared first on As We Travel.