The Most Amazing Travel Movies & Shows to Inspire You to Travel the World

And so it happened. Suddenly, we’re all staying home for the foreseeable future.

Lucky for me, I have two passions in life: traveling and staying indoors – I find happiness in both! I love exploring the world, but my introverted ass does need a break from it, so when I’m not traveling, you can probably find me either working from home, planning new projects, or binge-watching my favorite shows.

That said, I thought I’d make a list of some of the best travel shows, documentaries, and movies on Netflix for you. I mean, just because we can’t travel now doesn’t mean we won’t ever get to do it again, but for now, we can continue doing so right from the comfort of our couch.

Please note that Netflix’s repertoire varies per country, so I apologize if any of these travel movies/shows aren’t available in yours!

Street Food

“If someone wants to experience real food, authentic food… it has to be street food.”

Grab a tissue, cause this documentary will get you drooling! From the bustling night markets of Bangkok to the alleys of Ho Chih Minh, Street Food transports you to some of the most incredible Asian cities through their cuisine. But it’s not just that, this documentary also focuses on the ways food connects to the lives of people that prepare it, and the importance of street food in the every-day life of people around the world.

Kon-Tiki

Norwegian explorer, Thor Heyerdahl, was convinced that the South Sea Islands were colonized by South Americans way before anyone else. In order to prove his theory, he sets sail from Peru to Polynesia on a balsawood raft he named Kon-Tiki – using only the stars and the ocean currents as guides.

Spirited Away

Okay, so not everyone loves animated films, but I had to include Spirited Away on the list, because, well, it’s one of my favorite movies of all time!

Even though Spirited Away isn’t *exactly* a travel movie, it has always gotten me wanderlusting over Japan. While driving through the country with her parents, 10-year-old Chihiro manages to get transported into a different realm while exploring an abandoned amusement park. Soon enough, she meets a young boy, Haku, who tells her the park is a spa resort for supernatural beings who need a break from their earthly woes. 

P.S. Studio Ghibli recently released most of their movies on Netflix in a few countries, so if you enjoy this one, there’s a lot more where it came from!

One Strange Rock

I mean, damn. Even if you’re not into documentaries, this one will blow your mind away!

Narrated by Will Smith and eight astronauts, One Strange Rock provides unique perspectives into why the Earth is one of the most unique, yet fragile places in the universe and how everything, ABSOLUTELY everything is interconnected.

Plus, it often shows incredible places around the world, like the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia or the aurora borealis in the Arctic Circle, so it’s bound to give you a few ideas on where to travel once borders re-open!

An Idiot Abroad

I expected this travel show to be just another privileged “bromad” traveling the world, but boy was I wrong!

Okay, so how do I even do this show justice in just a short paragraph? I doubt I can, but I’ll give it a go!

Carl is the sort of guy who enjoys his comfort zone, and he doesn’t mind that at all. Problem is, he has two friends (Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant of all people), who love messing with him, so they send him on a trip around the world.

You’d think being sent on a trip to experience some of the most incredible things the world has to offer would be most people’s dream, but for Carl, it’s more of a nightmare. Idiot Abroad has you following Carl and his incredibly hilarious negativity all over the world.

You won’t be able to get enough of Carl.

Night On Earth

The world is a pretty weird place by day, but it gets a whole lot stranger after sundown.

Night On Earth is a mind-blowing documentary that follows some of the world’s most amazing animals and what they get up to after light fades.

The African Doctor

Seyolo Zantoko, a Congolese man, completes his medical degree in France and instead of returning home to become the doctor of their corrupt dictator, he decides to work in Marly-Gomont, a small village in the north of France.

Naturally, he gets his family to join him, but the luxurious Parisian life they were hoping for turns out a whole lot different than what they were expecting. This movie is funny, touching, and a must-watch in order to understand what a lot of immigrants go through when adjusting to life in a different country.

Forrest Gump

I’m pretty sure everyone has heard of Forrest Gump, but I had to include it on the list in case you haven’t watched it yet! I mean, we see Tom Hanks meeting JFK, fighting in Vietnam, becoming a football player, and becoming an international ping pong star. Could it BE any more perfect?!

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