Vlogging has become a super popular way for nomads to package up their adventures and share them with the world. On the viewer side, they condense a whole mess of information down into a tight little package, as well as giving a real and tangible sense of what a place might be like, helping you judge whether it’s worth a visit or not.
But not all vloggers are created equal. To help you sort the wheat from the chaff, we’ve pulled together a list of the 16 best and most influential travel vloggers that you should be following in 2021, particularly if this is the year that you’re going to explore the land down under!
1. Max & Lee …Occy
Max & Lee are an Australian/ Canadian couple and along with their adorable Australian Shepherd dog Occy, they have great fun recording their vlog travel adventures for their huge 1.5m+ audience. If you’re a fan of Van Life, then this video blog is for you. You can pick up some awesome tips to help you get your own adventure on the road.
2. The Expert Vagabond
It might seem a little cocky to call yourself The Expert Vagabond, but this is a title that Matthew Karsten has well and truly earned. He’s been on the road for over eight years, and is showing no sign of slowing down, despite the fact that he’s now a father. He’s racked up over 50,000 subscribers on YouTube, over 150,000 followers on Instagram, and runs a successful and popular blog. He’s explored Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the polar regions, to name just a few destinations. You’ll notice a distinct lack of Australia on that list, but he can’t be too far off – right Matt?
Follow The Expert Vagabond on YouTube
3. Overlander TV
A YouTube veteran of 13 years and counting, in recent years Overlander TV has taken its vlog to the next level, with a professional camera crew capturing stunning, cinema-level footage. A couple of years ago Overlander created an 87 minute feature-length film called Australian Motorcycle Adventure, which followed Mark Shea on an epic two-wheeled tour along Australia’s West Coast. With over 23 million channel views and screenings of Shea’s film worldwide, Overlander is showing a simple YouTube channel can turn into so much more!
Follow Overlander TV on YouTube
4. Vagabrothers
Careening towards one million subscribers, Marko and Alex Ayling are award-winning travel videographers that let their pictures do (most of) the talking. The brothers create stunning vlogs that are designed to fuel followers’ wanderlust, which they do with aplomb. They’ve covered most of the globe, including Australia, so if you’re looking for a bit of Oz travel inspo – particularly the spots that make for the best shots – head to their channel and join the movement!
Follow Vagabrothers on YouTube
5. Fearless & Far
Looking for inspiration that is a little more offbeat and adrenaline fuelled? Fearless & Far is run by Mike Corey, who delights in experiencing (and filming) action-packed hijinks around the world. Don’t expect any run of the mill scenery shots here; Corey is only interested in activities that disgust, amuse and/or excite, as his 300K+ YouTube followers will attest.
Follow Fearless & Far on YouTube
6. Kristen & Siya
Kirsten and Siya are a funny, charming, adventure-loving couple – now with a baby in tow – that seem to attract followers for their personalities as much as the destinations they showcase. A channel started by Kirsten almost a decade ago, her relatable and almost disarming personality showed that anyone and everyone can travel, provided they put their mind to it. The pair have amassed almost 300,000 subscribers, and travelled to Australia in 2017, producing videos along the way.
Follow Hopscotch the Globe on YouTube
7. Mr. Ben Brown
With over 700,000 YouTube subscribers, British backpacker Ben Brown has made a career out of feeding his travel addiction by building up an army of eager followers. Ben has travelled everywhere from the Arctic to Australia and Africa, filming in a personal, POV style so that you feel like you’re right there in amongst the action – and in the case of his most popular upload, in a car crash!
Follow Mr. Ben Brown on YouTube
8. Hey Nadine
Hey, Nadine! This travel blogger is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to travel tips, tricks and hacks, offering up a veritable encyclopaedia of helpful content. Fresh videos are offered up twice a week, and while her last load of Australian content is from 2013, she is nonetheless worth a follow – almost 500,000 followers can’t be wrong!
9. Mark Wiens
Mark Wiens – the YouTuber formerly known as Migrationology – loves two things: food and travel. Combining these passions into a YouTube channel seemed the obvious course of action, but even he’d probably admit that he didn’t expect it to blow up quite like it has. Mark, with his 5+ million followers in tow, travels the world searching for the most local, unique and delectable feasts he can find. And boy has he found some! Perhaps cover your computer in plastic before you dive into his archives – I hear saliva isn’t great for the keyboard!
Follow Migrationology on YouTube
10. Sam & Audrey TV
Staying on the food and travel theme, Samuel and Audrey have been scouring the world searching for street food since a fortuitous meeting while travelling in Seoul. They soon got married, and deciding that they didn’t want to become the boring married couple, swapped nappies and nights in for adventure and travel. Almost 300,000 subscribers join them on their adventures, with Asia being a particular focus.
Follow Sam & Audrey on YouTube
11. Brooke Saward
The Tasmanian travel blogger behind the World of Wanderlust blog, Brooke Saward started an accompanying YouTube channel over a decade ago, and hasn’t looked back. 70,000 subscribers enjoy her adventures, which focus on solo female travel – specifically how to do it safely and with the maximum amount of fun! Brooke has even written a book about her travels, so it seems this Aussie is on the way to creating a media empire!
Follow Brooke Saward on YouTube
12. y Travel
Not many backpackers travel Australia with kids in tow, but the family travel content of Y Travel doesn’t make it any less useful to young and single travellers. Originally from Australia, Caz, Craig and kids are now officially citizens of the world, sharing kid-friendly travels from anywhere and everywhere. They have a treasure trove of Australian content, particularly around exploring the outback under your own steam, which is super helpful for anyone looking to do the same.
13. FunForLouis
Life is indeed fun for Louis, who gets to share his worldly adventures with no less than 2 million subscribers. A dreaded Englishman who has a talent for camerawork, he is another who puts the viewer right in the middle of the action. An action there is, as Luis has flown himself around the world in a light aircraft, taken on the challenge of riding from London to Africa, and generally found the most exciting/least convenient way to do things! Crazy and constantly upbeat, his Australia content will have you shaking with travel envy (at least until you get to do it yourself!)
14. Flying the Nest
According to Australian couple Steve and Jess, the duo behind Flying the Nest, they are the country’s most subscribed YouTube travel vloggers. A quick glance at their videos tells you why – bubbly personalities, gorgeous imagery and exciting adventures are offered up in every clip, along with a wealth of travel info, much of which is Australia-centric. These guys focus on city guides, couple travel and a sprinkling of street food.
Follow Flying the Nest on YouTube
15. Sailing La Vagabonde
Riley & Elayna run a vlog like no other. This Aussie couple like to sail. A lot. Having started their journey in 2014, they’ve racked up no less than 60,000nm of sailing apiece, and a new addition to the family already has quite a few under its belt too. Dropping new videos twice a week, expect crystal blue oceans, stunning sunsets, and a few less enticing movies about the realities of boat life. 1.2 million subscribers currently get inspired by these guys, so maybe it’s time you do too!
Follow Sailing La Vagabonde on YouTube
16. Jason Billam
Jason is a young British traveller that creates informative travel vlogs with cinematic vibes.
