travel documentary show

23 Binge-worthy Travel Documentaries on Netflix (2024)

By: Author Tracy Collins

Posted on Last updated: April 14, 2024

If you enjoy watching travel shows (whether for inspiration or research) you are in for a treat with this selection of the best travel documentaries on Netflix in 202 4

This eclectic list of Netflix travel documentaries and series will take you across every continent to meet the people, cultures, history and geography, natural wonders and wildlife that make up our beautiful planet.

Chosen by travel bloggers this is a selection of the best travel documentaries available on Netflix around the world.

Please bear in mind that not all these shows may be available on Netflix in your location ! If you would like unrestricted access to 15 Netflix libraries around the world (including Germany/USA/UK) we recommend Surfshark VPN. You only need 1 subscription to cover every gadget in your house. Click here for more information about Surfshark

Taco Chronicles

With surfshark vpn you can, dark tourist, down to earth, grand tours of the scottish islands, expedition happiness.

• Chef's Table

Somebody Feed Phil

Extreme engagement.

• Joanna Lumley's India

Chasing Coral

Magical andes, cuba and the cameraman, jack whitehall travels with my father, restaurants on the edge, tales by light, christiane amanpour: sex & love around the world, the serpent, the dawn wall, my octopus teacher, anthony bourdain: parts unknown, street food series (latin america and asia), more tv shows & movies from countries around the world, 23 best travel documentaries on netflix.

If you didn’t love the idea of eating tacos in Mexico City already, Taco Chronicles will make sure you do! In fact, you’ll discover that there’s even more to authentic Mexican tacos than you ever knew about.

In Taco Chronicles, you’ll go on a taco journey to Mexico City and beyond, to discover the unique types of tacos eaten in Mexico’s various regions and states. The show does start off in Mexico City, with the king of Mexican tacos — the taco al pastor.

From Mexico City, enjoy a virtual Mexican culinary food tour to its neighbouring state of Hidalgo, home of barbacoa (BBQ) tacos. Beyond Central Mexico, this food and travel documentary takes you all over Mexico.

In subsequent episodes of this two-season show, you’ll discover cochinita pibil (slow-roasted suckling pig) tacos in the Yucatan Peninsula, fried fish tacos in Baja California state on the west coast, cabrito (goat) tacos in Northern Mexico, and more.

Places/countries featured – Mexico

Chosen by Shelley of Travel Mexico Solo

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Over recent years, the public’s fascination with dark tourism destinations has boomed. Sites such as Chernobyl and Auschwitz draw in thousands of tourists every year. With so many of the population sharing a fascination for dark history, it is no wonder that so many have tuned into Netflix’s ‘Dark Tourist. 

The show follows journalist David Farrier as he travels around hoping to experience the most macabre destinations that the world has to offer. Farrier’s quest to unearth the morbid takes him to several high profile dark tourism destinations, including the site of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, on a JFK assassination tour and he even witnesses an exorcism in Mexico City.  

Although Farrier sometimes comes across as a mediocre Louis Theroux, this thought-provoking travel show succeeds in its aim and transports you into the unknown. The result is an interesting series that explores the darker side of life (and death).

Chosen by Sheree   of Winging the World

In the Netflix series Down To Earth , actor Zac Efron and wellness author Darin Olien travel across the globe learning about the wellness and sustainability efforts being made in numerous destinations.

Each of the eight episodes focuses on a different location and aspect of sustainability or personal wellness.

In the first episode, you’ll learn all about harnessing the earth’s energy in Iceland. From there, travel to Paris to see their efforts to reduce bottled water impacts, learn about sustainability in Costa Rica, and nutrition in Sardinia.

Also included in the series are food education in Lima, post-hurricane sustainability in Puerto Rico, London pollution reduction efforts, and Iquitos wellness in the Peruvian Amazon.

In one of the most intriguing segments, they learn about tap water differences from a water sommelier. The series lends a glimpse into some beautiful destinations and what locals are doing to keep them beautiful for decades to come.

Chosen by Samantha of PAonPause.com

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Historian and film-maker Paul Murton brings you on a fascinating journey to many Scottish islands over four seasons. He meets with locals; finds hidden gems; and explores the rich, unique, and sometimes tragic history of each of the islands. 

You may be surprised to find yourself binge-watching this relaxing travel documentary series. You will get caught up in Murton’s contagious curiosity about its people and his great admiration for its beauty. Every episode is filled with stunning scenery. The high production quality and engaging soundtrack heighten the enjoyment of the show. Fans can follow this up with his three other Scottish travel series.  

Queue up, Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands to enjoy some dreamy armchair travel or to gain a deeper understanding of the islands as you plan your trip to Scotland .  

Places featured: Isle of Skye , Islands of Loch Lomond, Hebridean Islands, Orkney Islands, and many more

Contributed by Erica at Trip Scholars

Expedition Happiness is a home movie/travelogue that follows the story of a German couple as they give up their life in Germany to do an epic road trip in the Americas with their dog Rudi.

The couple, whose names are Selima and Felix, purchased a yellow school bus in Florida for 9500 USD. After working on it for three months, they transformed it into their “Loft on Wheel”, a comfortable, spacious, and well-equipped adventure bus. 

The itinerary was to start in Alaska near Denali National Park , drive all the way down to Central America, cross over to South America, and finish in Argentina.

On their adventure, they documented all the incredible landscapes they saw, the people they met, and more.

Whether they were able to finish their epic adventure or not, you will have to find out on Netflix! 

Chosen by Sean of Living out Lau

Chef’s Table

Even if you’re not a foodie but love to travel, be sure to watch Chef’s Table on Netflix. This documentary series features renowned Chefs from around the world who are creating inspired culinary experiences.

Now in its 6th season with 30 episodes, the series doesn’t just showcase a chef’s creations, but takes you on a journey through each of their personal stories that has led to their creativity.

World renowned chefs like Italy’s Massimo Bottura will inspire you with how he came from humble beginnings to being on the world culinary stage. But one chef in particular has inspired us to travel for her food — Chef Ana Rôs, owner of  Hiša Franko restaurant  in Kobarid, Slovenia. 

After initially pursuing a career track in business, she spent years honing her craft and experimenting with the local foods of her native Slovenia. Today, she is now one of the top chefs in the world, Hiša Franko is one of the 50 Best Restaurants in the World and newly Michelin-rated — and our dinner there on my birthday might possibly be the best meal of my life.

Watch the series and decide where your next culinary adventure will be.

Chosen by Lori of travlinmad.com

In “Somebody Feel Phil”, the creator of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Phil Rosenthal, travels the world to indulge in the scrumptious local cuisine and to learn more about the culture of these destinations.

There are currently four seasons on Netflix and each episode features a different city around the world. This documentary does a great job of portraying local customs and traditions and viewers will feel like they’re actually in that city with the locals.

Phil has a childlike wonder to him when he’s learning about the different cultures and he answers basically any potential questions the viewers could have about the destination. One of the best parts about the documentary is watching Phil turn the strangers he meets into his family. 

Places featured – Bangkok, Saigon, Tel Aviv, Lisbon, New Orleans, Mexico City, Venice , Dublin, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen, Cape Town, New York City, Marrakesh, Chicago, London, Seoul, Montreal, Rio De Janeiro, San Francisco, Singapore, the Mississippi Delta, and Hawaii. 

Chosen by Disha of Disha Discovers

While most people get engaged and then begin planning their perfect wedding, Tim and PJ, stars of the Netflix show Extreme Engagement, do anything but that. Instead, Tim and PJ get engaged and then set out on a worldwide exploration of marital traditions around the world. 

The couple journeys to places such as Mongolia, Brazil, China, Nigeria, and Papua New Guinea facing challenging experiences along the way that has them questioning their relationship and each other. 

You get to see a glimpse inside the cross-cultural challenges associated with a new romance along with an interesting insight into how other cultures celebrate love and marriage. 

Chosen by Michelle Snell from That Texas Couple

International travellers Scott Wilson and Justin Lukach cross the world and push their limits on an expedition to find genuine, unforgettable experiences.

DEPARTURES is an international award-winning and inspiring television travel series that will take you on the journey of a lifetime and beyond. From epic landscapes to unforgettable culture, learn what it takes to make it all happen through personal successes, crushing disappointments and memorable new friendships that could only be made by travelling abroad.

With two episodes for every continent, DEPARTURES will arm and reassure your wanderlust with hours of riveting programming that captures the beauty, drama, wonder and humor of taking a leap abroad.

DEPARTURES covers every aspect of world travel, showing you exactly what to expect at destinations around the globe. From beaches in Bali and cruising in the South Pacific Islands, to trekking on Mt Kilimanjaro and sailing up icebergs off Greenland, DEPARTURES takes you straight into a location’s unique atmosphere… giving viewers insight into a whole new way of life.

Places featured – Nearly 30 countries around the world including Japan, New Zealand and Russia

Chosen by Casandra of Karpiak Caravan Adventure Family Travel

Joanna Lumley’s India

Joanna Lumley is a British actress probably most well-known for her role as the outrageous Patsy of Absolutely Fabulous. What is perhaps less known about her is that she was born in Kashmir, India, in 1946, and the descendent of British colonists in India going back to 1777.

Originally aired in 2017 with three episodes, Joanna Lumley’s India takes viewers on a personal trip across the country where she explores modern India and finds connections to members of her own family and the experience of being and speaking English in India .

Lumley has also hosted travel shows on Japan, the Silk Road, the Caribbean, and the Trans-Siberia express train.

Places featured:  Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Gujarat, Mumbai, Ranthambhore National Park, Delhi, and Srinagar, Kashmir.

Chosen by Mariellen of Breathedreamgo

Chasing Coral is a fascinating documentary about the disappearance of coral around the world. In this chasing coral, a team of divers, researchers and photographers set out on an ocean adventure to document the bleaching of Coral in warming seas. This phenomenon is when corals lose their beautiful and vibrant colors to become white, dying shortly after. 

The point of this documentary is to show that the coral’s death is the result of climate change and the rise in temperatures that are absorbed by the oceans. 

The documentary takes us to some of the most beautiful destinations in the world such as the Florida Keys, Hawaii and the Bahamas. More than that, this documentary also shows the important damage climate change has done to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. 

I definitely recommend this documentary to anyone who wants to really understand the impact of human activity on the ocean’s ecosystem. 

Chosen by Camille from Everything Yoga Retreat

Magical Andes is one of the best travel documentaries on Netflix if you are looking to learn about the natural gems of South America. When searching amongst the 100’s of other documentaries you’ll find this particular docuseries created by Luis Ara and Alexandra Hardorf concentrates solely on the magical landscape of the Andes mountain range. 

This docuseries not only shows you all about the longest continental mountain range in the world, but talks about the wildlife, lakes, and forests, deserts, volcanoes, and other Mother Earth creations that exist in that region. 

Magical Andes focuses on truly stunning imagery and gives you a look into some of the  best places to visit in South America  that you simply wouldn’t see passing through in a car.

Places featured  – In season one, the Netflix documentary features spectacular views from Argentina and Chile. Then from the Aconcagua desert in Bolivia over to some of the more ancient cultures in Peru. The lush mountain of Colombia and Ecuador are also featured.

Chosen by Daniel of LayerCulture.com

If you’ve ever thought of visiting Cuba there are many Cuban movies and documentaries to help you to research your trip, but none are as epic as this one. 

Many people believe that Cuba is a country frozen in time, but this Netflix documentary features Jon Alpert’s travels to Cuba over a span of nearly five decades. 

And while the relationships between the United States and Cuba has been fragmented at times, he visited each time as an American journalist. It starts in 1970s, just over a decade since the Cuban revolution when the country was thriving. 

Instead of giving his perspective on Cuba, he interviews three families who share their own stories of every day life. He continues to visit Cuba to find these families to update their stories. Over the decades the political situation and relationship with the United States changes quite dramatically.

And while he also interviews Fidel Castro, most of the film is really about everyday Cubans and their highs and lows.

Chosen by Ayngelina of Baconismagic.ca

Jack Whitehall is a British comedian who attended private school and has a somewhat disjointed relationship with his father Michael because of this. Jack also never got to take a gap year before going to university so season one of Travels with my Father is all about Jack finally embarking on a traditional ‘gap year’ trip to Southeast Asia. The twist is he takes his father with him so they can strengthen their bond.

The series takes place in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam and highlights some of the gap year activities that can be done including full moon parties on the beach and visiting Angkor Wat. By the end of their travels, they reflect on what they have learned about each other and themselves.

The show continues in a similar fashion in the subsequent seasons where Michael takes Jack on a culture and history tour around Europe, Jack shows Michael everything the US has to offer, and both his mother and father join him for a road trip in Australia.

Chosen by Steph from Book It Let’s Go!

If you love travel, design and food, Restaurants on the Edge needs to be on your Netflix list. In each episode, the show highlights a restaurant in a stunning location. 

The restaurants get a makeover from a design expert and the menu often gets an upgrade from the show’s chef, the goal is to take struggling restaurants and make them sustainable for the business owners. 

There are currently two seasons of Restaurants on the Edge on Netflix, with locations throughout the world. 

In season one, you’ll be treated to beautiful ocean views in Malta, as well as stunning architecture. The views continue with a cliff side restaurant in Costa Rica. 

Season two will take you around the world again, with restaurants in Finland, St. Croix and Arizona. 

Not only is it fun to see the upgrades these restaurants go through, but it’s also inspiring to see the impact the changes have on each person’s life making this show a must-watch. 

Chosen by Alenis of seasaltandfog.com  

If you are a fan of Italy, Italian art and History, then watch the gorgeous and surprisingly brutal history of the famous Medici’s of Florence.

The Netflix show is so well done with gorgeous cinematography, beautiful costumes and stage settings. The show includes all the surrounding countryside and historic sites that document the Medici Family and their major influence on Florence, Venice, and even Rome (two popes were related to the Medici family).

It also showcases early Catholic power and greed. The Pope had absolute power and a religious mission that seemed corrupt whichever person was Pope and ruler. 

The Medici focus really hits the major sites of the city and also the start of the Renaissance period in Italy. The crowning of the main dome in the cathedral was a major achievement during this time frame and it was really fascinating to see how this was depicted and shown in development and the struggles of the Medici family to get this undertaking done.

Also, it was interesting to see how easy it was during that time frame to create wealth and also lose it depending on your affiliations and business relationships with the pope and other influential rulers of that time.

Watch the Medici’s on Netflix and if you visit Florence, you’ll gain a better understanding of the Medici fame and fortune in the area.

Chosen by Noel of Oahu Travel Now

Below Deck is a series of reality TV shows. Each show is set on a luxury yacht which is rented out by wealthy charter guests, but the real action is with the young yacht crew, or yachties, who serve them, the characterful captains who lead them and the stunning locations. The original Below Deck was so successful that it rapidly gained two spin offs, Below Deck Mediterranean and Below Deck Sailing Yacht.

The original Below Deck saw the crew sail around Sint Maarten in the Caribbean, followed by seasons in the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, the US Virgin Islands, Tahiti, Thailand and Antigua.

Below Deck Mediterranean’s locations have included Mykonos in the Greek Islands, Split and Cavtat in Croatia, the Amalfi Coast in Italy, the Cote d’Azur in the south of France and Mallorca in Spain’s Balearic Islands. Below Deck, Sailing Yacht has only had one series, set in Corfu.

Contributed by Helen of HelenOnHerHolidays.com

The documentary series “Tales by Light” follows renowned professional filmmakers and photographers as they visit worldwide destinations and capture fascinating content which highlights different features of the natural world. 

Every episode focuses on a different subject such as wildlife, the oceans, landscapes, adventure activities, or cultural practices and traditions. The distinct approaches of the featured photographers really help to bring the stories to life and this program presents many less well-known countries and regions in a compelling way using panoramic landscapes and stunning visuals. 

The first season explores multiple destinations per episode, with visits to Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Alaska and Colorado in the United States, Vanuatu, the Himalayas, Antarctica, Ethiopia and Uganda.

The second season covers Kenya, Norway, Brazil, the Bahamas, India and Namibia, and the third season highlights Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Australia.

This series presents a journey across the globe and is sure to inspire travellers who are looking for their next adventure.

Contributed by Claire from  Claire Pins Travel  

In this cultural travel show, CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour (who in the past has covered major stories from countries like  Iran , Rwanda, and Pakistan) travels to six different cities around the world to explore women’s love lives across multiple cultures. She talks to experts in the field as well as everyday people — revealing facts and details that give a very insightful glimpse into the culture and values of women around the world. 

Christiane is a natural at asking just the right questions and at shining a spotlight on the stories of the women in each city.

While this show focuses heavily on love and sex, viewers will get to learn a whole lot about the overall mentality and life approach of each country — making this a perfect travel show that fosters deeper cultural appreciation.

Places featured – Tokyo (Japan), Delhi (India), Beirut (Lebanon), Berlin (Germany), Accra (Ghana), Shanghai (China)

Chosen by Jiayi of The Diary of A Nomad

Released at the beginning of 2021, The Serpent is not a travel show in and of itself, but it will inevitably allure travelers into visiting the many places explored by the main characters.

Aired on Netflix, the series tells the real story of Charles Sobhraj, a French serial killer of Indian and Vietnamese origins who in the mid-1970s drugged, robbed and killed a large number of backpackers travelling between Thailand, India and Nepal. 

Sobhraj and his Quebecoise girlfriend Marie-Andrée Leclerc were finally identified as the authors of the crimes thanks to the work of Dutch diplomat Herman Knippenberg, who, albeit the many reservations of the Dutch ambassador to Thailand, set to investigate the disappearance of a Dutch couple and through a series of lead eventually managed to uncover the culprits.

Places featured: Over the course of 8 episodes you will be taken to Bangkok, the coast of Thailand, the peaks of Nepal, the streets of several Indian cities and even to Paris .

Chosen by Claudia Tavani of My Adventures Across The World

When Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson free climbed the Great Wall of the El Capitan rock face in the Yosemite National Park in 2018, the news spread like wildfire.

Dawn Wall is a US documentary about this story of perseverance and adventure.

Cameras follow these legendary free climbers as they undertake this nearly impossible task. It took Cadwell 7 years to reach the goal and we are given a detailed look into the events that led to this decision and the struggles that were involved throughout the journey.

There’s one constant theme that runs throughout the story and that is the strength of the human spirit.

This captivating documentary with great visuals should not be missed. The documentary is in English, but subtitles are available in different languages that include Spanish, French, and Chinese. 

