7 Of The Best Travel Podcasts To Catch Up On During Self Isolation

One of the things that quarantining during COVID-19 has given us is time. Lots of it.

Everyone is looking for meaningful ways to spend this extra quota of time – something that is especially hard if you’re not used to spending too much time in the one location. One way travel-lovers can escape the repetition of the present is through podcasts.

If you’re an avid adventurer you may already be abreast of some of the best audio projects on the market – thanks to all those hours waiting in airports, sleeping on trains and strolling solo around the cities of the world. But if you’re not, allow us to introduce you to the best travel podcasts available. Consider it a gift from our ears, to yours.

1. Field Recordings

Tag line: A podcast where audio-makers stand silently in fields (or things that could be broadly interpreted as fields)

What it’s about: The brief is simple. Audio-makers are asked to stand silently in a field (or an equivalent open space) and turn their microphone on. It could be in a Rwandan jungle with gorillas, a packed Tokyo train or a desolate backyard storm in Darwin – wherever the soundscape is captured, this podcast will transport you straight there.

Field Recordings is a compelling listening experience, and a great way to immerse yourself in travel while we have the limited capacity to do so. Close your eyes, press play and let the audio fill in the blanks.

Start at: Lemur Calls, Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar

Immerse yourself in far flung soundscapes, like Ranomafana National Park

2. Highly Enthused

Tagline: A shortcut to the things worth consuming

What it’s about: God it’s hard to seem genuine in 2020. With an over-saturated podcast market, and an abundance of people consistently recommending content, how do two people cut through with such finesse? Each episode of Highly Enthused breaks down all the things you should be consuming that week, peppered with healthy doses of charm and elaboration by the pair of knowledgeable hosts, Sophie Roberts and Sophie McComas.

Highly Enthused is perfect for those with an affinity for all of the good stuff (travel, food, sustainability, lifestyle), but no time to weed out the heroes from the zeroes. For the particularly adventure-inclined, there are also some episodes that focus on specific destinations too.

Start at: LA & Tokyo Travel Spectacular

Highly Enthused is where content flourishes

3. Why Not Now?

Tagline: Two adults, three kids, a suitcase full of podcast recording equipment and a gap year experience across Australia – what could go wrong?

What it’s about: Join Ben, Jess and their three children as they pack up to travel the country for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Each episode showcases a new destination, taking you along on the highs and lows of their adventure in real time.

There’s plenty of Australian humour, lots of down-to-earth charm and great travel stories that will have you feeling all nostalgic for the adventures to come.

Start at: Bay Of Fires

4. Travel Genius

Tagline: A clever podcast for the smartest travellers

What it’s about: A good travel hack is hard to come by, particularly if you aren’t a frequent flyer. With certain subjects, sometimes it’s best to listen to the experts.

In Travel Genius, hosts Mark Ellwood and Nikki Ekstein chat to an array of experts, hilariously talking you through the biggest and best hacks you’d have never thought of. From sneaking into business class, to all-time packing hacks and everything in between – step into the alluring world of Travel Genius.

Start at: The Ultimate Guide to Global Bargain Hunting

A clever podcast for the smartest travellers

5. EcoLust

Tagline: Stories to empower sustainable living

What it’s about: Brisbane-based husband and wife, Haley and Chris, went from corporate city jobs to backpacking around the world. This journey lead them on a quest for sustainable travel, and how we can all live and conduct ourselves in a way that’s better for the planet, for others, and yourself.

They’ve travelled the world with only carry-on luggage, investigated how sustainable families can travel for longer, and delved-into how to stay healthy on the road. So, plug-in and embark on a journey where every adventure is a conscious one.

Start at: Travel Budget Mistakes

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

6. Women Who Travel

What it’s about: Women Who Travel was originally a Facebook group launched by Condé Nast Traveler, which sought to connect and build community around all the adventurers, travellers and explorers who just happened to be self-identifying females.

This gave way to the podcast by the same name, which is hosted by editors Lale Arikoglu and Meredith Carey. Each episode profiles one woman’s adventures, interviewing her about the shared realities of travelling today.

From money-saving tips, to specific country advice – tune in to find out all about those shaking things up in food, hospitality, adventure, and travel journalism, and celebrate all the reasons why we refuse to stay home.

Start at: Why You Really Need to Take All of Your Vacation Days

Join this like-minded community of female travellers

7. Layovers

Tag line: We know air travel – the global aviation show

What it’s about: For most people, the plane trip is something to be endured in order to get you to your desired holiday destination. For others, it’s the highlight of the journey. If you fall into the latter category, then Layovers is the commercial aviation podcast you’ve been looking for.

Hosted by seasoned travel expert Paul Papadimitriou, Layovers is an easy-to-digest insight into air travel that will satisfy both experts and novices. It includes up-to-date information on the industry’s goings on – which is particularly interesting in a time of COVID-19 standstill – as well as meatier, researched segments about more niche air travel case studies.

Start at? Fish, Chicken, Beef, Lasagne, The Flavours Of The Airlines

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

7 of the best travel podcasts for self isolation