Starting with a planned airplane on your hand and continuing with a spontaneous tattoo in Australia. Tattoos can not only express ourselves but also tell an unbelievable story. And you know what, sometimes these stories are even more interesting than the tattoos themselves! So after getting my first travel-related tattoo I caught myself more and more thinking about the hidden stories behind them. Then I contacted people from all over the world to get new travel tattoo ideas and hear the most interesting stories. They are bloggers, mums, travel lovers, and just persons who wanted to leave something meaningful on their skin!
Did you know that tattooing can also be a part of travel?
And that sometimes behind the most simple tattoo can be the most interesting, amazing, and funny adventure?
Did you know that tattoos can not only symbolize travels but also raise awareness about mental illness and give a visual reminder of the need to stay strong and go further?
Did you know that sometimes you don't need a planned salon visit? Travel tattoo can be a pretty spontaneous decision made far away from your home in a small island hotel or even a bunker?
Regardless of which tattoo you choose, be always sure that you really want it! The worst thing ever is regretting things what has been done! Take your time, do research and let the universe guide you! But I will introduce you to many amazing travel tattoo ideas and stories behind them! Let them inspire you and show the world what travel tattoos can represent and mean to us!
The story behind my airplane
Let's begin with me and my airplane on my left hand! Yes, this is a very typical and simple travel tattoo, but it represents much more as you might imagine at the first moment. My tattoo adventure is really fresh. This airplane is my first tattoo and I got it on the 6th of April. Everything started with my blog where I chose an airplane for my logo. It is a really simple symbol, but you immediately can understand the main idea behind this logo – traveling!
Nevertheless, my love to travel and having a blog weren't the main reasons to make my first tattoo. I needed something more… I needed something to remind me of going further, of going higher, of leaving my comfort zone… I needed something to look to and remember that sky has no limit, only we limit ourselves. And with those beliefs, I went to the tattoo salon near to my home and get this thing done! My airplane is representing my love to travel, never giving up, and fighting with depression and every obstacle, I meet on my way.
JoJo and Her 4 Travel Tattoos
Let me introduce you to JoJo Hall, a travel blogger, and vlogger. She absolutely loves traveling and sharing what she has learned with others, whether they're experienced travelers or new to traveling. JoJo believes, that your level of experience with travel actually doesn't matter. Everyone can benefit from learning new things from other people's experiences! JoJo's love of traveling you can see also by looking at her tattoos! She has several travel-related tattoos and today she will share with us also the stories behind them! But if you want to learn more about this beautiful woman, feel free to follow her adventures on her blog JoJos Cup of Mocha and YouTube channel!
- Jojo, which is your favorite travel-related tattoo?
''This is probably my favorite travel-themed tattoo! It’s a half sleeve of Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, a compass, and a rose. Back in 2015, I studied abroad in London but have the opportunity to travel to other countries. One of the countries I traveled to was France, Paris. The Eiffel Tower shows the location where my best friend and I truly became best friends. We had quite a time in Paris and that portion of the tattoo illustrates the beginning of a long and beautiful friendship. Big Ben represents my love for London and my time abroad. The compass, as you’ve probably guessed, represents travel and a sense of direction. Having a compass, to me, will always show me the way, reminds me that I’ll never be truly lost. Essentially, I’ll always find the right way or direction in life. Finally, the rose is an added component just for my love of roses. They’re my favorite flower so I thought I’d add it into this half sleeve.''
- I love this tattoo! How did you came up with the idea?
''This tattoo design is very cool but I have to say, I didn’t come up with the idea myself. I found this tattoo design on Pinterest but the tattoo was on another person. So, I essentially copied that tattoo design. Anyways, this tattoo design appealed to me because of the two simple yet crucial details in it. The word “explore” and the airplane in the text substitutes for an “x”. I love to travel and explore, I love to fly (even though it gives me anxiety), and the two put together made for a perfect travel tattoo! It also has two meanings to me. Of course, it showcases my love for traveling but it also calms me down when I’m flying. As mentioned before, I have anxiety when it comes to flying. I can feel the tears start to form in my eyes. However, when I look at this tattoo, it reminds me that everything will be ok because I’m doing something I love. This anxiety, albeit is very scary, is part of the travel experience when I fly. This tattoo makes me feel less anxious and more elated with the fact that I’m traveling, that ultimately the anxious feeling will pass.''
- Does this tattoo really says ''go''?
''This tattoo of the word “GO” (yes, it really does say “go”) has a cool little twist to it. For the “O”, it has a Ferris wheel. But it isn’t just any Ferris wheel, it’s the London Eye! It doesn’t look like it but to make it into such a tiny design you have to sacrifice some detail and scale. I got the idea from Pinterest. But on Pinterest, I saw the word “GO” with a globe on the end. However, I wanted to change it up a bit and make it my own. So, I thought the London Eye would be a perfect replacement! Not only was it a good replacement but also because I absolutely LOVE London! I studied abroad in London back in 2015 and I wanted to incorporate that city into this tattoo design. Not only that, the word “GO” has a special meaning to me. To me, this is a reminder and call to action to just go and travel! In my mind, no matter where life takes me, traveling will always be a part of me and I won’t let anything stop me from doing what I love. Basically, you have to get up and GO travel!''