Places featured : Yosemite National Park

Chosen by Rai from A Rai of Light

My Octopus Teacher is an award-winning and very heart-touching documentary on Netflix that covers how a filmmaker spent a year trying to capture a wild octopus on camera and also form a friendship with it. 

For about a year, Craig Foster films a wild octopus he came across while trying out free-diving through an underwater kelp forest in South Africa.

Over the period, Craig and the octopus develop a bond with the octopus almost showing Craig around and not being uninhibited by his presence as he follows it.

Craig watches as it protects itself, loses an arm to an attack and then regrows it too. At the end of the documentary, the octopus naturally passes away after mating and trying to protect its eggs. 

Filmed entirely near Cape Peninsula in South Africa, this beautiful documentary is not to be missed as it covers an offbeat relationship between man and nature. 

Places featured – A kelp forest off False Bay near Simon’s Town in South Africa

Chosen by Lavinia of Continent Hop

For the foodies of the world, who travel the world, and are strident realists about the world, “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” is an absolute must-watch.

Rugged, painfully honest, internationally renowned chef Anthony Bourdain travelled the globe in search of authentic food, people and life experiences. With no time for nonsense and all the time in the world for simple food done to perfection, he takes the viewer to eating establishments from tiny street food stalls to the finest of fine dining.

In his search for amazing food in amazing places, he guides you from the brutality of the Bornean jungle to the madness of Seoul’s foodie nightlife and the pure joy of a perfectly cooked steak in an Argentinian steakhouse accompanied by a glass of locally bottled Malbec. 

Parts Unknown leaves you an appetite for dinner and a bigger one for travel. Wanderlust is baked into every episode.

Chosen by Rosie of the Flying Fluskeys

The Street Food series is one for foodie lovers around the world to enjoy! Each episode follows the story of a local chef and how they started their now-famous street food shops.

From family restaurants to cultural fusions, you learn about a destination through food from the people who make it possible.

Volume one takes place in various Asian destinations, such as Bangkok (Thailand), Singapore, Delhi (India), Seoul (South Korea), and others.

The second volume takes place in Latin America, highlighting food in Salvador (Brazil), Bogota (Colombia), Lima (Peru), Oaxaca (Mexico), and more.

It is a delicious docuseries that will keep you salivating and also inspire you to understand how food and travel are one. Street Food will also encourage you to get out of your comfort zone if you normally avoid street food!

It is the ideal blend of travel and food for everyone to indulge in from home.

Chosen by Sojourner of Sojournies.com

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72 Dangerous Places to Live, Dark Tourist, and more: Sate your wanderlust with the best travel shows and documentaries on Netflix

You'll love these amazing travel documentaries.

Traveling is something that many people wish they could do more of. Whether you lack the time, money, or know-how to travel the world, though, it can be comforting to watch others do it from the comfort of your couch. A great travel show or documentary can be a wonderful escape and a reminder that the world is much bigger than the tiny slice of it you live in every day. What’s even better is that many great travel documentaries on Netflix, if you’re willing to go looking for them.

These documentaries will deliver stunning panoramic shots of the U.S. National Parks , as well as plenty of international wonders, and a little bit of good food as well. If you like all kinds of docs, travel or not, we’ve got you covered with Netflix documentaries (or maybe you’re just really into crime docs and action flicks). We also have an overall guide on the best Netflix movies and the best Netflix shows .

72 Dangerous Places to Live (2016)

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Down to Earth with Zac Efron (2020)

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The best sci-fi shows are able to capture the imagination of audiences with the perfect amount of realism, while also dissociating from reality enough to entertain and thrill. There are plenty of sci-fi movies on Netflix that are well worth checking out, but if you’re in the mood for something that will take a little bit longer to consume, you may be looking for a series. To find the best show for you, we've done the hard work of looking through all of Netflix's many options to find the best options. Below are the greatest sci-fi TV shows on Netflix. Once you’re done watching any of these sci-fi TV shows, you may want to check out the best sci-fi movies of all time.

Dark (2017)

Have you ever found yourself looking through all the movies on Netflix, only to find that actually choosing one to watch is very taxing? That's not even mentioning all the Netflix shows to dig through. If you know you're looking for a particular kind of movie, that can help, but even then, there can be too many movies to choose from. Luckily, we've been watching tons of great sci-fi movies and have already determined which ones rise to the top of the pile on Netflix. So if you're looking for the best sci-fi movies on Netflix this year, you've come to the right place. If you're looking for Netflix movies that will keep you occupied for a whole weekend or an evening, you can also check out our list of the best sci-fi series on Netflix right now.

What is the definition of an action movie? Can there even really be a complete explanation of the genre? Some feature the kinds of stunts that no mere mortal would ever dare to attempt, while others attempt to be more grounded. Still, others have outlandish premises that take us to new, far-off worlds. It's a genre that contains multitudes, but what makes an action movie great is its ability to thrill and captivate its audience. Over the course of its history as a streaming service, Netflix has been home to a number of great action titles. Some are funny, and others are deadly serious. The only thing we know for sure, though, is that the best action movies on Netflix are sure to please. We've also rounded up some of the best action movies on Amazon Prime worth watching if you've seen all these, as well as a few great action movies available on Hulu. Looking for even more films to stream online? We've found the all-around best Netflix movies, Amazon Prime movies, Disney Plus movies, and movies on Hulu to watch this month.

Uncharted (2022)

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30 Best Travel Documentaries & Series To Watch

• by Jonny Duncan
• October 20, 2023 December 7, 2023

We all need a bit of travel inspiration and these are some of the best travel documentaries that will give you some wanderlust, and understanding, of the regions of the world involved.

These are my favourite travel documentaries and series that have inspired my travels.

Disclaimer: I own none of the images in this post, they are used under fair-usage terms to discuss the travel documentaries.

Himalaya With Michael Palin (2004)

Michael Palin is my all-time favourite travel presenter, writer, and hell, just an awesome person in general and his travel documentaries are some of the best you can watch.

His sense of humour, interest in the places he visits, how he interacts with the local people, and the way he presents himself is what makes this travel journey one of the best.

Add to that epic Himalayan scenery and adventure and you have the perfect combination for the best travel documentary.

You can watch it here as well as some of his other travel documentaries.

The Endless Summer (1966)

Surfs up! And also lots of fun, fun, fun, in the sun.

Set in the mid-sixties it follows two surfers from California as they travel around the world, including countries like South Africa, Australia, and Ghana, in search of the ‘perfect wave’. 

It’s very laid back to watch and entertaining and a good insight into surfer travels in the sixties.

I would love to hit up some of the waves they found! If you want one of the best travel documentaries based around surfing and beaches then watch this.

Watch it online here .

Encounters at the End of the World (2009)

Want some cold weather viewing, beautiful scenery in the vast expanse of Antarctica, and some fun with scientists? This is it.

Filmmaker Werner Herzog tackles this perfectly, exploring the desolate and vast wilderness of Antarctica around the US base of McMurdo Station, and the people who live and work there.

This will make you want to go to a remote and cold place.

Watch it here .

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (2013 – 2018)

Anthony Bourdain was one of my travel heroes. He died in 2018. His style of reporting and meeting the people he visits around the world and coming together around a common theme worldwide, food, brought a personal approach to the travel genre.

Parts Unknown is one of the best travel documentaries to watch for food. 

The other series with Anthony Bourdain exploring world cuisine, such as No Reservations is also worth watching.

See it on Netflix here .

Under An Arctic Sky (2017)

This is a short travel documentary coming in at only 40 minutes, but worth the watch for sure.

I had been recommended this by a fellow travel blogger and was glad about it.

It’s beautifully shot in Iceland in winter, following a group of surfers looking for (as usual) the perfect waves. 

But a storm comes through during this time and they have to outrun it.

The first time surfers have been filmed under the Northern Lights.

This has made me want to return to Iceland again to explore more of the country in the Arctic darkness.

See what it’s like surfing under the Northern Lights !

Sahara With Michael Palin (2002)

Yes, another Michael Palin travel documentary. I can’t help it his journeys are just so good.

This time he’s out exploring the Sahara Desert, getting into remote adventures with tribal nomads, and so much more.

This will inspire you for a desert adventure.

Watch the epic Sahara journey here .

180° South (2010)

180° South follows Jeff Johnson, an adventurer who travels across South America to Patagonia to visit the places that Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins had visited in 1968, two people who had inspired him.

Easily one of the best travel documentaries about South America to see.

Chasing Coral (2017)

Chasing Coral is a documentary for anyone interested in the ocean and, given the title, especially coral reefs.

It follows scientists and divers who explore the coral areas to see why they are disappearing and to explain it all to you. A good conservationist documentary as well as one for travel to these beautiful parts of the world.

Billy Connolly’s World Tour of Australia (1996)

Billy Connolly is one of the great all-time stand-up comedians.

He also travels a lot and his ‘world tour’ series has taken him to lots of different countries around the world, with Australia being the best.

It’s a combination of him exploring Australia and what is there, with a great sense of humour for everything, as well as some short clips of his stand-up performances in each area he visits with views and opinions about his experience in Australia.

A must-see travel documentary for anyone interested in Australia with a very amusing outlook on travel there.

It ain’t cheap but if you’re a Billy Connolly fan, or want to give a gift to someone who is, this is the Billy Connolly box set of all his world tours.

Dark Tourist (2018)

For some people (myself included) there’s a strange and weird fascination with some of the ‘darker’ tourist spots to visit and dark tourism has become more popular.

From nuclear disaster zone tours to death-worshipping cults, this travel documentary covers them all.

It can be disturbing given the tragedy behind some of the events, but it is history, and it is part of humanity. 

To escape the ‘normal’ tourist spots this will give you an idea of an alternative travel experience.

Right or wrong it is fascinating.

See it on Netflix .

Given (2016)

This is such a unique and refreshing take on a travel documentary as it’s narrated by a six-year-old boy.

It follows a family from Kauai (part of Hawaii) on a journey through 15 countries around the world.

This a really good insight into family travel and the life-teaching experiences travel can have on young children.

Watch their website for the documentary.

Stephen Fry In America (2009)

Stephen Fry is one of my favourite comedians and in this travel series, he travels across the U.S. in search of what makes America.

Just like Billy Connolly and Michael Palin, there is lots of humour involved.

It gives a great insight into American culture.

This is one of the best travel documentaries to watch if planning a trip to the United States. 

Watch here .

The Eagle Huntress (2016)

One of those interested in Central Asia travel, this documentary is about a 13-year-old Kazakh girl called Aisholopan who wants to be an eagle hunter, the first female in her family for twelve generations to do it.

Beautiful scenery and an inspiring story make this a spellbinding travel documentary to watch.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2010)

Have an interest in sushi and Japanese food? Then this is the ultimate travel documentary for you.

It follows an 85-year-old sushi master called Jiro Ono and how he makes some of the best sushi in the world and tries to teach his son the way and the family business.

It’s one of the best documentaries about Japan to watch.

Baraka (1992)

Out of all the travel documentaries, this is one of the older ones but it has aged well. It’s also one of the most beautiful travel documentaries to watch.

The tagline is “A world beyond worlds”, and after watching it you will see why.

There is no narrative, just epic films from all over the world showing natural environments, cities and everything else.

Personally, I remember watching this in the 90s and being inspired to see the places it showed.

Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (2010)

Happy People: A Year in the Taiga is another Werner Herzog travel documentary that is absolutely brilliant if you have an interest in cold places and Siberia in particular.

It follows the people in a remote village in the Siberian Taiga region and shows the repeated way of life in how they deal with living in a harsh cold environment. It includes footage of some of the native Ket people as well.

Tawai: A Voice From The Forest (2017)

Out of all the travel documentaries, this is one of the best ones taking a look at indigenous people around the world.

Adventurer Bruce Parry explores the forests of the Amazon and Borneo, as well as the Isle of Skye in Scotland where he looks at the ways the native people get on with the nature around them.

Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin (2019)

Nomad is yet again another one with Werner Herzog and this time it’s a much more personal one.

His good friend Bruce Chatwin, who was a well-known travel writer, died of AIDS in 1989 he left Werner his rucksack as a parting gift. Thirty Years after his death Werner heads out to explore places inspired by his friend’s travel life.

Maidentrip (2013)

Maidentrip will make you want to get a yacht and go on an adventure around the world! It’s about a 14-year-old sailor who leaves home for a 2-year journey around the world alone to become the youngest person to ever achieve such a task.

This is one of the best travel documentaries not just about yachting and boats but also about the determination of the human spirit to achieve something great.

Travel Man (2015 Onwards)

Travel Man is a great travel documentary series where each episode host Richard Ayoade visits a new city with a different celebrity to explore what the city has to offer in the way of tourist attractions and other things.

Lots of fun to watch and one of the best recent travel documentaries to see.

Fishpeople (2017)

Fishpeople is a group of stories about various individuals who have dedicated their lives to the sea. It includes a long-distance swimmer, surfers, and many more.

This is one to watch if you have an interest in anything related to life with the ocean.

Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands (2013 – 2016)

If you love Scotland or really want to go there then this is the ultimate Scottish travel series for you. The presenter is Paul Murton and he explores all around the Scottish Isles.

He also has other shows such as the Grand Tour of Scotland and Grand Tour of Scotlands Lochs. He really gets into the culture of Scotland.

Backpackingman note: I am of Scottish ancestry with my great-grandfather being a proper Scotsman from Aberdeen and I have visited Scotland a few times now and can highly recommend this series.

Rick Steves’ Europe (2000 – Onwards)

Rick Steves’ Europe is one of the longest-running travel documentary series out there, if not the longest.

Given the title of the show, it follows Rick as he travels around Europe showing everything the place has to offer. The series from 2018 focuses on Scotland so goes nicely with the Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands mentioned above.

Desert Runners (2013)

Desert Runners is the ultimate documentary about people who run in some of the harshest environments and in this case the desert.

But the twist to this story is that it explores a group of people who join the hardest ultra-marathon race series on the planet and none of them are professional runners.

Watch this one if you have an interest in deserts and running.

Down To Earth (2020)

Down To Earth is a travel documentary series on Netflix that follows actor Zac Efron to different parts of the world where he looks at the sustainability efforts of each destination.

For example, in Iceland, he learns about the efforts to use the natural energy of Earth for power.

Magical Andes (2020 – Onwards)

Magical Andes a travel documentary series is set in South America and takes a look at the Andes Mountain range, from the mountains themselves to the deserts, forests, and everything else that surrounds them

Highly recommended if you’ve ever wanted to visit South America and in particular the Andes region.

Expedition Happiness (2017)

Expedition Happiness follows a couple who get an old school bus and then drive throughout North America with their dog.

The couple is so lovely it’s worth watching just to see them and their life.

Free Solo (2018)

Free Solo follows Alex Honnold, a professional rock climber, as he attempts to be the first person to free solo climb El Capitan’s rock face.

It’s set in Yosemite National Park and is thrilling to watch not just for the action but also for the scenery. Watch this documentary if you are interested in mountain travel and rock climbing as a sport.

The Dawn Wall (2017)

Following on from Free Solo, The Dawn Wall is also set in Yosemite National Park, and this time follows Tommy Caldwell, a free climber, who tried to climb the Dawn Wall of El Capitan.

As with Free Solo, watch this one for mountains.

Mountain (2017)

The Mountain is one of the best travel documentaries about mountains and is breathtaking to watch.

It explores mountains around the world and tells at the same time the history between humans and mountains.

Notable Mention: BBC Planet Earth 1+2 (2006 + 2016)

The BBC Planet Earth series is absolutely beautifully filmed and epic to watch.

In each episode, they explore different parts of the planet, such as deserts, mountains, oceans, forests, etc.

There are also other travel documentaries by the BBC, like The Blue Planet, Frozen Planet, and a lot more. Each one shows a different side of our planet.

These will get you wanting to get out and see the world!

The Best Travel Documentaries

And that’s the list of the best travel documentaries that will hopefully give you some inspiration for your own travels.

Interested in more travel-related movies? Check out 10 movies to watch before travelling to Japan .

You can find some of the older travel documentaries on places like YouTube. In fact, YouTube is a great place to find new and old travel documentaries in general.

And for some travel reading 20 books to read set in the Arctic and Antarctic .

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Hi Jonny, this is Christian from Germany I pic you up from Zagreb 2008 and we travel to Germany by car. Later I visit you in Amsterdam. My speciality is Africa. Like to contact you again cause I cannot find you anymore on Couchsurfing. May I ask for your PM adress? see you Christian

Dark Tourist is the best part of this post ..

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Second-Half Travels

Adventures of a Fifty-Something Cubicle Escapee

13 Best Travel Documentaries on Netflix (2023)

These Netflix documentaries about travel will pacify your wanderlust between trips as you explore the world from the comfort of your couch.

Here are some of the best travel documentaries on Netflix in the US as of July 24, 2023. Many are also available in other countries. Watch them while you can, because content disappears as licensing agreements expire.

Also, don’t miss the bonus list of travel documentaries on Amazon Prime below.

Table of Contents

Netflix Travel Documentaries

1. dark tourist.

Netflix meets Vice in this travelogue by New Zealand filmmaker David Farrier, who sets his sights on the world of dark tourism.

From a nuclear lake to a haunted forest, he visits macabre — and sometimes dangerous — tourist destinations around the world.

Countries : Various

2. Street Food: Latin America

Experiencing street food culture is one of the joys of travel. This mouth-watering docuseries travels to Latin America to meet the local stars of street food.

Countries : Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia

3. Street Food: Asia

This inspiring series from the makers of Chef’s Table is as much about the compelling survival stories of these talented street chefs as it is about their signature dishes.

The first season takes the viewer to nine Asian destinations.

Countries : Thailand, Japan, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, and Vietnam

4. Pedal the World

Over the course of one memorable and adventure-filled year, German-born Felix Starck documents his 18,000-kilometer bicycle journey across 22 countries.

The Oscar-nominated heart-rending true story of the rangers risking their lives to save Africa’s most precious national park and its endangered gorillas.

Country: Congo

6. Chef’s Table

Each episode of this Emmy-nominated docuseries visits a different international location for an in-depth interview with one of the world’s most renowned chefs.

Creator David Gelb also directed the critically acclaimed Jiro Dreams of Sushi , and the two productions share a similar emotional and artistic sensibility hallmarked by compelling narratives and mesmerizingly beautiful cinematography.

7. Magical Andes

No English subtitles available for trailer – but you don’t need them to admire the stunning photography

From Argentina to Colombia, this inspiring documentary follows five characters who share their deep connection to South America’s majestic mountains.

