Welcome to the first edition of the 2015 Best New Travel Blog Awards (#BNTBA). This month’s winning travel blogs cover everything Africa, how and where to party like a rockstar around the world, how to balance a job and still travel, and much much more. Take a look!
HugeParty Travel
HugeParty Travel focuses on the fun, culture and craziness that can be found throughout the world.
I make no secret of my love of alcohol — not only the way locals tend to open up more after a few drinks but also the wild adventures that eventually ensue later in the night. That’s why I’ve been watching Ben’s blog very closely since I first discovered it last year. He has dedicated himself to visiting some of the most well-known (and yes, dare I say “infamous”) party cities around the world in search of epic alcohol-fueled festivities. From Berlin to Las Vegas to Prague, Ibiza, New Orleans and everywhere in between (including party cruises) Ben does — and drinks — it all.
"Friends don't let friends use @blogger" ~ @dsottimano #TBCAsia #travelblogging #travelblogger #ttot pic.twitter.com/OD8gU9hVRK
— Derek Freal (@the_HoliDaze) November 18, 2014
My only qualm with HugeParty Travel is that it uses Blogger and as David Sottimano said, “Friends don’t let friends use Blogger.” I pointed this fact out to Ben but he quickly and deftly responded with some comment about getting the content up first before, before perfecting the design. While I definitely agree here, at least this shows Ben is thinking about the future of HugeParty Travel. Now if we can just get him to be more diligent about responding to comments… 😉
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Africa Encompassed
For all things Africa
Africa has long been overshadowed by other more popular tourist destinations, such as Asia, Europe and the Americas. However Emma feels right at home there and now is doing all she can to help promote the continent as a wonderful and diverse tourism destination. Her blog is only six months old and very much a work in progress, however thus far she is off to a great start. Her articles are well-written and very enlightening — I learn something new from every one — but beyond that they will inspire you on why you should travel Africa.
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Geeky Explorer
Travel Smart
Bruno is, as his blog name suggests, a Geeky Traveler. But not in the Dungeons & Dragons or Star Wars sense. Bruno instead considers himself a geek because he cannot travel without his gadgets. (Of course I think this goes for just about everyone nowadays, wouldn’t you say?) His blog centers around his style of traveling smart and all the impressive food and sights he encounters along his journeys. Although he is still working and not yet a full-time traveler, he has great plans for his blog and I see it only getting better!
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Flying The Nest
Your Daily Dose Of Travel Inspiration
Since starting their blog in September 2014, Stephen and Jess have already achieved something few other blogs ever do: write one post a day, week after week, month after month — hence the “daily dose” in their slogan. Thus far Flying The Nest has been a combination of posts documenting the amazing places they have been, travel inspiration for those still stuck on the couch, including photo essays on some of the wild things you will see when traveling, and of course the obligatory travel advice and tips that one needs to know. Now that they are starting out on a grand one year adventure, I’m quite curious to see if they will be able to maintain their one post a day rate 😉
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Flirting With The Globe
My Love Affair With The World
The stylish design of Flirting With The Globe quickly drew me in (hooray, not another cookie-cutter blog from a budget traveler 😉 ) but the writing is what keeps me coming back for more. Karisa may be a full-time lawyer and new travel blogger (two things the world probably does not need more of hahaha) but her writing is a glimpse at the world through her eyes. She squeezes in as many trips to as many far flung places in between her work and so far is doing a great job. Plus her itineraries section is great for anyone looking to squeeze as much as possible into a short trip.
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Already following any of these blogs? Which is your favorite and why? Share your thoughts below! And feel free to nominate a blog here.
Want More New Blogs?
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Thanks so much for featuring me Derek! Stakes are higher for me now 😀
Happy travels!
Yup, the pressure is on now! Keep up the great work 🙂
Wow! What a fantastic surprise to wake up to this morning. Thanks for including me, Derek!
