Top 10 Asian Travel Bloggers to Follow

The State of Backpacking

The So-Called "Global" (Western-Dominant) Travel Community

As a solo Asian backpacker, I have been trying my best to integrate with the "global" backpacking community. At times, I thought that I did quite well being among other backpackers, but sometimes, I thought to myself, "Why do I have to try so hard?" I could go into more detail, but my rant has been thoroughly explored in Screw Your Asian Tourist Stereotypes – Confessions From An Asian Travel Blogger article written by Christina Guan.

It all boils down to the fact that we lack a platform to showcase our voice and pride as Asian travelers.

Though the Asian stereotypes will not disappear in a day, I hope that by featuring these awesome Asian travel bloggers, who have been kicking asses all over the world, it will help shape the perspective of Asian travelers away from the usual non-English-speaking, selfie-stick-wielding tropes we have come to be known for.

Why Asian Travel Bloggers?

As traveling becomes more and more accessible and English becomes more widely spoken, especially in poorer parts of the world, we will see more people of color (Asians, Africans, etc.) participating in the backpacking/travel community. I have to admit that this community has mainly catered to the Western world.

Speaking from experience as a solo Asian backpacker, it can be quite intimidating for us to walk into a hostel and start a random conversation with people, like most Western people do. We may feel like we don't belong there.

That is why this article is so important to us. All the travel bloggers I listed here are living proof that we can do it as well or even better. It shows that our perspectives and our contributions to the travel community matter. It shows that we can also be a part of the community and help shape it for future travelers who have yet to join.

This article is not just for Asians but for all who are interested in hearing our perspective on traveling. I hope this article will inspire both Western and Asian travelers to create more unique travel content for the world to see. Without further ado, let's begin with the OG of travel blogging, Nelly from Wild Junket.

10 Best Asian Travel Bloggers To Follow

1. Nellie from Wild Junket

Nellie, a Singaporean-born adventure travel blogger, has been in the traveling business since 2008. I would consider her the OG of Asian travel bloggers, up there with Nomadic Matt and Expert Vagabond. I have been visiting her blog, WildJunket, a popular travel source focusing on adventurous destinations like Afghanistan and Iran, for as long as I can remember.

Her goal, which I also share, is to travel to every country in the world, and she is pretty damn close to achieving it with 132 countries under her belt and counting. If she isn't the most badass Asian travel blogger out there, I don't know who is!

2. Aileen from I am Aileen

One of my favorite Asian travel bloggers out there, Aileen, has always been an inspiration to me. From the Philippines, she quit her job in 2013 and has been a digital nomad ever since. Her blog, I am Aileen, is proof that an Asian traveler can become a successful travel blogger, running an English travel blog that caters not only to Asians but also to a global audience.

3. Christina from Happy to Wander

Christina Guan, a Chinese-Canadian travel blogger from Happy to Wander, was the sole reason why I decided to write this article. Her article about the Asian Tourist Stereotypes reflects exactly how I feel about being an Asian solo traveler and sheds light on the need to let others hear our voices. I can relate to her struggle, and I fully respect those who go against the current and prevail, and she is one of them.

Her blog, Happy to Wander, has a great collection of content from all over Europe, and she has plenty of things to say about traveling the world as an Asian. It is a great source of inspiration.

4. Daniel and Gina from Sunrise Odyssey

Daniel and Gina are the couple behind Sunrise Odyssey, a travel blog that I am always delighted to read. Both born in Singapore, they are as adventurous as they come. They started their journey in China in 2014 and managed to travel all the way through Mongolia, Central Asia, Caucasus, Iran, and ended their journey in Istanbul, Turkey over a span of 279 days.

Along the way, they have captured many stunning photos, videos, and have created useful content for those who are planning to follow in their footsteps and visit remote parts of the world. I cannot wait for them to start another epic journey and do the travel community another favor by writing more about off-the-beaten-path places again.

5. Lydia from Lydiascapes

Lydia is a Singaporean travel blogger who ditched her high heels for hiking boots and became a full-time traveler and digital nomad. She is the owner of Lydiascapes, a blog that has attracted many adventurers, outdoor enthusiasts, and backpackers from all over the world. She has traveled to over 47 countries, bringing stunning landscapes and adventure-focused content to her readers.

If you are into rock climbing or any adventure activities, Lydiascapes is the blog to follow.

6. Lakshmi from Travel with Lakshmi

Lakshmi Sharath, the owner of Travel with Lakshmi, is an experienced travel blogger and photographer from India who writes about her extensive travels in her own country and around the world. She started her blog in 2005, which makes her one of the OGs in the travel blogging industry, and has since grown it into an award-winning travel platform that provides her readers with extensive travel write-ups along with stunning photography.

She is one of the most established and successful Asian travel bloggers out there, and I wish I could be half as successful as she is with my blog!

7. Shivya Nath from The Shooting Star

Shivya Nath is a successful travel writer turned blogger who has travelled around the world for 7 years, written a book about it, and earned plenty of awards throughout her career as a travel blogger.

Born in a small town at the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, her journey began in 2011 when she quit her job, gave up her home, and sold all her belongings to begin her nomadic journey. She started writing about her encounters on the road, improving her writing skills, and catapulted The Shooting Star blog into a successful business.

Besides under-the-radar destinations, she is now focusing on promoting responsible travel and working on creative passion projects to raise awareness and take action for causes close to her heart.

8. Juno Kim from Runaway Juno

Runaway Juno is another one of my favorite travel blogs, full of interesting travel stories and colorful photos. The blog was founded by Juno Kim, a South Korea-born travel blogger who left her job as a mechanical engineer in Seoul in 2011 and has since traveled to more than 50 countries. As with all of us, travel changed her, which in turn inspired her to take the leap and start a successful blog that we know and love today.