Countries: Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia

8. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Chef David Chang brings his trademark irreverent humor and curiosity to Vancouver, Marrakech, Los Angeles, and Phnom Penh as he explores the culture and food accompanied by various celebrity guests.

Countries : Canada, Morocco, US, Cambodia

9. The Trader (Sovdagari)

At only 23 minutes, this award-winning documentary short provides a fascinating and poignant window into impoverished rural life in post-Soviet Georgia.

The camera follows a traveling trader as he sells secondhand goods in exchange for potatoes. Beautiful cinematography that captures the stark Georgian landscape.

Country: Georgia

10. Ugly Delicious

Smart-ass chef David Chang leads his buddies on a mouthwatering, cross-cultural hunt for the world’s most satisfying grub.

Each episode of this highly original show tackles a topic like tacos, pizza, or dumplings, examining its cultural and culinary history and visiting different countries to compare how it’s made.

Warning: Chang can be obnoxious, and racial and political commentary is liberally sprinkled throughout the show, which may not be to everyone’s taste.

11. Period. End of Sentence.

This Oscar-winning documentary short takes us to rural India, where local women fight the stigma surrounding menstruation by manufacturing low-cost sanitary pads.

Country: India

12. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

Based on Samin Nosrat’s best-selling book, this visually stunning series travels to the home kitchens of Italy, the southern islands of Japan, the heat of the Yucatán, and to Berkeley’s Chez Panisse.

Samin’s contagious laugh and genuine passion for cooking inspire as she explores the central principles of what makes food delicious.

Countries: Italy, Japan, Mexico, United States

13. Taco Chronicles

Note: No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer; click to watch subtitled trailer on Netflix Warning: Don’t watch if you’re hungry. Explore the complex histories of the world’s most beloved tacos in this love letter to the iconic handheld food.

Country : Mexico

Travel Documentaries on Amazon Prime

See below for some of the best travel documentaries on Amazon Prime Video. I’ve indicated whether each is free to Prime members or available for rental.

Note that these films may also be found at your local library.

A Map for Saturday

Classic travel documentary that follows a variety of solo budget travelers — from teens to seniors — through 26 countries on four continents.

Young filmmaker Brook Silva-Braga trains his inquisitive lens on backpackers lending a hand to tsunami victims, trekkers forming brief but intense relationships, and fascinating moments of self-discovery and adventure.

Available for rental on Amazon Prime .

This inspiring documentary follows the record-breaking round-the-world voyage of Dutch teen Laura Dekker, youngest person ever to sail around the world alone.

Available for free to Prime members on Amazon Prime.

This beautifully filmed docu follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey to Patagonia of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins, legendary founders of The North Face and Patagonia sportswear and pioneering conservationists.

Along the way Johnson gets shipwrecked off Easter Island, surfs the longest wave of his life, and attempts to climb a Patagonian peak.

Available for free to Prime members on Amazon Prime .

Countries: Mexico, Chile

You may also like:

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About Ingrid

Ingrid left software engineering at age 43 to devote herself to language learning and travel. Her goal is to speak seven languages fluently. Currently, she speaks English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, and is studying Italian.

Reader Interactions

July 5, 2018 at 3:56 pm

Definitely going to start ploughing my way through some of these before I head off next!! 🙂

July 5, 2018 at 10:38 pm

Definitely… Netflix travel shows provide some of my best inspiration! 😉

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The 45+ Best TV Travel Series

The very best travel documentary shows on television, ranked from best to worst. This list of the greatest travel documentary shows also includes pictures from the shows when available. Popular travel documentary TV shows have been a staple of television for years, so there's often debate about what the most entertaining travel documentary show of all time is. Don't let your favorite travel documentary television programs in history get to the bottom of the list- be sure to vote them up so they have the chance to reach the top spot. The list of travel documentary television shows below includes information like the program's cast, creator and premiere date when available.

The list you're viewing is made up of a variety of different shows, including An Idiot Abroad and Fishing with John.

This list answers the questions, "What is the best travel documentary show of all time?" and "What are the greatest travel documentary shows?" And if you love these shows, be sure to check out these travelers tv series .

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These shows will help expand your knowledge of the world. TV doesn't just rot you brain, it can teach you useful travel tips, life lessons, and better ways to live!

The Best Travel Shows You Can Stream Right Now

By Meredith Carey

Most of us can't be on the road 365 days a year, but that doesn't mean we have to stop exploring. With some of the best travel shows streaming on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, we have the world at our fingertips, with episodes that take us from markets in Mexico to hawker stalls in Singapore to the farthest reaches of the Arctic, back home to BBQ joints in Charleston. Whether you'd rather follow the late Anthony Bourdain, Sir David Attenborough, David Chang, Samin Nosrat , Samantha Brown , Ewan McGregor, or the Fab Five along the way is up to you. Here, find some of our favorite travel shows available to stream right now (fictional and not), involving journeys by land, air, and sea—and lots and lots of eating.

This gallery was last published in March 2020. It has been updated with new information. All products featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Taste the Nation

With international travel largely on hold, there's no better time to explore our own backyard—which is exactly what host Padma Lakshmi did on her new Hulu show Taste the Nation . The show's first season, released in June, follows the Top Chef host and author as she quite literally tastes the nation , stopping at restaurants around the U.S. to sample the foods of a variety of Indigenous and immigrant groups. Expect to see some familiar faces, like comedian Ali Wong and spearfisher Kimi Werner , along the way. 

Watch now: Free with a Hulu subscription ( sign up for Hulu here )

Planet Earth and Planet Earth II

We had to wait 10 years between the debut of Planet Earth , a groundbreaking natural history show narrated by Sir David Attenborough, and its sequel Planet Earth II , but it was worth it. The first season, which focus on a specific biome and the flora and fauna that live there in each episode, spotlights smooth coated otters in Southeast Asia, Tibetan foxes, critically endangered Ethiopian ibex, and blue whales, among so many others. Our two favorite episodes, though, come from part II. In the sixth episode, the high-def cameras turn to cities to show how leopards in Mumbai, monkeys in Jodhpur, and catfish in southern France live alongside humans. And in what may be the most heart-racing episode of nature television, the islands episode of Planet Earth II follows a lone iguana racing against time—and a horde of snakes. 

Watch Planet Earth now: $3 per episode, $25 per season; amazon.com

Watch Planet Earth II now: $3 per episode, $20 per season; amazon.com

Long Way Up

Believe it or not, actor Ewan McGregor has been in the travel show business for some 16 years. It all started with Long Way Round , a 2004 series that followed McGregor and his friend Charley Boorman on a motorcycle journey from London through Europe, Asia—and then after a flight to Alaska—Canada, and the U.S. all the way to New York City. The show was followed by 2007's Long Way Down, which took the duo from Scotland to South Africa, on motorcycles once again. Now, they've turned their bikes (electric this time) towards South and Central America, with the latest iteration following the duo some 13,000 miles from Ushuaia, Argentina, on the continent's southernmost tip, to L.A. As usual, hijinks, pitfalls, and stunning scenery are all on view. Neither of the earlier shows are available to stream in the U.S. currently (though you can find them on Apple TV+ in the U.K.), but Long Way Up is an Apple TV+ original and on view for all. 

Watch now: Free with an Apple TV+ subscription ( sign up for Apple TV+ here )

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

Be sure to watch this show on a full stomach, or you'll be pausing to bake focaccia or cook tahdig along with affable host and Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat cookbook author Samin Nosrat. In the four-part show, Nosrat travels the world, making stops in Mexico, Japan, Italy, and her home in California, to discover the properties of each of the show's title elements. There's cheese. There's olive oil. There's miso. There are tortillas. There's salsa. And just like that we're hungry again. (FYI, she's as delightful in person as she is on screen—and joined us for a Women Who Travel podcast episode soon after the show premiered.) Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Shana Clarke

Lane Nieset

Paris Wilson

If you're familiar with Anthony Bourdian's The Layover, then the premise of British comedian Richard Ayoade's Travel Man will seem quite familiar. The goofy show follows the comic and primarily English celebrity friends as they galavant around cities like Helsinki, Miami, and Hong Kong over the course of 48 hours. If you're a Great British Bake Off fan, start with Ayoade's trip to Paris with original GBBO host Mel Giedroyc or the season two episode featuring current host Noel Fielding in Copenhagen . Other familiar faces include Paul Rudd in Helsinki and Bridesmaids' Chris O'Dowd in Vienna.

Somebody Feed Phil

This Netflix original follows host Phil Rosenthal, the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond , as he eats his way through cities like Bangkok , Lisbon, Mexico City , New Orleans ,   Buenos Aires , Cape Town, and Dublin. The hyper-positive show was called "impossibly optimistic," by former Traveler editor Paul Brady, who spoke with Rosenthal before the first season's premiere in 2018. The fourth season, out October 30, takes Rosenthal from Rio de Janeiro to the Mississippi Delta and the islands of Hawaii to eat even more delicious grub.  Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Parts Unknown

You simply cannot have a list of the best travel shows and not feature the late Anthony Bourdain. In fact, he's on our list more than once. In Parts Unknown , the chef and travel personality circled the world many times over, in search of music, culture, humor, history, and—of course—really good food. Over 12 seasons (the last aired posthumously), Bourdain visited the indigenous Andes with Eric Ripert, the Sochi Winter Olympics, the Mississippi Delta, and, most famously, Hanoi with then-president Barack Obama. (That's season eight, episode two, if you want to jump right to it.) 

Watch now: $3 per episode, or $10 per season; amazon.com

Technically, Netflix's original show Connected is a science show, but that doesn't mean it isn't filled with travel. Plus, host Latif Nasser told us earlier this year that the show was built in the footsteps of Bourdain's Parts Unknown and No Reservations (with a dash of Bill Nye thrown inn). The show speaks to how the world is interconnected—like how Delaware's birds can offer clues about the Gulf's hurricane season or how sand from the Sahara impacts the Amazon. Throughout, you'll follow Nasser as he hopscotches around the world to speak with scientists to find out more. 

Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Street Food

Made by the same folks behind Chef's Table (spoiler: it's also on this list), this show moves away from formal restaurant kitchens and onto the streets, for a guide to some of the world's best curbside meals and snacks . The show's first season is all about Asia, traveling to nine different countries to meet the people behind the food, like Jay Fai from Bangkok's Raan Jay Fai , a Michelin-starred street stall serving up tom yum soup, and Truoc (pictured left), who serves a variety of snail dishes in Ho Chi Minh City . The second season, which hit Netflix in July, zeroes in on Latin America, with stops at Doña Vale's in Oaxaca for memelas and Las Chicas de las Tres food stall in Buenos Aires, run by chef Pato Rodriguez. 

Lost Cities With Albert Lin

In this National Geographic –produced show, explorer and scientist Albert Lin tracks down some of the world's most famous lost cities. We're talking buried Knights Templar caves in Israel, El Dorado in the jungles of Colombia, and ancient, forgotten island cities in Micronesia. Along the way, he speaks with archaeologists, historians, and other experts to discover the origins of the legends and, in turn, the reality of those places today. 

Watch now: Free with a Disney+ subscription ( sign up for Disney+ here )

Ugly Delicious

The second season of the David Chang –hosted Netflix series debuted in March 2020, taking viewers from Istanbul (pictured), to Tokyo , to Sydney , to… Outback Steakhouse? Along the way, he tackles balancing parenthood with restaurant life, cooks with Top Chef 's Padma Lakshmi , rubs elbows with comedians like Nick Kroll and Aziz Ansari, and gets a lesson in not calling all Indian food curries from Traveler contributor Priya Krishna . (If you want more Chang, try your hand at a recipe from his Momofuku cookbook, or watch Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner , also on Netlfix, where he joins one famous friend on a food tour of a city, like Chrissy Teigen in Marrakech.) 

Produced by Vice , this show is about the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. In it, actor Elliot Page and their film director friend Ian Daniel travel to learn about what it's like to be LGBTQ+ around the world. They meet with two-spirit Native Americans, head to ballroom scenes in New York City, and visit the gay bars of Tokyo to dive deep into the vibrant gay and queer culture. But the duo also spends time in Rio de Janeiro, Jamaica, and Ukraine, speaking with LGBTQ+ locals to learn about the discrimination and threats they face just by existing. Expect tears, both happy and sad. 

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted

Gordon Ramsey is involved, so of course this cooking and travel show is extreme. In the National Geographic –produced series, the Hell's Kitchen chef goes out of his element—and out of the kitchen—to learn cooking tips and tricks from locals in unusual locales, culminating in a cook-off of sorts to show off what he's picked up. Here, he heads to Peru's Sacred Valley to learn high altitude cooking, cooks seal with a Tlingit elder in Alaska , and learns about Berber food culture in Morocco. 

Carmen Sandiego

Many of us got our first lesson in geography from this trench coat–wearing master thief, and today's kids can too, thanks to the Netflix reboot of this animated series. This high-flying, Robin Hood–style caper takes kids (and parents) with Sandiego as she jet sets between Rio de Janeiro , Matsumoto in Japan, Amsterdam, Mumbai, and more. There are three seasons available and plenty of educational value here for mapheads—plus pretty stellar animation. This year, an interactive choose-you-own-adventure style show, called Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal, came to Netflix and provides endless entertainment as Sandiego fights off the Villains International League of Evil (V.I.L.E.), with your (kid's) help. Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

If Planet Earth and Planet Earth II weren't enough Attenborough for your liking, get your fix on Netflix, thanks to Our Planet . This docuseries, made by the creators of Planet Earth in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund and narrated by Attenborough, is almost a mix of the two, taking armchair travelers from the North American grasslands and the Everglades to the Arctic tundra and deepest parts of our oceans. Once you're done with the nine 50-minute episodes, switch over to Our Planet: Behind the Scenes to see how the 600-person crew filmed the series. Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

No Reservations

If you want even more Bourdain, Hulu has you covered with No Reservations and The Layover, two of his travel shows that preceded Parts Unknown . In No Reservations, Bourdain takes us to both familiar—Maine, Prague, the Philippines—and unfamiliar—Kurdistan, Mozambique, and deep into the Amazon—corners and kitchens of our world, introducing us to new foods, cultures, and personalities over nine seasons. The Layover takes that same premise, but shortens the time line drastically, knocking down Bourdain's time to explore to just 24 to 48 hours. Both are must-sees—it's Bourdain after all. 

Chef's Table: BBQ

While you can watch some of world’s most extraordinary chefs (like Dominque Crenn ; Peruvian Virgilio Martínez , the owner of Lima's Central restaurant; and Swede Magnus Nilsson ) as they create impossibly complicated dishes in the original Chef's Table, we've become partial to its latest iteration, which is all about barbecue. The Netflix original docuseries follows pitmasters like Tootsie Tomanetz—the 85-year-old spitfire pictured above who minds the brisket and sausage at Snow's, outside of Austin—and Rodney Scott, known for his Low Country–style pulled pork and ribs. But the show doesn't stick to the American South. You'll head to Rosalia Chay Chuc's Yucatán home and visit the grills of Lennox Hastie in Sydney, too.  Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Travels with My Father

The first season of this Netflix original, which came out in 2017, follows British stand-up comedian Jack Whitehall and his father, Michael, across Southeast Asia, tracking the duo as they finish the gap year Jack never got to complete, just a few years late (eight, to be exact). It's everything you'd expect: a Thai full moon party and, of course, a trip to Cambodia's Angkor Wat, but the moments in between are what make the show really worth watching. Now, in the three seasons that have followed, the father-son pair have road tripped through Transylvania , visited Chernobyl , and gotten into drag with Sydney queens. Needless to say, it's a romp.  Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories

Set in a tiny Tokyo diner that's only open from midnight to 7 a.m., the fictional show follows the Midnight Diner's owner and clientele as they share their trials and joys, all while eating whatever the owner, called Master, dishes up. In the diner, pork miso soup is the go-to, but Master will cook visitors anything they order, as long as he's got the goods to make it. Episodes are a little over 20 minutes long, so it's the most bingeable of the bunch. Watch with subtitles and don't—seriously, don't—watch while hungry. Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Get your international fix by watching Antoni , Karamo , Jonathan , Tan , and Bobby makeover the wardrobes and lives of everyday “heroes” in Yass, Australia , and Tokyo in their Queer Eye specials. That said, we're partial to the U.S.-based seasons, where the Fab Five hits up Atlanta, Kansas City, and, most recently, Philadelphia to give new life to regular folks. Whether they're making over the sisters behind Jones Bar-B-Q in Kansas City or the small town mayor of Clarkston, Georgia, we're on board. Have tissues on hand, as you're all but guaranteed to shed a tear (who are we kidding, you'll sob). Watch now: Free with a Netflix subscription ( sign up for Netflix here )

Places to Love

For many years, Samantha Brown was the only female host on travel TV , period. And while some, albeit small, growth has been made in this regard (Nosrat and Kellee Edwards are among the new faces), Brown is still one of the few women on the go on our screens. While she made her start on the Travel Channel with Passport to Europe, Passport to Latin America, and Passport to China , you should really be checking out her latest show, Places to Love. Now in its third season, the show sees Brown discovering off-the-beaten-path spots in some of the world's most loved destinations as far-flung as Seoul and Auckland, and right in our backyard, like Phoenix and Dallas . 

Watch Places to Love now: Free on PBS

Watch Passport to Europe now: $2 per episode, $35 per season; amazon.com

The World According to Jeff Goldblum

Ok, so this isn't as much of a travel show as it is a “what is Jeff Goldblum curious about” show—but it doesn't mean they don't travel all over the U.S. With each episode focusing on the actor's ceaseless interest in the minutiae of one specific thing (like tattoos, or pools, or RVs, or ice cream—it really runs the gamut). Over the course of the show, Goldblum visits Hawaii , Las Vegas , NASA’s neutral buoyancy lab in Houston , and so much more. If you love Goldblum, you'll probably love this show. 

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The best travel documentaries to stream right now

By Condé Nast Traveller and Antonia Quirke

There are films that make you want to travel . But that’s easy. Just point a camera at an April meadow or a Sicilian back street and most of us salivate. And then there are films that make you feel like you have actually, physically travelled to a place. That leave you suffused with the sensations of its air and sounds. As though the camera lens has been your own eyes, noting details of light against brick, hills stepping inland, fruit and cigarettes on a table, springs gushing out of rocks, courtyards hanging with people and flowers, shirts on a line across a high, unstable balcony. So much that it can begin to feel spooky: you muddle the movie’s memories with your own.

