Do you love travelling, or do you just dream about it? Either way, you need to be ready to talk about it. Travel is one of the most common topics in IELTS Speaking Part 2, and the examiner may ask you to describe a trip, a journey or a place you have visited.
The good news is that travel stories are easy to remember and fun to tell. Below you will find eight travel cue cards with band 7+ sample answers, useful travel vocabulary, and typical Part 1 and Part 3 questions about travel and tourism.
You get a cue card and 1 minute to make notes. Then you speak for 1 to 2 minutes. Cover every point on the card, add a short example or story, and finish with the “explain” part.
Travel cue cards with sample answers
Describe a place you have visited that is special to you.
You should say:
- where the place is located
- what you did there
- how you felt when you were there
and explain why this place holds a special meaning for you.
Sample Answer:
One place that is very special to me is the Eiffel Tower in Paris. I visited it about four years ago with my best friend, on our first trip abroad without our parents.
We went up twice: once during the day and once after dark. In the daytime the view over the rooftops of Paris was stunning, and you could see landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe and the River Seine. But the evening was even more magical, because every hour the whole tower sparkles with thousands of lights for a few minutes.
I remember feeling a real sense of awe as I stood at the top. The place is special to me not only because of its beauty, but because that trip was the moment I realised how much I love exploring new places and cultures. Since then, I have tried to travel somewhere new every year.
Describe a memorable trip you took.
You should say:
- where you went
- who you went with
- what you did there
and explain why this trip was memorable.
Sample Answer:
The most memorable trip I have ever taken was a road trip along the coast of Croatia two summers ago. I went with three of my university friends, and we rented a small car in Split and drove south towards Dubrovnik.
We did not have a strict plan, which was part of the fun. We stopped in little fishing villages, swam in the crystal-clear sea and ate fresh seafood almost every evening. One day we took a ferry to an island and spent the whole afternoon exploring hidden beaches.
What made the trip so memorable was the sense of freedom. We were on a tight budget, so we stayed in cheap guesthouses, but that did not matter at all. It was the last summer before we all started working, and those two weeks brought us much closer together.
Describe a place to visit that you believe everyone should see.
You should say:
- where the place is
- what you can do there
- what the highlight of your visit was
and explain why you would recommend it to others.
Sample Answer:
If I had to recommend one place to everyone, it would be the Grand Canyon in Arizona, in the United States. I visited it a few years ago, and it is honestly one of the most breathtaking sights I have ever seen.
Most visitors go to the South Rim, where you can walk along the edge of the canyon and stop at different viewpoints. If you are feeling adventurous, you can hike a little way down into the canyon, although it gets extremely hot in summer, so you need plenty of water.
The highlight of my visit was watching the sunset. As the sun went down, the rocks changed colour from orange to deep red and purple. I would recommend it to anyone, because photos simply cannot show how vast it is. Standing there makes you realise how small we are compared to nature.
Describe a trip that you took with your family.
You should say:
- who you travelled with
- where you went
- what you did together
and explain what you learnt from this experience.
Sample Answer:
Last summer I went on a week-long trip to Yellowstone National Park with my parents, my sister and her two children. It was the first time in years that the whole family had travelled together.
We stayed in a cabin near the park and spent our days hiking, spotting wildlife and visiting the famous geysers. The kids’ favourite moment was watching Old Faithful erupt, which happens roughly every hour and a half, and we also saw bison walking right next to the road.
I learnt a lot from that trip. Planning activities for people from three generations was not always easy, so we had to compromise and work together as a team. It also reminded me how important it is to spend quality time with family away from phones and work. We still talk about that holiday whenever we get together.
Describe a journey that did not go as planned.
You should say:
- where you were going
- what went wrong
- what you did about it
and explain how you felt about the journey.
Sample Answer:
A couple of years ago I was flying from London to Lisbon for a friend’s wedding, and almost everything that could go wrong did go wrong.
First, my flight was delayed by three hours because of a storm. Then, when I finally arrived, I discovered that my suitcase, with my suit inside, had been sent to a different airport. The wedding was the next morning, so I had to act quickly. I reported the lost luggage at the airport and then spent the evening rushing around Lisbon looking for something to wear.
At the time I felt stressed and frustrated, but looking back, it was actually quite funny. I found a nice suit in a small shop, made it to the wedding on time, and my suitcase arrived two days later. The experience taught me to always pack the essentials in my hand luggage.
Describe a long journey you made.
You should say:
- where you went
- how you travelled
- who you were with
and explain how you felt during the journey.
Sample Answer:
The longest journey I have ever made was a train trip from Amsterdam to Vienna with my cousin, three summers ago. It took about seventeen hours, because we had to change trains twice, in Cologne and in Munich.
