The Most Useful Travel Websites
Hey fellow adventurers! Just dropped a treasure trove of over 100 travel websites and apps to supercharge your next trip! These bad boys will help you with everything from scoring epic hostel deals to navigating like a boss and finding those hidden gem restaurants.
Are you struggling to find the perfect travel website? Us too! Backpackers know the pain of endless searches. That’s why we created this ultimate list of 100+ travel websites and apps all in one place.
No more:
- Endless Google searches
- Feeling overwhelmed by options
- Missing out on hidden gem websites
This list has you covered for everything:
- Scoring epic hostel deals οΈ
- Navigating like a boss
- Finding those drool-worthy local eats
- And tons more travel hacks!
Bookmark this page, it’ll be your travel BFF!
P.S. We’re all about building this travel fam. Got any secret travel weapon websites not on the list? Share them in the comments!
Why Put Up Such a List?
I think we can all relate to scrolling through endless feeds, hunting for that hidden gem of a travel destination. We’ve all been there, and let’s be real, it’s a maze out there. Imagine planning your dream trip only to get bogged down by the nitty-gritty of planning. It’s like knowing there’s a treasure out there but not having the map.
What Makes a Travel Website Useful?
In my years of trotting around the globe, I’ve come to realize that a truly useful travel website isn’t just about flashy deals or pretty photos. It’s about providing real value to fellow wanderers like me. I’ve sifted through my share of travel resources, and here’s what I’ve learned about what makes a website stand out in the endless sea of travel information.
First and foremost, authenticity takes the lead. I’m always on the lookout for platforms where the content feels genuine, and where it’s clear that the person behind the post has set foot in the places they’re talking about. These sites often offer insights into local culture, hidden gems, and personal anecdotes that you just can’t find on larger travel sites. This level of authenticity creates a connection that I find invaluable when planning my trips.
Next up, practical advice is key. I appreciate websites that go beyond the standard tourist attractions and provide tips on how to navigate local transportation, where to find the best street food, or how to respect local customs and etiquette. Itβs this kind of practical advice that has saved me more than once from potential travel faux pas.
User-friendly design also can’t be overlooked. In an age where we’re all scrambling for information, a well-organized website with easy-to-navigate menus, search functions, and mobile compatibility is a breath of fresh air. It makes pulling up information on the go a lot less stressful.
Finally, but certainly not least, up-to-date information is crucial. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting excited about a spot I’ve read about, only to find it’s closed down or changed dramatically. Websites that regularly update their content to reflect the latest information earn my trust and frequent visits.
Here’s a glance at the qualities that set a website apart:
- Authenticity: Personal, genuine insights
- Practical Advice: Useful, actionable tips for travelers
- User-Friendly Design: Easy navigation and accessibility
- Up-to-Date Information: Regularly updated content
In pursuit of my next adventure, these are the benchmarks I use to judge a travel website’s usefulness. It’s not just about the destination; it’s about ensuring the journey there is rich with anticipation and equipped with all the know-how I need to dive deep into the experience.
Useful Travel Websites, Blogs, Vlogs & Info Sites
Category | Website | Description | Link |
---|---|---|---|
Travel Info | Wiki Travel | Facts, figures, and reviews of countries all around the world. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/voy: |
Blog | Nomadic Matt | One of the most credible travel blogs/websites. Great for backpackers. | https://www.nomadicmatt.com/ |
Blog | The Broke Backpacker | Great and popular budget travel blog. | https://www.thebrokebackpacker.com/ |
Blog | Adventurous Kate | Solo female travel advice, tips, guides, and safety information. | https://www.adventurouskate.com/blog/ |
Blog | Be My Travel Muse | Solo female travel blog with packing tips, guides, and stories. | https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/ |
Blog | Solo Traveler | Solo travel blog and community by Janice Petersen. | https://solotravelerworld.com/about/janice-waugh/ |
Vlog | Karl Watson Travel Docs | Travel vlogs with beautiful visuals and travel insights. | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoH34ICdyyRO9C88UJOEvow |