Passing Stromboli on a boat one summer I thought, ‘Been there.’ I hadn’t. I’d just seen the movie, and more recently Ingrid Bergman’s own cine-film footage of the shoot (see below.) But still, I got off, and walked around. And it was true. I had been there already. The mesmerising, almost drugging déjà vu! Here are some more of the best travel documentary films that have that very singular effect.

My Octopus Teacher (2020)

Be immersed in the wonders of nature with this uplifting Netflix original, which won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at the 2021 Academy Awards. Directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed, it follows the unexpected friendship between filmmaker Craig Foster and a wild octopus in a South African kelp forest. After swimming in the remote location near Cape Town and discovering this curious marine animal, Foster decided to visit the same spot every day to learn and understand more about the creature and subsequently form a strong bond with it.

In one hour and 25 minutes of beautiful imagery and filmography, this documentary leaves you feeling sentimental about human connections, our extraordinary interactions with other life – and intrigued about what else lies below the ocean’s surface… By Cordelia Aspinall

'My Octopus Teacher' is available to stream on Netflix now

Cher and the Loneliest Elephant documentary (2021)

Watch the trailer below

Released in the USA on Thursday 22 April to mark Earth Day 2021 , this heart-warming wildlife documentary follows singer Cher’s mission to rescue a captive elephant named Kaavan. Kaavan, a Sri-Lankan born elephant, was sent as a gift to the daughter of the president of Pakistan and ended up, confined, in Islamabad Zoo. After a global petition via Change.org and Twitter received more than 400,000 signatures, a five-year fight for his freedom began, with none other than global pop superstar Cher stepping in after she spotted the campaign online. Having been confined for more than 35 years (the duration of its life) and given the title ‘the loneliest elephant in the world’, the five-tonne animal was relocated across Asia to a 30,000-acre Cambodian wildlife sanctuary.

With teary moments and incredible footage of the massive process involved in the transportation of Kaavan to Cambodia, this is a moving story focusing on the unsettling trauma the elephant was forced to experience, yet it has an uplifting end. Not only does the film with Cher’s narration walk you through this elephant’s long struggle of neglect and maltreatment, it also shines a light on the cruelty that so many animals around the world endure every day. It is a moving yet educational documentary hooked on a powerful true story. Cher co-founded the animal rights organisation Free the Wild as a result and even released the song 'Walls' inspired by her experience. By Cordelia Aspinall

'Cher and the Loneliest Elephant' is available on Smithsonian Channel from Wednesday 19 May 2021

MAN ON WIRE (2008)

‘I remember the vastness of New York . The altitude! It was all so alive!’ Was a city ever so breathtakingly captured as in this celebrated account of the mist-swagged August morning in 1974 when French wire-walker Philippe Petit illegally rigged a cable between the twin towers of the World Trade Center and made eight entirely improbable crossings in 45 minutes. Dressed all in black, his slender figure carrying its long balancing pole occasionally kneels on the thin wire (he even lies down – how your stomach heaves!), saluting the dazzling morning, and his own skill and chutzpah, as the startled pedestrians on the streets far below gaze up weeping and gasping while steam filters up through cracks in the pavement in that quintessential NYC way. Even though the crossings themselves are all in fact captured only in stills taken at the time by Petit’s assistants and friends you somehow remember the whole marvellous incident in moving images. It’s the city itself that’s doing that to you: its inherent dynamism, its irrepressible atmosphere of perpetual motion.

Sarah James

CNT Editors

Connor Sturges

We see Manhattan photographed here from so high above (much as we see it in the 1933 King Kong ), the Hudson spreading like glitter – like nitrate itself – in any black-and-white images. And the colour of apricot in colour stills, under blue swags of cloud and summer sky. ‘Everyone was spellbound by the watching of it,’ exhales a policeman dispatched to arrest Petit, who was ultimately charged with trespass and disorderly conduct. But the city embraced him.

Stream on Amazon , Google Play and YouTube

FREE SOLO (2018)

An immense, waning moon stares into a canyon’s abyss of sharp stones. A fierce river below spurts along the valley, wild grasses on the banks rolling in the wind like feathers or fur. All this the free-climber Alex Honnold sees – or does he? Fixed like Spider-Man to the side of a cliff, climber’s white chalk clinging to the back of his blistered hands, as the evening flushes rose right across Yosemite National Park. A film that follows Honnold in 2017 preparing to climb the infamous El Capitan – ‘3,200 feet of sheer vertical granite… the centre of the rock-climbing universe’ – without ropes. You sweat in sickly fear for his safety while also completely revelling in the fresh air every frame seems to blow your way, the bright warmth of sun on boulder, the absurd beauty of distant trees, the sight of a rainbow slicing through the foaming heart of a waterfall. You emerge healthier and freer somehow, just for having watched it. Your own limbs spasm as though you walked all day. Despite it being a compelling story of self-induced terror (what drives the angel-faced Honnold remains a mystery), you remember more the awesome sights, the very visceral sensation of movement.

Stream on All4

SEASPIRACY (2021)

Not one for the faint of heart, this 90-minute Netflix documentary has been hitting audiences hard in quite a few ways. It’s from the team behind C owspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (another in-depth spotlight, this time on the impact of agriculture on our planet), and you can expect to see similar themes, upsetting footage and quite controversial interviews with figures in the global fishing industry. The film, directed and narrated by British filmmaker Ali Tabrizi, sets out to explore the damaging effects of mass-scale commercial fishing on marine life and the levels of pollution in waters around the world. Expect to learn about the importance of dolphins, sharks and whales for our oceans ’ ecosystems, that sustainably sourced seafood might not be all that it seems, and that, ultimately, we should all be reducing our fish consumption. You might very well be off fish by the end, but it’s also worth reading around some more: there are some conflicting views about the film and whether the scientific points it makes are factually out of context. Katharine Sohn

Seaspiracy is available to stream on Netflix now

Chasing Coral (2017)

You may not be able to travel to see the Great Barrier Reef , the subject of this Netflix documentary, for much longer if we don't do something about climate change and ocean warming. The film uses hi-tech camera equipment and time lapses to show the deterioration of the coral as it turns from 'colourful, vibrant ecosystems into barren, lifeless wastelands,' writes Condé Nast Traveler US 's Sebastian Modak. You'll feel truly gutted once the movie's over, but it will have you planning a trip to Australia , and other areas with endangered natural wonders, within minutes of the rolling credits.

Stream Chasing Coral on Netflix

THE WHALEBONE BOX (2020)

Here’s a treat. Andrew Kotting – our most quietly influential experimental filmmaker – released a film online that sweeps us up on a pilgrimage to return a box made of whalebone to a far beach on the Hebridean Isle of Harris, whence the whale bones originally came. So, we cram in a car with Kotting and the psychogeographer Iain Sinclair and rumble north (filming mostly on a camera-phone) all overseen by Kotting’s daughter Eden, who wears a pagan crown of ivy and seems to be conjuring the whole mysterious and somehow healing road trip in a fever-dream. It’s a perfect evocation of that desire to travel. To move, to be en route, to feel twinges of uneasy excitement, to spin out illusionary ideas of a distant location. The place names whirl by: Ardlui, Mallaig. (At one point we suddenly find ourselves in a Templar castle in the Pyrenees.) Inside the car there’s that super-seductive sense of a gang travelling light, seeing what happens and who they might meet along the jagged coastline. ‘There are places you go, to access time,’ Kotting tells us, as the startling white sand of Harris glows in its near-sinister, beckoning way, under racing skies full of clouds like shredded curtains, and sudden glimmers of wet, green Hebridean sunlight.

Streamed exclusively on MUBI

BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB (1999)

A phenomenon as much as a movie, the spectacular success of the Buena Vista Social Club album and film had a limitless impact on the Cuban tourist industry. Some 20 years later, the music you hear on street corners in that city is more likely to be the music of pre-revolutionary Cuba defined in the film, by a cadre of musicians (some in their 70s and 80s) who had long fallen out of favour, only to be made world famous in their dotage.

I especially love when the camera sways out onto the streets of Havana, filming fast and in natural light the life there: the men working on immense old cars observed by stray dogs the colour of a sweet cold beer; the breeze off the sea playing against shirts; children rolling wooden toys before them; the unloading of mountains of bananas; residents of stuccoed tenements easing vast, scratched and defunct Fifties American fridges out of doors past murals of Che, as though demonstrating the very sickness of capitalism that Guevera railed against. Guitarist Compay Segundo recalling how, aged five, he would light his grandmother’s cigars in Santiago. Or baritone crooner Ibrahim Ferrer showing us the wooden carving he has always kept of Lazarus, and the little bowls of honey, rum and perfume he would offer to it, for good luck – which finally came to him after years of penury and shoe-shining in Havana after the film was released. Every frame takes you to that city, that climate. The smoky smell of the pavements as the sun grows stronger.

Stream on Google Play and YouTube

THE BEACHES OF AGNÈS (2008)

‘The North Sea and the sand is the start for me…’ says Agnès Varda, esteemed filmmaker of the Nouvelle Vague and photographer of genius, who aged 80 in this autobiographical collage of personal memory and feeling, takes us to the beaches that shaped her childhood, her marriage, her art and beyond. ‘Time passes, except on the beaches, which are timeless…’ she reasons, remembering with fondness Belgian sands at La Panne and Middelkerke. And especially the port city of Sète in France ’s southern region of Occitanie, where she speaks of seeing fishermen in the 1940s living in rough tents on the dunes, canvas walls slung with storm lamps and old pans. Noirmoutier, the French island in the Bay of Biscay, she recalls her husband Jacques Demy particularly loving, and she films it here in tribute and with such freshness it’s since become a destination for fans of the movie. ‘What is cinema?’ Varda asks, ‘It is LIGHT coming from somewhere…’ We see her sailing up the Seine in a wooden boat, right under the Ponts des Arts, the craft itself painted the sun-flashing yellow of the Provençal sunflowers that Varda always seemed to feature in her movies. I had the good fortune to interview Varda when she was 90, just months before she died, and I took a bunch of sunflowers as a gift – she received them with a yelp of happiness, saying they reminded her of French summers, her wise eyes warm as landing lights.

GRIZZLY MAN (2005)

‘Sometimes images themselves develop their own mysterious stardom…’ narrates German director Werner Herzog, over this his most heart-rending film. Part ‘kind warrior’ part ‘samurai’ the conservationist-activist Timothy Treadwell lived for 13 summers with wild Kodiak bears in remote areas of the Alaskan peninsula, shooting 100 hours of footage of those bears in their natural habitat. Styling himself as a Prince Valiant, his eventual death-by-Kodiak was shockingly violent, and Herzog shapes Treadwell’s sad, strange story as a tribute to ‘wild, primordial nature’ where his subject was truly at home. As you watch, you’re convinced you too can feel the fresh air on your own skin, the nip of mosquitoes, the pelter of rain. The long evenings spent alone, the vast plateau of mountains, the tide flats, the tumbled jags of glaciers, the sensation of Treadwell’s hands calloused like leather, the yelp of light in the mornings, the changing Alaskan sky.

In one scene, little slim foxes (called Ghost and Spirit) wake him by pressing their noses and paws against the walls of his tent, and he runs with them across a flower-studded meadow, delirious with the surprising gift of such companionship and freedom that would make any child’s heart explode. To be friends with the animals! ‘He captures such glorious improvised moments the likes of which studio directors with their union crews could never dream of,’ says Herzog, with patent admiration, himself an absolute master of putting not just nature, but the profound euphoria of travel on film. Think of those moments in Herzog’s Nosferatu the Vampyre, when the hero walks the High Tatra mountains of northern Slovakia, or the Partnach Gorge in the Reintal valley in southern Germany . Rhapsodic.

JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI (2011)

Even though this documentary is almost entirely set inside a 10-seater Tokyo restaurant with no view, its location somehow comes to feel as though the whole history of Japan might be contained within its temple-like walls. Jiro Ono (now 94) is Japan’s most famous sushi master. He left home aged nine to become an apprentice, opening his own restaurant in the 1960s that now has a three-Michelin-star rating, which means (says one food critic) ‘It’s worth visiting that country just to visit the restaurant.’ Jiro is modest and stern, and we glimpse snatches of his past – anecdotes about his harsh infancy or an alluring black-and-white photograph of his father formally seated in 1927 wearing a sheeny kimono, an image with unforgettable resonance and romance, that seems to far, far predate the Taisho era.

Inside the restaurant – a capsule of absorption, firmly sealed in its own private weather – every day proceeds without alteration. The rice is steamed and hand-fanned, the halibut and squid and eel finely sliced and pressed together. ‘Press the sushi like you’re pressing a little chick,’ Jiro advises. ‘The world has turned outside, but he has remained the same,’ someone says, as the camera occasionally takes us outside to the brooding, energetic Tokyo streets, where it always seems to be raining and the crowds hurry. Down to the fish market full of tottering porters and barrow-pushers rhythmically going to and fro, where the best tuna trader drags frowningly on his hand-cupped cigarette, his hair slicked like Elvis, dreaming of the days when the fish were fat as pianos.

Stream on Amazon , and Netflix (US)

THE EPIC OF EVEREST (1924)

Not just one of the most important travel films ever made, but a precious artefact. A time capsule, a relic. If the third attempt to ascend Everest culminated in the sad deaths of the determined English climbers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, the moving image of their expedition (shot by Captain John Noel with a hand-cranked camera sometimes using high-powered telescopic lenses) has thankfully survived. Some of the earliest filmed records of life in Tibet are here, and several frames have been tinted in the original reds and purples of the first screenings in 1924, thanks to meticulous restoration by the BFI.

Every second is a marvel, the images profound. Mallory and Irvine facing the climb of their lives in modest tweed jackets. Tibetan babies in stone villages, their skin slathered in yak butter, lying out happily in the sun. A Tibetan gentleman showing his glimmering ear to the camera, dangling its pendant earring of gold and aquamarine. A baby donkey born during the long march west, expected to walk 25 miles on its first day of life, collapsed in the mud (‘How tired and sleepy he is!’). Ancient castles and monasteries stud the mountains, hermit lamas dwelling in cliff-built cells predicting doom for the mission, climbers snow-blind and in states of collapse or trudging past ice-caves and picking off stalactites, as though they were great jags of lickable sugar on a fairy palace.

The mountain itself – Tibet’s Goddess Mother of the World – seems to physically pulsate with (as a title card tells us) ‘lofty solitude. Grand, solemn and unutterably lonely.’ And then the image of Mallory and Irvine ascending up, and up, and up, only to disappear, eternally out of sight. ‘We may think of ourselves and nature,’ warns the original text on screen, with what feels like definitive prescience. ‘We spring from nature. In life, we defy her.’

Stream on BFI Player

JAZZ ON A SUMMER’S DAY (1959)

Perhaps the ultimate concert film, made during the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival on Rhode Island, headlined by (among others) Thelonious Monk and Dinah Washington, Gerry Mulligan and Chuck Berry. How many times you wish yourself into the frame! To be among that happy, confident, peanut-crunching crowd. Because the camera has such a lovely, casual eye, it’s like a friend describing little moments and scenes, interested, curious, relaxed.

We see Monk take the stage with his bamboo-rimmed dark glasses. Sal Salvador on guitar with a buzz cut, eyes closed in bliss. Anita O’Day singing Tea for Two in a black hat fringed in white feathers, snapping her fingers as she sings, her gloves immaculate. The crowd sways and giggles and sighs, a jewel-box of capri pants and Breton tops. Strappy yellow sundresses and cat-eyed shades, baked shoulders and freckled clavicles draped with hipster cardigans. Well-fed babies are passed down rows to be greeted with kisses by mothers waving choc-ices. Beyond, the water of Narragansett Bay is a sparkling blur dotted with pretty racing boats called Nomad and Pixie. ‘The weather out here is summery, with a smoky haze on the horizon,’ someone thrills over a tannoy, as the camera picks out brown, sandalled feet dangling from a crow’s nests during a race.

Sometimes it feels like everything is reflected in the glistering water of the movie; all of the USA’s post-war reach and ambition. It has the optimism of a Cadillac. The ‘Dionysian potential of American life,’ as John Updike put it; that ‘carnival under the dome of heaven, every fair day.’ To me, this film captures precisely that gorgeous, lost moment in time and place, when Ted Hughes was gazing at his new and glamorous wife, Sylvia Plath, recalled in the poem 18 Rugby Street, ‘So this is America, I marvelled. Beautiful, beautiful America !’

60th-anniversary edition available on DVD

INGRID BERGMAN: IN HER OWN WORDS (2015)

‘I don’t want any roots. I want to be free.’ Ingrid Bergman’s will to travel came from deep within her. Sweden , California , Italy , France, London – she was able to up and move, reinvent herself, leaving lovers and children behind, documenting it all with a cine-camera – and her own footage occupies the majority of this powerfully alluring film. ‘I wanted desperately to get out in the world,’ she said, in letters to friends. ‘It’s as if a bird of passage is living with me.’

And so we follow her through the various stages of her life, with different husbands, and all her pretty infants blowing about like bright petals across the terraces of various villas and hotels (Hotel Raphael in Paris was her favourite). She’s here, driving around Rome in a white convertible, laughing at the paparazzi. Or clambouring with fishermen about the Aeolian island of Stromboli, sweeping shining hair from out of her tear-filled eyes. Or knitting topless in the powerful sunlight, all broad shoulders and witty expression. Diving into a pool in Hollywood, using a magnum of Champagne as a life buoy. And best: her robust, salty skin tanned the colour of rosewood against an unglamorous raincoat on the isolated, harshly granite island of Dannholmen off the Swedish west coast, where she joined the local sailing school, and where her ashes were scattered after she died. ‘I love your island,’ she’d said to her third husband, seeing his modest wooden house in 1958, with its rusted anchor sitting sentinel off the grey and merciless rocks. ‘Good,’ he’d nodded. ‘Let’s get married, then.’