We chose the train partly to save money and partly because we wanted to see the countryside instead of just flying over it. We took a lot of snacks, two card games and a power bank each, and on the second train we had a small sleeping compartment that we shared with an older German woman who taught us a few words of German.
My feelings changed a lot during the trip. At first I was excited, then around midnight I felt tired and a bit bored, and by the morning I was surprisingly happy again, watching the sun come up over fields and small villages. When we finally arrived, I felt we had really travelled, not just arrived somewhere, which is a feeling I never get on a plane.
Describe a place you would like to visit in the future.
You should say:
- where it is
- what you know about it
- who you would like to go with
and explain why you would like to go there.
Sample Answer:
A place I would really like to visit one day is Japan, especially Kyoto. I have wanted to go there since I was a teenager, when I started watching Japanese films with my older brother.
From what I have read, Kyoto is full of old wooden temples and gardens, and in spring the whole city turns pink with cherry blossom. I also know that it is very clean and safe, that the trains are always on time, and that the food is amazing, from street snacks to very formal meals.
I would like to go with my brother, because he is the one who got me interested in Japan in the first place. I want to go mainly because it seems so different from my own country. Everything, from the way people greet each other to the way they eat, would be new to me, and I think a trip like that would teach me a lot.
Describe a time when you got lost.
You should say:
- where you were
- how you got lost
- what you did
and explain how you felt about the experience.
Sample Answer:
I got completely lost a few years ago in the old town of Lisbon, on my first evening there. I had left my hotel to find a restaurant a friend had recommended, and I decided not to use my phone because I wanted to explore.
The old part of Lisbon is a maze of narrow, steep streets that all look the same, and after about twenty minutes of going up and down hills, I had no idea where I was. To make it worse, my phone battery was almost dead. In the end I went into a small bakery and asked the owner, who did not speak much English, but he drew me a little map on a paper bag.
I felt a bit nervous at first, especially when it started getting dark, but looking back it was one of the best parts of the trip. I found the restaurant, I still have the paper-bag map, and I learned to always charge my phone before going out in a new city.
Useful travel vocabulary for IELTS
Try to replace basic words like “trip” and “nice” with more precise vocabulary:
| Topic | Words and phrases |
|---|---|
| Types of travel | a road trip, a city break, a package holiday, backpacking, a day trip, a weekend getaway |
| Places | a tourist attraction, a landmark, off the beaten track, a hidden gem, a breathtaking view, a seaside resort |
| Planning | to book in advance, an itinerary, on a tight budget, accommodation, to travel light, a stopover |
| Problems | a delayed flight, lost luggage, to miss a connection, jet lag, overcrowded, a tourist trap |
| Useful phrases | to broaden your horizons, to get away from it all, to soak up the atmosphere, a once-in-a-lifetime experience |
IELTS Speaking Part 1: travel questions
Part 1 questions are short and personal. Give a direct answer and add one reason or example.
1Do you enjoy travelling?
Yes, very much. I love seeing new places and trying local food, and travelling helps me switch off from work. I try to take at least one trip abroad every year.
2Where did you go on your last holiday?
Last summer I went to the south of Spain with two friends. We spent a week in Seville and Granada, and the highlight was the Alhambra palace.
3Do you prefer travelling alone or with others?
I prefer travelling with a friend or two. It is more fun to share the experience, and it is also safer and cheaper, because you can split the cost of accommodation.
4How do you usually travel: by plane, train or car?
For long distances I fly, but whenever possible I take the train. It is more comfortable, better for the environment and you can enjoy the scenery on the way.
IELTS Speaking Part 3: travel and tourism questions
New to Part 3? See how to give band 7+ answers in Speaking Part 3, with simple and stronger answers compared.
In Part 3 the examiner asks about travel and tourism in general. Give longer answers with reasons, examples and both sides of the argument.
1Why do people like to travel?
There are many reasons. Some people travel to relax and escape their daily routine, while others want to learn about different cultures, languages and food. Travelling also broadens your horizons, because it shows you that there are many different ways to live.
2What are the advantages and disadvantages of tourism for a country?
The main advantage is economic: tourism creates jobs and brings money into local businesses such as hotels and restaurants. On the other hand, mass tourism can damage the environment, push up housing prices and make popular cities overcrowded, which is frustrating for local people.
3How will travel change in the future?
I think people will become more aware of the environmental impact of flying, so trains may become more popular for shorter distances. Technology will also play a bigger role, for example in planning trips and translating languages instantly.
Practise on your own
Choose one of the cue cards above, set a timer for 1 minute to make notes, and then record yourself speaking for 2 minutes. Listen back and check whether you covered every point and used some of the vocabulary from this page. For more topics, see IELTS Speaking Part 2 topics and cue cards with answers.