When I started my blog, I had no idea what I was doing. I just wrote a few stories about my travels and threw it in a WordPress theme. I’ve been making countless improvements since, many of which were inspired by other bloggers.

As a way of saying “thanks!” to those who inspired me, I’ve decided to make a list of the ten travel blogs that have inspired me the most. I’ll also mention what it is that has inspired me.

So here they are, in no particular order:

Christa Thompson – The Fairytale Traveler

The Fairytale Traveler tells stories about legends, folklore and mythology. In her own words, she “explores everything from castles to headstones, from the forests to the seas, and places where legends of monsters and princesses hundreds of years past are still told.”

I really like this theme; it’s exciting and fun. Her site is very nicely designed. She has beautiful in-post galleries that showcase her outstanding pictures.

Matt Kepness – Nomadic Matt

If you ask me: who do you think is the biggest expert on travel, my answer would probably be Matt. This guy has a massive amount of travel advice on his blog as well as a ton of useful resources, many of which I ended up using. If you google a few travel related terms, there is a very good chance you’ll find his blog.

Matt has managed to make a living out of his blog, which is something many bloggers aspire, but not very many accomplish. He’s done a remarkable job and he definitely set the example for others out there. He also wrote a book, How To Travel the World on $50 per Day. It’s a good read, check it out!

Kiersten Rich – The Blonde Abroad

When you take a look at Kiersten’s blog, you’ll notice that it’s really well put together. Lots of eye-catchers just want to make you click and explore. Her site looks fun. Her stories are fun to read and she has some great videos.

I think she has a killer brand and she does a very good job with the branding. She publishes destination guides, videos and giveaways all with her Blonde Abroad logo. On The Yacht Week, she brought her own branded flag, what a great idea!

Alexandra Kovacova – Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler

What I like most about Alexandra’s blog is that she really opens up and shows her readers her real self by writing about very private subjects. Examples are a very touching post she wrote about her brother (who sadly committed suicide), her past relationships and what her ideal man looks like.

As a reader you feel like you get to know her on a personal level, which is really cool. It takes courage to open up like she does.

Samuel Jeffery – Nomadic Samuel

What struck me about Samuel was that he never started a career to escape from. He started traveling right out of uni, getting by on teaching English. Samuel writing style appeals to me, the way he writes makes me want to read more. He’s been an inspiration to me to work on my own writing skills.

My favorite section on his site is the quirky travel tales. Really fun to read!

Alexandra Baackes – Alex in Wanderland

I started following Alex when she was doing her dive master course in the Gili Islands, Indonesia. I share her passion for diving, and really enjoyed reading her posts about diving and the ones she wrote about the dive master course. In fact, I’ve now decided to do the course myself in 2014!

She wrote a concluding post about her experience, a good read for anyone who is thinking about doing a divemaster course.

Dave and Deb – The Planet D

Dave and Deb’s blog is one of the first ones I started following. I find their blog a great inspiration to find new destinations to travel to. The Planet D also features a ton of amazing pictures. I’ve learned quite a bit about photography from reading the posts in the photography tips section.

The PlanetD featured my first ever guest-post, which I was very excited about. I actually was a little surprised that they accepted it since I was so new to blogging!

Mervz Marasigan – Pinoy Adventurista

If you’re looking to travel to The Philippines, you have to check out Pinoy Adventurista. This guy has literally been everywhere in this country and he has documented every single detail. And when I say everywhere, I really mean everywhere: he’s recently completed his challenge to visit every single of the 80 provinces in the Philippines.

As this archipelago in Asia is one of my favorite countries to visit, I’ve checked out his blog for inspiration several times. After reading his story about the zip-line in Butuan, I immediately took a plane from Cebu to experience this exciting attraction myself!

Turner Barr – Around the World in 80 jobs

Turner has come up with the coolest way ever to travel the world: by working the most random jobs you can think off.During his travels, he’s been a Gluhwein Sommelier, a Kao San Road street tout and an Elephant Volunteer. Hilarious, right?

If you’re looking to travel and make some $$$, Turner’s site is obviously the place to go to!

Jodi Ettenberg – Legal Nomads

Jodi’s blog was one of the first ones I came across when I started blogging. Her background is very similar to mine. She left the corporate world to travel and started a blog to share her experiences with friends & family, planning to go back to law after her travels. This never happened, and she now runs one of the most established and appreciated travel blogs.

Jodi has written a book, The Food Traveler’s Handbook, in which she describes how travelers can experience the world through food, particularly in developing countries.

Do you follow any other bloggers? Who are your favorites? Comment below!