Stream on Amazon

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat (2018)

Chef and food writer Samin Nosrat’s four-part series focuses on the four ingredients she thinks makes food delicious. In Italy she explores fat, in Japan she finds salt, in Mexico it’s acid and in the USA there’s heat. Her smile and spontaneous dancing are irresistible viewing, not to mention the sizzling close-ups of her adventurous, elemental cooking. Meredith Carey

Stream Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat on Netflix

Chef’s Table Pastry (2018)

This is a four-episode-only spin-off from the Emmy award-winning Chef’s Table. The show kicks off with Christina Tosi and her New York Milk Bar empire, an instant hit into the series. Also on the menu: Jordi Roca, Will Goldfarb and Corrado Assenza. Mesmerising and delicious – don't think about watching without sweet snacks to hand. MC

Stream Chef's Table Pastry on Netflix

Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories (2016)

Set in a tiny Tokyo diner that's only open from midnight to 7am, the fictional show follows the Midnight Diner's owner and clientele as they share their trials and joys, all while eating whatever the owner, called Master, dishes up. In the diner, pork miso soup is the go-to, but Master will cook visitors anything they order, as long as he's got the goods to make it. Episodes are a little more than 20 minutes long, so it's the most bingeable of the bunch. Watch with subtitles and don't - seriously, don't - watch while hungry. MC

Stream Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories on Netflix

Travels with My Father (2017)

Follow stand-up comedian Jack Whitehall and his father, Michael, in this six-episode Netflix original across Southeast Asia . The series tracks the duo as they finish the gap year Jack never got to complete, just a few years late (eight, to be exact). MC

Stream Travels with My Father on Netflix

Stephen Fry in America (2012)

In this six-part mini-series, Stephen Fry drives around all 50 US states in a London cab. Football games at the University of Alabama and lobster fishing in Maine are on the menu. Expect a lot of laughs and a surprise appearance from Morgan Freeman. MC

Stream Stephen Fry in America on Netflix

Chef's Table (2015)

If you've ever raised an eyebrow at food as art, set aside some time to watch this Netflix original docu-series. Each 50-minute episode profiles one of the world’s most extraordinary chefs (such as Peruvian Virgilio Martínez, pictured, the owner of Lima's Central restaurant, and Swede Magnus Nilsson) as they create impossibly complicated dishes. MC

Stream Chef's Table on Netflix

Like this? Now read:

23 travel films that will make you feel like you're on holiday

By Antonia Quirke

Best travel books of all time: see our top holiday picks

By Condé Nast Traveller

The best food and travel shows to watch right now

By James Medd

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12 Best Netflix Travel Documentaries & Shows to Watch

If you are looking for a new travel documentary to watch , then you should check out these 12 highly rated Netflix travel documentaries. Each has its unique twist on travel destinations allowing you to discover the natural beauty and diversity on earth.

You will get to know incredible individuals & solo travelers who are dedicated to their dreams, have an adventure in their blood and want to make this planet a better place to live.

Each show will entertain you, but some will challenge you to dig deep inside yourself for answers about what makes life worth living. Traveling through the stories of others is a great way to visit when you cannot physically go to the locations yourself, especially now during and isolation and corona times.

Losing Sight of Shore

7.4/10 on IMDb   | 1h 31 minutes

This documentary chronicles the story of the four-women crew who set a world record by 8,446 miles across the Pacific from America to Australia.

The journey that occurred in three stages does not have the same women throughout the entire trip with women leaving and others joining in Hawaii and Samoa. A small camera on their boat records the journey and the women’s reaction to it.

You will feel the woman’s dire straits at times as they each take turns rowing the boat regardless of how they feel about their situation at the moment. Even when they are sick, tired, thirsty, or hungry, they know that they must take their turn.

Many of the most powerful moments of this documentary show the women standing in front of the camera and sharing what is on their hearts through days of victory and days of utter defeat.

Somebody Feed Phil

8.1/10 on IMDb | 12 episodes

Explore diverse locations around the world to explore local cuisine and the various stories behind those creations. Host Phil Rosenthal has real respect for the people that he encounters along the way, like the people serving crawfish in New Orleans, Lisbon chefs preparing pasteis de nata, and ribs in Buenos Aries. While some of the food is not what appears on most Western dinner tables, Phil approaches each with a willingness to try new things.

Along the way, you will experience Phil’s great sense of humor that you may already be familiar with from his work on The Simpsons, Everybody Loves Raymond, and other popular televisions shows. If you are a foodie, then this documentary is must-watch television.

Everyone is likely to love the humor that is found in this documentary, and the people that you will meet along Phil’s travels.

Dark Tourist

7.6/10 on IMDb | 70% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8 episodes

Each of the documentaries in the Dark Tourist series is loosely tied together in one geographical area. Host David Farrier takes you to little known locations that have an unusual twist.

For example, in Japan , you will be taken to swim in a lake formed by a nuclear explosion. This documentary keeps things moving at a rapid pace because you only visit each location for about 15 minutes. Farrier, who broke into the documentary scene with Tickled, adds his unique sense of humor to each episode.

Many of the episodes will leave you thinking about questions posed about what ties people together as humans. You are likely to love the news documentary style that journalist David Farrier brings to many locations around the world that are probably not on your travel itinerary at the moment.

Conan Without Borders

7.7/10 on IMDb | 6 episodes (Kuba, Korea, Mexico, Israel, Haiti, Italy)

Travel with late-night host Conan O’Brien as he visits diverse locations around the world, like Cuba, Mexico, Haiti, Germany, and Italy. While the first couple of episodes in this travel documentary contain a lot of Conan’s humor, the rest are very orientated to helping you explore what makes each destination unique.

This lighthearted travel documentary will keep you entertained as Conan participates in different cultural activities. As Conan laughs at himself, you are very likely to experience your happy memories.

The Dawn Wall

8.1/10 on IMDb | 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 1h 40 minutes

This fantastic story chronicles the friendship of climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson as they attempt to scale the 3,000-foot Dawn Wall in Yosemite National Park. While this story was widely covered in the media, this documentary takes you behind the scenes as the pair spends weeks climbing the sheer wall that has never been climbed before.

You may find yourself challenged by this documentary just like Caldwell is as the duo nears the end of their climb by the challenge of meeting their goal or by friendship as near disaster strikes the climb that they took over six years to plan.

This travel documentary that is also an excellent sports documentary has a broken love story, obsession, friendship, and dedication to meet a goal. Watch to see the thrilling ending of this documentary that will make you wonder if this story is real or Hollywood make-believe.

Pedal The World

5.1/10 on IMDb | 1h 24 minutes

Join Felix Starck’s 365-day bike ride across 22 countries when you watch this documentary. The cinematography in this travel documentary is breathtaking as you see a very-well edited, vacation-like photos from each location.

You will experience the struggles of riding in a hard rain, dealing with a broken bike spoke and other frustrations of attempting this journey lasting almost 5,000 miles on three different continents. If you love seeing beautiful scenery without needing to follow an emotional storyline, then this documentary is for you.

Along the way, you may find yourself cheering at the high points and getting depressed at the low ones. In the end, John receives the gift of realizing the most critical thing in the world is found right in his own neighborhood.

7.2/10 on IMDb | 87% on Rotten Tomatoes | 1h 13 minutes

Director Jennifer Peedom takes you soaring to new heights around the world, without disclosing the exact destination, to show you life on the highest peaks on earth. Mountain climber Renan Ozturk, who you may already be familiar with from Meru and the Last Honey Hunter, shoots most of the footage in this travel documentary that opens near the summit of El Potrero Chico in Mexico.

You will find yourself challenged to examine the role that consumerism plays in the lives of people living in remote mountain communities and on the landscape itself. This documentary set to classical music is loosely based on Robert Macfarlane’s book Mountains of the Mind. Without being preachy, you may come away from this travel documentary, wondering what your travel footprint should be and if you need to change the way that you travel.

Expedition Happiness

5.9/10 on IMDb | 1h 36 minutes

Join Felix Starck, his musician girlfriend, and their Bernese mountain dog as they travel from Alaska to Mexico on their converted school bus following the Pacific Coast Highway for much of their trip. You will be thrilled by the soundtrack on this travel documentary as most of it was written by the girlfriend as she saw the beautiful scenery along the way.

After watching this travel documentary, you may even find yourself challenged to create an art project based on the fantastic scenery in this show. As the young couple from Germany experience frustrations with the bus breaking down and other travel problems, you will love this couple’s optimistic outlook on life along with the way that they think outside the box to solve issues, and you will find inspiration to face challenges confronting you. Chances are extreme, you will come away from watching this show with a more optimistic attitude and ready to make the world a better place.

Street Food – WARNING: you’ll get hungry! 😀

8.0/10 on IMDb | 100% on Rotten Tomatoes | Asia (9 episodes) + Latin America (coming soon)

Celebrate street foods from around the world along with the people who prepare and sell them by watching this travel documentary.

You will visit diverse locations from around the world and meet people who will inspire you. For instance, in this travel documentary’s first episode, you will be introduced to Bangkok’s Jay Fai who lost everything in a fire, so she taught herself to cook to raise money to meet her needs.

In the process, Jay Fai becomes a Michelin-star chef. This is just one of the many people you will encounter when you watch this travel documentary series. As you watch this documentary, you may find new inspiration to overcome issues in your own life and accomplish goals that you may currently see as unrealistic.

The Kindness Diaries

8.1/10 on IMDb | 13 episodes

Leon Logothetis travels around the world on a motorbike or in a Volkswagen Beetle connecting with real people in diverse locations. He relies on others for shelter, gas, and other needs. The only rule is that he cannot accept money.

In exchange, he lets them tell their stories, and you are privileged to watch them in this heartwarming travel documentary. In exchange for the kindness that others have shown him, Leon, who is a former stockbroker, has spent over $200,000 of his own money on doing kind deeds, including building a school in Peru, feeding stray dogs in Ecuador, and feeding orphans in Costa Rica.

National Parks Adventure

7.0/10 on IMDb | 100% on Rotten Tomatoes  | 42 minutes

Written by Robert Redford, journey along with mountaineer Conrad Anker, photographer Max Lowe and artist Rachel Pohl as they explore America’s national parks. See scenes from Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier National Park, Redwood National Park, the Everglades, and Arches National Park.

Breathtaking scenery is found in each of these documentaries, but you will also find yourself challenged to consider the importance of protecting natural environments in the 21st century.

Produced as the national parks celebrated their 100 birthday, this documentary is like a gift from Redford to American citizens who may never get to see the immense beauty of these parks for themselves.

The Last Shaman

6.8/10 on IMDb | 40% on Rotten Tomatoes  | 1h 22 minutes

Watch trailer on FB

This travel documentary opens with a depressed John Freeman wandering Phillips College’s campus feeling like life is not worth living. He is despondent that life seems to have no meaning, except for the pursuit of money.

He gives himself 12 months to travel to the Amazon jungle to seek out the meaning of life. While John hopes to find the healing effects of the ayahuasca plant, he discovers that money drives many who have access to the plant. He finally gets the plant from a shaman who is shunned by an NGO that plans to sell the ayahuasca plant.

Since we can not travel, let’s watch these Netflix travel documentaries, and enjoy exploring the world virtually. Find yourself challenged in many of your beliefs while seeing immense beauty. Meet people from around the world and hear their incredible stories of hard work and determination. After watching these 12 travel documentaries, do not be surprised if your life is changed in a good way forever, even if you never leave your couch.

Love and Road

The 20 Best Travel Shows on Netflix to Watch in 2024

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Whether you’ve been missing the thrill of traveling or are currently feeling inspired to pick the destination for your next adventure, travel shows can help. Netflix has no shortage of cool travel documentaries and shows, but we’ve decided to pick 20 of the best travel shows on Netflix.

If you’re traveling right now, or if some of these shows are not available in your country, use a VPN to access them without any restrictions. To play the shows, open up your VPN app and select a server located in a different state. If the show is available in your country, but you’re currently traveling internationally, choose the server of your home country to enjoy the show. 

Now let me tell you why these Netflix travel shows are worth watching and don’t blame me if you get hooked on some (or all) of them.

The best travel shows on Netflix

Before we start, let me tell you that this list is in no particular order. It’s up to you to choose the one you want to watch first, but we recommend watching them all. At home, traveling for a holiday, or at a new destination, these Netflix travel shows and documentaries will set you in the mood for discovering new places, tasting exotic food, maybe even cycling, driving, or just staying at home until you finish all the seasons. Lol 

The list is divided into travel shows or documentaries focused on nature, food, dark tourism, cycling and cars, photography, family travels, and specific destinations. Enjoy it!

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The best travel and nature Netflix shows 

Arguably one of the most famous travel documentaries on Netflix, Our Planet takes you on a world tour of earth’s fascinating creatures. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough and filmed in Ultra High Definition, this show takes you to over 50 countries and perfectly captures the wonders of the earth. 

Our Planet is the perfect Netflix travel show to give you some new ideas for your bucket list. Trust us!

Untamed Romania

While most seasoned travelers deeply appreciate Romania’s natural beauty, it is still overlooked in the mainstream media. Untamed Romania is a feature-length film celebrating the country’s immaculate wildlife.

Untamed Romania is one of the best Netflix travel documentaries for those who love nature and want to discover a new destination to travel to.

The best travel and food Netflix shows 

Down to Earth

Down to Earth documentary follows Zac Efron, the actor, and wellness expert Darin Olien as they explore healthy and sustainable practices across different cultures. This documentary showcases the diversity and creativity seen across the globe to make the most of one’s resources.

It’s intriguing and can be inspiring, not only about travel but how we think of sustainability and health. 

Street Food Asia

Sometimes the most accessible way to connect to a different culture is food. Asian food holds a special place in the world regarding street food and is probably one of the most universally beloved cuisines today. Street Food Asia takes you on a food journey across Asia and Southeast Asia’s best food cities, including Bangkok, Delhi, Osaka, and Singapore.

Street Food Asia is one of our fave travel shows on Netflix. We love Asia and Asian delights you can only find from street vendors. If you have never visited this part of the world, watch this show, and it will open your mind to a new world of flavors, aromas, and ways of life. If you are craving an Asia trip, watch it and plan international travel soon. 

Also, read our guides and articles about Asian destinations as they have many travel and food recommendations. Read our guides about Thailand , Vietnam , Indonesia , Malaysia , The Philippines , China , Taiwan, India , and Cambodia .

Ugly Delicious

Ugly Delicious is another food travel show where a star chef David Chang is looking for the world’s most satisfying grub with his buddies. Despite being a professional chef, Chang isn’t pretentious with his picks and takes us on a cross-cultural food trip filled with laughter.

Another great travel and food show on Netflix about food culture.

Somebody Feed Phil

In this series, we follow the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, Phil Rosenthal, as he explores world cuisines and meets the locals. Phil’s upbeat attitude is probably one of the best parts of the Somebody Feed Phil travel show together with a lot of food scenes that will help your plan your future trip to incredible destinations including Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

On this Netflix travel show, you will visit cities like Bangkok , spend days in Mexico City , see Lisbon , and many more. Well-known travel destinations are pictured with flavors and a local touch.

High on The Hog: Culinary Journey From Africa to America

This show explores African American soul food and its long journey from Africa to North America. It has been dubbed the most engaging history of African American cuisine. It traces the process of cultivating, harvesting, cooking, and serving the food that enslaved Africans brought with them to the States.

This Netflix cultural travel and food show will take you on a true gastronomic journey. 

Restaurants on the Edge

As you might be able to guess from the name of the show, these hour-long episodes take us to restaurants that are located in some of the most stunning locations in the world but are struggling with their menus and dishes. They are located on the edge of the world but are also on the edge of closing down.

This travel show on Netflix pictures unique locations and a bit of drama, as you can expect. 

Netflix shows about travel, cycling and cars

Biking Borders

This one is for lovers of slow traveling and less-known countries. Two friends go on a 15,000 km bicycle journey worldwide, including the Balkans, Central Asia, and other countries, to build a school in Guatemala.

Rob and I love cycling, so this Netflix travel documentary series is tremendously appealing to us. Biking Borders is also an excellent travel inspiration for those who dream of traveling by bike or going on a cycling holiday. And if this is you, read our article about cycling on Taiwan’s East Coast and cycling in Spain .

Pedal the World

This is another Netflix travel documentary that portrays a world tour on wheels, but this time our protagonist visits 22 countries during his year-long journey, searching for the meaning in life and discovering something new in each country.

Pedal the World is an inspiring and realistic epic road trip that might give you ideas of how you want to spend your life and what really matters. 

Paul Hollywood’s Big Continental Road Trip

Paul Hollywood studies the ties between popular cars in Europe and their local culture and identity as an actor and a baker. In this short but educational Netflix documentary , Hollywood will visit France, Germany, and Italy.

This isn’t your Netflix show if you are looking for food and baking goods. But if you like cars, speed, a bit of history and traveling in Europe, you will enjoy the ride. 

Netflix travel shows about a specific destination

Katla  

This travel series focuses on Iceland, specifically the volcano Katla , which began constantly erupting just recently. The show has eight episodes and does a wonderful job portraying Iceland’s breathtaking beauty . Katla serves as a great reminder of all that we still don’t know about the earth. 

This Netflix travel show is a powerful trigger for wanderlust, and it will make you want to book a trip to Iceland as soon as possible. 

Magic Andes

A documentary following five characters from the Andes, South America’s breathtaking mountains. It is a fascinating series that highlights real people living in communities located under the mountains and paints a nuanced picture of the region of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia .

After watching Magic Andes read our Peru travel guides , and for sure, you will want to visit South América. If you are worried about safety, then read our guide to the safest countries in South America , and you will be surprised. 

Guatemala: Heart of the Mayan World

This documentary focuses on Guatemala’s rich landscape and culture, the territory where 2000 years ago, the fascinating Mayan civilization collapsed. The Mayan influence is still all over Guatemala and Central America, and this documentary does an amazing job of connecting the dots between the past and the present.

Guatemala: Heart of the Mayan World is an inspiring Netflix travel documentary that will add interesting facts to your travel knowledge, and it might make you want to explore more of Latin America. 

Zulu Man in Japan

Starring South African rapper Nasty C, this Netflix travel documentary focuses on Japanese culture. The film takes place in Tokyo, where Nasty C explores the city’s go-to places, culture, sounds, and much more.

Zulu Man in Japan was released in 2019. It’s a 44-minute episode, perfect for those days that you want to have just a little dose of wanderlust knowing that you won’t be addicted to long travel series. 

The best Netflix travel show for unusual tourists

Dark Tourist

Filmed by journalist David Farrier, the author of the 2016 hit documentary Tickled, Dark Tourist takes a different approach to tourism. Farrier travels to places associated with death or tragedies that have turned these destinations into tourist attractions. You can expect anything from haunted places, nuclear lakes, and unusual and weird destinations. Those spots might not be on your travel bucket list, but it is interesting to know that they exist so you can avoid them on your next holiday. 

It’s one of the most-watched travel shows on Netflix, so it’s worth trying.

