Having go-to travel resources you can always rely on is always helpful when you travel a lot. Even if you don’t plan too heavily when mapping out your next adventure, there’s still all manner of research and preparation that has to be done before and during any trip.
Finding the Best Platforms and Websites for Trip Planning
Scrolling through travel resources, top tips lists and relevant booking websites can essentially be the boring element of travel, but you never know what useful information and money-saving tips you might stumble upon.
Whether it’s securing the best flight deals, planning train and bus journeys or looking into tours that cover more the trickier to travel destinations (or where you cannot travel to independently), these travel resources are my regular go-to information hubs for planning and booking everything that’s needed for great exploration.
Disclaimer
This post contains affiliate links to handpicked partners, including tours, gear and booking sites. If you click through or buy something via one of them, I may receive a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you and allows this site to keep running.
Small Adventure Group Tours
Sometimes, you don’t want to travel alone. While I’m rarely on group trips unless it’s necessary, tours are a great option should you be travelling to a destination that is tricky to navigate or a destination that doesn’t allow independent travel for particular nationalities. Or, if you are simply looking for others to enjoy the experience with. But which tour do you choose? These are the three adventure trip companies I have travelled with.
G Adventures – Tours with Positive Social Impact
I’ve travelled with G Adventures since 2004, when I first visited Asia. I typically use them only for big treks and destinations where tours are mandatory or necessary, as many of the general trips are aimed at a younger audience. They operate with a community ethos, using local guides and prioritising socially responsible travel practices, such as animal, indigenous, and child welfare. The non-profit charity, Planeterra, funds community projects. You can find trip reviews in the following articles on destinations where I took their tours:
- Peru – Responsible travel in Peru and on the Inca Trail
- Kilimanjaro – Lesmosho route and Serengeti safari
- Tibet – Overland from Nepal
- Ecuador Amazon – Local Living in the Amazon Rainforest
- Colombia – Lost City Trek and Caribbean Coast
- Everest Base Camp – EBC Trek and Kathmandu
- Egypt – Egypt Upgraded trip
Intrepid
Intrepid is a B Corp-rated small group adventure and social impact company. My first trip with them was to Northern Thailand, which included a multi-day trek in the hill tribe region. Intrepid is highly transparent regarding its environmental and social policies, and a pioneer in wildlife ethics, being the first to ban elephant rides on its tours, while its annual Not Hot list spotlights lesser-known destinations deserving of footfall. The Intrepid Foundation is its non-profit arm, matching traveller donations and supporting community projects.
Dragoman – For Overlanding Adventures
Dragoman is one of the leading overland travel experts, and I travelled around Mongolia for three weeks with them, and China for another two. Their huge trucks are like transformers, opening out into lots of compartments that house tables, chairs, tents, and other storage – like a mobile home for the more adventurous. I highly recommend them for exploring more desolate and vast landscapes that would be extremely hard to traverse solo. They also run trips that span over 50 days.
Travel Resources for Planning a Travel Trip
From visas to sightseeing highlights, airline rules and pre-booking, here’s my top pick of online travel planning tools.
Project Visa
The one essential element of pre-planning before arrival in any destination is to know whether you need to have a visa beforehand or whether you can get one on arrival. Project Visa is one of my top three go-to travel resources when planning my next trip – it lists the visa requirements of all countries, and also outlines where embassies for that particular country are all over the world, should you need to apply before arrival.
Wikitravel
Fast becoming the new go-to travel resource over the trusty guidebooks, Wikitravel lists everything from must-see sites to decent accommodation, concisely and knowledgeably.
Trip Advisor
Everyone knows about Trip Advisor, and even though it was once known only as space for those wanting to vent their negative experiences, some elements of it, with a little digging, can be a comprehensive travel resource, ranking properties and attractions and hosting useful forums for discussion.
Overseas Attractions
Overseas Attractions is a quick fix guide and booking service for local attractions in all regions of the world – a great resource should you be short on time for elaborate online searches or without a guidebook.
Sourcing the Best Travel Guides
Lonely Planet
I’ve always been a Lonely Planet guidebook user; I’m a fan of the quick reference method during travel or to show a local when I need some direction. I’m a Lonely Planet guidebook author for Austria and the Czech Republic, so I know how much research and dedication goes into it. I’ve tried using PDFs but much prefer the print, especially since I often use it to call ahead for accommodation, address and language translations. It’s always worth looking out for sales on the online shop.
Travel Resources for Booking Hostels and Hotels
Hostels, guesthouses, boutique apartments, and hotels — the choice is endless, but here’s where I start my accommodation search.
Booking.com
I use Booking.com to search for deals on hotels, local guesthouses and hotels in areas where hostels and other budget accommodations may not be as widespread. You can also browse accommodations according to preferences, such as those near the main monuments and attractions, the beach or shopping districts, which I think is a nifty addition.
