Dark Tourist
New Zealand filmmaker and journalist David Farrier explores the phenomenon of dark tourism in an eight-part Netflix series. Most tourists flock the popular sites, such as museums or beaches, but this series seeks a new perspective. In this series, David Farrier focuses on the dark side. Farrier focuses on the areas that are historically associated with tragedy and death, that most tourists avoid at all costs, and they definitely don’t feature in the tour guide books. From a death-worshipping cult in Mexico to Gates of Hell in Turkmenistan… Farrier has hospital visits, and fears for his life in this series. Something to binge-watch for sure!
Incredible Journeys with Simon Reeve
Simon Reeve, a British author and TV presenter allows us to follow his journey travelling over 100 countries across six continents in Incredible Journeys with Simon Reeve. Available to watch on BBC 2, this documentary allows Reeve to share some of his favourite places and the most incredible people he met on the way. He reveals the behind the scenes of travelling the world showing breath-taking landscapes, and uncovering staggering human stories. Simon has done many 4-part series’ for this show.
Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild
Ben Fogle is an English adventurer who has provided over 15 series of travel documentaries. Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild explores people who have decided to live ‘alterative’ lifestyles that are considered ‘off the grid’ in some of the most incredibly remote areas of the world. Available on Channel 5, there are endless hours of fascinating content if you want to learn more about various cultures around the world. These series also come with an element of self-discovery, as Ben considers his family life based in London, and explores different ways of living, seeing if they’d work for him and his family.
An Idiot Abroad
An Idiot Abroad collaborates informative travel documentaries with comedy as Karl Pilkington, who has no interest in travel, travels the world. Pilkington is often seen being thrown into the deep end with immersing in new cultures and is the butt of many jokes, but he takes it on the chin. Created by comedians Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the series has been complemented with books, DVDs and spin-offs. If you want a lighthearted, funny yet fascinating documentary about the world and travelling, this is the one for you.
Down to Earth with Zac Efron
Down to Earth by Zac Efron is a Netflix eight-part series released in 2020. Starring HSM star, Zac Efron and podcaster, Darin Olien, the series follows Efron travelling from Iceland to the Amazon Rainforest exploring sustainable living practices, green energy and nature. The series is described as ‘light’ to watch but ‘heavy’ in questionable health advice and pseudoscience.