Travel Resources
Planning for an adventure can be overwhelming and just downright confusing if you don’t have the right tools at your disposal. After two years on the road and testing countless companies, apps, and web pages; I’ve have narrowed down a list of my favorite travel resources that I use on a regular basis.
Trip Planning
Listed below are the top three travel resources that I use to plan out my adventures and the locations I will visit on my trips.
The Wikipedia of travel. This is where you can find anything about when, where, why or how. It is all free to use and kept up by the people who use it. For booking flights, hotels or transportation I would use a booking site as the information may be slightly out of date in those regards.
If you’ve ever planned a trip then you probably already know about Trip Advisor. Just pick a country, city, or suburb in the world and type into your search engine “top things to do” followed by your selected destination and I guarantee they will dominate the first page of your search result.
These guys are a great resource for planning. Their guides include great tidbits that you can’t find on the internet. They offer paperback, PDF, e-readers even individual chapters. I often prefer the e-readers because you can have multiple guides right at your fingertips without the weight.
Finding Cheap Flights
The search engines that I use to find some of the best flight deals around. Check out how to find cheap flights for an in-depth guide to flying cheap.
This travel resource allows you to utilize the top search engine in the world Google; specifically for airfare. It brings flights from all corners of the web together ranging from the dirt cheap to first class seats. I have saved an ungodly amount of money by using this awesome resource.
Maybe you don’t have a certain place in mind but just want to see what a ticket would cost to get you there. This is the travel resource for that. If you enter “everywhere” into the destination field, it will show you all destinations from the cheapest to most expensive airfare.
Another great flight search engine that gives you more control over your search experience. They have an awesome Trip Finder feature that allows you set your max budget, and gives you a wide selection of categories to narrow in on how exactly you like to travel.
Accommodations
There’s nothing worse than showing up to a new town late at night and not knowing where you’re going to sleep. The travel resources listed below are the some of the best for finding accommodations.
Maybe the most widely used travel resource for budget backpackers. This is the best place to find a hostel, B&B or budget hotel. They have very accurate ratings and great images to help you get a feel for the place. Their app is also extremely easy to use and shows you room prices in a variety of currencies.
If hostels aren’t really your speed and you prefer spending a few extra dollars for added comfort, then Booking.com is the site for you. They offer anything from the budget hostel to a 5-star all-inclusive resort. Their website; as well as their app; is very straightforward and packed full of features.
This is one of those travel resources that is weird at first but once you do it a couple of times is very rewarding. It costs you nothing, however, you will probably want to give the host a small gift, be it a cooked meal or small trinket as a sign of gratitude for opening their home to a random stranger.
A network of homeowners from around the world that will let you stay at their home while they are away on work or vacation. It can be anywhere from a few days to a few months. Doing chores and watching pets is almost always part of the gig, but having a free place to stay makes it a worthwhile venture.
Miscellaneous
A collection of travel resources that don’t necessarily fit into a category but that are just as important for traveling smarter.
The leading travel health insurance for backpackers and endorsed by Lonely Planet. They offer worldwide flexible insurance while outside your home location and are one of the only travel insurers that let you renew online from anywhere in the world.
If you aren’t sure if you need to apply for a visa before your trip or are able to obtain one at the border crossing; this travel resource is the best way to find out. They make it easy to search for entry requirements such as a visa or required vaccinations. They also offer a mail-in passport renewal service.
This travel resource is perfect for the budget traveler who wants to get more involved in the local community. You will usually be working as a volunteer for a number of months really getting to know the local area. In many of the hostels you visit; the workers are most likely there because of Workaway.
This handy travel app allows you to track every penny that comes out of your pocket. It’s packed full of features and allows you to plan your budget for each trip. It comes preset with a range of categories and even lets you create your own. Tracking your spending has never been so easy.
My favorite travel resource app that I use pretty much every waking moment. It is an offline map that lets you store locations, reviews and even hiking trails all while pinpointing your location via GPS. Check out my favorite map apps for a list of both online and offline maps.
Begin Your Adventure
Now that you have some of the best travel resources at your disposal; get planning, and begin your own adventure. Be sure to swing by the travel blog for some fun travel ideas as well as my backpacking checklist where I list all of the gear that keeps me on the road and ready for any adventure.
*Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and purchase an item; I receive a small ‘affiliate commission’ at NO COST to you. I only recommend products or services that I use personally, and ones that will have a positive impact on my readers.