Netflix show for photography and travel lovers

Tales by Light

Created by Abraham Joffe, this show embraces the art of travel photography and film and the people behind them. This is an Australian documentary/reality travel series on Netflix that follows photographers around the globe as they chase that perfect shot.

This Netflix travel documentary is a good match for those who love photography and travel. It’s perfect for inspiring you to travel and photograph more. 

The best Netflix show about traveling with family

Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father

A comedian Jack Whitehall and his uptight father, Michael Whitehall, travel across the world together. The show starts with Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, with the second season focusing on Eastern Europe. The third season explores the American West, the fourth features Australia, and the fifth is all about the United Kingdom, their homeland. On this last season expect everything from dining with Gordon Ramsay to searching for the Loch Ness monster.

A great Netflix travel show for those thinking of traveling with family. It also sparkes a reflection of our relationships with parents and how travel can be a good way to get together or break apart.

Netflix show that combines travel and design

Cabins in the Wild

This show takes place in Wales and follows engineer Dick Strawbridge and craftsman Will Hardie as they inspect eight unique cabins built for a pop-up hotel in Wales. Their final goal is to construct a cabin of their own.

If you like the British Tv series, chances are you will love Cabins in the Wild as well. If you like architecture and construction shows too. This type of Netflix show combines different elements, from traveling to design, making you want to have a cabin in the wild just for you. 

We end our list of the 20 best Netflix travel shows here. Drop us a comment if you have watched any of them or if you have any other good travel series to recommend. 

Love these Netflix travel shows and documentary ideas? Pin it for later!

4 thoughts on “The 20 Best Travel Shows on Netflix to Watch in 2024”

I’m so glad you mentioned The Latchkees! I’ve been obsessed with their adventures since I saw their episode on Netflix. It’s amazing how they make travel look so effortless and fun. I’m definitely adding some of the other shows on your list to my queue 😍

Such a great show!

I can’t believe I never knew about some of these shows! The Travel Diaries is definitely going on my watchlist. 😍

Glad you enjoyed it!

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Best Travel Shows on Netflix to Stream Now

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We all love to travel. Some of us travel to gather new experiences, some to learn new things, some to try new adventures, and some just to relax and unwind. But, the fact is we can’t travel as much as we want to because of work, family, and other obligations. What do we do then? Well, we look for sources of travel inspiration . We search for inspiring travel quotes, we read travel books, or we watch travel movies, or we watch travel shows…anything that inspires our wanderlust. That’s how we escape to far-off places from the comfort of our homes. We, vicariously live out our travel dreams. Thanks to the digital world we live in today. The real game-changer in the travel TV genre has to be Netflix. It’s home to some amazing travel shows. With hundreds of travel shows to choose from on Netflix, you can see the different parts of the world without ever leaving your couch or bed. However, with so many diverse options, it can be quite overwhelming to pick the perfect travel show or documentary. We’re here to help.

Best Travel Shows on Netflix

Here’s an ultimate list of the best travel shows on Netflix recommended by travel experts for you all travelers out there to binge on. So, what are you waiting for?

Pick the travel show you want to see, and pack your bags…Ummm…grab a bag of popcorn, settle on your couch, and hit the on-button of the remote.

#1 Travels with My Father

3 seasons, 13 episodes | IMDb: 7.7/10

Sean from LivingOutLau says, “My favorite travel series on Netflix has to be Jack Whitehall: Travels With My Father. “ A travel documentary comedy that follows the journey of a twenty-something-year-old son and a close to 80-year-old father, Travels With My Father is both culturally enriching and hilarious. The son, Jack Whitehall, takes his posh father, Michael Whitehall, on a popular backpacking gap-year route across Southeast Asia, where their contrasting personalities create a fun dynamic for the audience. If you ever wanted to see the results of a high-class elderly man from the UK staying in a hostel, then you must not miss the show. The father’s disconnect from many of the latest travel news and trends creates some of the hilarious moments in the show, such as when he chats up with a very nice lady who turns out to be a “ladyboy” in Thailand . Currently, there is a total of 3 seasons of Travels With My Father on Netflix. Season 1 features travel adventures in Southeast Asia, season 2 in Eastern Europe, and season 3 in the United States . Whichever season you pick, just be ready to laugh until your stomach hurts!

#2 Moving Art

3 seasons, 19 episodes | IMDb: 8.7/10

Tanayesh from Shoestring Travel asserts that Moving Art has to be one of the most relaxing shows on Netflix. I watch it to unwind with a glass of wine at the end of the day. Moving Art by Louie Schwartzberg is a documentary exclusively on nature like deserts, forests, oceans, wildlife, and many more with soothing music playing over top. The movie provides a pensive tour of witnessing the world and as it is without narration, you can actually feel the sounds of nature at large. The amazing shots which are tactfully edited with the cinematography are just breathtaking! Once you sit to watch the movie, you will absolutely be glued to it and would definitely love to watch it often. Moving Art is my all-time favorite – whether I can travel or I can’t I satisfy my desire to travel by watching this exotic nature movie. For me, it’s a spiritual experience as I watch nature’s beauty sitting at home experiencing her beauty in different ways. Not to forget this movie also heals my mind and body and gives me the utmost pleasure. This gorgeous series answered an unspoken desire to have a nature film without the spoken word. The desire is so strong that I have to watch it daily. And not one film but four! These films are meant to be enjoyed and in the end, you will have a relaxed body and a peaceful mind, and you will embrace positivity and forget all negativity. There is not an iota of mediocrity in these works. And I will be able to view them over and over. Thank you, Louis Schwartzberg. By following your bliss, you have given it to others. Lovely contribution to the planet.

#3 Our Planet

1 season, 8 episodes | IMDb: 9.3/10

Cassie from Cassie the Hag believes that Our Planet, a documentary series on Netflix, is a travel show hoping to help us connect better with our homes. Narrated by Britain’s favorite national treasure David Attenborough, the show focuses on the conservation issues we – and our planet – now face due to the dire human impact on the environment. Viewers are invited to enjoy stunning nature shots of frozen worlds to deserts, jungles to the high seas, and close-ups of animals in their natural habitats…while being gently reminded of our responsibility as global citizens. It is this perspective that makes me believe Our Planet is a must-see. Travel lovers will be inspired by the beautiful landscapes of Russia, Chile, South Georgia, Madagascar, and many more.

Although I’ve already enjoyed an amazing holiday in Indonesia , it definitely made me long to go back to see the orangutans of Sumatra and the coral reefs of Raja Ampat – known as one of the best diving regions in the world. The beauty of Earth’s natural ecosystem shines while the focus shifts to the rich but fragile biodiversity. We are reminded that South Georgia may look stunning – and the penguins are totally cute – but the melting ice caps could change Earth dramatically and doom the animals who live there. Our Planet is not all doom and gloom, mind. In Serengeti , Tanzania , we see messages of sadness and hope – both hippos crammed into small areas of the Great Ruaha River due to the human water industry – but also witness shots of wild dogs who have back from local extinction. You’ll start watching Our Planet for outdoor inspiration but leave it wanting to take better care of your home.  

#4 Dark Tourist

1 season, 8 episodes | IMDb: 7.6/10

Dave from davechant.com recommends his favorite travel show on Netflix – Dark Tourist. Dark tourism is loosely defined as travel to areas where death, disaster, or atrocity is an integral part of the experience. People have for many years been visiting Chernobyl or Auschwitz but there’s a growing desire for the macabre and sinister that coined this travel term in the early twenty-first century. In 2018 comes the Netflix documentary Dark Tourist, starring the journalist David Farrier. He’s been described as the poor man’s Louis Theroux, but there’s something amiable and naïve about his bumbling narrative and efforts to understand dark tourism that makes him watchable in a slightly Karl Pilkington way. To date, there has been 1 season with 8 episodes broadcast. Highlights include David heading to Mexico City and witnessing both an exorcism and learning about a community that worships the “death saint” and visiting the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster site in Japan (Episodes 1 and 2 respectively.) In Episode 6 he has a dilemma involving a bazooka and a cow in Cambodia and goes to a mummified corpse ritual in Indonesia . The most bizarre section has to come in the last episode where he visits a haunted house attraction in Tennessee lasting 8 hours where people are literally tortured physically and psychologically. Suffice it to say no one has made it completely through the 8 hours without issuing their safe word. Sometimes Dark Tourist is a little hit and miss – naturally, you’ll gravitate to certain “experiences” over others. However, easy watching at times this is not, and you may not love it, but you’ll find yourself mesmerized as to what’s going to happen next.

#5 Street Food

1 season, 9 episodes | IMDb: 8.0/10

Emily from Wander-Lush says, “If you’re a fan of the popular TV show Chef’s Table, you’ll be pleased to know the Netflix travel series Street Food is created by the same team.” This time around, they’re not chronicling Michelin-starred celebrity chefs – instead, they’re paying tribute to the often overlooked and unsung heroes of the street food world. Season one takes a deep dive into 9 cities in Asia, including Seoul, Delhi, and Saigon . Food is, of course, the star, but each episode also paints a picture of the location. One thing I love about this show is how succinct it is. Each 30-minute episode follows three or four individual protagonists, humanizing the food from the very beginning. From the daily rituals of a Yogyakarta dessert vendor, as she wakes up at dawn to lovingly prepare her sweet treats, to the trials and tribulations of a busy Bangkok street chef, each episode is a window onto someone’s world and is totally immersive. Beyond the food they cook, the show explores each person’s backstory, narrated by them in their native language through interviews. The women and men who star in Street Food are champions of their communities. At times, the show zooms out to illustrate how critical street food culture is to the fabric of society in their respective countries. Each episode is packed with practical tips for foodie travelers, too. I started watching it when I was planning a trip to Vietnam  and ended up pinning all the locations on Google Maps so I could visit them myself! There’s currently only one season of Street Food available on Netflix, but a second one is in the pipeline.

#6 Raja Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyan

2 seasons, 35 episodes | IMDb: 8.8/10

Even though it is a culinary show, it travels across India showcasing the history, and tradition related to the cuisine. It is said that the place, its weather, food that grows there have a very important influence in developing the cuisine of that region. The series name literally means ‘King, Kitchens and their stories’ and delves into each state’s history.

Visiting the royal palaces and their royal kitchens, and roaming the streets to understand where and how it originated keeps you engrossed. There are some interesting stories about how some ingredients originally from different countries traveled across continents and now are an integral part of Indian cuisine. India has a history that dates back centuries and it’s evident in food as well. In one of the episodes, they even shared the scripts of recipes written on leaves by the chef of a king.

A culinary trip to India would be incomplete without visiting the places where it originated. Travel is an experience not only about visiting a place but also about knowing the culture, history, and food of the area. And this series for sure will fulfill it completely. The bold voice that weaves stories through beautiful locations and aromatic cuisines is another highlight of the series.

We started watching as a family and our kids even joined us and took an equal interest. The first season had 11 episodes of 1 hour that traversed food of some major states of India like Rajasthan , Tamil Nadu , Punjab, Kashmir, Kerala , Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh. Season 2 had 24 episodes but the duration was 30 minutes.

#7 Ugly Delicious

2 seasons, 12 episodes | IMDb: 7.8/10

Daisy from Oman Travel Guides thinks, that for those that love to travel, one of the best (and only) things to do during this period of self-isolation is to travel vicariously through others.

One such way to do so is by learning different cultures and customs through a good Netflix series. And what better series is there than a cooking show produced by award-winning chef David Chang? (Hint: Almost none.) Ugly Delicious is a Netflix show that follows David and a few of his colleagues around the world in a quest to better understand various dishes and meals. It explores the local history and culture through dish-specific travels. It is both informative and humorous, which is great for those who are looking for something more light-hearted but educational. Each episode dives into the specifics of a dish and explores its variations in different countries, as well as how it evolved with the cultural specificities of the region. Be it the concept of fried chicken, pizza, or tacos, David Chang is able to capture the intricacy and complexity that is often overlooked by others. He and his team have traveled to Japan, Naples, and more to further research the numerous factors that contribute to a dish that is similar in concept, but different in taste. Ugly Delicious is an excellent show in that it not only looks at the food but also brings to light critical sociocultural issues that are found within each dish. It does a beautiful job of connecting the dots between different cuisines and people and makes us think more carefully about the various elements behind the things we consume each day.

#8 Somebody Feed Phil

2 seasons, 12 episodes | IMDb: 8.1/10

Veronika from Travel Geekery says, “When it comes to  traveling at home , or rather just inducing that travel feeling, travel food shows are a great option, even though you cannot eat what the people on your TV screen do. I’ve enjoyed watching both seasons of Somebody Feed Phil and am looking forward to season 3 coming out at the end of May 2020.” Philip Rosenthal , the “Phil” in the show, is a well-known name in the US Entertainment Industry. He produced the popular sitcom ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ in the ’90s. It went on for 9 seasons! So nowadays in his current show, which he produces and stars in, Phil travels the world in search of the delicious. And man, does he like food! From New Orleans to Bangkok, Phil seeks out local foodie spots from both expats and locals and stuffs himself till full. The most unique feature of the show is how funny, or rather goofy, Phil is. He is a comical character, makes amusing or embarrassing jokes, dances, sings… He really puts himself out there. He also hasn’t hesitated to bring the whole family into the TV Show. He skypes his parents in every episode, updating them on his whereabouts and the local food. His brother is the cameraman and sometimes interacts with Phil. His wife and kids once joined him for a big part of an episode in Copenhagen . The lighthearted travel/food documentary serves as a great inspiration for future trips. We knew what delicious things to expect in Ho Chi Minh City after watching Phil’s show. We even rewatched it once there to make sure we didn’t miss out on any of the local specialties.

#9 Tales by Light

3 seasons, 15 episodes | IMDb: 8.3/10

Jeff from Life Of Y recalls, “When I was growing up, I dreamed of becoming a travel photographer. What could be better than traveling the world and doing what you love the most? Sometimes we forget why we fell in love with a particular passion or hobby. Maybe jobs, bills, and other things get in the way. Then, one day, something comes along from the professionals you had admired as a child…” Tales By Light is a visually stunning documentary series created by National Geographic and Canon Australia . The show follows professional photographers as they explore various lands, pushing the limits of their abilities, in an attempt to show us our world in ways we’ve never seen before. Each episode is a visual journey as the photographers tell us their vision of the perfect image and what the project means to them. From marine photography in Papua New Guinea to photographing religious festivals in the Himalayas, we experience every joy and every challenging moment through their eyes! Nearly everybody thinks they can be a photographer, or an Instagrammer, these days but this show will make you think long and hard about what it really takes to be in the profession. It will also make you want to take your photography, and even your traveling and adventuring, to a whole new level. The great thing about Tales By Light is that it’s not aimed at just photographers. Anyone with an interest in travel, nature, culture, or even just life, in general, will enjoy this. I highly recommend this show, not just for the spectacular cinematography, but as a great source of inspiration as well.

#10 The Kindness Diaries

2 seasons, 26 episodes | IMDb: 8.1/10

Lara from Both Feet On The Road feels The Kindness Diaries is an incredibly inspiring documentary travel show on Netflix. I absolutely love this series and I recommend every travel lover to watch it. But what makes this travel show so inspiring? The series follows a man named Leon Logothetis (former broker) who travels the world with no money. In season one he travels with a vintage motorcycle and completely depends on the kindness of strangers for fuel, a place to sleep, and eat! In season two he starts in Alaska with a vintage Beetle and drives all the way to the tip of Argentina , still solely relying on people’s kindness. Unfortunately, season 1 is no longer available on Netflix, but season 2 still is. In return for people’s kindness, Leon helps them realize their dreams. For example, by paying for education and a home for a homeless man, paying for healthcare, helping stray dogs, or building schools. Each time a stranger offers him a place to sleep or eat, he offers them something in return. Before you watch, I have to give you a heads-up. The first time I watched the show I thought it was scripted and perhaps a bit over the top. But I urge you to keep watching, It’s not fake and the more you watch it, the better it gets. Even if it’s partly scripted, the kindness of strangers is real and from the heart. It’s heartwarming to see how far he gets and how helpful humankind can be. If you have ever lost all trust in our kind, you should watch this show! Leon’s goal is to show the world the power of human connection and that’s exactly the power of this show. And of course, the fact that you get to travel around the world virtually.

#11 Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

1 season, 4 episodes | IMDb: 6.7/10

Lee from The Travel Scribes elucidates, If you like Ugly Delicious, you’ll love David Chang’s later foray into food and travel: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. This four-part limited series is a frothy, definitely, funny take on celebrity interviews as each episode sees Chang hang out with one of his famous buddies in different cities around the world, literally eating his way through the three square meals of the day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The series is interesting in that you don’t only explore the gastronomic culture and best eats of the city in question, but you get under the skin of these famous personalities while taking in the sights and sounds of the country. Almost a fusion of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and Anthony Bourdain-esque shows it’s a must-watch for anyone who loves food and famous people, in that order. Take, for example, the first episode. Actor and funnyman Seth Rogen takes Chang through his paces in Vancouver, Canada . It’s Rogen’s hometown so he easily showcases the best it has to offer: everything from Chinese-inspired dim sum to sugary doughnuts as they laugh the day away. Episode two changes pace as model and Twitter royalty, Chrissy Teigen , leads him through the maze-like warren of Marrakesh as they feast on lamb tagines, while the third installment has Chang in Los Angeles as Lena Waithe from  Master of None  plies him with potatoes, crayfish, and even the food of a retro bowling alley. Topped off with episode four, featuring comedian Kate McKinnon in Phnom Penh, Cambodia , where the two explore the city together as first-time visitors. As diverse as it is dynamic, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner is an exploration of different cultures and destinations through the universal language of food. Undoubtedly binge-watching (and eating) fodder to whet your travel appetite!

#12 Conan Without Borders

1 season, 6 episodes

Based on the adventures of Conan O’Brien , a late-night talk show, Conan Without Borders is a fresh take on travel, cultures, and people. For this show, Conan traveled to a myriad of locations including Cuba, Israel, Haiti, Korea, Mexico, Japan, Australia, and Germany . The stuff he does in one country has nothing to do with another country, which keeps the content in mint condition. For instance, while in Japan, Conan decided to rent a fake family once he heard about Japan’s crisis of loneliness, and the service to rent families. In Germany, he visited the nude beaches and met up with a dominatrix. In Cuba, he did a rum tour. In South Korea, he joined The Wonder Girls, Korean pop star J.Y. Park, and TWICE for a K-POP music video. For Ghana, Conan joined comedian Sam Richardson and met the locals to observe the Year of Return, a commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the transatlantic slave trade, and learned the local customs and language. In Haiti, he made fun of President Trump with locals. What I love the most about Conan Without Borders is the way he brings in his far-flung humor to make a fool of himself. In all these countries where he doesn’t speak their language, he still manages to make people laugh and keep it fun. But once you start looking beyond the humor, you also see his sensitive side when he is talking to people about turmoil, genocides, and economic issues- without ever making a joke.  Deb from The Visa Project has been following the show since it started and she recommends it to anyone. It’s different from most travel shows you have ever seen.

