Photography can turn travel beyond a checklist of destinations. A single image can capture the feeling of a busy street, the stillness of a sacred place, the rhythm of daily work, or the striking beauty of a landscape that looks eerily like a painting.
After previously featuring the Wildlife And Animals category from the 2025 Chromatic Awards, we’re now taking a look at the winning and honorable mention photos from the Travel category. And this selection shows just how much variety the genre can hold. It’s not only about scenic views or recognizable landmarks, but also about the people, traditions, colors, and fleeting situations that photographers encounter while exploring different parts of the world.
Scroll down to see the selection of photos, and don’t forget to upvote those that made you want to pack a bag and see the world for yourself.
#21 “Spiritual Liberation” By Thibault Gerbaldi
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Location: Ganges River, India
Description: “Sadhus embody spiritual renunciation amid the city's vibrant chaos. Draped in saffron robes, they meditate and perform rituals by the Ganges, navigating narrow alleys, bustling ghats, and cremation grounds. In this sacred city, where life and death intertwine, their presence reflects a timeless quest for transcendence.
Varanasi, one of Hinduism's holiest cities, holds unparalleled significance as a gateway to moksha, or liberation from the cycle of rebirth. The Ganges, considered a lifeline of spirituality, cleanses sins and connects devotees to the divine.”
Varanasi, one of Hinduism's holiest cities, holds unparalleled significance as a gateway to moksha, or liberation from the cycle of rebirth. The Ganges, considered a lifeline of spirituality, cleanses sins and connects devotees to the divine.”
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8points
#22 “Frozen Breath Of Dawn” By Grant Park
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Professional Division
Description: “This photograph captures the breathtaking beauty of a frozen lake under extreme cold conditions, with a chilling wind making the temperature feel like -36°C. The delicate patterns of trapped air bubbles in the ice contrast with the vast, snow-covered mountain glowing warmly at sunset. A lone figure crouches, emphasizing both human resilience and the grandeur of nature's frozen stillness.”
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8points
#23 “The Three Pagodas Of Chongsheng Temple In Dali” By Qiguang Wei
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Location: Chongsheng Temple, Dali, Yunnan Province, China
Description: “The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple in Dali consist of one large pagoda and two smaller ones. The large pagoda, named Qianxun Pagoda, was first built during the Qianfengyou period of the Nanzhao Kingdom. It is a 16-story square, dense-eaved, hollow brick pagoda with a Tang Dynasty architectural style, standing at a height of 69.13 meters. The two smaller pagodas, located to the north and south, feature conical outline profiles and embody Song Dynasty architectural aesthetics. They were constructed during the reigns of Duan Zhengyan and Duan Zhengxing of the Dali Kingdom. The two smaller pagodas, spaced 97 meters apart, each rise to a height of 42.19 meters and are a pair of 10-story octagonal, dense-eaved brick pagodas. The three pagodas stand in a triangular formation, with Qianxun Pagoda at the center and the two smaller pagodas flanking it to the north and south.”
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7points
#24 “Sunrise In Mongolia” By Ok Chan
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Location: Mongolia
Description: “The sunrise in Mongolia, near the Gobi Desert.”
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7points
#25 “Sing-Song” By Kristyn Taylor
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Location: Papua New Guinea
Description: “Tribal women from the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, sing and dance with incredible exuberance.”
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7points
#26 “Primary Colors Of Senegal” By Sam Morgan
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Professional Division
Location: Senegal
Description: “In a dusty roadside village in Senegal, a man walks past a red-clothed doorway carrying groceries wrapped in blue and yellow plastic. Behind him, daily life unfolds - stalls, stories, and quiet exchanges. I could spot this opportunity from a mile away, this photo was taken as we drove past this market at roughly 80kmh. This image is about movement and stillness, presence and place.”
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7points
#27 “Morning At The Floating Market” By Emily M. Wilson
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Professional Division
Location: Dal Lake, Kashmir
Description: “Boats at a floating vegetable market at Dal Lake in Jammu and Kashmir.”
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7points
#28 “Viking Monument” By Petr Polách
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Location: Reykjavik, Iceland
Description: “Viking monument in the early evening, Reykjavik, Iceland.”
