Here is an ever expanding list of travel websites that you can use to assist you to plan, book and explore. I have used these websites to varying degrees while I am at home planning and on the road traveling. I will continue to add relevant websites as I come across them. Please feel free to Contact Me if I am missing a site that you would recommend. I have broken them down into categories to make searching easier.
Booking – Multiple Services
ebookers.com – Personally I do not use this site, but some of my European friends find good deals on hotel reservations, flights, rental cars and travel packages. This pan-European travel website is based out of the UK and prices must be converted from British Pounds (GBP – £). Foreign transaction fees may apply.
Expedia.com – Get great discounts and earn points. You can book flights, hotels, excursions and much more. I would recommend booking through the mobile app as you will earn extra points compared to regular online booking. Getting the credit card will also increase your points earning.
Kayak.com – Another good booking site that I use to cross compare with other competing sites. I tend to find good deals, but the lack of a points earning system is disappointing. I particularly like their comparative calendar price chart feature.
Connecting & Networking
CouchSurfing.com – Stay with locals in every country on earth. Travel like a local, stay in someone’s home and experience the world in a way money can’t buy.
GapYear.com – This website provides a variety of resources that claim to provide for “the easiest and most enjoyable way to research, plan, discuss and book your life-changing adventure”.
LinkExpats.com – This sire is a free social networking website for expatriates, foreigners, international students, exchange visitors and travelers in search of ads, classifieds, forums, news and events for various locations across the globe.
Travellerspoint.com – This site “is one of the web’s largest and most active travel communities with members representing every country in the world with over 30,000 blogs, shared 175,000 stories, and over 1.4 million photos. The site includes trip planning features, forums, travel helpers who answer numerous travel-related questions and over 50,000 accommodation booking options.
Converters
XE.com Currency Converter – One of the best up to the minute live currency conversion websites.
Flying the Friendly Skies
SeatGuru.com – This website provides aircraft seat maps, seat reviews, and a color-coded system to identify superior and substandard airline seats. It also features information about in-flight amenities and airline specific information regarding Check-in, Baggage, Unaccompanied Minors and Traveling with Infants and Pets
Skyscanner.com – Looking for cheap flights try this website. They offer a search “everywhere” feature that lets you enter a departure city and date. Then you will be redirected to the cheapest flights worldwide based on the information you input. It’s a great option for travelers looking to explore who have no specific destination in mind or anyone who wants to leave their current location.
General Trip Planning & Advice
LonelyPlanet.com – Lonely Planet is the largest travel guide book publisher in the world. They also provide an extensive amount of information online and forums for travelers to ask questions and research airlines, hotels, travel agencies, destinations, and much more.
TripAdvisor.com – TripAdvisor is a travel website that provides user generated reviews of travel related content. It also includes interactive travel forums. Check out My TripAdvisor Profile !
Viator.com – A great resource for researching and booking tours, day trips, excursions, helicopter rides, boat rides, show tickets and more for countless destinations worldwide.
Hotel Booking Sites
Agoda.com – Looking for hotels, apartments and villas then check this website. I found some of the cheapest rooms in Asia available on their website.
Booking.com – This website provides online accommodation booking. They claim to have over 630,000 properties globally under contract and provide more than 750,000 room nights reservations per day. They do not charge a booking fee to customers, but charges commission on bookings to accommodation partners.
Hostels.com – This website provides information about hostel accommodations all over the world. They include an ever expanding list of hostels, B&B’s, budget hotels, and other accommodations online of over 35,000 great places to stay in 180 countries.
HostelWorld.com – This website features information about hostels, campsites, self catering accommodation, B&B’s, and budget hotels. They currently list over 27,000 properties in more than 180 countries. Additionally, it provides accommodation reviews, city and sightseeing guides, entertainment & backpacking information.
Hotels.com – They offer a free night after you purchase 10 nights within the given time period. I’ve used them in the past only, but have never received the bonus as I book across multiple booking sites.