DIRECTORY
ACCOMMODATION
COLLABORATIVE TRAVEL
couchsurfing.com Shook things up well over a decade ago by matching travellers with people
who didn’t mind letting travellers spend the night. With well over 10
million members, it’s still the main game in town
tripping.com A more modern interface and some other nice bells and whistles, but same
basic concept as Couchsurfing
HOME EXCHANGES
homeexchange.com Largest exchange company with over 65,000 listings in 150 countries
worldwide
homeexchangeuniversity.com A good starting point before you jump in
homeforexchange.com Third largest. Most listings of any agency in Australia/NZ
homelink.org Second largest in terms of listings, and the most expensive service. It
has the most listings of any agency in Germany and Ireland
intervac.com Fourth largest. Most listings of any agency in Sweden and Finland
knok.com Home swaps and rentals aimed at families, plus crowdsourced local
experiences. And no, you don’t need kids to join. Mainly Europe and US for
now, but growing
HOTELS, HOSTELS AND B&BS
bedandbreakfast.com An international bed-and-breakfast directory
hihostels.com Hostelling International’s main site
hostels.com Global hostel finder and booking engine, with reviews
hostelz.com Hostel booking engine with reviews
sleepingwiththelocals.com Facilitates booking locally-owned “hangouts” in developing countries
directly from the owners
PEER-TO-PEER RENTALS
airbnb.com This is the one that put this sort of rental system on the map, though it
doesn’t have the most properties (covers 34,000 towns in 190
countries)
campinmygarden.com Private gardens as micro-campsites. Big in the UK and Western Europe, but
spreading to other parts of the globe, too
flipkey.com TripAdvisor’s horse in this race. 300,000 holiday rentals in 11,000
cities
homeaway.com The largest list of properties (it runs similar sites in several
countries)
onefinestay.com Beats Airbnb at its own game – for a price. Stay in characterful local
homes while the owners are away, with 24/7 support and an iPhone full of
local tips. Currently only London, NYC, LA and Paris, but growing
pandabed.com Peer-to-peer accommodation in Asia
roomorama.com Probably the most stylish site of the pack
sleepout.com African hotels, bungalows, treehouses, tents and spare rooms. It started
in Kenya but has spread throughout Africa, and even slightly to the rest of
the world
tripping.com In addition to providing a Couchsurfing-like service, it has also
aggregated the peer-to-peer rentals in one easy search
APPS
Camera+ Add controls to help turn your phone camera into an almost fully functional compact digital camera
Eventful It taps into your GPS and finds nearby events, concerts and shows. Can be set up to send email alerts for events based on your interests
Galileo Offline Maps No downloads required; just view the maps you want while online and the app caches what you view and lets you view it later
Google Maps Lets you download map areas for offline use
Hipstamatic Retro filter for your photos to give them that “I was there in the 1960s” look
Hyperlapse App from Instagram that lets you shoot time-lapse videos with your phone. Helps smooth out shakes and bumps, so you don’t need a tripod
Instagram A photo filter and photo-sharing app that has achieved almost cult status
InstaWeather Superimposes local weather data on top of your photos, to let everybody know just how comfortable (or badass) you are
iTriage Diagnose that weird illness with the free offline symptom checker
LINE Send messages and media and voice/video chat with your friends (one-on-one or in a group). Use for free on your smartphone, tablet or laptop anywhere you can get online
Local Eats It searches the top US cities, plus fifty international ones, for local restaurants and cafés by category, price, rank, neighbourhood, etc
Localeur Casual and entertaining website and app built on the idea of insightful recommendations from locals
NinthDecimal Wi-Fi Finder Formerly known as JiWire, this is the best way to avoid roaming charges and get as much free wi-fi as possible. This app can find the source closest to where you are
OffMaps2 Lets you download the maps you want using OpenStreetMap and view offline. Cheap and iPhone friendly
Pano Turns up to sixteen photos into a stunning panoramic shot
Panorama 360 As the name implies, it turns your photos into a single 360-degree panorama pic
Peaks Point your phone towards a mountain and this app will tell you its name, its elevation and how far away it is