- What represents the world atlas tattoo?
''This tattoo is of the world atlas with some geometric designs thrown in. Originally, I saw this design, yet again, on Pinterest. The design looked like a generic picture you’d find in a Target. When I saw it I fell in love with it immediately! Not only did it have the world atlas but it had these cool shapes with it, I found it to be quite stunning. In the end, I felt that this design represented my love for travel and my goal of traveling to all 7 continents! Plus, it serves as a constant reminder of how expansive and beautiful the whole globe is, and how my dream is to explore it all!''
Alina's Airplane Tattoo
Alina is another travel enthusiast running the travel blog World of Lina. The main focus of her blog is vegan travel, however, she also publishes helpful destination guides, travel stories, and posts about sustainable travel. Alina's love for travel you can find not only in her heart but also see on her hand.
- Alina, why you chose an airplane as your tattoo?
''The airplane on my arm was my first tattoo ever which I got in 2016. I chose this design simply because I’ve been addicted to travel since I was a child. Back then already, the biggest joy for me was to sit in an airplane on the way to explore unknown destinations & I always knew that one day, I want to have my personal, small airplane tattoo that always reminds me of the best feeling in the world!''
A Love for Aviation
Here comes one more person, who fell in love with a heart and airplane combination. Her name is Kelly and she is a blogger with a very colorful personality. She is obsessed with shoes and loves butterflies, she enjoys experimenting with make-up and owns a cute dog. One more thing that characterizes Kelly? Obsession with aviation! But more you can read on her blog The Kelly Diane Report.
- Kelly, you chose this tattoo because of your love for aviation?
''Yes, this tattoo on my arm is a nod to the love of traveling as well as aviation in general.''
Plane and heart combination
The next inked person on our list is Dani Jones, a travel and lifestyle blogger. She shares regularly her experiences of university, traveling, and life in general so that the readers knew they're not alone in whatever they're going through. You can find Dani on her blog World, Meet Dani.
- Dani, why you chose to combine heart and plane?
''I chose to get this tattoo because I absolutely adore traveling. I feel that traveling broadens the mind, and relaxes the soul. I chose a heart with a plane in it to represent my love of travel, and even though the tattoo didn’t turn out the best due to having a skin condition, I absolutely love it!''
Anchor Tattoo
Emma is a lifestyle blogger who mainly writes about beauty, style, food, and family travels in the UK. She is a mum of 3 children who write to remind herself and others, that she is not ''just'' a mum but also a woman! So alongside being a parent, on her blog, Even Angels Fall she focuses also on her love for beauty and style!
- Emma, what this anchor tattoo symbolizes for you?
''I have a small anchor tattoo on my ankle, with a heart on it that symbolizes my inner strength from traveling despite having generalized anxiety. Three years ago, coming back from Mexico, I had a panic attack in the air. I try not to let my mental health stop me from doing things.''
Waves and a Boat
But if you thought, that girls and games don't go together, then please meet Jupiter Hadley! For her day job, she works in games and attends a lot of events but in the free time, she and her partner write a lifestyle blog. Life with Jupiter and Dann covers a bunch of areas, from days out, to recipes to toy reviews! They just like sharing their lives and whatever catches their eyes.
- Jupiter, how did you chose your tattoo?
''I actually didn't choose my tattoo. I grew up in America, where I lived in a small town. When I turned 18, I wanted to break free from the small town so I left to come across the ocean to England. Nobody really thought I would be going, and I felt that I was re-making my life, cutting ties with people from my small town. A year later, when I went back, everyone was super excited to see me - and my high school best friend, Kelsey wanted to give me a gift to remember her. She actually took me to the one local tattoo parlor and we got tattoos. Mine is a boat, on the waves, and hers is a paper airplane in the same colors. She wanted to get something travel-related, as I was traveling away again.''
Snowflake Compass
The next inked person on this tattoo adventure is Karen (aka Kaz), a first-time mum to her beautiful daughter, Lily. They both love going on adventures and exploring places near and far. Kaz and Lily love staying in remote cabins and visiting places like theme parks, beaches, and local museums all over England. To their journey you can follow on Kaz's blog The 3am Diary.
- Karen, which story is behind your snowflake compass tattoo?
''This is my favorite tattoo and I call it 'Chasing Winter'. It is a snowflake compass, basically, a snowflake with NSEW on it, as I spent about 12 years just "chasing winter", living in Canada, New Zealand, and France, and traveling across Europe and Japan, looking for the mountains with my snowboard! I can't do this now, so I have a ''real'' job, mortgage, child, etc, but I do try to take her to the mountains when I can as it is always my happy place.''
