Planning a trip has become much easier than it used to be. I can book a hotel from my phone, buy an eSIM before landing in another country, check reviews from other travelers, arrange buses and trains online, and even get travel insurance without visiting an office.
But there are so many travel websites and services now that choosing the right ones can sometimes be harder than actually planning the trip.
Over the years, I’ve tried and used quite a few different travel services, especially while traveling around India and spending time as a digital nomad. So I decided to put together a list of some of the travel resources I recommend and keep coming back to.
Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. If you use one of them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only include services that I think can genuinely be useful for travelers.
Travel Resources I Recommend
Here are some of the resources I’d look at before and during a trip.
1. Booking.com — Find a Place to Stay
Finding accommodation is usually one of the first things I do after deciding where I’m going.
Booking.com is useful because you can search through a huge range of accommodation, from hostels and budget guesthouses to hotels and resorts.
I especially like having different types of accommodation available in one place because my travel style changes depending on the destination. Sometimes I want a cheap hostel where I can meet other travelers. Other times, I just want a comfortable private room where I can work and rest.
Before booking, I always recommend checking the location, recent reviews, cancellation conditions, and the total price rather than looking only at the headline price.
→ Search for accommodation on Booking.com
2. Agoda — Another Option for Hotels
I don't like relying on only one booking platform when I'm searching for accommodation.
Agoda is another option worth checking, particularly if you're traveling around Asia. You can compare hotels, guesthouses, and other accommodation and see what is available for your destination.
One of my favorite travel habits is simply comparing the same destination across multiple platforms before making a booking. Prices and availability can vary depending on the property and dates, so it makes sense to check more than one place.
→ Check Agoda for accommodation deals
3. Hostelworld — For Backpackers and Solo Travelers
If you're traveling on a budget or you enjoy meeting other travelers, hostels can be a great option.
Hostelworld focuses specifically on hostels and is particularly useful for backpackers and solo travelers.
I've stayed in hostels during my travels, and one of the biggest advantages isn't always the price. It's the social aspect. A good hostel can make it much easier to meet people when you're traveling alone.
When choosing a hostel, I recommend looking beyond the overall rating. Read recent reviews and pay attention to comments about cleanliness, location, noise, Wi-Fi, staff, and the atmosphere.
4. Expedia — Flights, Hotels and More
Sometimes I prefer having several parts of a trip organized through one platform.
Expedia lets travelers search for flights, hotels, and rental cars, making it useful when you're planning a more traditional vacation rather than a completely open-ended backpacking trip.
I also like comparing package options when they are available, but I always check the individual prices and cancellation conditions before paying.
5. 12Go — Book Buses, Trains and Ferries
Transportation can get surprisingly complicated when you're traveling around a new country, especially in parts of Asia where there may be several different ways to get between two destinations.
12Go is a useful resource for searching and booking transportation such as buses, trains, ferries, and transfers.
I've found this kind of service particularly useful for travelers who don't want to spend hours trying to figure out local transportation websites.
If you're traveling through Southeast Asia or other destinations supported by the platform, it's worth checking your route there before deciding how you'll get from one place to another.
→ Search transportation with 12Go
6. Tripadvisor — Check Reviews Before You Book
I almost never book something completely blind.
Before choosing a hotel, restaurant, attraction, or activity, I like checking what other travelers have said about it.
Tripadvisor can be useful for exactly this. You can browse reviews and traveler photos for hotels, restaurants, attractions, and experiences.
Of course, I don't recommend treating every review as absolute truth. People have different expectations, and one person's five-star experience can be another person's three-star experience.
Instead, I look for patterns. If dozens of recent travelers mention the same issue, that's something I want to know before spending my money.
→ Read traveler reviews on Tripadvisor
7. Saily — Stay Connected While Traveling
Having mobile data has become one of my travel essentials.
I use my phone for maps, translation, booking accommodation, checking transport, communicating with people, working, and researching places. Losing access to the internet can make a simple travel day unnecessarily difficult.
Saily is an eSIM service that provides international data plans, so you can avoid physically changing SIM cards when traveling to supported destinations.
