11 Tips on How To Start Travel Vlogging

Creators are using vlogs as a way to turn their adventures into something others enjoy watching and earn from them as well. If you are inspired by them and if you have it in, you can do the same.

In this guide, you'll learn how to start travel vlogging without any boring technical details that you would find anywhere else but with the true spirit you need to create engaging videos.

Part 1. How To Start Travel Vlogging: 11 Best Tips

1. Watch Popular Travel Vlogs and See What They are Doing

The best way to get good at travel vlogging is to watch what's already working. Look at big travel channels and notice what keeps you watching. Maybe it's how they move between scenes and the way they talk about local food or their morning routines on the road.

Take notes on what you like, but don't just copy them. You'll see patterns in what works - like starting with amazing shots, telling personal stories, or showing hidden spots tourists miss.

Try watching with the sound off sometimes. This helps you see how they tell stories just with visuals. Also, pay attention to how they talk - not too formal or scripted, just casual like they're talking to friends.

You don't need to follow trends exactly, but knowing what works gives you a starting point. Your own style will come naturally as you make more videos. Just grab ideas that fit how you want to show your travels.

2. Start the Vlog with an Establishing Shot

The first few seconds of your vlog really matter. People decide if they'll keep watching based on what they see right away. That's why you need a good establishing shot to pull viewers in.

An establishing shot shows the big picture of where you are. It gives viewers a feel for the place before you zoom in on details. Try shooting from a high point when you first arrive somewhere new. Hotel balconies, hillsides, or observation decks work great for this.

For example, if you're in Santorini, start with that classic wide view of white buildings against the blue sea before showing narrow streets and local cafes.

Good establishing shots help your viewers feel the change between places, too. They set the mood for what's coming next in your travel story.

3. Keep the Camera Stable to Avoid Shakes

Shaky footage can ruin even the most amazing travel moments and utterly frustrate your viewers, so it's important to keep it steady.

Smartphones today have fantastic Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) features to reduce the camera video shake that compensates for minor hand movements. However, relying only on these features won't do you any good.

There are a few other tricks to solve the shaky footage problem and dramatically improve your video quality.

1. First off, hold the camera with both hands and keep your elbows tucked against your body for steadier shots.
2. If you're walking and filming, try to step softly and bend your knees a bit.
3. When standing still, find something to lean against or rest your arms on.
4. Whenever you talk and record yourself about your experience, place your camera or phone on a movable tripod.

4. Film What Matters the Most In Your Trip

Too many new vloggers record hours of footage that nobody cares about. Not everything needs to be recorded during your travels. Your viewers don't need to see every meal, every bus ride, or every hotel check-in unless something interesting happens. If something makes you say "wow" or laugh or feel amazed, that's probably worth filming.

Think about what makes your trip special - the things you'll tell friends about when you get home. Maybe it's that street food stall where locals lined up, the hidden beach you found by accident, or that sunset that made everyone stop and stare.

Your hotel room is probably not interesting unless it's incredibly unique. If you're bored while recording something, your viewers will definitely be bored watching it.

5. Focus On an Event or Location

While visiting any country, city, or town, you need to focus on one location at a time. Regular tourist spots already have thousands of videos online, so either show a different angle or hunt for something that is yet to be discovered online or not have too many creative videos about it.

It is best to look for cities or small towns that tourists usually skip but still have awesome stuff to see.

Another thing you can do is focus on the cultural events going on in these places or maybe plan your entire trip around them.

The nice thing about filming cultural events is they're already interesting without you having to do much. The colors, music, food, and happy people create an exciting atmosphere that comes through on camera.

Your audience can find basic tourist info anywhere online. But your personal take on hidden spots and local celebrations gives them something special. They'll keep coming back to your channel because you show them something they wouldn't find in regular travel vlogs.

6. Consider Windy or Noisy Elements

You've probably noticed how wind is one of the biggest problems, especially for new vloggers - it creates that awful whooshing sound that drowns out everything else.

When you're out exploring, try to avoid super-windy spots like beaches, mountain tops, or open areas on stormy days. If you must film there, you can use your body as a shield by standing with your back to the wind to block some of it from directly hitting your microphone.

Another factor is noise. Most cameras and phones actually pick up way more background noise than you realize at the moment. Those street performers, construction sites, and busy traffic might seem fine in person, but they make it really hard for anyone watching to hear what you're saying. What feels like a normal conversation to you might come across as a whisper beneath all the chaos in your final video. You'll often be surprised how loud these backgrounds are when you watch your footage later.

