10 Films That Will Inspire You to Travel
The movies have inspired many people to explore their planet. Here are ten engrossing, heart-warming flicks set in far-off places – and sure to have you reaching for your passport.
The Beach (2000)
It will make you want to go to:
Thailand
Despite hitting cinema screens 17 years ago, this adventure drama still gives a pretty accurate depiction of a holiday in Thailand – minus the machine gun-toting narcotics growers, mysterious maps and unhinged Robert Carlyle-types. Thailand's backpacking scene is a little more 'flash packer' these days, but The Beach captures a certain excitement that is still available: that of being a young traveller on their first trip to Asia. And for those who want to see Leonardo Di Caprio before his 'dadbod' era, it's also worth a look.
The Sheltering Sky (1990)
It will make you want to go to:
Morocco
Few films set in North Africa capture the region's desolate beauty as well as Bernardo Bertolucci's The Sheltering Sky. Debra Winger and John Malkovich play an on-the-rocks couple who arrive in Tangier soon after World War Two. They are accompanied by a mutual friend who only compounds the couple's problems. This movie will make you want to pack your trunk and board the nearest cruise ship for Africa – as long as you skip the film's heart-rending conclusion.
The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
It will make you want to go to:
India
The prospect of visiting India fills some people with trepidation. But even they, after watching The Darjeeling Limited, will yearn for India – at least a little. It tells the story of three brothers as they take a journey of spiritual self-discovery a year after losing their father. A stunningly evocative and rather funny 90 minutes that displays India in all its colourful, noisy, dusty glory.
Bucket List (2008)
It will make you want to go to:
Everywhere
OK, this one wasn't that well received, but it is imbued with a sense of 'life is short' – perhaps inspiring you to complete your travel bucket list sooner rather than later. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play men on their last jolly before they meet their maker. If this buddy comedy failed to inspire cinema goers to travel, it might at least have inspired them to travel anywhere that wasn't the cinema.
Midnight in Paris (2011)
It will make you want to go to:
Paris
Aspiring novelist (Owen Wilson) takes a trip to Paris with his fiancée (Rachel McAdams) and is forced to confront the shortcomings of their relationship. Taken to exploring the French capital after sundown on his lonesome, he finds himself transported back in time every evening at midnight, where he encounters writers Ernest Hemmingway and Gertrude Stein, as well as bullfighter Juan Belmonte, among other legends of the early 20th century. Pack your bags for the City of Light.
Into the Wild (2007)
It will make you want to go to:
North America/Alaska
Sean Penn's survival drama is based on the true story of Christopher McCandless who journeyed across North America for two years before arriving in the Alaskan wilderness in the early 1990s. Not exactly your average two-week beach holiday, but it may well inspire you to visit the rugged beauty of North America's wilder spots.
Roman Holiday (1953)
It will make you want to go to:
Rome
A luminescent Audrey Hepburn plays a princess who slips away from her chaperones and goes on the lam with journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck). This all takes place in the Eternal City and represents one of the most unashamedly romantic films of all time.
The Way (2011)
It will make you want to go to:
Spain
When his son dies unexpectedly while walking the historic Way of St. James in Spain, Tom (Charlie Sheen) travels to Europe to collect his progeny's body. However, in an uncharacteristically impulsive move, Tom decides to complete the route his son would have taken. A deeply touching film that may inspire you to walk The Way yourself – although you may wish to consult the weather forecast before setting off.
Lost in Translation (2004)
It will make you want to go to:
Tokyo
Love can pop up in the most unexpected of locations, between the most unlikely of people. Bill Murray's aging, jaded actor is shooting a whiskey commercial in Japan, where he bumps into Johansson's character – a neglected, enchanting newlywed. A subtle, complex and laugh-out-loud exploration of many themes – of which amour is prime, set against the flashing neons of an effervescent Tokyo.
Eat Pray Love
It will make you want to go to:
Italy, India and Bali
Having escaped an unsatisfactory marriage, EPL's protagonist (Julia Roberts) embarks on a journey of self-discovery, taking in Italy (where she learns to loaf about), India (where she learns how to be humble) and Bali (where she finds balance). Based on the best-selling memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert, the notion that 'you don't need a man to be happy' – one of the book's key takeaways – falls apart when she ends up with dashing Javier Bardem. Film directors, eh?
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