Bill Bryson's Down Under tops the list of best-selling travel narrative books

IT was first published 13 years ago but Aussies still can't get enough of the nation's best-selling travel story. See what else makes the list.

BILL Bryson's Down Under is still flying off book shelves, 13 years after it was first published.

The American travel writer's dry look at life in Australia is Dymocks' highest selling travel narrative for 2013, to date.

Taking second place on Dymocks' top 10 travel narrative list is Australian Sarah Turnbull's Almost French, first published in 2002.

In third place is none other than Paul Theroux, with The Last Train to Zona Verde (2013), for which the American author returned to Africa.

Four French-themed non-fiction books fill out the remainder of the list, revealing Australia's fascination with the nation.

When it comes to sales across all travel books (guides and narratives), Lonely Planet publications fill all of the top 10 spots.

Dymocks' bestselling travel book for 2013 has so far been Lonely Planet's Europe on a Shoestring. The second-most popular is the publisher's Vietnam guide, followed by its USA edition.

"While Australians have always loved to travel, the recent strong dollar has increased the accessibility for us to travel abroad and Dymocks' guide book sales - particularly for New York, Vietnam and Paris - have certainly reflected these travel trends,'' says Dymocks national buying manager Sophie Higgins.

"The travel category is the best performing category within Dymocks and has grown continuously over the last three years.''

DYMOCKS TOP TEN BESTSELLING TRAVEL NARRATIVES THIS YEAR

1. Down Under by Bill Bryson

2. Almost French by Sarah Turnbull

3. The Last Train to Zona Verde by Paul Theroux

4. Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams

5. Wild by Cheryl Strayed

6. Paris by Edward Rutherfurd

7. On The Trail of Genghis Khan by Tim Cope

8. Lessons from Madame Chic by Jennifer L Scott

9. Better Than Fiction by Lonely Planet

10. Paris in Love by Eloisa James