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6points
#29 “Tracks In The Dunes” By Ok Chan
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Location: Gobi Desert, China
Description: “Footprints weave across the Gobi sands, marking a quiet passage through a landscape that feels endless and weightless.
As the wind reshapes the dunes, these fleeting traces speak to the transience of human movement within an ever-changing desert.”
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6points
#30 “The Pool” By Michel Mirabail
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Location: France
Description: “A game of colors and shapes near a pool in France.”
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6points
#31 “The Girl From Ipanema” By Barry Crosthwaite
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Description: “The Girl from Ipanema” was written in 1962, inspired by a young woman who strolled past a beachfront bar in Rio, embodying Brazil’s sun-kissed spirit. The song captures the bittersweet feeling of watching someone enchanting yet untouchable, evoking fleeting moments and unspoken dreams. Released internationally in 1964, it became a global hit and won a Grammy, cementing its place as one of the most iconic songs of all time.”
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6points
#32 “Jökulsárlón” By Joe Voigts
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Location: Jökulsárlón, Iceland
Description: “Glacier, iceberg, lagoon, and traveler at Jökulsárlón come together like a rare alignment of planets to form an otherworldly Icelandic vista.”
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6points
#33 “Daily Train Commute” By Jose Almodovar Muñoz
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Professional Division
Location: Bangladesh
Description: “He travels alone and barefoot, at the head of the speeding train, seemingly unconcerned about his life. The others enjoy the train ride through Bangladesh.”
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6points
#34 “Daich Tofu” By Aeron Guy Leroux
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Professional Division
Location: Taiwan
Description: “We make a stop at Daich Tofu restaurant/factory. On a cold and rainy day, a young man works diligently in a warm room filled with steam and the mild odor of bean curd. Photo by Aaron Guy Leroux, Taiwan, February 2025.”
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6points
#35 “Dora Dora” By Regula Tschumi
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Location: Ghana
Description: “When I passed two young women chatting in front of a house with an interesting blue wall, I stopped and asked if I could take a photo of them. They were both very shy, but eventually one agreed, while the other hid in the doorway, but was peeking out curiously when I made this photo.”
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5points
#36 “On The Go With Her Task” By Thomas Bernhardt
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Professional Division
Location: Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
Description: “As I walked through the harbor district of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.
I had realized the beautifull view on this factory hall, some sort of port warehouse in harbor district.
Staying there and perceiving the surroundings, looking upon the building,
the same Moment Ms Parris Guibert came to the fork in the road
A small surprise because not many passers-by were to be seen in this area.
I asked her for a picture in front of the building.
A little money in hand, the bag over the shoulder..
The dynamics as they entered my perception remained in the portrait.”
I had realized the beautifull view on this factory hall, some sort of port warehouse in harbor district.
Staying there and perceiving the surroundings, looking upon the building,
the same Moment Ms Parris Guibert came to the fork in the road
A small surprise because not many passers-by were to be seen in this area.
I asked her for a picture in front of the building.
A little money in hand, the bag over the shoulder..
The dynamics as they entered my perception remained in the portrait.”
Report
5points
#37 “Quiet Return” By Chia-Chieh Yang
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Location: Luang Prabang, Laos
Description: “In the afternoon light of Luang Prabang, young monks return quietly to their monastery after their daily routines outside.
One adjusts his robe while walking into the shade of the temple walls, as another disappears into his room.
The stillness of the moment reveals the quiet rhythm of monastic life — humble, measured, and serene.”
One adjusts his robe while walking into the shade of the temple walls, as another disappears into his room.
The stillness of the moment reveals the quiet rhythm of monastic life — humble, measured, and serene.”
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4points
#38 “Reflective” By Margo Ryan
Honorable Mention in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Location: Madagascar
Description: “On an overcast morning in Madagascar a women stands near the dark waters edge a baby strapped to her back in a reflective mood waiting to sell her produce, bananas and charcoal sacks from her pirogue.”
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4points
#39 “Fetching Water” By Regula Tschumi
3rd Place Winner in the Travel Category, Amateur Division
Location: Ghana
Description: “The photo shows children in a village in Ghana who are fetching water at the river bank of the Volta.”
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4points