Vlog | Aaron Explores | Authentic travel vlogs showing real travel experiences. | https://m.youtube.com/c/ShowMeGoExplore |
Vlog | YouTube | Find travel vloggers from all over the world. | https://www.youtube.com/ |
Guidebook | Rough Guides | Travel guides covering over 120 destinations. | https://www.roughguides.com/ |
Review Site | Trip Advisor | World’s largest travel community with reviews and information. | https://www.tripadvisor.com/ |
Guidebook | Lonely Planet | World’s biggest travel publisher with comprehensive guides. | https://www.lonelyplanet.com/ |
Tour Operator | Kilroy | Backpacker tour and adventure company. | https://www.kilroy.co.uk/destinations/oceania/australia |
Blog | Indie Traveler | Budget travel tips and guides. | https://www.indietraveller.co/regions/colombia/ |
Tour Operator | Intrepid Travel | Adventure backpacking trips for young people. | https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/australia |
Info Site | Travelindependent.info | Travel advice for budget travelers. | http://www.travelindependent.info/countries.htm |
Tour Operator | Contiki | Budget tours and packages all over the world. | https://www.contiki.com/en-us |
Tour Operator | Get Your Guide | Tours, activities, and guides from all over the world. | https://www.getyourguide.com/ |
Useful Travel Websites for Visa Information
Website | Description | Link |
---|---|---|
Gov.uk | Official visa requirements page from the UK government. | https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration |
VisaHQ | Enter your nationality and destination for visa information. | https://www.visahq.com/ |
Project Visa | Visa requirements and embassy information. | https://www.projectvisa.com/ |
CIBT Visas | Search and apply for visas. | https://cibtvisas.com/ |
Useful Travel Websites and Search Engines for Flight Research/Bookings
Website | Description | Link |
---|---|---|
Skyscanner | Popular flight comparison site for single, return, and multi-trip flights. | https://www.skyscanner.com/ |
Kayak | Popular site for flights, hotels, car rentals, and packages. | https://www.kayak.com/ |
Momondo | Compares airlines for single, return, and multi-stop flights. | https://www.momondo.com/ |
Student Universe (UK only) | Flight search engine specifically for students. | https://www.studentuniverse.co.uk/ |
Cheapflights | Finds cheap flights, hotels, and car deals. | https://www.cheapflights.com/ |
AirWander | Flight search engine with free stopover options. | https://airwander.com/ |
Ebookers | Cheap online flights. | https://www.ebookers.com/ |
Flight Centre | More expensive than others, but useful for price comparison. | https://www.flightcentre.com.au/ |
Local Budget Airlines (by Region)
Region | Airlines |
---|---|
Europe | EasyJet, Ryanair, Lufthansa, Wizz Air, Iberia Express, Norwegian Air |
North America | West Jet, Air Canada, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, United Airlines, Delta |
Asia | Air Asia, Jet Star, Lion Air, Air India Express, IndiGo, Skymark Airlines, China United Airlines, Cebu |
Useful Travel Websites for Accommodation
Here’s a table summarizing the useful travel websites for finding accommodation:
Website | Description | Target Traveler |
---|---|---|
Booking.com | Largest and most comprehensive booking portal. Offers rooms from campsites to 5-star resorts. | All travelers |
Hostelworld | Worldwide hostel booking portal with reviews. | Budget travelers |
Hostelbookers.com (part of Hostelworld group) | Similar to Hostelworld. | Budget travelers |
Nomads | International chain of hostels popular with backpackers. | Backpackers |
Airbnb | Private short-term rentals in homes and apartments. | All travelers |
Couchsurfing | Stay with locals for free in exchange for work. | Budget travelers, adventurous travelers |
AllTheRooms.com | Accommodation search engine comparing all the different booking sites. | All travelers |
Homestays | Stay in other people’s houses while they are away. | Budget travelers, those seeking cultural immersion |
Useful Travel Websites for Transport
Website | Description | Link |
---|---|---|
Checkmybus.com | Check and book local bus journeys worldwide. | https://www.checkmybus.com/ |
Routesinternational.com | Covers every mode of transport worldwide. | https://www.routesinternational.com/ |
The Man in Seat 61 | Comprehensive train travel guide, search, and booking portal. | https://www.seat61.com/ |
Rome2Rio | Global trip planner for any mode of transport in any country. | https://www.rome2rio.com/ |
Kilroy | Offers bus passes for backpackers worldwide. | https://www.kilroy.co.uk/ |
BlaBlaCar | Rideshare taxi company. | https://www.blablacar.com/ |
Omio | Multi-modal travel search engine. | https://www.omio.com/ |
Note: Download individual city subway/metro/underground maps for the best navigation.
