The Adventure of Tintin by Hergé

Many travellers consider this to be their all-time favourite. A young reporter and his dog travel the world, encountering one adventure after another, in the pages of the visually-driven comic book. The book transports you to Egypt, the Congo, Tibet, Japan, and Purani Dilli from the comfort of your chair.

The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams

This book instantly transports you to a tropical beach in the Bahamas. The plot revolves around Lulu Randolph, a reporter who arrives in the Bahamas in 1941 to investigate the wealthy elite who fled the war in search of warm weather and sandy beaches. But what she ends up with is a murder mystery. How she finds the murderer and ends up learning about people’s dark pasts makes for an engrossing read.

The Paris Hours by Alex George

This is a fast-paced storey that takes you on a 24-hour tour of Paris’ arrondissements. It gives you the impression that you are walking down the streets, taking in the sights and sounds from the comfort of your own home. The author tells the storey of four people who lived in the City of Love on a single day in 1927. The lives of a refugee, an artist, a maid, and a journalist intertwine to form a beautiful storey.

Hidden Places, by Sarah Baxter

Sarah’s beautifully illustrated guidebook takes you off the beaten path and into lesser-known locations. However, many of the places she mentions are inaccessible, such as a remote village in Austria or the rock-cut underground churches of Lalibela. This book is intended for travellers who want to learn about the people and cultures of different countries rather than just doing touristy things.

Dark Star Safari, by Paul Theroux

In this book, veteran travel writer Paul Theroux provides an engrossing account of his journey from Cairo to Cape Town. He travels by bus, canoe, cattle truck, armed convoy, ferry, and train to discover the African continent’s hidden nuances and unheard stories. Along the way, he meets locals and tourists, who add to the intrigue of his journey.

Stranger on a Train by Jenni Diski 


The book is a travelogue-memoir hybrid. Jenni describes her AmTrak trip across the United States in clear prose. She discusses the decline of American railways and her memorable encounters with fellow travellers. It’s an interesting read.