For me, the biggest advantage of an eSIM is convenience. Instead of arriving somewhere and immediately searching for a local SIM card, you can arrange your mobile data before or during your trip.
Just make sure your phone supports eSIMs and check the available plan for your destination before purchasing.
8. SafetyWing — Travel Insurance for Long-Term Travelers
Travel insurance is one of those things that's easy to ignore until you actually need it.
For digital nomads, backpackers, and people traveling for longer periods, SafetyWing is one service I recommend looking into.
SafetyWing offers travel medical insurance designed with travelers and nomads in mind. One thing I find particularly useful is that its plans are designed around people who may not have a fixed travel itinerary.
Insurance policies can have important exclusions, limits, deductibles, eligibility requirements, and other conditions, so don't just buy a policy because someone on the internet recommended it. Read the policy details and make sure the coverage actually matches your trip.
9. Travelpayouts — For Travel Bloggers and Creators
Not every travel resource is for travelers who are booking a trip.
If you're a travel blogger, YouTuber, social media creator, or website owner, you may also want to think about how you can monetize the travel content you're already creating.
Travelpayouts is an affiliate marketing platform focused on travel. It allows creators to promote travel-related products and services and potentially earn commissions from qualifying purchases or bookings, depending on the program.
I've been interested in travel affiliate marketing for years because it makes sense for travel content. If you're already writing about hotels, flights, activities, or other travel services, affiliate marketing can be one way to turn useful recommendations into an additional income stream.
How I Use These Travel Resources
I don't use every service on every trip.
That's probably the most important thing to understand about this list.
For example, if I'm taking a short domestic trip, I might only need an accommodation platform, transportation information, and Google Maps. If I'm traveling internationally for several months, I might also need an eSIM and travel insurance.
My basic workflow usually looks something like this:
First, I figure out where I'm going.
Then I check accommodation options on platforms such as Booking.com, Agoda, or Hostelworld depending on my budget and the type of trip.
Next, I research transportation.
For certain destinations, 12Go can make this process easier by bringing different transportation options together.
Then I check reviews.
Tripadvisor is useful here, especially when I'm deciding whether a hotel, restaurant, attraction, or activity is actually worth considering.
For international trips, I think about connectivity and insurance.
That's where services like Saily and SafetyWing can become useful.
And if I'm creating content around the trip, I also think about whether Travelpayouts can help me monetize relevant travel recommendations.
Don't Book Everything From the First Search Result
One of the biggest mistakes I see travelers make is booking the first thing they find.
I used to be guilty of this too.
Now, I prefer spending a few extra minutes comparing options.
For accommodation, I might check two or three platforms.
For transportation, I look at different routes and departure times.
For activities, I read recent reviews.
For insurance, I compare the actual policy coverage rather than just the price.
And for eSIMs, I check whether the destination is supported and how much data I actually need.
A few minutes of research can sometimes save you money, but more importantly, it can prevent you from booking something that doesn't suit your trip.
My Travel Resource Checklist
If you want a simple checklist to save for your next trip, here's mine:
- Accommodation: Booking.com
- Hotel comparison: Agoda
- Hostels: Hostelworld
- Flights, hotels and car rentals: Expedia
- Buses, trains and ferries: 12Go
- Reviews and trip planning: Tripadvisor
- International eSIM: Saily
- Travel insurance: SafetyWing
- Travel affiliate marketing: Travelpayouts
Final Thoughts
Travel has become incredibly convenient, but having too many options can sometimes make things more complicated.
That's why I like keeping a small collection of travel resources that I can return to whenever I'm planning a trip.
Whether I'm looking for a place to stay, checking reviews, figuring out transportation, getting mobile data, or making sure I'm covered while traveling, having these resources bookmarked saves me time.
And if you're a travel creator, don't forget that some of the same services you recommend to your readers can also become part of your monetization strategy. Travelpayouts is one example worth exploring if affiliate marketing fits your content.
Most importantly, don't blindly use a service just because it's on someone's list. Compare your options, read the terms, check recent reviews, and choose what actually works for your particular trip.
Happy travels!
