Preface
Today I want to share with you several online travel journal platforms I've recently experienced. Honestly, I used to be a pure "check-in poster," taking photos wherever I went and simply posting them on social media. But as I visited more places, I started feeling this way of documenting travel lacked soul. It wasn't until I discovered these professional travel journaling platforms that each of my trips took on a different meaning.
I remember last summer when I first tried using a professional platform to document my travels. I was in Greece at the time, sitting in a cliff-side hotel in Santorini, looking at the endless Aegean Sea, when I suddenly wanted to preserve this moment completely. Not just taking a photo, but recording the mood, the scent in the air, and the temperature of the sea breeze.
Digital Tools
Honestly, looking back now, documenting travels on social media was too superficial. You post something, get some likes and comments for a while, and within a couple of days it's buried under new information. When you want to find a specific photo later, you can't find it no matter how much you scroll - it's really frustrating.
I mainly use the Travel Diaries platform now, and I'm truly amazed by its features. What attracts me most about this platform is its smart planning function. For example, when I went to Yunnan last month, I input the places I wanted to visit in advance, and it automatically planned the optimal route for me, even thoughtfully recommending some local characteristic guesthouses.
I have to say, its route planning is really reliable. When I was in Dali Ancient City, following the platform's recommended route, I not only visited the popular Foreigner Street that everyone goes to, but also discovered a silver workshop hidden in a small alley. The master craftsman had been making silver items for over thirty years, creating memories of Dali one hammer strike at a time in that quiet courtyard. Without the platform's recommendation, I might never have discovered such an interesting place.
The platform's recording features are also very comprehensive. You can combine photos, videos, and voice notes, and mark specific locations on the map. What delighted me most was its smart tagging feature - for example, when you upload a photo taken by Erhai Lake, it automatically recognizes the location and even accurately tags the type of scenery in the photo. This way, when you want to find photos of a particular place later, you just input a keyword and they appear - no more endless scrolling through social media.
Physical Output
Speaking of the feature that moved me most, it's definitely the platform's physical diary customization service. When I went to Tibet last winter, I recorded everything on the platform daily, not just photos, but lots of text and insights. It was my first time on the plateau, and I was curious about everything. I remember the morning we went to watch the sunrise at Nam Co Lake, we set out before dawn. The temperature was below minus ten degrees Celsius, and our breath would freeze, but when the first ray of sunlight hit the lake surface, all the cold was worth it.
After returning, I turned all the records from this trip into a hardcover diary. Honestly, when I first received this diary, I almost cried. The cover uses the photo I took at the Potala Palace, and the interior design is very thoughtful, perfectly integrating photos, text, and maps. What I love most is that they left space for handwritten notes next to the photos, so I can add new thoughts anytime.
Regarding the price, I think it's really reasonable. A 30-page hardcover album costs about 200-300 yuan, which might seem expensive, but it's about the same as a casual hotpot meal. Plus, the quality of this diary is really excellent, using imported photo paper - the colors are especially clear, and even the texture of the paper feels nice. Most importantly, this is a unique travel memoir, and this kind of meaning can't be measured in money.
Content Sharing
What attracts me most about the platform is its social aspect. Everyone can share their travel stories, and these real experiences are often more valuable than travel guides. I particularly like following a travel broadcaster called Holly Rubenstein, who invites travelers from different backgrounds to share stories every week. There are backpackers, food enthusiasts, photographers - everyone has a different perspective, but they all inspire me.
The most impressive episode was about a 77-year-old grandfather. He started traveling around the world at 70 and visited 60 countries in 7 years. When he talked about seeing the starry sky while camping in the Sahara Desert and meeting local shepherds while hiking in the Andes Mountains, his love for life was truly touching. After hearing his story, I suddenly understood that the greatest meaning of travel isn't about how many places you've been, but what kind of people you've met and what kind of stories you've experienced along the way.
Through the platform, I've also met many like-minded travel enthusiasts. I remember once seeing a girl sharing a detailed guide about the Small Loop in Western Sichuan on the platform, with very practical information from route arrangements to accommodation recommendations. I asked a few specific questions in the comments, and unexpectedly, she not only answered patiently but also sent me her detailed guide. We later became good friends and often plan trips together.
Deep Experience
Through these platforms, my way of traveling has changed significantly. I used to chase popular tourist spots, but now I prefer experiencing local life. Many platforms have started offering in-depth experience services, and small group in-depth tours are especially great. Last year, I participated in an in-depth tour of Southeast Guizhou that I found on the platform.
That trip had only 6 people, and we stayed in Miao villagers' homes. During the day, we worked in the fields with the villagers, and in the evening, we learned Miao embroidery from the grandmothers. I remember one night, we sat around the fire pit listening to village elders tell the history of the village. He said the village had several hundred years of history, and every stilted house and silver ornament carried the memories of the Miao people. At that moment, I truly felt what "cultural inheritance" means.
The most special part was that we caught the Sisters' Festival in the village. This is one of the most important festivals for the Miao people, where young people wear their most beautiful silver ornaments and festive clothes to sing in the central square of the village. We also changed into Miao clothing, and although our singing wasn't perfect, that sense of integration was really magical. This kind of experience is absolutely impossible to get with large tour groups.
Through in-depth tours, I also discovered many interesting crafts. For example, in Dali, Yunnan, I participated in a tie-dye workshop experience. The teacher was an artist with long hair who told us that tie-dye isn't just a craft, but a way of life. We used indigo dye, folded white cloth into different shapes, and then put it in the dye vat. When we unfolded the fabric and watched the unique patterns slowly appear, that sense of surprise is really hard to describe.
Personal Advice
If you want to try these platforms, my advice is to start with the simplest approach. Spend 10 minutes each day recording the moments that moved you most. It could be a photo, a piece of text, or even a voice message. The key isn't what you record, but developing the habit of recording.
Now I carry a small notebook on every trip to write down my thoughts at any time. For example, at Chaka Salt Lake in Qinghai, looking at the white crystals covering the ground, I suddenly remembered learning about the "Mirror of the Sky" in my childhood geography textbook. In Kanas, Xinjiang, listening to the guide tell legends about the lake monster, memories of mythology stories I read in childhood floated through my mind. These scattered thoughts are the most precious parts of travel.
Gradually, you'll discover that the meaning of travel isn't just about where you've been, but about your feelings and growth along the way. Every journey is an opportunity for self-dialogue, allowing us to temporarily step out of our daily life framework and see the world from different perspectives.
Future Outlook
As technology develops, ways of recording travel will certainly become increasingly rich. Perhaps in the near future, we'll really be able to record every moment of travel with holographic images, automatically organize travel materials with AI technology, and even allow friends far away to experience our travels immersively through virtual reality technology.
But I always believe that no matter how technology develops, the most important aspect of recording travel is sincerity. It's about heartfelt experience of every place's temperature and recording every touching moment with pen. Technology is just a tool to help us better preserve those memories worth treasuring.
Finally, I especially want to say that travel recording doesn't need many techniques; what's important is persistence. Like writing a diary, it doesn't matter if today's entry isn't good enough; what matters is continuing to write tomorrow. Each record is a tribute to life and a preservation of memory.
After saying all this, I really want to know how you usually record your travels? Do you use traditional journals, prefer digital tools, or have any unique recording methods? Welcome to tell me in the comments section, let's share the joy of travel together.