#13 Outlander

6 seasons, 68 episodes | IMDb: 8.4/10

Outlander combines drama, romance, and a sense of wanderlust all in one. From the opening theme song to the stunning images of Scotland , viewers are transported to another land (and another time). The show is based on a multi-part book series by American author Diana Gabaldon, and incredibly, the story-telling and visuals do the novel justice. While the start of the show lands viewers after the end of World War II, much of the action throughout the series takes place in the late 1700s Scotland and, in later seasons, France and the Americas . Outlander has a great mix of adventure and anticipation for what happens next coupled with actual historical events. I learned a ton about Scottish history while watching the show, as I was checking facts about events and people while I watched. The emotion brought forth by the telling of these events brings to life historically significant periods of time, including the Battle of Culloden. Not only this, but the sense of longing, loss, love, anger, and any emotion you can imagine is also portrayed beautifully by its main actors. Outlander even inspired Christa from Expedition Wildlife to  travel to the Scottish Highlands  to visit some of the featured sites! Incredibly, Scottish family names from the show can be seen on memorial stones placed in the Culloden Battlefield Memorial site, and the hills of Glencoe featured in many scenes can be explored. Now, whenever I hear that opening song, I think of Scotland and its magical lands.

#14 Carmen Sandiego

2 seasons, 19 episodes | IMDb: 7.9/10

Tiffany from Mommy And Me Travels loves finding travel shows to inspire children to get excited about traveling.  She says, our family’s absolute favorite on Netflix is Carman Sandiego.  The show uses a catchphrase of ‘Where in the World is Carman Sandiego?’. My kids love trying to guess where Carman will end up before it is revealed in each episode.  This show is about a strong female lead, Carman, and how she uses her expert-acquired skills of theft to steal back items from her rivals before the items can be used against the world. Carman is not alone in her adventures. An expert team joins her along the way and in her ear is her sidekick ‘Player.’ The player guides Carman through all of the obstacles that she will encounter as she makes her way through cities.  Make discovering the world with Carman a weekly activity for you and your family.

#15 Master of None

2 seasons, 20 episodes | IMDb: 8.3/10

Megan from Peter Pan Traveler says, “One of my favorite travel shows on Netflix is Master of None season 2. Not only is it a great travel show by making you want to pack your bag and move to Italy , but it can also help to mend a broken heart.” The main character is faced with an unfortunate break-up. Rather than being sad and depressed about his situation, he decides to fulfill a lifelong dream of learning how to make fresh pasta in Italy.  This show is not only great for travelers, foodies, or anyone going through a break-up, but it is also a great encouragement to get out there and follow your dreams. It will make you want to book a one-way ticket to Italy and eat your heart out. It is a great travel show to watch while you plan your next trip. Also great for anyone learning or wanting to learn Italian, as a part of the show is filmed in Italian.  Out of all the great travel shows Netflix has to offer this is by far one of my favorites. There is something just so unique and funny about it that makes you want to watch it over and over again.

#16 Roman Empire

3 seasons, 15 episodes | IMDb: 6.9/10

Matt of It’s All in Italy has watched an amazing 3 part documentary series on Netflix called the ‘Roman Empire’ which he absolutely loved. Roman Empire is a historical drama about events in Ancient Rome . The 3 part series centers not just on Rome but takes you to various parts of the Roman Republic, which later became the Roman Empire, including places like Gaul (modern-day France), Greece, and Egypt. Each of the 3 documentary series focuses on an important figure in Ancient Roman History including Emperor Commodus, Julius Caesar, and Emperor Caligula, and offers a fascinating insight into their character and the challenges they faced up to and during their rule as Emperor. It’s an intriguing series for not just history buffs, but for anyone who has traveled to or is  planning on traveling to Italy  as it puts the city of Rome and the country of Italy in an entirely new light. It will inspire you to visit historical sites in Rome and perhaps further afield to the Island of Capri, which was the home of Emperor Tiberius prior to being succeeded by Emperor Caligula. You’re sure to experience a range of emotions as you watch the series as you’re exposed to the savagery and opulence of the life and times of leaders and Emperors in Ancient Rome. It’s 5 stars from me 🙂

So, how many of these travel shows on Netflix have you watched? Which one would you want to add to your Netflix queue? Is your favorite travel show included in the list? If not, tell us about it in the comments section.

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Anjali Chawla

1 thought on “Best Travel Shows on Netflix to Stream Now”

Such a great list and some on there that I haven’t watched yet.

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The 10 Best Netflix Travel Shows And Documentaries In Asia

With international trips dissipated to pretty much non-existence, for the past few years we’ve had to turn to different forms of entertainment to try and satiate our desires to travel.

Unsurprisingly, consuming online content was one way that many people realized was going to be as close as they could get to experiencing the other side of the world.

Watching as real people explored foreign cities, ate peculiar foods, and interacted with strangers somewhat filled that void that we all wished we could go out and fill ourselves with.

Netflix saw the opportunity and absolutely leaped into the task of spoiling us with huge additions of travel shows and documentaries that were made to engage us in ways that makes us feel like we’re actually there in that moment.

Their best content has helped us keep the travel bug at bay and fed into our wanderlust desires in the best ways possible.

Watching these shows, whether it be about countries we’ve already visited or ones that we’re eager to visit once we’re allowed to, inspires us and gives us insight on how we can better plan the trip when the time comes around (and it will come, hopefully sooner rather than later!).

And to be honest, they’re just super fun and easy to watch!

There is currently a plethora of shows about food, travel, and/or culture – but the best ones are the ones that combine all three.

Let’s look into the 10 best Netflix travel shows and documentaries out right now!

1. Street Food Series – Asia (2019)

The Street Food series is a much-loved global series that’s the perfect viewing experience for foodies around the world. Every episode follows the story of a local chef and shares how their famous street food stall came to be.

If you’re a fan of journeys, this series will take you on some wild rides. You’ll be pretty much learning the origin stories of some of the chefs, some who literally started from the bottom, some of who took over flailing family businesses to completely turn them around.

The first series focuses on Asia, taking you for a tour around popular Asian destinations such as Thailand , Singapore , Delhi, Seoul , and many more. The second season focuses on Latin America.

2. Twogether (2020)

Veteran South Korean entertainer Lee Seung Gi and popular Taiwanese actor Liu Yi-Hao (stage name Jasper) are thrown in the deep end in this fun travel and exploration documentary series.

Basically, before starting filming in Indonesia, they met briefly for the first time when they were told that they would be filming this show. Fast-forward to months later and they’re both stepping off the airplane in Yogyakarta, a foreign Indonesian city neither have ever visited before.

From there, both parties must navigate through ‘missions’ (tasks) as submitted by their various fans across multiple cities around Asia, all whilst trying to overcome their language barrier and adapt to their environment.

From the get-go, you get the strong feeling that this is not scripted, as both parties are as awkward as it gets. Communicating in Taiwanese, Korean, and a sprinkle of English, you can feel them warming up to each other as the show goes on, and eventually they form a wonderful brotherhood you just can’t make up.

Both Seung Gi and Jasper are adventurous, comical and overall, wonderfully likable in this amazing series.

3. Somebody Feed Phil (2020)

In this fun and light-hearted travel, food and culture documentary, Phil Rosenthal, the creator of the classic sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond” travels the world to indulge in delicious local cuisine and explore more about the culture of the destinations.

Some of the cities that he visits include Bangkok , Saigon , Seoul, and Singapore.

Unsurprisingly, his genuine interest in local customs, openness to trying even the strangest of foods, and amusing dry humour have hooked hundreds of thousands of people around the world. There are currently 4 seasons available to watch on Netflix.

4. J-Style Trip (2020)

Chinese artist Jay Chou is synonymous with legendary music. Many argue that it was he who put C-pop on the global map; if not, then it was he who expanded it beyond its horizons.

On the surface level, this documentary showcases Jay and his crew traveling around different destinations around the world. They perform crazy magic tricks, participate in fun and adventurous activities, and generally have good banter.

However, if you’re a long-time C-pop music lover, you’ll find that this series is much more than what it appears to be.

Whilst there is the glitz and glamor of visiting Paris and globetrotting through Singapore, there are moments of nostalgia as Jay Chou talks about his childhood dreams and inspiration. Certain conversations delve you deeper into the thoughts of the musician and remind you that he is a human before he is an artist.

Regardless of whether you’re a Jay Chou fan or not, this is a great series to binge.

5. The Hungry & The Hairy (2022)

Globally renowned k-popstar Rain and veteran South Korean comedian Ro Hong-chul are a pair of two unlikely friends in their late 30s who get together to traverse the country for light adventure and great food.

The synopsis of the series is basic enough: from Jeju Island to all the way back to Seoul, the two friends dip into various locations with their motorbikes to savour the scenery and sample the local food offerings.

This is a super laid-back, easy-going travelogue show that doesn’t take itself too seriously.  

From the ridiculous outfits to the never-ending banter, you’ll find yourself immersed in the chemistry of the two as well as the gorgeous shots of the areas they go exploring.

One highlight of this show includes the endless drone shots of the long stretches of highways with mountains and beaches flanking the sides, reminding you that there is a whole world out there to explore soon.

Another highlight is the food they devour. When Rain is not showing off his culinary skills and cooking up a storm, they’re stopping into some restaurants that are local favourites to eat until they pass out (literally).

6. Midnight Asia – Eat Dance Dream (2022)

This eclectic show is unique in that rather than show celebrities, it follows the lives of individuals living life in some of the craziest night scenes across Asia.

Brightly lit neon sign boards, big personalities, and stunning drone shots characterize this show. This travel documentary series specifically shoots late at night to really showcase the party vibes of the city it’s highlighting.

The first episode focuses on Tokyo . In Shinjuku, we’re introduced to Sumiko Iwamuro, an 85-year-old DJ.  

We get to know Rogerio Ignacio Vaz, a Brazilian born to Japanese parents, who’s a mixologist.  

We follow Shotaro Komijo, as he drags his bar cart, Twillo, to a random location and then sends an update to his followers via his social media.

These are only a few of the personalities you’ll get to meet.

From Tokyo to Mumbai, Seoul to Taipei , East Asia has its moment in this series.

7. Ugly Delicious (2020)

Part cooking show, part documentary, Ugly Delicious the gold standard for those interested in how food and culture intertwine.

David Chang is a renowned chef who is the owner of the globally popular Momofuku restaurant group. From noodles to fried chicken sandwiches to pastries, his culinary ventures have left little for the imagination.

He starred in both seasons of Ugly Delicious, traveling the world, sampling and breaking down dishes and providing commentary and insight on its concept and history.

Viewers will like how grounded this show is. It isn’t merely just about the food itself; David features guests who sit down over a meal, conversing easily and candidly. There are nostalgic memories brought up, discussions about comfort foods being commercialized, and immigrants opening up shop to provide a taste of home.

David Chang ultimately drives home the message that food is a universal language, and it brings people together.

8. Zulu Man in Japan (2019)

In this short documentary, South African rapper Nasty C takes to the streets of Japan , immersing himself into the local culture, collaborating with local artists, and exposing himself to the vibrant creative arts and music scene.

With only a 48-minute running time, this is a quick and easy watch. You follow Nasty C as he freely and liberally explores the country’s night scene, gets into the thick of the local fashion and arts, attends concerts and more.

For those who have travelled to Japan before, you would know that the vibes in this country are unmatched.

So, to witness an up-and-coming rapper who’s never visited the country before take in the electric scenery, energy, and people the same way you did – in awe and wonderment – it will make you feel things.

9. Flavorful Origins

In this colourful documentary series, Flavorful Origins masterfully takes us through the various traditional cooking techniques of the Chaoshan Cuisine.

The history and culture intertwined with the real individuals in this series provides us with an insight into this relatively unknown branch of Chinese cuisine.  

Each episode focuses on a different dish, some we may have come across before, and others we’ve likely never ever heard about.

The in-depth look at how the chefs, some of whom have had techniques passed down to them from generations before, prepare and cook the food will amaze you.

Frying, grilling, steaming – no cooking method is left off the table.

Whilst there are a whopping 20-episodes, which might seem a tad long for some people, the standardized approach yet fresh content of each episode will have you eating away at the show quicker than you realise.

10. Midnight Diner Tokyo Stories (2019)

The Midnight Diner Tokyo Series is a little bit different from the rest of shows mentioned above. Rather than filming real people traveling the world and exploring food, this show is a work of fiction.

However, it’s not fiction as you know it. Rather, with nuanced characters and clever script-writing, it can be described as a travelogue, a food review show, or even a commentary show on the Japanese lifestyle.

The show itself follows the story of ‘Master’, the owner/chef of a small diner in Tokyo who serves a variety of Japanese dishes to his customers. The diner is open from midnight to 7am, and you quickly find that customers are generally regulars who come for Master’s listening ear and comfort food.

If you’re missing hearing the Japanese language, are looking for something to watch that won’t challenge your thinking too hard, and just want to have a feel-good show on, Midnight Diner Tokyo Stories will introduce you to some unique characters.

I hope you enjoyed our selection of the best Netflix travel shows and documentaries. If you’re looking for some shows to get you out of that (lack of) travel funk, we’re sure that any pick off this list will do the job.

Travel shows and documentaries work wonders in making us feel inspired about the future of travel.

Whether you’re determined to visit your favourite country next year and just want something to tide you over for now, or looking to get some ideas about where you can go next once restrictions fully lift – we hope you find it watching one of these remarkable shows.

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Apple TV+ travel series "The Reluctant Traveler," hosted by Emmy Award winner Eugene Levy, to premiere on February 24, 2023

Apple TV+ today announced that “The Reluctant Traveler,” a new globe-trotting travel series hosted and executive produced by Emmy Award winner Eugene Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”), will premiere globally on February 24, 2023. The eight-episode series follows Levy as he visits some of the world’s most beautiful and intriguing destinations in Costa Rica, Finland, Italy, Japan, Maldives, Portugal, South Africa and the United States, exploring remarkable hotels and the places and cultures surrounding them.

Self-confessedly not your typical travel show host — he’s not usually adventurous or well-versed in globe-trotting, Levy agrees the time is finally right for him to broaden his horizons. Levy packs his suitcase with some trepidation but hopes his experiences might lead to a whole new chapter in life, even if it means confronting some of his long-held fears. Join him as he buckles up for the ultimate eye-opening adventure!

“The Reluctant Traveler” is produced for Apple TV+ by Twofour. In addition to starring, Levy executive produces alongside David Brindley.

“The Reluctant Traveler” joins a growing lineup of acclaimed and award-winning docuseries on Apple TV+, including the acclaimed documentary series “The Big Conn” featuring the biggest social security fraud in history; award-winning documentary event “Prehistoric Planet,” featuring Oscar-nominated narrator Sir David Attenborough; “Make or Break,” the World Surf League docuseries; the Emmy Award-nominated elevated home-design docuseries “Home”; Emmy Award-nominated modern warfare docuseries “The Line”; the acclaimed Emmy Award nominated four-part documentary series "They Call Me Magic,” chronicling the life and career of two-time NBA Hall of Famer and cultural icon Earvin “Magic” Johnson; Emmy Award-nominated docuseries “Watch the Sound with Mark Ronson”; and the documentary event “Gutsy,” with executive producers and hosts Hillary and Chelsea Clinton as they take us on an intimate journey to meet some of the world’s most extraordinary women. 

Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. 

To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have been honored with 299 wins and 1,274 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and this year’s Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”

About Apple TV+

Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com , for $9.99 per month with a seven-day trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.*

For more information, visit  apple.com/tvpr  and see the full list of   supported devices .

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• 15 Travel Documentaries That Tell Inspiring & Compelling Tales Of Wanderers

“The impulse to travel is one of the hopeful symptoms of life.” – Agnes Repplier

How true. For a die-hard traveler, every bend in the road is a new opportunity vying to be explored. The visceral feeling to flee to a new spot and finding the divine sense of joy in ticking a new destination on the map on your bedroom wall, can only be felt by the hopeless traveler.

Unadulterated and unhampered, travel documentaries showcase the chronicles of travelers and focus on their share of perilous and euphoric moments. Whether it is a planned excursion to a beach or an instinctive venture to a remote location, if you are seeking inspiration for your next travel, travel films can act as the fodder for your famished nomadic soul.

Here I bring you a list of best travel documentaries that will push you out of your boring couch (read; routine) and compel you to move out and travel the world.

Top 15 Travel Documentaries From Around The World

Here is a list of the best  travel documentaries from around the world , read on what these contain and add these to your list of must watch films & documentaries.

• Around The World In 80 Days (1989)-  Excitement Of Venturing
• Baraka (1992)-  A Kaleidoscopic Retreat
• Sahara With Michael Palin (2002)-  Explore The Hidden Gems
• A Map For Saturday (2007)-  A Solo Traveler’s Love
• Antarctica-  A Year On Ice (2013)
• K2- Siren Of The Himalayas (2012)
• Sacred Planet (2004)-  Know The Mesmerizing Places
• 180 Degree South (2010)-  An Epic Tour
• Encounters At The End Of The World (2007)-  All About Fascination
• The Maidentrip (2013)-  A Great Watch
• Hit The Road-  India (2013)
• The Edge Of Never (2013)-  About A Group Of Skiers
• Austin To Boston (2014)-  A Musical Documentary
• Life In A Day (2011)-  An Insight To Amazing Things
• Frozen Planet (2011)-  Fall For The Ice

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1. Around the World in 80 Days (1989)- Excitement Of Venturing

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Runtime: 7 episodes of 52 minutes each IMDb Rating: 8.8 Genre: Globetrotting Filming Locations: 17 countries across North America, Europe, Africa and Asia

Synopsis: Around the World in 80 Days is a 7 part BBC travel series written and presented by actor-comedian, Michael Palin, based on the famous adventure novel by Jules Verne with the same name. Similar to the novel, Palin accepts the challenge to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days and closely follows the road and sea route, as taken by the protagonist in the novel.

