Travel is on hold for now but that doesn’t mean that you can’t dream about your next destination as an armchair traveller with the best travel videos. Welcome to a world of travel where you can go exploring and adventuring without leaving the comfort of your home.         

Now that it looks like 2020 is going to be the year of planning, rather than doing travel, the upside is that you have plenty of time to plan your future adventures.

Are you looking for excitement, the ultimate getaway, an amazing cultural experience or something that takes you way out of your normal life.  Here are some travel videos that will inspire you to be your best traveller.

You may have to be an armchair traveller for now, but it’s not going to last forever.  Be ready with your travel destination list and you will be able to snap up those bargains that will surely appear.

Image above: Photo by Mesut Kaya on Unsplash

The Arctic Rescue Sled Dog Team

This travel video ticks so many of my boxes.  It has dogs, rescue dogs, living their best life AND there is dog sledding. Maren and Racer Gibson are the owners of Arctic Breed Rescue and have been saving Huskies and Malamutes, dogs deemed “unadoptable,” for 20 years. They understand the breed and that these dogs are often misunderstood. The dogs are lively and energetic, and if this energy doesn’t receive an appropriate outlet, it is sometimes channelled negatively. (Cue scene of howling dog and destroyed backyard).

The Gibsons have created a dog sledding operation, Team G Sled Dogs, which can be booked through All Seasons Resorts in Park City, Utah.  It is designed to give energetic rescues and fosters independence and purpose. Pulling the sleds allows these dogs to run and embrace the open spaces of Park City. Rather than being seen as “unadoptable,” now the dogs have proven themselves unstoppable.

Take an armchair traveller dog sled ride in Utah! Hup hup!

Follow a different path

Crooked Compass Founder, Lisa Pagotto, says living with the Reindeer Tribes of Mongolia has been one of her most incredible experiences.  You can share it as an armchair traveller in the travel video below.

“The beautiful reindeer roam free, snow-capped mountains frame the background, crystal creeks run through lush lands and gentle, rosy cheeked locals etched in tradition live in teepees. It’s another world away… and five days of 4wd and horse-back riding to reach it! The privilege of being able to showcase this lost world to our travellers is not lost on me. I am truly humbled to call this my job – to contribute to supporting diminishing tribes and educating travellers about such lands and cultures.”

Crooked Compass is a boutique tour operator uncovering the world’s best kept secrets through small group touring and customised itineraries. Created to inspire and educate through culturally immersive experiences and the power of storytelling, itineraries offer travellers a new perspective on a deeply personal level. Crooked Compass strategically and sensitively integrates local communities, aligning with their values and protecting the authenticity of their culture.

​Hundred years of history

I have to agree with Adhiyanto Goen who is Director of Public Relations for Avani Hotels & Resorts Adhi picked Avani+ Luang Prabang in Lao as her top video. Certainly makes you want to be more than an armchair traveller.

“Luang Prabang has always been my favourite and we have just recently launched it last month. The town is known for its hundred of years history, and it is just beautiful that you have to see it for yourself,” says Adhi.

This is a charming old Lao town. The name itself means the Capital of Buddha so there is a large concentration of people who go there to become monk. Every morning, you will see the monks as they go around town to collect food from the villages. This is a tradition that has been maintained for hundreds of years. The town has been designated as UNESCO heritage, and every new building or old must adhere to the French colonial style.

“I have been to at least 10 times and they have not changed a single thing. The life is slow, people are super friendly and humble, and it is not yet bombarded from tourism or at least it is very well balanced. The nature and vegetation is also very lush here, probably being next to the river results in a thriving agricultural life.”

Avani+ Luang Prabang has just 53 intimate rooms and suites located just steps from the renowned Mekong River, Royal Palace and Luang Prabang Night Market. The guest rooms offer an open plan living experience with French-styled louvered wooden doors that open out to a balcony overlooking either the pool or a private courtyard. It has been crafted from a converted bungalow built for the French military brass in 1914 into a cosy pleasure dome.