Frangipani Flower
Yes, also a flower can be travel – related tattoo! Sarah, who is having this tattoo, is an established content creator trying to make her way in life. On her blog Sunshine Sarah she writes about lifestyle, eco swaps, veganism, and Netflix recommendations. She creates content that's designed to make us feel better about things. In one sentence – Sarah is here to bring the sunshine!
- Sarah, which adventure associates you with this tattoo?
''I got this frangipani flower in Cairns, Australia in 2013. I was traveling around the east coast and had just spent 2 weeks with my sister. We'd returned from Airlie Beach visiting the Whitsundays & spent a few days in a hostel before she flew home. I was due to head up to Darwin to join a 3-week tour down to Perth. Before I left I had spent a lot of time getting to know the staff at the hostel, we'd become friends and I'd seen pics of other travelers getting tattoos of the same flower as it was kind of a symbol of the hostel I was staying in! I thought 'I want one of those, to be in a pic on the wall!' so I headed into town and spent about $200! Yes, it was expensive, I probably/definitely shouldn't have had it done, but it makes for a great story and now I have a wonderful and permanent reminder of my backpacking adventures in Australia!''
Polynesian Sea Turtle
Timi is a travel blogger that has made a Polynesian sea turtle on her foot from a very romantic trip. She shares her travel experience with others on her blog The Landloper. For Timi traveling means freedom. Every time she hit the road, she finds new opportunities to learn, to become more open, more confident, and more creative.
- Timi, where and why did you get your Polynesian sea turtle tattoo?
''I chose my tattoo when we were on our honeymoon on Kauai (Hawaii Islands) and I was looking for something that’s not my husband’s name but something that represents us and our marriage and life together. It’s a little Polynesian sea turtle that represents longevity, stability, good luck, endurance, and long life. I asked for ‘Aloha’ to be written under it. Aloha doesn’t only mean saying hello and goodbye but it’s an essence of being, meaning love, peace, compassion, and mutual respect. These are all goals in my life and marriage and I wanted to have that represented in a tattoo that I can wear forever.''
Three Birds
If you are interested in solo female travels, then don't hesitate to ask your questions to Raven. She runs a blog to inspire wanderlust and confidence in solo female travelers while they're on the road. Raven's dream is to turn the Solo Safety Map that she created on Google Maps, into an app just for women to rate places they've been on how safe they felt there. This app would be also a great possibility to connect and share location tips with others. But to learn more, check her blog SFT: Solo Female Travel.
- Raven, what inspired you to make exactly this tattoo?
''I ended up getting my ankle tattoo on a whim in Phuket when I was traveling with a girl I’d met just a week before we booked our flight! On an island tour, we made some new friends and coincidentally found out they owned a tattoo parlor downtown while we were passing through later that night. I decided to get these three birds to symbolize the freedom I feel when I fly to new places around the world. I also thought it was a nice tribute to my name (Raven) and I couldn’t be more thrilled that it was done by a friend I met while traveling. Fate really has a way of guiding us through our adventures.''
Wings on a Back
Rethabile Mabula is an IT professional that simply loves good food and affordable traveling. Restaurant reviews, cheap holiday destinations, things to do on a budget, and much more you can find on her blog My Food and Travel Blog.
- Rethabile, tell me please, what does makes these wings special?
''I got the same wings on my back, just like the winged Nike (Winged Victory of Samothrace). For me, this statue represents victory in a female figure and the wings are what stood out. That's a symbol of power and majestic.''
Chloe and her love to travel-related tattoos
She says, that she is just a girl, but I see a strong woman concerning the world! Chloe Dickensons is a nomadic traveler and freelance writer who has already visited 24 countries and owns a blog I'm Just A Girl. It is an affordable luxury travel blog where she shares extensive travel guides, food, and hotel reviews and recommendations as well as advice and tips on how to save money and travel on a budget.
- Chloe, you have 3 travel-related tattoos. What do they mean to you?
''Yes, I have several travel-related tattoos - an airplane on my wrist, a silver fern leaf on my forearm, and a map tattoo on my back. The airplane and map are general travel tattoos to signify my love and obsession with travel. Silver fern tattoo I got when I was in New Zealand as I lived there as a teenager and then revisited in 2019 at the start of my trip around the world. It's my favorite country in the world so I wanted something to commemorate how much I love it.''
Tattoo in a Bunker
The last tattoo story comes from Will and Katy, two light-hearted travelers and fun lovers. They are documenting their adventures in videos as a motivation to go after their goals. If you are tired enough from reading, turn on their channel WITY Travels and enjoy their adventures!
But why Katy got her tattoo in some strange bunker?
Where it happened and how? See their video below!
BUT THAT'S ALL FROM ME FOR TODAY!
STAY SAFE AND SHARE THIS WONDERFUL POST WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY,
ESPECIALLY, IF THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOME TRAVEL TATTOO IDEAS! ♥