If you absolutely need to capture somewhere noisy or windy, buy a wind muff for the microphone. It won't reduce the sound quality but removes the noisy elements.

There's another hack. You can try recording your voice separately later and adding it to the vlog video later. Just describe what you're seeing while watching the clip back in your quiet hotel room.

7. Shoot Short Clips

When you're having an amazing time traveling, it's easy to hit record and let your camera run for ages. This is a huge mistake that will come to haunt you when you are editing your whole video.

While recording, capture quick quick bits of all the cool stuff happening around you. Later, you can string these moments together in editing like a highlight reel of your adventure. Your viewers viewers will see all the best parts without any of the dull moments in between.

Try keeping most of your clips in a vlog between 30-40 seconds long. You might think that's too short, but you'd be surprised how quickly scenes drag on for viewers. People watching vlogs these days don't have much patience - they want to see the highlights of your trip, not every minute of it.

The ideal length for the whole of your travel vlog video should be around 8-11 minutes. Any longer, you'll start losing viewers halfway through. Think about it - you're probably competing with thousands of other videos for people's attention.

8. Don't Be Camera Shy

There are so many travel vlogs where you never actually see the person filming - it's just endless shots of places with a voice talking over them.

When you put yourself in the frame more often, people feel like they're exploring alongside a friend. You don't need to be on camera the whole time, but showing your genuine reactions to amazing places helps viewers connect with you, not just see pretty scenery!

Your facial expressions also say so much more than words ever could. When viewers see your eyes widen at an incredible view or your smile while trying a strange new food, they get to experience those feelings with you.

Don't worry about looking perfect - travel isn't always glamorous! Many successful travel vloggers aren't movie stars; they're just regular people sharing authentic experiences. Viewers actually trust you more when they see the real, unfiltered version of you discovering the world. They'll keep coming back because they feel like they know you.

9. Show Local People In Your Vlogs

Some of the best travel moments happen when you're chatting with locals. When you include them in your vlog, you give everyone a deeper look at the destination. There's something special about hearing directly from someone who calls your travel spot home. They know all the stories and secrets your views probably wouldn't know about.

Doing this is easy. Just ask someone about their favorite local dish or what makes their hometown special. These direct interactions also show your respect for the places you visit.

Remember! Your viewers don't just want to see buildings and landscapes. They want to experience the heart of a place through its people!

10. Use Multiple Point-of-View Shots

You are not making a regular travel video. You are creating an experience; for this to happen, you need to add some of your point-of-view shots.

A point-of-view (POV) shot, also known as a subjective camera shot or first-person shot, is a filmmaking technique that shows the audience what a character is looking at as if they are experiencing the scene through your eyes.

Some examples are walking or riding shots, grabbing something to eat shots, and starting at huge building shots. You can always improvise and add these shots in any section of your videos.

11. Choose Background Music That Goes Well With Your Content

Background music is the key to the success of your first travel vlog. You need to choose a song or track that matches the mood of what you're showing. If your vlog covers multiple aspects, add multiple backing tracks. For example, that wild adventure day probably needs something energetic, while your relaxing boat tour calls for something more gentle and flowing.

There are tons of royalty-free options where you can find the music of your choice and won't get your videos flagged for copyright. Many editing apps even come with built-in music libraries that are totally free to use.

The volume balance matters a lot, too. Your background music should enhance what you're saying, not drown it out. When you're talking, turn the music down a bit so viewers can clearly hear your words.

Part 2. Bonus Tip: Enhance Your Travel Vlogs with HitPaw Online AI Video Enhancer

After creating and editing travel vlogs, you can enhance them up a notch with HitPaw Online Video Enhancer. This AI tool can fix many elements in your video to make it to more presentable to your viewers.

Upload the vlog video on the tool and use:

1. Face Model to remove the imperfection on your face or someone else you are showing in the video.
2. Remove rough and uneven appearances to unblur the vlog.
3. Brighten the vlog shot in dark atmospheres.
4. Make the colors pop.
5. Upscale the resolution from 720p to 8k.

Part 3. FAQs of How to Start Travel Vlogging

Conclusion on How to Start Travel Vlogging

Now you know the basics of how to start travel vlogging! It's really about capturing genuine moments and sharing the experiences in your own way, and it has to be unique. You don't need expensive equipment or professional training. Just focus on telling good stories about the places you visit. The more you practice, the better your vlogs will get.