HostelWorld
HostelWorld has always been my quick-fix travel resource for hostel bookings. However, I still cross-reference properties on other platforms such as Booking and Agoda – room allocation varies, and what you may find is booked up on one may not be on the other.
YHA Hostels
For a long time, YHA Hostels carried the ‘traditional youth hostel’ reputation while most others market an independent niche, theme, or modern style. However, with a £25 million investment, the face of YHA hostels across England and Wales changed with creative makeovers to its range of buildings, castles, mansions, and campsites. Staying at the YHA London St Pancras, I got a private room right in the heart of London before an early flight – a cheaper and more sociable option than an airport hotel. Lounge spaces are plentiful, and the food options are within a budget range. The bedrooms are still rocking that ‘school trip’ hostel look, and I hope that changes in time, but as a hostel chain emerging from a years-old, bland reputation, I still recommend them.
Budget Hotel Brands with Style
Budget hotels don’t have to be bland, and there’s a rise in budget-boutique offerings on the market. It pays to shop around for deals when you book directly. For example, Point A Hotels (currently in the UK and Ireland) offers a 10% discount on every booking to members (quick and easy to register), on top of seasonal sales, as does the Z Hotels group.
Also, consider the stylish budget brands of high-end hotels. Moxy is Marriott’s affordable offspring, and Spark by Hilton is the global brand’s latest budget offering.
Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is a great travel resource for meeting people in new cities, since events and meetups are regularly listed, alongside general forums should you need any assistance. It’s worth having an account set up just for these things alone.
Technological Travel Resources
Online security matters in an age where we are constantly online and connected. Bypassing dodgy SIM cards and protecting your data are crucial second insurance policies when travelling.
Surfshark VPN
It takes one cyber threat to ruin your travels, so installing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a surefire way of protecting your data and privacy while on the road when using mobile data and especially if you rely on public Wi-Fi in airports and stations, cafes and hotels, and on trains and buses. Connecting to public Wi-Fi can unknowingly expose you to fake or unsecured networks where personal data can be compromised. A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel that secures your browsing activity and masks your IP address, shielding against hackers and suspicious activity, and can also bypass geo-restrictions, letting you access streaming platforms, news sites, and social media as if you were back home. I use Surfshark – one of the most established providers, with a well-priced, fast, and super-connected offering – after putting it to the test. With the Surfshark coupon code BeckiAdventures, the latest discounts and offers are automatically applied.
READ MORE: A guide to using a VPN while travelling (+ Surfshark review)
Websites for Working In Exchange for Free Accommodation
Are you on the road for a long time and want to conserve funds? Consider working in exchange for free accommodation and some meals.
WWOOF’ing International
WWOOF’ing International links volunteers to organic farms and smallholdings where you can learn about ‘organic lifestyles’ in exchange for free food and accommodation. Each continent has its dedicated WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) site that you need to sign up to, and lists an overview of the average minimum hours and how many opportunities are available.
Help Exchange
Help Exchange involves volunteering in exchange for free accommodation and food on farms, backpacker hostels, lodges, horse stables, and even sailing boats. It’s free to join, and you fill out a few simple infoboxes before searching for relevant job posts worldwide.
TEFL Certification
Thinking about getting a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) qualification and using it on your travels to volunteer? A TEFL certification is a valuable skill, transferable in dozens of countries. Here’s what to know about using TEFL abroad for volunteering and everything you need to know to get started.
Travel Resources for Finding Cheap Flights
It’s worth searching for flights across multiple platforms to find the best deals. You can also cross-reference the price directly on the flight operator’s website. Here are my go-to flight search sites.
Skyscanner
Skyscanner is my default flight search platform, mainly because the comparison tool for prices and timings is easy to use, and since I’ve always found great deals through them. The iPhone app is just as handy too.
Momondo
Momondo compares over 700 flight sites for the best deals, and I use it alongside Skyscanner to check for the best prices. It also has a great blog resource for extra inspiration.
WhichBudget
WhichBudget has been around for many years and was one of the first of its kind. After spending some time on the site, I managed to find flight deals similar to those on my other two go-to resources, with only minor differences.
Opodo
Opodo is another popular and well-established search engine for flights and is one of the platforms I use to cross-reference deals before making a final decision. I’ve always heard about money-saving hacks for flights when booking on specific days of the week and in specific months of the year, and Opodo released a flight-buying overview. It turns out that booking a flight on Saturday can make you save you around 4%.
Travel Resources for Finding Cheap Rail Tickets
In some destinations, like Japan, it’s easier to go directly to the station to book tickets. However, there are reliable information and booking platforms dedicated to train travel to help with planning ahead.
Worldwide Train Travel Tips: Seat61
Seat 61 is the ultimate train resource. This site has saved me on many occasions, especially in Asia, where language barriers have made finding out about train times and ticket bookings slightly difficult. The Man In Seat 61 details train times for almost every destination and includes ferry timings and other useful transit information.
