Travel Writing Competitions

by Nathan James Thomas

Intrepid Times hosts regular travel writing competitions, which come with monetary prizes as well as publication opportunities. Like our standard submissions, entry is free and open to both new and established writers from around the world.

Travel Writing Competition Open Now:

“Romance on the Road” invites travelers to explore themes of love, romance, and connection in the context of a non-fiction travel story. The prize is $200 and standard entry is free. Learn more and enter here.

Please join our newsletter and follow our channels to be the first to know when a new competition is open. You can read the winning stories from recent competitions below.

Photo from “Finding Solace in a Tokyo Bookshop” by David McElhinney

Recent Travel Writing Competitions:

Wrong Turns (April 2022)

Theme: Travel may take us in unintended directions, but our new destination can provide meaningful experiences and memories.

Finalist: On the Banks of the Perfume River by Ian C Douglas
Finalist: One Wrong Turn in Mexico by Timothy Mathis
Finalist: Parables and Archetypes by W Goodwin
Winner: Your Roots Are Showing by Amie McGraham

Unexpected Adventures (August 2021)

Theme: The best travel experiences are the ones we do not plan.

Finalist: The Nowhere Man by Steve Wade
Finalist: Seekat by Tanya Lottridge
Finalist: A Watershed Vacation by Joe Novara
Winner: Wildes Volk by Joe Aultman-Moore

Reunions (December 2020)

Theme: Stories about a time you have reconnected with a person, a place, or a part of yourself.

Finalist: Al Dente by Callum Brockett
Finalist: Davy Jones and the Cape by Jane Copland
Finalist: Through the Beholder’s Eyes by Annointing Ogbewekon
Finalist: Brave as Hatice by Katherine Belliel
Winner: The Jeweled Lotus by E. E. Rhodes

Chance Encounters (April 2020)

Theme: Stories about an interesting conversation, quirky character, or unexpected encounter that occurred during your travels.

Finalist: Knights on the Mountain by Joe Aultman-Moore
Finalist: For the Love of a Dugong by Imogen Lepere
Finalist: The Last Days of Communism by Rachael Rowe
Winner: Coffee in Kigali by Emma Dredge

Fearless Footsteps (October 2019)

Theme: Overcoming fear while on the road can lead to meaningful travel experiences.

For this writing competition, we partnered with Exisle Publishing to release an anthology of selected entries. After some delays due to the disruptions of last year, the book was finally released worldwide in November 2020 – learn more here: Fearless Footsteps book

A couple of entries were also published on IntrepidTimes.com, including:

Everything is Going to be Okay… by J.D. Martens
On the Road to Panic by Megan Dwyer

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editor@intrepidtimes.com