Watch this travel video and you’ll say “Get me there now!”.

​Go diving on the Great Barrier Reef

This breathtaking video takes viewers under the surface of the Great Barrier Reef thanks to GoPro Awards recipient Phill Gordon.

If this doesn’t make you want to visit, love and protect the reef I don’t know what will! It’s just so beautiful and mesmerising. Instead of being an armchair traveller, you’ll be an armchair diver!

Find out more about the health of the Great Barrier Reef here.

​That time you zip lined into your hotel on a travel video

Bensley Collection Shinta Mani Wild is an eco-luxury tented camp located deep in the south Cardamom National Park in Cambodia. The camp was built on land that was purchased to save it from being logged for a titanium mine.

Bill Bensley, the incredible designer of over 200 amazing hotels, created this incredible property which is an educational and sustainable model with a purpose and great story.   Guests arrive via an adrenalin-filled 400-metre zip line over the forest canopy and a river and waterfalls, into the appropriately named Landing Zone Bar where the Bensley Butlers await with a refreshing welcome drink with a stiff shot of tequila!

Guest can join the Executive Chef to forage in the forest for wild ingredients that he then whips up into a delicious meal to tantalize the taste buds.  The camp works with an NGO, Wildlife Alliance armed rangers (many of whom were previously poachers) who go on daily patrols to protect the forest and wildlife.  The property pays their salaries, and these patrols take place whether guests join or not, but it is a very popular activity. This is front life protection, not a curated activity for guests.

 

Tahiti looks nice

The elegant wife glances up from the glossy magazine she’s reading in her airborne bathtub to say wistfully to her husband, “Tahiti looks nice”.

I remember seeing this ad as a small child, probably the same age as the girl in the bath, and thinking it does sound good.

Brooke Keefe from Evil Twin PR who has the Tahiti account says she has worked on the account for just over a year now and every day learns something new about the country.

“Far beyond Bora Bora, every island offers something so incredibly unique to the next. Life on Tahiti has a feel about it that I don’t see is attainable else where. It’s crystal-clear waters, warm tropical breeze and some of the conservation work that goes on  around the Islands of Tahiti are just a few reasons as to why I would LOVE to visit,” says Brooke.

Feel the authenticity of the atmosphere in the Islands of Tahiti through this two minute video shot in the wonderful Islands of Tahiti, Moorea, Raiatea, Tahaa, Maupiti, Bora Bora and the atolls of Tikehau and Rangiroa.

For a blast from the past, here’s the soap ad that inspired my yearning to visit Tahiti.

https://youtu.be/8sjqv5OfXeU

Armchair travel can be energising!

Don’t you just want to get up and go to Chicago! With direct flights from Brisbane recently launched (and sadly currently with drawn) it’s a city that’s on my list.  Watch this travel video and you’ll feel the city’s buzz and heart.

“Welcome Home is not just a tag line – it’s a feeling,” says David Whitaker, President & CEO, Choose Chicago.

“Home is not just where you are from – it’s where you fit right in.  Home is where you always feel welcome and where you are welcome to be yourself. Chicago is home to so many amazing and diverse experiences.  While our promotional video gives viewers a glance of the excitement and energy of what visitors can expect – it is joined with the promise of whatever you like to do, wherever you’re from, you’ll feel right at home in Chicago. When the time is right, we’ll be here to give you a warm welcome to our city. But until then, we send our love and support from our home to yours.”

 

Welcome to my home

From the man who makes prints with real fish to the tattoo artist’s creations, the annual Margaret River Region Open Studios event is an intriguing look at the region’s depth of creative talent. You might think you are visiting Western Australia’s Margaret River for the wineries, but I bet you’ll fall in love with the art.

 

See Niagara Falls without getting your hair wet

Niagara Falls: it’s one of the natural wonders of the world and undoubtedly one of the most famous landmarks in New York State.

