A Playlist Of 48 Travel Songs - Wandering Weekend Warrior

Long drive would not end in burning flames but in paradise as long as music accompanies us in our travels. When you put your jams and headset on or when you play your favorite playlist of travel songs in stereo out loud, it’s like you are shooting your written-by-fate independent road film. Here’s a playlist of my favorite travel inspiration in different kinds of moods and situations:

(Note that this post is image and single track heavy so you might want to skip and go directly to the playlist. But taking a glance on the images won’t hurt and may even fuel your passion to wander.)

Theme: Living The Life

Songs fall under this category are melodies for breaking out from the comfort zone.

1. I Lived, OneRepublic

Salagdoong Beach, Siquijor, Philippines – Life like travel is not always easy. But you can only say that you had lived your life if you survive all these downtimes.

2. Best Day of My Life, American Authors

Mt. Pinatubo, Zambales, Philippines – The list of candidates for best weekend ever in one’s lifetime will always include an adventure or travel.

3. On Top of the World, Imagine Dragons

Taraw Cliff, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines – I really enjoy hearing this song from Imagine Dragon because it’s like listening to a Under Sea, Little Mermaid siren song made for travel.

4. Ordinary Human, OneRepublic

Mt. Pico de Loro, Cavite, Philippines – Travel makes an ordinary day special. It makes a traveler extraordinary too.

5. Our Story, Mako

Taal Lake, Batangas, Philippines – Let’s think of all your travels and we’re going to create a montage of your explorations and experiences. This one is a good accompaniment.

6. Get Lost, Icona Pop

Victoria’s Peak, Hong Kong – Icona Pop is iconic for crashing and burning things just for the sake of fun and living the life to the fullest.

7. We Are Young, Fun & Janelle Monae

JBLFMU, Guimaras, Philippines – While the song is more about merrymaking and drowning by alcohol, it can also pertain to the fun, pun intended, of being young as we travel. Because as we, grown ups, know being adult with responsibilities around is a trap.

8. Counting Stars, OneRepublic

White Beach, Boracay, Aklan, Philippines – Would you rather spend your vacation inside a five-star hotel or live under a billion-star tent?

9. Paradise, Coldplay

Guisi Beach, Guimaras, Philippines – Coldplay has this skill that even though their song comprises of limited words, the rhythm flow takes us somewhere.

10. Brave, Sara Baraeilles

Racuh-a-Payaman, Batanes, Philippines – Whenever I hear this, it reminds me, not to just speak up my mind but also to do beyond my limits.

11. Free, KidWolf & BV

White Beach, Boracay, Aklan, Philippines – Sea. Sand. Sun. Surf. Soul. It is cool to know that Filipinos have entered to this genre and KidWolf’s song is good!

12. Good Time, Owl City & Carly Rae Japsen

Padang-padang, Bali, Indonesia – Positivity will take us to more places. And if we wear that in our lifestyle, things will be fine, fine, fine.

13. Geronimo, Sheppard

Tinuy-an Falls, Surigao del Sur, Philippines – Any song from a breakthrough artist is refreshing. When I first heard the song, it makes me wanna sign up for sky diving and bungee jumping. Hello Australia soon!

14. You Get What You Give, New Radicals

Carmona, Cavite, Philippines – What makes travel enjoyable and memorable is that it’s never been a one-way thing. You need to give to universe what you want to receive from it.

15. Pure Shores, All Saints

Puka Beach, Boracay, Aklan, Philippines – It’s a different take on how to describe beachineering. It’s like you choose to live the rest of your lifetime with sand between your toes. And Leonardo Di Carpio on the side.

16. Happy, Pharell Williams

Xiamen, Taipei, Taiwan – Like what was seen in the music video, it is very dance-able as we walk in the park, we follow the mountain trail, and we ramp to the beaches.

17. Keep On Movin’, 5ive

Qingtiangang Trail, Yangminghsan National Park, Taiwan – One of the reasons we travel is because we want to move on from the past or hurt and so we can move it, move it later.

18. On Top of the World, Tim McMorris

Maafushi, Maldives – Just like a previous entry with the same title, this describes how we feel as we live the life to the fullest.

Theme: Endless Summer

There is another way to escape while traveling. That is to put your paws on the air then fist pump after the beat drops!

19. Summer, Calvin Harris

Britania Group of Islands, Surigao del Sur, Philippines – No doubt this song becomes an instant official summer theme.

20. Beautiful World, Blasterjaxx, DBSTF, & Ryder

Dinagyang Festival, Iloilo, Philippines – You will definitely love the vocals then wait for the legandary beat drop.

21. They Don’t Know Us, Borgeous

Big Lagoon, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines – True to the travel quote – not all who wander are lost.

22. Heroes (We Could Be), Alesso & Tove Lo

Bulata Beach, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Traveling is empowering. And list of possibilities and opportunities you can unlock is endless.

23. The Days, Avicii

Perth Beach, Sipalay, Negros Occidental, Philippines – This is my favorite in the sublist. These days we won’t regret. These days we won’t forget.

24. Ten Feet Tall, Afrojack & Wrabel

N Seoul Tower, Seoul, South Korea – It’s like from zero to hero. From nothing into something.