The 80 days adventurous voyage showcases the excitement of venturing into new lands and filming exotic locations through numerous gridlocks. Considered as one of the best travel documentaries ever, the series broadcasted in 7 episodes follows Michael Palin’s travel and exploration across 17 countries. He takes you across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America through nearly every possible means of transport, except for the aircraft. This is no doubt one of the must watch  best travel documentary.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: The novel was published in 1873 when there was no air travel and Michael Palin and his crew replicate the same sea and land route. From crossing the English Channel, passing through the Alps, traversing through the arid regions of the Middle East, entering Bombay on a dhow to voyaging through the South China Sea and finally arriving in the United States, Michael Palin shares his adventures of traveling the world in eighty days.

Do you really need more reasons?

Must Read: Scuba Diving In Red Sea: Actualise A Dream And Conquer Your Fears In 2022

2. Baraka (1992)- A Kaleidoscopic Retreat

Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes IMDb Rating: 8.6 Genre: Nature and philosophy Filming Locations: 150 locations in 23 countries

Synopsis: Baraka, also known as among some of the best travel documentaries ever is non-narrative documentary is a kaleidoscopic retreat into the different hymns of nature and its impact on various cultures. From the cacophonic chants of hundreds of monks huddled together for a cosmic yajna to the frenzied thumping of the whole village, the documentary highlights the phenomena of nature and how it forms the core of various cultures.

Baraka ventures its viewers into the hidden realms of the nature while focusing on the man’s prowess to destroy his countless blessings.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: Baraka is a satirical take on the unabashed human nature with cinematic brilliance featuring the most spectacular pictures, on one hand, would enrich your love for nature and the perils of industrialization and destruction of nature, on the other, move you deeply. Should definitely add this to the best travel documentary series.

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3. Sahara with Michael Palin (2002)- Explore The Hidden Gems

Runtime: 4 episodes of 50 minutes each IMDb Rating: 8.1 Genre: Exploration Filming Locations: 10 countries in Northern and Western Africa

Synopsis: The travel documentary is a colorful account of the various cultures and regions dotting the beautiful Sahara desert. From the arid beaches in Morocco, refugee camps in Algeria, to the mysterious deserts of Timbuktu and spectacular starlit nights in Nigeria, this 4 episode feature also considered as one of the best travel documentaries of all time dwells deep into the seductive African odyssey.

Apart from exploring the various hidden gems of the great desert, the feature also includes Palin’s rendezvous with numerous Muslim scholars, tribes and refugees to highlight the various religious and cultural beliefs which the people of the desert abide by.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: The documentary not only highlights the vastness of the isolated desert locations but also beautifully highlights the various prevalent cultural influences in Africa and practices such as polygamy and female genital mutilation.

Suggested Read: 20 Things To Do In Egypt In 2022 That No Travel Guide Will Ever Tell You About

4. A Map for Saturday (2007)- A Solo Traveler’s Love

Runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes IMDb Rating: 7.9 Genre: Backpacking and Solo Travel Filming Locations: Australia, Thailand, India, London, Brazil and Nepal

Synopsis: Every day is like a Saturday when you are on a long travel around the world. Solo traveling is not only about meandering through unknown lanes of a forbidden place. But it is also a great way to delve deep inside one’s own existence. The story brings out the chronicles of trekkers on four different continents. The documentary also includes interviews from other backpackers and highlights how the road can form unbreakable bonds.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: A Map for Saturday is a beautiful insight into the life of a backpacker. A must watch for people who believe that there is more to life than the confined walls of their office or workstation. It also highlights that if the intent to travel is immense, nothing can deter you in your quest. Looking for best online travel documentaries? Try watching A Map for Saturday! It is one of the best travel documentary  that you should definitely add to your list.

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5. Antarctica: A Year on Ice (2013)

Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes IMDb Rating: 7.6 Genre: Expedition Filming Locations: Antarctica

Synopsis: How is it like living on the coldest place on earth for a year? The harsh climatic conditions make Antarctica almost inhabitable and an enigma for the world. This visual masterpiece highlights the inhabitable features of the continent and traverses the viewers through the lives of technicians and scientists living in isolation on the continent, braving the unforgiving winters. If you are a nature lover, you will appreciate its opulence even in its bitter hardness.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: Traveling is not just about pristine beaches, romantic lanes, and verdant valleys. Living in a place where the sun doesn’t shine for months and when it does, it forgets to set, is something that you ought to experience. Ever heard of Survival of the Fittest? You ought to witness one of the best travel documentaries of all time. Get up, close and personal with it here!

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Planning your holiday but confused about where to go? These travel stories help you find your best trip ever!

Real travel stories. Real stays. Handy tips to help you make the right choice.

Ramya Narrates The Story Of 6 Girls On An Extraordinary Trip To Thailand

Bangkok. Phi Phi. Krabi. Why should guys have all the fun?

Sandeep Illustrates On The Best Activities For A Family Trip To Mauritius

Water sports. Cocktail parties. And unlimited fun at Casela.

Nisarg Can't Stop Praising His Honeymoon Trip To Maldives

There was snorkeling, sightseeing, luxury, comfort, & much more!

Sabyacsachi's Romantic Trip Proves Europe To Be The Mother Of All Vacations

For Art, Culture, Luxury, & more...

Srishti Talks Of Her Amazing Trip To Singapore With Her Mother & Niece

A fun-filled destination for ages indeed!

67-Year Old Sridhar Tells How He Beat The Odds & Took A Solo Trip To Dubai

Desert safari. Burj Khalifa. Welcoming locals. Tell me more!

Not Adventure Lovers? Saurabh's Family Trip Proves Hong Kong To Still Be Full Of Fun

Your kids will love Disney Land & Ocean Park!

Ravi's Tale Of A Sri Lanka Family Tour Is All You Need To Know About Ramayana Tour

For the love of Ramayana & Travel!

6. K2: Siren of the Himalayas (2012)

Runtime: 1 hour 15 minutes IMDb Rating: 7.3 Genre: Mountaineering Filming Locations: Mount K2

Synopsis: K2: Siren of the Himalayas is a multilingual travel film shot in English, German, and Nepalese. The travel documentary forays into the dangerous world of high altitude mountaineering and follow a group of mountaineering experts as they venture on this epic journey to mark Duke of Abruzzi’s 1909 expedition. This  best travel documentary is a peep into the mountaineering group as they try to scale the perilous Mount K2 and meander their way through its deathly cliffs, braving the hideous climate.

The spectacularly captured snow-covered mountains pitted against the vast expanse of the blue sky and the exclusive footage from the world’s second highest, yet most challenging peak will leave you out of breath.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: If you want to know why mountaineering is considered as a rewarding activity, then you must watch it.

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7. Sacred Planet (2004)- Know The Mesmerizing Places

Runtime: 40 minutes IMDb Rating: 6.3 Genre: Biodiversity Filming Locations: Malaysia, Sarawak, Mulu

Synopsis: The earth is a queer place and this documentary encapsulates the beauty of the most mesmerizing places, people and wildlife on the planet in straight 40 minutes. Narrated by Robert Redford Jr., this Walt Disney production will take you up on an enchanting roller coaster ride starting from the ancient ruins of Thailand, canyons of Arizona, deserted lands of Namibia to underwater mysteries of Borneo, white sand beaches of New Zealand and many such exceptional places that our good old earth houses. Sacred Planet is one of the best travel documentary films you have seen in awhile.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: The awe-inspiring odyssey not only takes you deep into the magical realms of the earth but also makes you take a stand for preserving our beautiful planet and its biodiversity.

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8. 180 Degree South (2010)- An Epic Tour

Runtime: 1 hour 25 minutes IMDb Rating: 7.7 Genre: Drama, Sport Filming Locations: Chile, Mexico, California, Columbia, Equador, Peru, Pacific, California

Synopsis: 180 Degree South is an assimilation of the memorable journey undertaken by Jeff while recreating the epic tour pulled off by Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins during their road trip in 1968. Jeff’s journey was more adventurous as he chose to surf, sail, and climb before finally making it to Chile.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: Watch it for exciting adventures, gritty traveling, and the proper technique devised before pulling off such endeavors.

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9. Encounters at the End of the World (2007)- All About Fascination

Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes IMDb Rating: 7.8 Genre: Documentary Filming Locations: Antarctica

Synopsis: Encounters at the End of the World is a further investigation of McMurdo Station in Antarctica. In the documentary, the filmmaker travels all the way to explore the hidden riches and beauty of the pole, and take a peep into the lifestyle of everyone surviving there. While people at the research station had exciting tales to narrate, the plight of living beings there left the director moved.

A powerful travel film, Encounters at the End of the World features some amazing shots taken by the filmmaker.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: The extreme conditions at the poles, lovely escapades, and exciting tale of survivors make this travel documentary a must-watch.

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10. The Maidentrip (2013)- A Great Watch

Runtime: 1 hour 22 minutes IMDb Rating: 7.6 Genre: Adventure, Biography Filming Locations: Netherlands, South Africa, Australia, Ecuador, Panama, French Polynesia

Synopsis: One of the best travel documentary series ever, The Trip is a remarkable journey of a 14-year-old who sets to sail around the world and is a great watch. Laura Dekker’s a year and a half journey takes her to St. Martins, Panama, the Galapagos Islands, Australia, and the Cape of Good Hope before getting back to St. Martins. The youngest person ever to sail around the world, Dekker is a true inspiration for all the aspiring travelers.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: Dekker captured the world in her lens, presenting the beautiful places along with all her experiences thus making it an incredible story.

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11. Hit the Road: India (2013)

Runtime: 1 hour 20 minutes IMDb Rating: 7.8 Genre: Documentary, Sport Filming Locations: India, Armenia

Synopsis: Recognised by Lonely Planet as one of the best travel documentaries of 2012, this film is a story of two friends participating in rickshaw rally from Chennai to Mumbai spanning for 12 days covering over 2000 km.

The uniqueness of the movie lies in the way both the guys pull off this trip, battling adverse climatic conditions in the difficult terrains. Rickshaw being one of the lightest motor driven vehicles in India turns out to be cost effective and an easy drive. Yes, they had to suffer plenty of breakdowns along the way.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: 2 guys racing through the coast and ghats in southern India driving one of the lightest vehicles make it a rally worth a watch.

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12. The Edge of Never (2009)- About A Group Of Skiers

Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes IMDb Rating: 7.3 Genre: Documentary Filming Locations: USA, Canada, France

Synopsis: Shot in the snow clad mountains in the North America region, this travel documentary is about a group of skiers who scale treacherous mountains in the pursuit of accomplishing what was left incomplete by the mentor’s father, who died skiing in Chamonix, France. Full of adventure, thrill, and surreal landscapes, this documentary is for extreme travelers.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: Skiers challenging the biggest and extreme mountains in the world.

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13. Austin to Boston (2014)- A Musical Documentary

Runtime: 1 hour 12 minutes IMDb Rating: 7.2 Genre: Documentary, Music Filming Locations: USA

Synopsis: The film is a musical documentary, that narrates an exciting tale of a group of bands on the move. They travel thousands of miles from Austin to Boston, and en route live memorable moments. The journey has everything from traveling places, to pulling off adventures, to making memories, and also surviving through the hardships.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: The journey of musical bands spanning over 2 weeks and covering 3000 miles, performing at places, looks like a dream journey. Highly recommended for all the music lovers who travel!

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14. Life in a Day (2011)- An Insight To Amazing Things

Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes IMDb Rating: 7.7 Genre: Drama Filming Locations: Multiple locations across Earth

Synopsis: This travel film is a jukebox of thousand of hours from the lives of as many people on July 24th, 2010. The submitted videos containing beautiful and personal moments that people lead every day gives an insight into amazing things happening around us and how we choose not to acknowledge and celebrate them. This best travel documentary inspires everyone to be more thankful for things around and cherish beautiful moments.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: The assimilation of thousands of video clips containing precious moments from the lives of people make you realize what a beautiful life you have been leading all this while.

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15. Frozen Planet (2011)- Fall For The Ice

Runtime: 1 hour IMDb Rating: 9 Genre: Documentary Filming Locations: Arctic, Antarctica, Greenland, Russia, Norway, USA, Canada

Synopsis: Primarily focussed on the life and environment in the Arctic and Antarctica, Frozen Planet highlights how the climatic change is affecting the earth and its inhabitants. The winner of 4 Emmy award winner TV show has critically put forward the challenges faced by the polar animals like bears and wolves for their survival. Striking the right chord with a grave environmental issue, this mini-series is a must – watch.

What makes it an interesting read for travel lovers: The engrossing narrative, spectacular locales, and enchanting music are all that it takes to charm a discerning traveler. A perfect set-up for travel-lovers!

For those with an insatiable hunger for exploration and action, documentaries are a way to discover what explorers around the world are living and experiencing. The thrill of venturing into the unknown – exclusively shot, felt, and expressed by real people – has an impact on the mind of the viewers that cannot be measured.

Further Read: 20 Best Travel Movies That Will Ignite The Wanderlust In You

With list of best travel documentaries live the adventures of world’s finest explorers and yes, don’t forget to share your favorites from (or outside of) the list!

Frequently Asked Questions About Travel Documentaries

Is it feasible to travel during Covid-19?

As the travel industry is opening up slowly, yes traveling is feasible abroad and across India during Covid-19. But make sure you follow the given guidelines and precautionary measures for Covid. Also, remember to read the latest updates for Covid before making any travel plans.

What are the top 5 best travel films?

Other than the above-mentioned list of 15 best travel documentaries and films, here are 5 best travel films that you should definitely watch: The Way, Lion, On The Road, Captain Fantastic, Into The Wild.

Where can you watch the travel films?

You can watch the travel films on various OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sony Liv, Hotstar, Airtel Tv, and many others. Apart from these platforms you can simply search the films online and find the links on google.

Which are the top locations for film shooting?

Although there are many locations for film shooting, here are the top 8 places for film shooting: Monument Valley, London, Prague, New Zealand, Cape Town, Greystone Mansion, Morocco

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Aimed at the adventure seeker, Departures is an action-packed and personal journey about two travelers. Scott Wilson and Justin Lukach leave their lives behind in search of unique experience... Read all Aimed at the adventure seeker, Departures is an action-packed and personal journey about two travelers. Scott Wilson and Justin Lukach leave their lives behind in search of unique experiences through some of the most beautiful and remote places on earth. From epic landscapes and ... Read all Aimed at the adventure seeker, Departures is an action-packed and personal journey about two travelers. Scott Wilson and Justin Lukach leave their lives behind in search of unique experiences through some of the most beautiful and remote places on earth. From epic landscapes and unforgettable culture, to the often trying times that come with international travel, the ... Read all

• Andre Dupuis
• Scott Wilson
• Justin Lukach
• 41 User reviews
• 2 Critic reviews
• 3 wins & 8 nominations

Episodes 43

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5 best travel shows about Japan

Explore Japanese food, culture and landscapes with Elliot Page, Joanna Lumley, James May and more

Okay, so international travel isn’t completely feasible yet, but you can still look for some inspiration to start planning your next big trip. Whether you’re tagging along with Elliot Page to explore the ins and outs of Shinjuku Nichome , or getting to know the delights of the Japanese onsen with Top Gear’s James May, these whimsical travel shows are bound to fuel your wanderlust.

Covering Japan from the eccentricities of modern Tokyo to the most traditional elements of Japanese culture, here are the best travel shows to take you on a whirlwind adventure without leaving home.

RECOMMENDED: The best documentaries about Japanese food

Travel at home

Joanna lumley's japan.

In this series, beloved British actress Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous) starts her journey in the sub-zero temperatures of Hokkaido before making her way to Honshu, Japan’s cultural heartland. Taking boats, planes and speedy bullet trains to make her 2,000-mile journey, Lumley is a delightfully charming travel companion, always ready with a witty quip. 

From the spectacular views of natural world heritage sites to jetting over some of Japan’s most active volcanoes, the series is an excitement-packed feast for the eyes. After taking part in a karate class and swinging fire for a festival in Akita, Lumley concludes her trip in Tokyo by attending a riotous ‘girl band’ concert where the average age is 84. 

Available on Netflix in some regions outside of Japan. 

Prime Japan

Discover the joys of staying in a traditional ryokan and ponder the nation’s obsession with cats in this extensive series about Japan on Amazon Prime . If an itinerary of lugging heavy bags through crowded streets and tourist hotspots sounds like a far cry from a holiday to you, be soothed by these scenes of calming natural landscapes and private sushi counters. 

Rather than a surface-level introduction to iconic dishes like sushi and ramen, viewers are shown the history and origins of each food as well as the meticulous process of sourcing ingredients to make them. An exploration of old and new, this series takes you from the traditional Buddhist practice of Zen meditation to the cutting-edge designs that put Japan on the map for modern technology.

James May: Our Man in Japan

Follow Top Gear’s former host James May as he journeys across Japan from the busy streets of Tokyo to the shrines and temples of Kyoto. Far from the average travel show with dry narration and slow filler shots of landscapes, May’s antics make this cultural exploration as funny as it is informative. 

Curious to learn about what goes down at the annual Kanamara Matsuri Penis Festival? What all the fuss for pachinko parlours is about? May sets out to investigate all that and more in six wildly entertaining episodes. Sure, there are genuinely beautiful scenes featuring venues like Odaiba’s teamLab Borderless Museum and a traditional tea ceremony hosted by a real geisha, but it’s the comical social faux pas and mishaps that make the show one of the best of its kind. 

Gaycation: Japan

In this series , actor Elliot Page (Umbrella Academy) and his friend Ian Daniel explore different corners around the world to better understand how LGBTQ+ communities vary across cultures. Though the series doesn't shy away from dealing with the marginalisation of LGBTQ+ people, Page and Daniel also cover significant ground touring the most distinctive parts of each city they visit. In the Japan episode, Page begins by exploring a traditional shrine before heading to Shinjuku Nichome’s smallest lesbian bar.

Queer Eye: We're in Japan!

Queer Eye’s mini-series set in Japan is high on our list of the best shows on Netflix for its feel-good factor and style inspo, but the episodes also introduce viewers to a more local side of Tokyo through Japanese cooking sessions and ikebana workshops. Along the way, TV icons Kiko Mizuhara and Naomi Watanabe join in to teach the Fab Five a thing or two about Japanese customs and traditions.

Best Japanese movies and series with English subtitles on Netflix

Locally produced, binge-worthy titles to add to your watch list

The best Japanese horror films

Forget the Hollywood remakes – Japan produces some of the best and most original horror movies around

10 best Studio Ghibli films

We’ve compiled this list of the studio’s best anime films. Spoiler: it’s not all about Miyazaki

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