When you can legally stay home and even obliged to do so by the government in order to protect yourself and people around you, it’s very easy to forget you’re not on a vacation. Sleeping in, slow mornings, more time for skincare routine and at-home workouts, Netflix binge-watching… Oops, did I just say Netflix binge-watching? That’s where the problem with us NOT really being on a vacation becomes very obvious.
The thing is, when the third part of the entire population worldwide is on lockdown, it also means that no new TV shows are being produced at the moment and no new movie premieres are expected for a foreseeable future. See, actors, producers, screenwriters – the whole movie crew, actually – are supposed to stay home as well! If we want this surrealistic nightmare to end and to keep as many people as possible safe and healthy, we should all be following the same rules. No exceptions!
The good news is, it’s not all about the latest and the fanciest releases. We can still have lots of fun while re-watching some of the best movies ever produced. We, for example, are planning to start with Harry Potter saga (available on Netflix for New Zealand, Australia and six more countries). Sadly, we’ve already watched all James Bond movies with Daniel Craig in anticipation of No Time To Die before the premiere was postponed… Who knew! By the way, James Bond is famous for his international adventures – so count it as the first recommendation of the most beautiful travel movies!
Today, we’re offering you a list of our favourite and the most beautiful travel movies to watch on a lockdown. By the way, watching inspiring movies is one of the best ways to see the world without leaving home (you’ll find 12 more ideas in our recent article). Whether you’re after a good story or just beautiful views of the most remote and exotic destinations – these travel movies tick the boxes!
Most of these travel movies are available on Netflix, some of them are now streaming on Amazon or Apple TV+.
Best travel movies to watch
Wild
I still can’t wrap my head around how drastically Reese Witherspoon had changed her roles and entire career! Easygoing Legally Blonde attitude is long forgotten, giving way to dramatic, ambitious and deadly serious heroines in The Morning Show and Big Little Lies.
Wild is also the ‘new Reese’ kind of movie. Based on a real story, it depicts difficult and often heartbreaking adventures of a recently divorced, depressed drug-addict. She decided to hike 1,000 miles of Pacific Crest Trail to find the way back to herself and to heal her mind and soul. The catch is, she has literally zero hiking experience! But luckily, meets lots of helpful, friendly people supporting her along the way (and lots of jerks as well).
There is a very disturbing moment where Reese’s heroine removes a loose toenail that is now stuck in my memory for the rest of my life, but the rest of the movie is full of breathtaking views and interesting twists. Though the last time I’ve been a multi-day hike was back in high school, Wild really inspired me to challenge my skills once again!
Everest
Up for some EPIC views? You’ll love Everest. This movie is truly, TRULY beautiful and powerful. It’s also based on a real story and I’ve read a book about this particular expedition right before watching the movie, so had a really immersive experience. But book or no book, I think this movie does an amazing job in depicting all the challenges and life-threating situations people go through to reach Everest peak. There are so many details you would never even imagine unless you’ve been to Everest already! And of course, the story itself is so tragic… It’s something we should all know and remember!
Where’d You Go, Bernadette
Though not a 100% travel movie, Where’d You Go, Bernadette will definitely ignite that curiosity towards the unknown in you. Amazing Cate Blanchett plays a very talented, yet troubled architect, who stepped away from her job many years ago. The whole plot revolves around her relationships with her family and people around but there is also one unexpected here in this movie and that’s the North Pole, where Bernadette is supposed to go on a cruise with her husband and daughter. Wait till you see the North Pole shots to understand why this movie made it to this list!
Vacation
Ok, we have a confession to make – we’ve watched Vacation so many times, we basically know it by heart! This is the kind of ‘silly comedy’ you somehow fall in love with so much, that you keep re-watching it again and again and it never gets old.
Forget breathtaking views, forget exotic destinations, this travel movie is about a good old road trip of one very sysfunctional family that, of course, goes so terribly wrong you’ll be laughing like never before for the entire time.
Snatched
Another great comedy with a side of Bondiana and breathtaking views – now, this is the perfect mix! Emily Middleton (Amy Schumer) is dumped by her boyfriend right before their nonrefundable trip to Ecuador, so Emily decides to take her mum, Linda, instead. Quite quickly their luxurious, relaxing vacation turns into a series of unforgettable adventures (multipple kidnappings, accidental murder, jungle hike and even one tapeworm included).
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
My best friend is a huge fan of this film but I kept on postponing watching it for a long time because I’m not a huge fan of Ben Stiller 🙂 Turns out, I should’ve been more open-minded! This movie is so wonderful, I would be happily re-watching it again and again. It’s beautiful, it’s kind, it’s funny and it’s all things good, positive movie should be.
In search of a lost cover photo for Time magazine, Walter Mitty embarks on a crazy journey all of us would love to repeat – Greenland, Iceland, Himalayas… It’s an awakening and eye-opening journey for Mitty and an amusing, beautiful watch for us.
Eat, Pray, Love
How can there be a list of travel movies without the legendary Eat, Pray, Love with Julia Roberts? A year-long journey, first described by Elizabeth Gilbert in a best-selling novel, inspired thousands of women from all over the world to pursue their own happiness by repeating the same route – eating in Italy, praying in India and, hopefully, finding their true love in Indonesia.
I always loved the slow pace of this movie, that gives you an opportunity to truly soak in all the details and atmosphere of these destinations.
The Hundred-Foot Journey
Where India meats France. And they all meet the most delicious food together 🙂 The Hundred-Food Journey is a story of an Indian family who moved to France province and opens a restaurant right across the street from a Michelin-starred French restaurant. If slow traveling and little vibrant towns is your kind of traveling, you should definitely watch this movie!
Life of Pi
Though mostly CGI’d, Life of Pi is still a very beautiful travel movie based on a novel with the same name. Young boy, Pi Patel, survives a sea disaster and is left drifting on a tiny boat with a very unlikely neighbour – Bengal tiger, named Richard Parker. But not everything in this movie is as straight forward as it seems…
Adrift
Based on real story, Adrift depicts life and sea adventures of Tami (Shailene Woodley), young girl who travels the world and meets Richard Sharp, a British sailor, in Tahiti. Together, they accept an offer to sail Richard friends’ yacht from Tahiti to San Diego, California. Unfortunately, they get trapped in a disastrous storm and can no longer sail, only drift… With limited food supplies, no radio and multiple injuries, will they make it to the USA? Just like in Life of Pi, not everything is quite as it seems in this movie, so be prepared for a VERY unexpected plot twist.
The Tourist
OMG, this movie is almost too beautiful to be true! Starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, it will take you on a thrilling rollercoaster around the picturesque Venice, Italy. Lots of gorgeous outfits, passion and drama, crime and justice, the most cunning plans and unexpected revelations – it’s all here!
Wine Country
Maya Rudolph totally pulled off The Floss Dance in this movie, need I say anything else? Ok-ok, Wine Country is a hilarious story of six women, who used to be best friends but are not so sure about their relationships any longer. Nevertheless, they travel to Napa Valley together to enjoy wine, food and, hopefully, each other’s company. You’ll have to watch it to find out how it ends!
Crazy Rich Asians
We’ve seen New York City or basically every single region of Italy in movies one too many times. But how many times have the events been happening in Singapore before? And there are so many spectacular locations there! Explore Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, Chinatown and other vibrant local sights while following adventures and intrigues of Singapore elite.
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