I believe, as an Asian, that we all share the struggles to break away from the norm and live an unconventional life, and Juno has gone through all of that and succeeded. That is why she is such an inspiring blogger to follow.

9. Vins and Yosh from The Poor Traveler

The Poor Traveler has a humble beginning that began with a disastrous first trip between Vins and Yosh. Both born in the Philippines, they were able to grow their following through their stories of mistakes they made on the road and all the things they had to do to keep their trips on a budget.

Now they have become one of the biggest travel bloggers out there with over 600,000 followers on Facebook alone and have received countless awards from outlets like USA Today and Tripadvisor. Talk about a success story for Asian travel bloggers!

10. Esther and Jacob from Local Adventurer

Last but not least, Esther and Jacob from Local Adventurer. You may already know them as they are highly established in the travel blogging community. However, if not, they both run Local Adventurer, a blog that began exploring all the stunning landscapes of the US and has since expanded internationally to places like Southeast Asia and South America.

Esther, born in Korea, and Jacob, born in Atlanta, began their journey when they moved across the country to the west and started blogging about their trips on their wedding website, which has since grown into this amazing travel blog. They work full-time now and have established the blog as a go-to adventure travel blog in the US, earning a five-digit income per month from it alone. They are proof that you can have a successful blog that earns more than a living wage.

Further Reading for Inspiration

Looking for more articles to help inspire you to travel more? Here is a collection of articles you might like:

• Hiking to the Everest Base Camp is one of the most memorable epic moments of my life. Here's a long-read piece about my experiences hiking the Everest Base Camp: On My Way To Everest Base Camp.
• Ever wondered what it is like to travel the world on a third-world passport? Check out: Traveling The World On A Third World Passport.
• Here's why I always celebrate turning a year older with a hike: Climbing Kilimanjaro On My 33rd Birthday.
• Are you currently planning a trip around the world and looking for cheap countries to visit? Here are the 13 Cheapest Countries To Visit in the World.
• Traveling in Europe can be cheap, really cheap. These are the 12 Cheap European Countries to Visit.
• Looking for the most beautiful travel blogs to follow? Here are the 24 Most Beautiful Travel Blogs to Follow.
• For adventurers and backpackers out there, here are the 10 Best Adventure and Backpacking Blogs You Should Follow.
• Did you know that you can travel without leaving your couch? Here are the 8 Great Travel Books You Should Read.
• For the best travel videos to inspire you to travel even further, here are the 20 Most Creative Travel Videos of All Time.
• If you are looking for travel vloggers to follow on YouTube that aren't cringeworthy, check out: 10 Best Travel Vloggers to Follow On YouTube.
• The best way to improve your photography skills is to learn from the best. Here are the 10 Best Photography YouTube Channels to Follow.
• A photo is worth a thousand words. Here are the 25 Most Beautiful Travel Photos I Ever Took From Around The World.
• Ever wondered what it is like to be a travel blogger during COVID-19? Check out: Being A Travel Blogger During COVID-19 - What Is It Like?
• Looking for off-the-beaten-path destinations to visit this year? Check out: 8 Best Off-The-Beaten-Path Destination to Visit.
• Can't travel internationally for the time being? How about traveling in your own country? Here are the 7 Reasons Why You Should Travel in Your Own Country.
• To find the most inspirational travel quotes and captions to go with your photos on your Instagram, check out 34 Short and Unique Traveller Quotes for Instagram.
• We often hear bad stories about locals from travelers, but what about the other way around? Here are some of the Notorious Stories Of Terrible Backpackers.
• If you lost your bag while you were traveling, here is how to deal with the situation: My Bag Was Stolen In Germany.
• Have you ever felt that you do not belong in a place you were born in? Read this: Where Is Home? - My Quest In Search Of Where I Belong.
• People often preach about how important it is to live in the moment, but sometimes, that may not be such a good idea. Here is The Problem With Living In The Moment.
• Want to embark on your first solo trip but not sure where to go? As a long-time solo traveler, here are my favorite places based on real experiences: 10 Incredible Travel Destinations for Solo Travelers.
• Solo traveling is not for everyone, and even though I love it to death, it is not always flowers and sunshine for solo travelers. Here are the 10 Things I Hate Most When Traveling Solo.
• Travel friends come and go, but that may not be such a bad thing. Here is why you should embrace your travel friends: A Life Of Brief Encounters.
• Hiking is life. Here's why: One Year Of Incredible Discomfort - 10 Things I've Learned From Climbing Mountains.
• Here's why having no plan is the best plan: Magical Things Happen When You Have Nothing To Do - The Art Of Doing Nothing.
• Is life getting you down? Here's why you can't always blame life for everything: Life Doesn't Suck. We Just Suck At Living It.
• Want to know why I chose to travel alone? Read this: We Travel Alone, NOT To Be Alone.
• For a meaningful solo trip, you need to share it with someone. Here is why Happiness Is Only Real When Shared.
• Traveling is no longer for the rich. Here is why: "People Think I'm Rich".
• The Himalayan Mountain is one hell of a teacher. Here are the 7 Life Lessons The Himalayas Taught Me.
• Want to travel alone but scared that you might get bored out of your mind? Here is How To Enjoy Yourself And Have Fun While Traveling Alone.
• Want to start traveling solo, too? Here is What It's Like to Travel Alone.
• Here is a simple story on how I started traveling: F*ck It, I'll Do This Alone.
• For more inspiring articles like this, visit my Inspiration page.