Remote wanderlust: The Newmarket Holidays team’s favourite travel films

Think back to those glorious times on school holidays or summer break, when you’d polish off a year’s worth of trilogies and box sets in a matter of weeks. We might not be able to unlock this much time off, but we certainly enjoy taking the time to unwind by rewatching some old classics. Here are the team’s top picks of travel and adventure movies:

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

“One of my favourite travel films has to be The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. The sense of escapism and adventure, plus the vivid Icelandic scenery, makes it hard to turn away from the screen. The way Walter pushes himself to leave his comfort zone and experience the world is a fascinating journey.” - Andrew Miles (E-Commerce Director)

Skyfall (2012)

“I love any films that include travel. In that sense, Bond films fit that bill. I particularly enjoy Skyfall, in the way it cinematically captures a range of locations from the eerie Hashima Island in Japan to Scotland’s vast highlands to the bustling Istanbul.” - Andrew Miles (E-Commerce Director)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

“The Lord of the Rings is one of my favourite movies of all time. I even once went for a 12-hour movie marathon to watch the whole trilogy. The film’s inclusion of New Zealand’s natural scenery, as well as the epic fantasy quest, makes it a must-watch.” - Bartek Gasienica (Website and Connectivity Engineer)

Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

“This film tells the real-life story of Austrian climber Heinrich Harrer, played by a young Brad Pitt, as he is imprisoned by British in India whilst climbing in the Himalayas when World War Two breaks out. He escapes and makes the treacherous journey to Tibet, where he finds a land forgotten by time and befriends the young Tenzin Gyatso, better known as the Dalai Lama.

“I first saw this film in Dharamsala in the Himalayan foothills of Northern India, which is where the Tibetan Government-in-exile is based. The story is famous there, with cafés and restaurants playing the film every evening!” - Tom Fleming (Lead Marketing Copywriter)

The Beach (2000)

“I remember watching this film before I embarked on my first proper backpacking trip. The film gave me my first taste of the paradise islands and beaches of Southeast Asia, and my first sense of what backpacking might be like. Yes, I did visit the filming location!

“If you’re unfamiliar with the film, the plot follows a young American backpacker Richard (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) as he travels through Thailand, looking for a fabled paradise island marked on a map by a stranger. However, when he gets there, all isn’t quite as it seems – it’s something of a paradise lost. A thrilling sense of adventure permeates the story at every turn, and I’m sure I wasn’t alone in relating to Richard’s desire to ‘escape’ day-to-day life.” - Tom Fleming (Lead Marketing Copywriter)

Be sure to share with us your favourite travel films. Happy viewing everybody!