Photo Translator Can’t read a sign in a foreign language? No problem. Point your phone’s camera at it and this app will instantly translate words
Quizlet Digital flash cards that combine time-killing with learning. Remember to put together your own sets of cards before venturing off the wi-fi grid
Snapseed A surprisingly powerful photo editing app
Trail Wallet Helps you track what you’re spending (and you don’t have to be an accountant to use it). Switch between currencies and back up data to Dropbox
TripColor Simple, easy-to-use photo-blog system that lets you – while offline – take a photo, mark the location on a map, add text and then have it upload automatically when you finally find a wi-fi connection
TripIt Consolidates your travel bookings (flights, hotels, car rentals) into one easy-to-use app. Often works best to upload everything via computer first, then just access as needed through the app
Whatsapp Online messaging app. You can send text or voice messages and media to your contacts (individually or in a group), and also call them – all completely free if you’re using wi-fi
WhereTraveler “Insider tips” on dining, shopping, entertainment and sightseeing. Helps you convert currencies, calculate tips and translate languages. Mostly US, but growing
XE Currency Converter Converts currencies and calculates prices
COMMUNICATIONS
CELL/MOBILE PHONES
ipipi.com SMS messaging worldwide including text to email service
onavo.com Onavo Extend compresses your data and helps minimize the amount you are
sending
onesimcard.com Prepaid mobile service that greatly reduces the costs of calls when
travelling
telestial.com Looking for a SIM card you can roam with? Compare rates between your local
providers
which.co.uk/technology/phones/guides/using-mobile-phones-abroad UK consumer magazine’s guide to using mobile phones abroad
COUNTRY CALLING CODES
countrycallingcodes.com Get the dialling codes for every country, plus the ones you need to dial
out of the country you’re in
FREE EMAIL
mail.google.com Free storage up to 15 GB
outlook.com Unlimited storage
yahoo.com Unlimited storage
ONLINE CALLING
apple.com/mac/facetime Apple’s version of Skype for those with Macs, iPhones and iPads
plus.google.com/hangouts Call or chat through Gmail, Google+ or the Hangouts app. Can only do
one-on-one calling to people without Google accounts, but there are extra
features such as group Hangouts for Google users
messenger.yahoo.com Yahoo’s version of free video- and voice-chatting. Convenient if you’re
mostly in touch with Yahoo users
skype.com Call other online devices for free, plus landlines and cell/mobile phones
anywhere in the world for a small fee. Integrated in Facebook so you can
chat with friends online
SATELLITE DEVICES
delorme.com Backcountry satellite device that sends emergency beacons, lets people
follow you on a map, and pairs with your smartphone to text and update
social media
findmespot.com Backcountry satellite device that can send an emergency beacon and can
update a list of friends/family with an “I’m okay” message. Also connects to
your smartphone via an app for various media updating
SATELLITE PHONES
globalstar.com Extensive, but not quite global
iridium.com Provides the most complete global coverage
EATING
eatwith.com Shared dining in private kitchens in 150 countries
plateculture.com Hosts invite guests for local meals in their own houses, mostly in Southeast
Asia
suppershare.com Enjoy a home-cooked Italian meal, in an Italian home
vizeat.com Brunch, lunch, dinner or drinks in locals’ homes in over fifty
countries
HEALTH
cdc.gov The US Centers for Disease Control has the latest updated information on
vaccinations and outbreaks
who.int Features a country-by-country health profile
INSURANCE
insuremytrip.com A good starting point for policy searches
roughguides.com/travel-insurance Rough Guides recommends World Nomads insurance packages which should cover
most needs
travelguard.com A place to peek at a popular policy
worldtravelcenter.com An excellent spot for comparing different options
MONEY
ATMS WORLDWIDE
amextravelresources.com A list of AmEx offices worldwide, where you can also get cash advances
against your card
mastercard.us/cardholder-services/atm-locator.html For MasterCard holders
visa.com/atmlocator For Visa-card holders
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
oanda.com Quick conversions in 180 currencies
weswap.com Travellers crossing currency boundaries swap money directly and for
minimal cost, via their WeSwap MasterCards.