Useful Travel Websites for Money/Budgeting/Exchange Rates
Website | Description |
---|---|
XE.com | Currency converter with live rates, multi-country comparison. |
Visa Card ATM Locator | Locates Visa ATMs worldwide. |
Mastercard ATM Locator | Locates Mastercard ATMs worldwide. |
Expatistan | Compares general costs between cities. |
Numbeo | Compares costs between cities. |
Travelex Budget Calculator | Estimates travel budget needs. |
Western Union Locator | Money transfer service. |
Moneytravelmax.com | Currency converter. |
Useful Travel Websites for Travel Insurance
Here’s a shortlist of travel insurance websites to help you find the right coverage:
Website | Description | Link |
---|---|---|
True Traveller | Specialist backpacker travel insurance. | https://www.truetraveller.com/ |
World Nomads | Flexible travel insurance purchasable anywhere. Endorsed by Lonely Planet and National Geographic. | https://www.worldnomads.com/ |
Virgin Insurance | Offers a full range of travel insurance options. | https://www.virginmoney.com/travel-insurance |
Confused.com | Travel insurance comparison website. | https://www.confused.com/ |
Useful Travel Websites for Volunteering
If you’re looking to volunteer while traveling, consider these websites:
Website | Description | Link |
---|---|---|
Workaway | Offers volunteer work worldwide, from home renovation to community projects. | https://www.workaway.info/ |
WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) | Connects volunteers with organic farms in exchange for board and food. | https://wwoof.net/ |
GVI (Global Vision International) | Offers volunteer programs worldwide for various age groups. | https://www.gvi.org/ |
Working Abroad | Provides worldwide volunteer programs in various fields like human rights, wildlife, and education. | https://www.workingabroad.com/ |
TEFL | Train to teach English and volunteer teaching around the world. | https://www.tefl.com/ |
Other Useful Travel Websites
Website | Description | Link |
---|---|---|
Skiddle | Guide to international music festivals. | https://www.skiddle.com/ |
Global Surfers | Worldwide surf spots and guide. | https://globalsurfers.com/ |
Surf-Spots Atlas | International guide to surfing. | https://thesurfatlas.com/ |
World Snowboard Guide | Guide to snowboarding destinations. | https://www.worldsnowboardguide.com/ |
The Travel Blog | Travel blogs written by fellow travelers, covering destinations worldwide. | https://www.thetravelblogs.com/ |
Roadtrippers | Route planning website with attractions, accommodation, etc. | https://www.roadtrippers.com/ |
Note: Download individual city subway/metro/underground maps for the best navigation.
Online Communities to Interact and Connect
Website | Description | Link |
---|---|---|
Travellerspoint | Online community for travelers to plan trips, share experiences, etc. | https://www.travellerspoint.com/ |
Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree Forum | Travel forums for travelers by travelers. | https://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/ |
Bootsnall | Travel guide and community for long-term travelers. | https://www.bootsnall.com/ |
Subreddits dedicated to travel for asking and answering travel questions. | https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/ | |
Couchsurfing (mentioned in Accommodation) | Not just for accommodation, also a travel community to connect with locals and travelers. | https://www.couchsurfing.com/ |
Facebook Groups | Search for travel groups relevant to your destination or interests. | https://www.facebook.com/ |
Social Media Platforms | Connect with other travelers on various platforms. | https://twitter.com/TravelLeisure, https://www.instagram.com/travelandleisure/?hl=en, https://www.tiktok.com/foryou?lang=en |
Useful Travel Apps
App Name | Description | Link |
---|---|---|
Google Maps | Navigation app | https://www.google.com/maps |
Citymapper | Public transport maps & schedules | https://citymapper.com/ |
Maps.me | Offline maps | https://maps.me/ |
Hopper | Flight comparison app with price alerts | https://www.hopper.com/ |
Google Translate | Language translation tool | https://translate.google.com/ |
Uber | Ridesharing service | https://www.uber.com/ |
Grab | Ridesharing service (popular in Southeast Asia) | https://www.grab.com/sg/ |
Foursquare | Restaurant finder with reviews | https://foursquare.com/ |
Duolingo | Language learning app | https://www.duolingo.com/ |
Yelp | Restaurant finder with reviews | https://www.yelp.com/ |
Travelstoke | Travel community app to connect with other travelers | https://travelstoke.matadornetwork.com/ |
REI National Parks | National park locator with hiking trails | https://www.rei.com/s/national-parks |
PackPoint | Packing list generator app | https://packpnt.com/ |
Trail Wallet | Travel expense tracker | https://voyagetravelapps.com/trail-wallet/ |
Roadtrippers | Road trip planning app | https://www.roadtrippers.com/ |
Meetup | Platform to connect with locals who share your interests | https://www.meetup.com/ |
Happy Cow | Vegetarian & Vegan restaurant finder | https://www.happycow.net/ |
Revolut | Money management app for international travel | https://www.revolut.com/ |
Wikiloc | Outdoor trail sharing app for hiking, cycling, etc. | https://www.wikiloc.com/ |
AllTrails | Hiking trail database app | https://www.alltrails.com/ |
iOverlander | Campground & accommodation finder app | https://www.ioverlander.com/ |
XE Currency | Currency converter app with live rates | https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/ |
WiFi Map | Free WiFi hotspot finder app | https://wifimap.io/ |