“Print is dead,” or print isn’t dead, in which category do you believe in?

I believe in the latter. The print isn’t dead, and I feel it’ll never be gone. (yeah, I am quite optimistic). In other news, Nat Geo traveler, U.S edition, has stopped publishing its print issue.

In this digital era, where everything is available just a click away, who would like to hassle to go to a newspaper stall to buy magazines and then carry it in your bags. Instead, click your phone screen, and its there. Whatever it can’t take away the charm of print magazines.

Do people read travel magazines in India? Do you buy magazines anymore? How many magazines do you subscribe to? If you still read magazines, tell me in the comment section, what’s your take on print vs. digital?

I don’t see people reading physical magazines anymore. Last month while buying a magazine out of curiosity, I asked the vendor how many travel magazines do you sell in a month? You’d be surprised to know it just 20-25 and that too at one of the prime locations in Mumbai. This hurts me.

Contrary to this, the Indian readership survey(IRS)2019 Q3, has reported growth of 0.9 crore additional readers in magazine readership as opposed to IRS 2017 (4.5crores).

The above data gives me hope that India will continue celebrating the print medium for a few more years to come.

Can you recollect your earliest memory of magazines? I tell you mine. If you’re an old school like me, there’s a chance you might relate to it.

My earliest memory of magazines is in school, where I used to exchange magazines with friends, and I used to read it so fondly, used to look at the pictures with eyes wide open. Ahh! Those retro days.

I still love physical magazines, and I can’t imagine anybody who doesn’t. The feeling of holding a magazine, flipping through its glossy pages, looking at beautiful photographs, and the smell of ink is still unmatchable. It’s so stress-busting, no??

As I am a travel blogger, I read a lot of travel magazines, so here is a list of-

5 Best Travel Magazines in India to pep you up to plan a trip ASAP-

1. Nat Geo Traveller India

‘The best travel magazine in India out there!’

Nat geo traveler is not the regular travel magazine that provides you guidebook- type information on where to go and what to do. It’s about immersive travel and authentic storytelling.

“Nobody knows this world better” is their tagline, and they standby it as their every article is so lively, well researched, engaging, and full of insights.

Nat geo traveller’s aim is to inspire people to travel, travel sustainably, and responsibly and discover the world. I must say they’re successfully doing so as I’ve taken a trip recently based on their article.

• Frequency – Monthly
• Price – ₹150

📌 PedalThrottle Recommends: Nat Geo’s Journeys of a lifetime

2. Conde Nast Traveler India

‘The best luxury travel magazine in India.’

I call it the Bollywood version of travel magazines. Everything fancy and expensive. I read it just for aspiration, information about luxury travel, and to make a wish list. (someday for sure ☺)

CNT India appeals to passionate, discerning travelers across India. It’s not a backpackers magazine or a travel guide. It’s entirely focused on extremely high-end travel.

The one drawback is that it’s loaded with a ton of advertisements.

• Frequency – Bi-monthly  
• Price- ₹150

3. Discover India

‘First travel magazine in India.‘

My favorite. I love exploring my country and, my wish is to see each and every part of it, and this magazine caters to inbound tourists like me.

Discover India is all about India. This travel magazine truly captivates the people, places, cultures, architecture, history, philosophy, and colors of India.

• Frequency- Bi-monthly
• Price- ₹80

✔️ Also Read: Top Travel Companies In India

4. Lonely Planet India

‘The travel guidebook.’

Lonely Planet India is your go-to travel magazine for planning a trip and vacation based on information.

It offers both inspiration and authoritative information. Lonely planet brings travel to you as a complete experience, which helps you to connect with a place.

This magazine addresses all your concerns about a place like how to get there, what to eat there, where to stay, where to find familiar food, visas and everything else.

• Frequency- Monthly
• Price- ₹150

✔️ Also Read: Best Traveling Jobs To Make Money While Traveling

📌 PedalThrottle Recommends: Lonely Planet India (Travel Guide)

5. Travel+Leisure India

‘The bible of Luxury Travel in India’

The Travel+Leisure India is one of the most influential travel magazine in India.

I really like their digital version more than the print version and one thing which I really love about Travel+Leisure magazine is that their website has a whole section about conscious travel where they share great tips and tricks, interviews of people who is doing travel the right way.

• Frequency: Monthly
• Price: ₹150

6. Outlook Traveller

I buy this travel magazine occasionally after flipping through pages as it is inconsistent in quality. Some editions are really good, and some are not up to the mark.

Content is simple, short, crisp, and joy to read and also not loaded with tons of advertisement. I also find their photographs a bit low standard.

• Frequency- Monthly
• Price- ₹100

📌 PedalThrottle Recommends: Outlook Traveller’s 100 Best Resorts & Retreat in India

✔️ Also Read: 10 Ways To Be a More Sustainable Traveler

Some FAQs about the travel magazines in India:-

Closing Thoughts

Me personally, being a travel blogger buys 3-4 travel magazines in which ‘Nat Geo Traveller‘, ‘Discover India‘ and ‘Conde Nast Traveler’ are constant and keep shuffling between others. I keep checking other travel magazines too, so I might update this list in the future.

After spending the whole day in front of laptop and mobile screens, flipping through magazine pages full of stunning photographs and smell of ink is like a gush of fresh air. Try it. It’s very relaxing.

If you lack the motivation to travel, I suggest you start reading any of these best travel magazines in India, and you’ll surely get inspired to pack your bags.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

Mark Twain

Happy Traveling!