The Best Travel Books To Give As Gifts

1292

Books make great gifts for travelers. They are easy to pack and you don’t need an internet connection to access them. If you are looking for a travel inspired book for someone, check out the list below.

Don’t Offer Papaya: 101 Tips For Your First Time Around The World, Kia Abdullah and Peter Watson
This book offers practical advice to travelers. Both authors, Abdullah and Watson have traveled around the world and have quite a bit of firsthand travel experience to share with others. It includes many of the lessons they learned, often learned the hard way. This proves to be a very practical book for those in your life who travel quite a bit.

The Timbuktu School For Nomads, Nicholas Jubber
Have a friend who plans on visiting Africa? This book would be perfect for him or her. It tells the tale of Nicholas Jubber and how he trained with tribesman and it includes stories about some of the things he faced along the way. It’s easy for readers to become totally engrossed in this book as they read about Jubber’s triumphs and struggles.

The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country In The World, Lonely Planet
This book features photos of the many countries in the world. It also tells you where you should go in each countries and foods to try. Travelers can also read different tips about each place, including some of the dangers involved. This book does a great job of delving just a little bit into each country to give readers just a small tidbit of what they might experience if they visit there.

Super Sushi Ramen Express: One Family’s Journey Through The Belly Of Japan, Michael Booth
This book features the ultimate road trip for foodies. Booth takes his family throughout various parts of Japan as they try to navigate the extensive culinary delights of this country. They deal with a variety of things such as trying to gulp down octopus ice cream and having a scary encounter with large crabs. This book shows readers that even the smallest of children can be included in less than traditional culinary dishes.

The Best American Travel Writing, Bill Bryson
This book is great for any traveler. Close to 25 different locations are included. Readers can view essays about some of the triumphs and struggles travelers have gone through. This book is the perfect blend of entertainment and perilous adventures. Since the overall theme of this book is lighthearted, it’s the perfect book to get into while traveling.

The Happiness of Pursuit, Chris Guillebeau
For anyone who is goal driven, this book is for you.  The Happiness of Pursuit uses case studies as a way to explore the philosophies and realities of undertaking a great quest such as visiting every country, walking across America, visiting every baseball stadium, cooking a meal from every country in the world, and so on.  Each person’s story is fascinating in its own way.  I would recommend this book to anyone, but especially adventurers, people looking for a change, and people who think “there must be more than this.”

Gifts for Anyone Obsessed With Their Zodiac Sign

The best travel books inspire adventures worth actually taking. Let our advisors’ Bucket List Worthy Destinations guide turn that reading inspiration into real journeys.

Previous articleWhere To Go If You’re Skipping Christmas
Next articleHow To Choose The Best Snow Getaway
Sue Lobo
Sue Lobo is a four-time Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist (2023, 2024, 2025 & 2026) and Senior Travel Advisor at Atlas Travel Center, one of the most decorated travel agencies in the United States. With more than 35 years of experience in the travel industry, Sue has planned, booked, and personally accompanied trips for thousands of clients — from first-time cruisers to seasoned luxury travelers who have circled the globe multiple times. Sue's areas of deep expertise include ocean and river cruising, European tours, group travel coordination, luxury travel, honeymoon planning, and family vacation design. She is a CLIA-certified cruise specialist and works within an agency that holds IATA and ARC accreditation and maintains an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Over her career, Sue has been involved in more than 30,000 bookings and has personally coordinated over 200 travel groups — from faith-based group cruises and HBCU alumni trips to women's retreats, family reunions, and corporate incentive travel. What sets Sue apart is not just the credentials — it is the firsthand experience behind them. Sue has personally traveled to more than 20 countries across three continents, including Cuba, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and throughout Europe. She has sailed on dozens of cruise ships across nearly every major line, walked the river cruise routes she recommends, and eaten at the restaurants she suggests to clients. Her recommendations come from personal experience, not brochures. In addition to advising clients, Sue writes extensively about travel for The Traveler's Atlas blog — covering everything from cruise line comparisons and overtourism trends to destination guides and practical travel tips. Her writing is grounded in the same expertise she brings to every client conversation: honest, specific, and built on decades of real-world travel experience. Sue is based in the United States and available to help travelers plan cruises, European tours, group trips, river cruises, honeymoons, family vacations, and more. To work with Sue, contact Atlas Travel Center at atlastravelweb.com.