Happy to help start your Monday morning with a nice little surprise…now good luck focusing on work. BTW I’m curious how many of your 2015 travel bucket list destinations you can hit — without losing your job, that is. I expect an end of year follow-up 😉
HA!!! I’m trying! Still quite a few things in the works for 2015… Plus, they just announced TBEX North America (which couldn’t be more inconveniently timed during the week and not on a weekend). I’ve wanted to attend the last few and have had conflicts, so I’m starting to worry about that whole “holding down a steady job” thing now too! 🙂
Do it, definitely attend TBEX Florida! You’ll have a blast 🙂 I have been to the North American ones the last few years, always learn new things and get the opportunity to meet more friends in real life. Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it this year, I’ll be off wandering the Silk Road — so be sure to have some extra fun for me 😉
And hey, if for some reason you don’t make it to Florida, come join me for the first TBEX Asia in Bangkok in October!
I think I’m going to do it! Any tips for a first timer?
Definitely do it! Not only will you learn a lot and finally get the chance to meet some of your fellow travel bloggin’ buddies from Twitter and Facebook in real life, but you will also leave with a renewed sense of direction and fresh inspiration/motivation/ideas.
Tips? Well, first and foremost come well-rested and expect to work hard AND play hard. After all the talks and seminars and food during the day, there are always parties every night. Some can last pretty late too. Other key things to remember:
– Bring more business cards than you think you will need. 200 at a minimum but preferably twice that. Better to have too many than not enough.
– Come with a few clear-cut questions that you really need answers too, and then while there seek out the people/experts who are best suited to answer said questions.
– If you have time, register for pre- and post-TBEX blogger events and press trips. These are a much slower-paced, more intimate way to connect with other bloggers while enjoying the area around the host city.
– After all is said and done and you are back home, make sure to follow-up with every person whose business card you have received within one week.
I could ramble on but those are definitely the most important points. Let me know if you have any more specific questions Karisa 🙂
I checked all of them! They seem really cool 🙂 Hopefully soon I’ll be on this 😉 one can dream right?
Thanks for checking them out Alex, I’m sure they appreciate it. BTW what is your blog URL? You didn’t include it in your comment…
Whoops! I meant to. The URL is http://www.trvl101.com ! Check me out 🙂 cheers!
Thanks for including me on this list!
I intent to keep riding this wave and progress in 2015! This includes more timely responses, looking into a blogger divorce, and HugePartying my way through the world.
Jamaica is up next, then Portugal.
Cheers!
Ben
Great to hear Ben! Couldn’t help but offer a few friendly suggestions for making your blog even better and taking it to the next level in 2015 🙂 Have fun in Jamaica and Portugal! I hear the parties are great in both locations — especially Portugal 😉
Not only is Ben a good blogger and a huge party traveler, he is also a home run hitting machine in softball. After we dominate in softball, I will counsel him on the benefits of wordpress.org over beers at a Chicago bar once spring comes.
Really? I had no idea he was a home run machine. Also didn’t realize that you two knew each other. Guess it shouldn’t be so surprising — after all we travel bloggers do tend to get around. Yes, please do explain to him the benefits of using WP over Blogger. Someone has to lure him away from the dark side.
And what about you Ted, are you a huge party traveler too? 😉
I have met many bloggers in real life after following their blogs and social media for years and can call them friends. I was on the same softball team as Ben for a couple of years before he started blogging, so it is cool to have a friend that turned into a blogger. I take pride in inspiring him to begin although I take no credit in his potential talent. I am glad you brought the blogger issue up because I have been meaning to suggest a different platform for him, but I did not want to criticize.
While huge party is not a focus on my blog, it is a subtle theme from the liter of Old Grandad I bring on every camping trip to my love for craft beer. In fact, I am enjoying a premium Creemore Springs lager in a Montreal hotel room as I write this comment 🙂
Same here, meeting fellow bloggers and Twitter followers in real life is my biggest pastime…besides actually traveling hahaha. And no worries, happy to be the one to break the ice — I am a blunt, honest MF’er, for better or worse…even if it does occasionally get me in trouble (like the whole Indonesia ordeal last year).
I assumed you are not a huge partier anymore. Me neither, not anymore. I got those days out of my system back when I first quit my job in 2009. After a couple years I was spent. However I still love my Scotch, craft beer and yes, maybe even an occasional party if I have time. Anyway, enjoy that lager and drink an extra for me!
