A swim in a nuclear crater in Kazakhstan or playing with colours in Braj Bhumi? If you are feeling adventurous, these five travel docu-series will show you how to get there

Mona

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Right from adventurous to celebratory to macabre, this World Tourism Day we bring you different hues of tourism celebrated in travel docu-series shot across the world. Each with a unique spin – a biking trip from Berlin to Beijing by two friends with a dream to raise funds for a school; sampling unique lifestyle across the Andes, and risking life in places just for a weird vacation, OTT offers ample choice to suit the different moods.

Dare to venture?

Dark Tourist (2018)

Life can be dangerous when you are a ‘dark tourist’. New Zealand filmmaker and journalist David Farrier takes us on a vacation to places of death and destruction. The 2018 Netflix original series Dark Tourist is mad and morbid taking the viewers on a dangerous holiday, including a swim in a lake made by a nuclear blast in cand witness an exorcism in Mexico. The eight episodes, each more dangerous than another, make Ferrier happy to be alive. Viewer’s discretion is advised, for the series deals with the themes of violence and suicide.

For the uninitiated, Dark Tourism, also called black tourism, morbid tourism or grief tourism, deals with travel largely to historical places associated with tragedy.

Magic of the mountains

Magical Andes (2019)

Magical Andes, the Netflix docu-series, explores South America’s mountains and the inhabitants of that area. The first season explores the link between ancient traditions and modernity in Peru, its vast cities coexisting with symbols of the Inca empire like Machu Picchu; and adventurers try to conquer the active volcano Cotopaxi in Ecuador among others. Its second season explores the longest continental mountain range of the world through seven countries —Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela and the unique lifestyles of the people.

Keeping the earth green

Down to Earth With Zac Efron (2020)

Daytime Emmy Award winner, this Netflix docu-series explores the world through the lens of sustainable practices. The series has the teen idol Zac Efron (Troy Bolton in the High School Musical) and his trips to France, Puerto Rico, London, Iceland, Costa Rica, Peru, and Sardinia capturing the green practices. The series’ second season explores Australia. Right from Sydney to the Greater Blue Mountains, Zac and co-host Darin Olien film eco-warriors to know about habitat conservation.

Some celebratory hue

India’s Mega Festivals (2023)

India’s Mega Festivals on Disney + Hotstar holds a celebratory hue. It has famous Chef Gary Mehigan in his favourite destination – India – and weaving along a tapestry of colour, competition and culture. He visits different parts of the country exploring traditions and celebrations with various festivals like Holi in Braj Bhumi and Onam in Kerala. Chef Paolo Naranjo joins Mehigan in this journey exploring grand Ganesh Utsav in Maharashtra. Beauty of this series is how these two foreigners blend in the crowd to present the traditional and modern ways of celebrations side by side.

Theme for a dream

Biking Borders (2019)

This Netflix documentary has two best friends, Max and Nono, undertake a 15,000 km biking trip from Berlin to Beijing fundraising throughout their trip to build a school in Guatemala. Directed by Max Jabs, this inspiring documentary comes with a dash of humour and holds all colours of hospitality, melancholy and tragedy. It’s U/A13+ on account of language, nudity and tobacco use.