Episode
EP 11: Five Ways to Start a Travel Story That Hooks Readers In Immediately
- Podcast
- Inside travel writing
- Published
- Jul 8, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 882
- Processing state
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Summary
The first sentence of a travel story can take me hours. Sometimes days. But once I find it, the rest flows. If you're getting stuck on beginnings, you're definitely not alone. This week I'm sharing five of my favourite ways to open a travel piece, with real examples from published stories (including a couple of my own) that show exactly how each one works. We cover dialogue, foreshadowing, immersive scene-setting, the informational opening, and the action drop - and why the best openings across all five types share one thing in common that most writers don't think about. Articles mentioned in this episode (where there are online versions): Ecuador: the hothouse heart of the jungle Vegan food adventure across India Why this hidden oasis is the coolest luxury destination right now Au Train de Vie: That voice you hear when travelling Me, myself and Kii This plane wreck in a remote part of WA is like a scene from Lost Explore magical, mysterious Mungo National Park Transylvania's last mushroom hat artisans fight to save their art The moment a grizzly stopped hunting fish... and noticed me Want more travel writing content? Sign up to get weekly email newsletters all about travel writing here. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review 🙏🏻