I recommend my own!! Lol. I do follow Flying the Nest and love their travel videos.
Awesome, I’ll check it out Nadeen, thanks!
The Heritage Travels is a newer travel blog focussing on all things world heritage! Check it out!
What a marvelous idea for a travel blog Nick — I do believe you are on to something here! Got ya bookmarked. Looks like you and Ashlee started your site in March 2014 on WordPress.com before upgrading to a self-hosted site on your own domain…correct?
Exactly! Was just an every now and then thing initially. We made the call to go semi-professional before Christmas and now have a good following and are posting daily on our blog and many social media outlets! The links to our social media are on the blog site! Thanks again Derek!
Hey Derek,
Thanks so much for including us in your list – especially alongside some very talented travel bloggers who we also love to follow. It was a great surprise waking up this morning! We hope you have a great 2015 and looking forward to seeing the videos from your Rickshaw run!
Happy to include you on the list and share your blog with others. Appreciate the support for my Rickshaw Run, it’s going to be one helluva epic event! (I rarely use the word epic but I think that’s the only word that truly fits for an event of this caliber.) Anyway, best of luck keeping up the pace with your writing and videos — I’ll be right here reading and watching 🙂
Hey, was wondering if I could get our new blog featured here! We quit our jobs last June and have been traveling the world since then, most recently living in Prague for 3 months. Now we’re getting our documents in order to go teach English in South Korea. Thanks!
Hey Jimmie, checking out your blog now — I’m a fellow Texan as well 🙂 Good luck getting all your paperwork in order and keep in touch
Nice picks man! I already read flying the nest and Flirting With The Globe, but I’ll need to check out the others too. Yeah, about what you said on Blogger, Google is probably abandoning it soon anyway!
Yeah, sometimes I find myself getting sucked into some of these new blogs so hard that I end up not sleeping. Like today. Went to bed at 11am…yes, 11am, and woke up at 230pm because of the heat. Granted I was doing lots of other work last night too, but my point is that some of these new blogs are addicting!
I will be sure to look through this comprehensive list! Great to connect with other travel bloggers, especially those new to the blogging world!
I agree Kristie, it definitely is. And there have been so many new ones these last few years! I now feel like the majority of my Twitter followers that I meet in real life — I’ve been doing it for years, it’s kind of my pastime hahaha 😉 — are now less local readers and more who are either new travel bloggers or new travelers who just quit their jobs and are thinking about starting a blog. Suddenly my job has become the hip thing to do but I’ve been doing it so long I’m kind of like “damn, I miss that old corporate paycheck…” hahaha. Oh life, you are interesting. And I’d like to think that the few of these new blogs who stick out from the pack are also interesting. Hope you feel that way too — thanks for stopping by!
Let me introduce myself: 25 years old, architecture student, Italian, travels lover
Starting with the quotation of Marcel Proust “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes”, I decided to document my travels around the world providing a sort of a “new eye” towards countries I visited.
I always planned trips by myself because I consider it one of the most exciting part in the process of traveling and I would like to share these experiences with people because sharing as travelling, it is something that should be social!
Hey Andrea, sorry for the late response…have barely been online the last three months due to some amazing adventures and an earthquake. Anyway I’m checking out your blog now, cheers! 🙂
a wandering bird’s-eye overview of most things even vaguely related to travel
Sweet, will check it out
Thanks for providing this list, such amazing blogs out there! I would be thrilled if you could check out my website The Blank Map that I started last November in order to map out all the unique places the world has to offer.
Anouk
http://www.theblankmap.com
Hey Anouk, I’m checking it out now. You had me at “unique” 😉 Been crazy busy the last few months doing a race across India and then with the earthquake in Nepal, and then ensuing relief work…just now finally getting some free time to get back to reading new blogs and doing some writing for myself. Anyway, thanks for making contact, great to meet you 🙂
One of the best blog site to get in touch with your fellow traveller, sharing your travel experience and introducing new travel bloggers.
ok I checked all of them !
thanks guys for list best travel blogs informations