What Makes for a Good Travel Article?

chillibreeze writer — Rasna Baruah

A reason to go - This, I think is the most important thing travel article readers look for in travelogues. Readers always remember a travelogue that is written with so much enthusiasm that it makes them want to travel the same route and experience the same joys. On a self-appreciating note, I have to mention that my ravings about a recent trip to Kerala made my cousin and her family follow the same route as we did, stay in the same places and even eat some of the things we did! They enjoyed the vacation as much as we did, if not more.

A picture speaks a thousand words – This is an expression familiar to most of us. Don’t you think a rich collection of pictures makes a travelogue even more attractive? True, the writer may be able to paint the pictures with words but nevertheless, pictures will only add to the richness of the words. While reading travel write-ups, don’t we spend more time looking at the accompanying pictures than we do the text?

Practical information - A travelogue with descriptions of the places to see and things to do is interesting no doubt, but if it doesn’t include any practical information, it’s not very useful. A travelogue should include details such as the best time to go, best places to stay, what to buy, and very importantly when and how to go. At the end of the day, most people want to go on a holiday that doesn’t throw up unpleasant surprises. True, the adventurous amongst us love the surprise factor while traveling but the majority of travelers, I believe, like to go a little prepared and not fly completely by the seat of their pants. I’m the second kind, I like to be informed about the availability (or not) of public transport in a big city, attractions which are seasonal, entry fees of some of the higher priced tourist locations, economical places to stay and other such details.

Tourist Traps – This is another bit of information people look for and appreciate in a travelogue. Many a time, certain places are praised a lot but on actually visiting the place, travelers find that they are often over-rated in terms of beauty or significance and are expensive. Let’s talk about the famed Brindavan Gardens in Mysore. Tourist brochures wax eloquent about the beauty of the gardens and rightfully so, but while doing your research, you probably wouldn’t have come across the fact that a major part of the gardens were being renovated until very recently. You’d have discovered that unpleasant fact after reaching the gardens.

Local peculiarities or specialties - Sprinkling a travelogue with these little details makes it far more interesting, little facts and secrets not mentioned in usual tourist catalogues, humor, great stories. Nowadays while traveling in India, one can see that a lot of the trinkets sold in tourist spots are very common, seen in almost every spot. For instance, Kashmiri handicrafts are beautiful no doubt, but why go all the way to Kanyakumari to buy them? Instead, what are Kanyakumari’s local handicrafts, found only in that town? Now, that knowledge would be interesting. Food available around tourist spots has become very boring with the ubiquitous “chicken butter masala” et al listed in every non-vegetarian menu, “idli-vada” in south Indian menus but there’s a lot more to food than these. Going back to our Kerala trip, eating at a little place on a highway turned out to be more interesting and informative than eating at the usual dull restaurants in the heart of the city, and much easier on the purse too. Eating traditional meals at such places also ensures that you’re eating food that is suitable for the climate at that time of the year – makes travel easier on the stomach too.

A travelogue could include loads of other details but the inclusion of these five is sure to make readers come back for more.

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—About our writer:

Rasna says, "Research, petrochemicals, software, translation, language training – these are the fields I've dabbled in over the years. I began my working life as a chemical engineer but I've turned to the pen now - or the keyboard, so to speak. Let's see if it'll pay my bills!! Good books, melodious music, good food and travel make me happy."

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