Are you a man consumed by wanderlust? you know, the strong irresistible desire to travel and explore every inch of the world.
If adventure is in your heart, you’ll want to explore these travel tattoo ideas.
Just consider first the words of the great French novelist Marcel Proust, “The true voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
As you look at these masculine designs, you will not only find exceptional talent, but also many meanings that pique your curiosity. From airplane tattoos to passport and postcard stamps, each tattoo design showcases a different journey filled with its own unique experiences.
Of course, you can also be an airline pilot and just love your job. Whatever the case may be, I’m sure you’ll appreciate some cool and manly travel-themed tattoo styles below.
travel tattoo ideas
This lower arm tattoo features an open compass resting on a world map. Compasses have long been used to find direction and, with the help of a map, to plot a course of travel, particularly in the days before the Global Positioning System and Google Maps. That said, the compass and map combination is certainly a strong and classic way to show your love of travel in ink.
This is quite an interesting and complex travel ink. it incorporates multiple elements, including a skull, a compass, a globe, some red color applied in a rather abstract way, and perhaps most importantly, the words “we’re only home when we’re running.” it stands to reason that this tattoo likely represents various things that are not necessarily apparent from just a glance.
It seems evident, however, that the owner of this multifaceted work of art has a great love of travel, as evidenced by the words and images that appear in the work. Take the compass, for example, which is often akin to finding your way, either literally or metaphorically. the same goes for the world which presents strong evidence of international travel.
This piece is a strong black and gray shading work featuring two suitcases, often thought to represent the act of going on a journey, one stacked on top of the other, with a globe mounted on top. Warmly wrapped around the globe is a sign that reads “adventure is out there” in a subtle but vintage-inspired font. Accenting the piece are two flowers. All of this together conveys a simpler, old-school look that certainly brings upcoming trips to mind.
Here is an example of a much more elaborate tattoo that contains multiple symbols of travel and adventure. Africa is the heart of this great rear piece. perhaps the subject is from this continent or travels there frequently, or perhaps it simply has great meaning for him.
Circling the continent are several portrait photos and what appear to be several maps. these could be pieces of photographic memorabilia taken along a journey, such as portraits of people the traveler wished to remember in particular. it’s also hard to ignore the two large angels at the top of each side of the piece, seemingly holding it all up.
This simple globe tattoo with a plane flying around it suggests a journey around the world. It’s simplistic and straight to the point. while it may not have the style of some of the larger, more complex tattoos, it certainly has a significantly minimalist appeal of its own.
These complementary travel tattoos span the client’s legs in a rather unique way. one features the simple outlines of the continents on one leg and the other shows a large plane with dark shadow. together they suggest traveling the world in a minimalist yet creative way.
This is a beautifully colored full sleeve travel tattoo design that contains a multitude of elements. Perhaps two of the most notable aspects of this piece are the large passenger plane at the top and the large red and gold object that appears to be attached to it that appears to be a key.
perhaps a message being conveyed here is that “travel is the key” or that travel holds the key to something. the piece could have a multitude of meanings. Regardless, it’s quite an attractive tattoo.
Here’s another version of the airplane and globe tattoo. this time, however, it is accompanied by flowers, a prominent display of the word “wanderlust,” and a rope and anchor element. this tattoo very much resembles the lifestyle of a traveler. it also shows fantastic and exuberant coloring, particularly the blue shading that outlines much of the piece.
This tattoo is particularly nice to look at as it displays various symbols of travel and adventure while utilizing various aesthetically interesting components. some of the symbols of travel and adventure include the silhouette of a person with a backpack walking on a trail and a “beware of kangaroos” sign.
These things give the work a travel-focused, possibly even wandering, feel. some of the aesthetically appealing components include the red and green color of the flowers, nicely touched up by a bit of yellow, and the background that features an interesting landscape with a sunset.
This tattoo is a fairly simple image of a suitcase. Since suitcases are often associated with travel, it is fair to assume that this is a travel and adventure tattoo. this is further accentuated by a nice beach scene at sunset (a common travel destination) that covers the front of the suitcase.
What better way to represent international travel than to display a passport stamp? this upper arm is covered with various passport stamps, indicating that the traveler has been to many countries.
Since the compass is a prominent symbol of travel, adventure, and travel in general, this compass tattoo is suitable for any avid traveler. With point lines throughout, particularly at the finer points of the compass face, this piece is dynamic and strong.
This is a phenomenal piece of art. there is a strong sense of adventure in this piece as it not only features a compass but also a pen and ink as well as a map. Perhaps most notably, this piece includes an incredible and highly detailed locomotive that appears to be emerging from the subject’s upper arm. it is a wonderful work of art and all its elements together form a fantastic representation of a great life of travel.
The idea behind this piece is simple and the ink that brings it to life isn’t overly complex either. this palm tree and the sunset in the background can be bold representations of a traveler’s lifestyle or dreams, as many people love to go to the coast whenever they get the chance. while the background may not be the most intricate scene, the orange and blue shading is certainly nice to look at.
This travel tattoo sleeve could be ideal for couples as it appears to have been placed here. displays multiple postcard-like images, such as a beach scene and an image of a volcano. flowers are also used, perhaps to add more attractive content to these abundantly colorful covers.
Simple and straight to the point, this little black plane sits casually yet effectively on the arm. it is a minimalist but constant reminder of the love for the expedition, for the exciting life of a traveler.
This piece has a cartoonish style and shows that someone has set up camp by a river, overlooking the mountains. there’s a campfire, an axe, and a backpack that’s sure to be filled with even more traveler tools. camping is a common activity among travelers. Whether backpacking, canoeing, or any other type of traveler, many adventurers can relate to the camping life every night.
This tattoo covers a large portion of the subject’s mid-arm with a black and gray representation of the seven continents and a large compass. but the groups of continents are not arranged in a traditional layout as a standard globe would show them. it is also true that behind these continents there is no field drawing, globe or map of any kind.
This cover consists of several different travel-related segments, including a compilation of photos, postcards, and various other documents from famous travel destinations. Some of these places include the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, and the Great Pyramids in Egypt. another great segment of this sleeve shows multiple sets of coordinates to symbolize different places.
here is a perfect tattoo for a frequent road traveler. Made in a rustic and bold style, this piece consists of a great symbol of adventure and search for the path, which of course is the compass placed on the upper arm. below is a simple path that leads to some blue and white hued mountains through a flat region.
This piece would be ideal for any road warrior, whether they’re a serious, lifestyle, cross-country traveler or just a casual commuter who sticks to one or two special places.
Here is another tattoo of a plane flying over a world map. but instead of the usual realistic airplane, this piece shows a paper airplane. this choice of aircraft could be a nod to the dreams of travel and adventure they have had since childhood.
This tattoo is simple as it only contains a stamp depicting a row of apartment buildings. this is a relatively minimalist piece by nature of its size, shape and simple image. however, it’s still quite interesting and definitely a reminder of travel, as stamps are great ways to symbolize long-distance communication or a memento of a long journey.
While this is another image of a map and compass, it is particularly striking for two reasons. The first is that this tattoo was done in a style that makes it look like the subject’s skin is peeling back to reveal the impressive ink underneath. the second is that it also contains more lines than one would find in other map tattoos and these lines are very skillfully done.