READ MORE: For further insight on European rail travel, check out my Europe Train Travel Tips
Booking Trains in Europe: Omio
The great thing about Omio (formerly GoEuro) is that you can plan your trip across multiple transport platforms, including flights, trains and buses, in Europe. For example, following some time in Germany, I wanted to source the quickest and cheapest way to get to Istanbul. A quick search on Omio told me to get a train from Dresden (where I was) to Berlin and a flight from Berlin to Istanbul. This handy Europe travel resource saves you a LOT of time, working out the best overall route, listing the cheapest to most expensive and shortest and longest route options.
Booking Trains in the UK: Network Rail & Trainline
I use Network Rail mainly for the timetables, as it lists all the routes and timings for all the trains across the UK.
I then revert to The Trainline to make a booking since it lists advance ticket discounts and money saved on choosing alternative times.
Round The World Trip Planning and Booking
Here’s how to book your RTW ticket and map out the optimal place to start and finish.
Flight Centre
Flight Centre offers travel planning, advice, and booking services and is a widely connected resource with outlets worldwide. Normally, following a request, an agent will be assigned to you.
Travel Resources for Finding Comprehensive Travel Insurance
The most important thing you need to have with you while on the road is insurance. Read about finding the best travel insurance, including the common misconceptions of policies and the small print you might miss, then check out these top travel insurance providers. As an affiliate, I earn from purchases, without any extra cost to you as a customer.
True Traveller – Best for Backpackers
Initially founded as an adventure travel company, True Traveller transitioned into insurance, and in understanding the needs of the more adventurous and sporadic traveller, they offer tailored packages. The baseline policies are ‘Traveller’ and ‘Traveller Plus’, which have varying medical and liability coverage levels. You then ‘build’ your policy with add-ons, including a choice of four activity packages and specifics such as money and baggage, electronics, and travel disruption. This means not paying over the odds for a short trip where you might only have hand luggage, or having a more comprehensive policy for a much longer trip where you carry more gear or have a big trek planned.
I’ve been using True Traveller as a preferred insurance provider for over a year now because they offer insurance for those legally residing in the UK and EU countries. I like the tailor-per-trip option, as each of my big annual trips can be wildly different. They also accommodate travellers without return tickets and those already abroad, which is uncommon among insurers.
Safety Wing – Best for Nomads
Safety Wing is aimed at long-term travellers. Alongside travel coverage, it also focuses on extensive medical travel insurance – an excellent option for those looking to work abroad or temporarily reside outside their home country. Safety Wing’s other unique positioning is that it is made specifically for remote workers and digital nomads, so you don’t have to be on home turf to book your policy. Coverage policies are sold as 28-day auto-renewable subscriptions, with the option to cancel or pause anytime.
Help With Buying Travel Gear / Travel Packing
I’m often asked about what I pack for long trips, my top recommendations for equipment and my favourite and trusted travel brands. Being on the road for so long has meant testing out many items to find my top picks and knowing exactly what to pack.
- For an extensive overview of what I pack for each trip, check out my list of the best travel gear I have tried and tested over the past decade.
- Are you looking to stay connected on the road? Check out my Travel Wifi Review.
Finding the Best Prepaid Cash Travel Cards
Don’t lose money on high interest rates and conversion fees when using your normal bank card abroad. Research the right pre-paid travel cash card for you and which has the best rates when you apply.
Travelex Money Card
Travelex Travel Money Card was my first prepaid cash card as the rates were once lower, loading money onto it straight from my bank account. It’s a more secure way of withdrawing money abroad and you are only charged a flat usage fee on purchases, which is much better value than traditional Credit and Debit cards.
Caxton FX
I then reverted to Caxton FX, which I’ve found is a lot easier to use. It has an instant cash load function, allows you to switch currency balances easily, and has an easier online user interface. It remains a popular choice among travellers.
Money Supermarket
Money Supermarket is easy to navigate and use. I use this website for all manner of quick comparisons, from the best savings accounts and credit cards to the best travel insurance deals. It is ideal for setting up a savings account before travelling and being financially prepared when you are on the road.
Travel Tips and Inspiration
Below are some travel resources I have written or which I recommend to help with saving, pre-planning and independent travel.
Travel and Money
Travel and Transport
- Handy Tips For Travelling Europe By Train
- Travel in Spain by Train – An AVE Guide
- Overnight Train Travel in Southeast Asia – Truthful Tips
Travel Advice & Top Tips
- The all-important conversation you might have to encounter.
- The trip is booked; here’s a list of my tried and tested travel essentials.
- Prolonging travel because you think you can’t?
- Want to know how to post about your travels mindfully?
- Planning a solo female travel trip can be overwhelming, and these tips will help.
- Travel Insurance is a wordy minefield. How does it work in extreme circumstances?
- Looking for accommodation platform reviews?