When you are travelling to New York City, it’s easy to take a few days to explore New York State and its captivating landscapes. From mountains, to grand lakes, to waterfalls, to beaches, New York has it all.

Niagara Falls is located in New York State’s northwest, in its Greater Niagara region. While the Falls itself straddles both the US and Canada, the US side offers gorgeous views plus access to the Niagara Falls State Park that provides the perfect backdrop for a day out. Start the day by visiting the Falls, and enjoying a ride on the Maid of the Mist, which takes visitors on the water and up close to the falls to hear its roar (in great news, the Maid of the Mist is set to go electric this year!). Follow this with a picnic in the State Park, and a hike on one of its many trails or time exploring the ruins of the old Schoellkopf Power Plant.

It’s easy to stay overnight in Niagara too, with many hotel options available. Nearby is also the city of Buffalo, with many cultural and foodie attractions to explore (it’s the home of Buffalo Wings, after all!).

Antartica is remote and fragile wilderness

Many years ago I flew over Antartica on a day trip from Sydney. Even from an aircraft window many thousands of feet above the ice, it was a spectacular experience.

 Damian Perry, Managing Director Hurtigruten Asia Pacific says the first time he sited Antarctica he was overwhelmed by the scale.

“Nothing prepared me for the size of the icebergs or the mountains protruding direct from the sea. It was dramatic, inspiring and unconquered.  The size of the whales that gently moved up against the ship and explorer boats, the seals, penguins and even the sea birds. The beauty is unbelievable. And the history complex and tragic. Nature at its best has defeated the most resilient of men from early explorers to whalers fisherman and researchers. The tales told of survival and loss add to the intrigue of this extraordinary continent. Antarctica is a place where a mere mortal can travel and reflect on their vulnerability and for once be with nature – not against it.”

Sailing on one of the greenest expedition ships in the world is the only way to explore this remote and fragile wilderness. At Hurtigruten we care about the environment, the wildlife and the communities we visit, leaving the smallest possible footprint wherever we sail. You’ll also benefit from the deep knowledge of our Expedition Teams, led by scientists with such a passion for their subjects they inspire every explorer who sails with us.

An expedition to Antarctica with Hurtigruten truly is an adventure of a lifetime that will change the way you see the world forever.”

More than drop and flop

When many people think of New Caledonia, they think of lounging on the beach and cocktails by the pool. However, there’s so much more to discover, especially if you love to get outdoors and explore when travelling.

In this travel video from New Caledonia Tourism, you can virtually kayak the lagoons of New Caledonia’s north. New Caledonia’s lagoons are the jewel of this stunning South Pacific destination. They’re so striking that six parts were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008!

Enjoy the landscapes as you ‘float’ along the water, heading towards one of the north’s most famous landmarks – La Poule, a hen-shaped rock formation that juts out of the lagoon.

Get some armchair traveller powder action

Are you a frustrated snow bunny? Here’s a travel video that will scratch your itch.

Hop in the heli in La Thuile, Italy for a drop on top of the Ruitor Glacier and an epic descent to one of Eleven’s alpages- renovated farmhouses high in the Alps. Exploring the vast ski terrain of the Haute Savoie in the shadow of Mont Blanc is only one of the incredible ways to take your day with  Eleven. who are adventure specialists with lodges and world-class guiding around the world.

 

PNG for me

Papua New Guinea is one country I have not visited but it does look fascinating.  This travel video shows so many sides of the country and it’s perfect for armchair travelling.  Sit back with a cuppa for this one and enjoy.

Go swimming with Minke Whales

This is an experience limited to just 500 people a year on the Ribbon Reefs of the Great Barrier Reef.  It is a once in a lifetime trip where you come up close and personal with Minke whales surrounded by the wonders of the reef.

Armchair dancing!

Just to prove there are still laughs in the world.  Here’s an Aussie zoo keeper strutting his best stuff for the new live stream cameras at Melborne Zoo’s giraffe enclosure.