DISCOUNT CARDS
hihostels.com Hostelling International cards
isic.org International Student Identity Cards, teacher cards and youth cards
vipbackpackers.com Discounts for select private hostels
MONEY TRANSFER
moneygram.com Money transfers and bill payments at Thomas Cook, Amex and various banks
and post offices
www.westernunion.com Another money transfer option
READING RESOURCES
ADVENTURE TRAVEL
afar.com Travel magazine (and more) aimed at the curious traveller who wants to get
under the skin of their chosen destinations
getaway.co.za South African travel mag website offering inspiring travel writing with an
African emphasis
wanderlust.co.uk Wanderlust magazine covers the classic travel
destinations, plus reviews and interviews
BUDGET TRAVEL
budgettravel.com Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel magazine is
mostly focused on cheap holidays, but has good information for longer trips
as well
outpostmagazine.com Shoestring globetrotting with a pleasing layout
outsidemag.com Excellent writing with an extreme sport and activity bias as well as eco
and travel pieces
tntmagazine.com TNT magazine, with UK and Aus/NZ editions for
work and flat finding
transitionsabroad.com Great information on working, studying and living overseas
GUIDEBOOK SITES
fodors.com A very user-friendly site aimed at travellers with more pocket change than
the average
letsgo.com Let’s Go is an American classic for the college
stomp in Europe, but its core audience is now expanding its horizons
lonelyplanet.com This site covers every country on the planet and has a much-subscribed
travel-discussion site called The Thorn Tree
roughguides.com Set up for independent travellers of all budgets, with online chat boards,
travel tips and in-depth country information
travelerstales.com Pushing the experiential side of guiding, Travelers’ Tales offers books
full of true stories from people just like you
MAJOR NEWSPAPER/WEB TRAVEL PAGES
newspapers.com Has links to newspapers all over the world. The pick of the international
bunch are:
guardian.co.uk/travel The Guardian
independent.co.uk/travel The Independent
latimes.com/travel The Los Angeles Times
nytimes.com/travel The New York Times
nzherald.co.nz/travel The New Zealand Herald
telegraph.co.uk/travel The Daily Telegraph
theglobeandmail.com/life/travel The Globe and Mail
thestar.ca/life/travel The Toronto Star
ONLINE-ONLY TRAVEL PUBLICATIONS
bootsnall.com A great travel resource with anecdotes that explain how to avoid some of
the potholes on the road less travelled
connectedtraveler.com Offers a refreshing perspective on cultural travel
gadling.com Travel news and happenings around the world
jaunted.com News and pop-culture travel info
journeywoman.com Highlights female travellers’ perspectives and offers tips and
tales
literarytraveler.com Tracing steps of famous authors and learning about their inspirations are
just part of the literary journey
matadornetwork.com A site for travellers who are in touch with their feelings
traveller.com.au Australian travel resource with inspirational features and destination
guides
worldhum.com A travel version of Arts and Letters Daily with
original articles, interviews and reviews
UPMARKET TRAVEL
concierge.com Condé Nast’s foray into the online travel world – reviews of “six-star”
hotels and plenty of “must-see” items for those with ample money to
spare
islands.com More cultural depth than you might expect, although you can practically
get a tan flipping through the pages
travelandleisure.com Ranks everything from hotels to airlines and finds some room for
interesting (albeit comfortable) travel in between
traveler.nationalgeographic.com A well-crafted travel magazine that’s not afraid to show the effects of
tourism – or the benefits of a comfortable room
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
responsibletravel.org How to help minimize your impact while on the road
sustainabletravel.org Helping travellers and tour organizers minimize their footprint on the
environment and the cultures they visit
tourismconcern.org.uk Organization campaigning for smart, responsible tourism
SIGHTS
i-likelocal.com Promotes small-scale offerings for travellers visiting developing countries in
Asia. Everything from farmstays and volunteering to culinary adventures and
nature treks
tickitaly.com Special site for purchasing tickets to Italian museums, from the Uffizi to the
Vatican
vayable.com Helps you find local tour guides for a more genuine experience than you might
get through the tourist office. Ten European destinations
viator.com Skip the queues and buy tickets for major attractions in advance worldwide.