25. All Night, Icona Pop

Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul, South Korea – It’s a song best played with restless friends around pretending it is the last day of the world.

26. I Gotta Felling, The Black Eyed Peas

7 Commandos, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines – Once named as the song of the year, this song is surely bringing the house in the party mood.

Theme: Going Solo

There is a point (or probably all the times) in our travel stint that we want to know answers alone.

27. Pompeii, Bastille

Willy Rocks, Boracay, Aklan, Philippines – A song that deceives your mood. But when you analyze the lyrics, it is sung by someone who may had circumnavigate the world only to find out there is still lacking.

28. Use Somebody, Kings of Leon

Uluwatu Temple, Bali, Indonesia – A song for a lonely wanderer who longs for someone to fill him in

29. Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Verve

Kalibo, Aklan, Philippines – Ooohhh. That introduction though is so thought stirring. Wait to hear more about the lyrics of truth in life.

30. Learn To Fly, Foo Fighters

Taipei 101, Taiwan – As one travel quote puts it, we travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us.

31. Today My Life Begins, Bruno Mars

Cloud 9, Siargao, Surigao del Norte, Philippines – A good choice as a theme song when you finally decided to kickstart your travel to unchain yourself from the past and doubts

32. Beautiful Day, U2

Mt Pinatubo, Zambales, Philippines – Even things don’t work the way we wanted, there is still a better time of a day ahead of us.

33. Wake Me Up, Avicii

Nagtipunan, Quirino, Philippines – It’s a song for someone who had traveled and had experienced a lot. A wanderer who got answers for unknown questions and questions waiting for answers.

Theme: Travel With The One

The best thing in the world is when you travel around the world with your world.

34. All The Way, Timeflies

Racuh-a-Payaman, Batanes, Philippines – The intro beats is like a boy chasing the girl to convince her to travel and the girl said yes in the chorus

35. Brighter Than The Sun, Colbie Caillat

Anawangin Cove, Zambales, Philippines – This suits for couples who travel together with a very relaxed itinerary of cuddling, swimming, and loving

36. I’m Alive (Life Sounds Like), Michael Franti & Spearhead

Siitan River, Quirino, Philippines – A good vibes song while spending sleepness nights with your friends

37. I Love You Always Forever, Donna Lewis

Padang-padang, Bali, Indonesia – A love song but it gives you a feeling that you’re cruising with someone special in a very long trip.

38. Rather Be, Clean Bandit & Jess Glynne

Namsangol Hanok Village, Seoul, South Korea – We may travel the whole world but the simplest yet happiest place on earth is not found in theme parks, skyscrapers and nature. It is anywhere you’re with your loved one.

39. Jet Lag, Simple Plan & Natasha Bedingfield

Banpo River, Seoul, South Korea – I find this cute to describe someone’s feels with travel terminologies. Sometimes we don’t have to be with our loved one in our travels as long as we carry them in spirit. We gonna miss them for a while for sure but that’s what makes the return trip exciting.

40. Live While We’re Young, One Direction

Diniwid, Boracay, Aklan, Philippines – Because we only live once. So let’s travel, travel, travel, before we die.

41. Safe and Sound, Capital Cities

Picnic Island, Maldives – That moment when you found someone whom you’re going to be with around the towns and cities of the world is absolutely fulfilling feeling.

42. Teenage Dream, Katy Perry

Mt. Talamitam, Batangas, Philippines – Katy Perry’s California Gurls is more apt for summer escapades but this song of hers goes across all kinds of road trips in whatever reasons and seasons. Because we’re not too old to pursue our teenage dream to enjoy hopping places.

43. Shut Up and Dance, Walk The Moon

White Beach, Boracay, Aklan, Philippines – Dancing could be a figurative word for traveling where the dance floor is the world. This song reminds us that sometimes a once in a lifetime opportunity for forever knocks and we just have to chacha and boogie our way to happiness.

44. Leaving on a Jetplane, Chantal Kreviazuk

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore – When you met someone along the way and it’s time to grow apart because you have to go back to the other side of the world, it’s ~sniff sniff~.

45. If I Lose Myself, Alesso & OneRepublic

Racuh-a-Payaman, Batanes, Philippines – Getting lost and losing oneself in travel are inevitable. But you don’t have to worry if you were holding on with someone. Because you found the ultimate destination on each other. P.S. OneRepublic takes a lot of slots here.

46. Walking on Sunshine, Katrina & The Waves

Picnic Island, Maldives – The only New Wave song deserves its spot in this list because if you have to do a Happy dance by Pharell Williams with this song, it will still work well. With friends on summer getup. With beach balls being thrown in the air.

47. A Sky Full of Stars, Coldplay

Bulacan, Philippines – I can hardly wait to use this track over my videos taken by a hovering drone and a timelapse of nightscapes.

48. I’m Yours, Jason Mraz

San Juan, La Union, Philippines – This is one of the most played love songs and not its lyrics won’t point you to travel by each of its word. But have someone in the group who knows how to guitar, the feel good loving vibes of the song is surely a crowd favorite.