Click under “Beat the Crowds in Europe”
whc.unesco.org World Heritage Sites
TRANSPORT
AIRLINES AND AIRPORTS
airlineandairportlinks.com Links to all airports
flightview.com Allows you to check the status of any flight
sleepinginairports.net A budget traveller’s guide to sleeping in airports
CARS AND MOTORBIKES
aa.co.nz New Zealand’s Automobile Association
aaa.com American Automobile Association – your best friend after you buy the
world’s cheapest car in the US
caa.ca Canadian Automobile Association
driverabroad.com A one-stop-shop providing advice for self-drive travellers
europebycar.com Buys in bulk and offers discount deals with European rental companies on
short-term (17 days or less) rentals and tax-free leases for longer
rentals
horizonsunlimited.com Tips and tales on motorcycling around Europe
kemwel.com Another rental consolidator. Also offers motorhomes
nacroadservice.com America’s long-established automobile association
rac.co.uk The UK’s Royal Automobile Club, offering similar services to the AA
rac.com.au Australia’s Royal Automobile Club
renaultusa.com Offers brand-new cars with unlimited mileage and comprehensive insurance
with no deductibles
theaa.com The UK’s Automobile Association, for all things automotive
viamichelin.com The Michelin Route Planner gives driving directions throughout
Europe
wickedcampers.co.uk Cheap campervan hire from most European cities
FERRIES AND FREIGHTERS
freightercruises.com UK-based freighter bookers
freightertravel.co.nz NZ-based freighter bookers
routesinternational.com/ships.htm Links to ferry services around the world
FLIGHT BOOKING ENGINES
cheapflights.co.uk Search engine for other discount brokers and consolidators, though not
comprehensive
edreams.com Multi-language portal with cheap trains and hotels as well as
flights
expedia.com Microsoft’s online travel agency
flycheapo.com Budget flight directory (Europe)
kayak.com Finds you the best deal, then points you to the site where you make the
actual booking
momondo.com Award-winning flight, hotel and travel deal search engine
opodo.com Booking engine for flights, hotels, car rentals and package holidays, with
versions in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and the
Nordic languages
orbitz.com The airlines’ web project – a group booking engine with fares from
hundreds of airlines
skyscanner.net This simple-to-use site searches the budget carriers and finds the best
prices
travelocity.com One of the early pioneers and still a leading booking site
RTW ALLIANCE SITES
oneworld.com Fifteen-member alliance
staralliance.com The biggest alliance, with 27 members
thegreatescapade.com An alliance with a good online RTW planner
RTW FLIGHT SPECIALISTS
adventureworld.com.au Australia-based with an office in New Zealand
airtreks.com A do-it-yourself RTW web planner
bootsnall.com/rtw Check for its latest RTW round-up report
flightcentre.com Offices in Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore,
South Africa, the UAE, the UK and the US
roundtheworldflights.com UK-based planner
statravel.com Student and budget travel experts with worldwide shops
studentuniverse.com US-based and student-orientated
trailfinders.co.uk Well-informed UK-based agents
travelcuts.com Canada-based with offices across the country. Part of the Merit Travel
group, which is Canada’s largest
www.westernair.co.uk RTW and budget trip specialists
TRAINS
eurail.com Go direct for the daddy of all European rail passes
raileurope.com Europe rail passes for British and North American visitors
railplus.co.nz Europe rail passes for Kiwis
railplus.com.au Europe rail passes for Australians
railserve.com Links to rail services around the world
seat61.com Excellent worldwide guide to travel by train
TRANSPORT-SHARING
blablacar.co.uk Pre-arrange lifts and cost-sharing in eighteen countries; a modern take on
hitchhiking
carmacarpool.com App-based carpooling service
flightcar.com Rent cars parked at some US airports while their owners are out of
town
getaround.com Rent a car directly from its owners while they’re out of town. It provides
insurance, too
getmyboat.com Helps those who would rather get around by boat than by car. Rent 30,000
boats directly from their owners in 135 countries – not the biggest such
operation, but the one with the widest global reach
drivehubber.com Rent a car directly from its owners while they’re out of town
justpark.com Allows Brits (mostly Londoners) with a parking space they’re not using to
rent it out to you
kangaride.com Ridesharing in Canada
lyft.com Matches customers who need a ride with approved drivers of private cars
who are nearby. US only
side.cr A multi-purpose app – use it to hitch a ride, carpool or even find someone
who can deliver a parcel for you. Mainly US west coast
uber.com Matches customers who need a ride with approved drivers of private cars
who are nearby. Over 300 cities in 58 countries
TRAVEL ADVISORY
CUSTOMS
cbp.gov How to figure out what you can bring back into the USA
EMBASSIES
embassy.goabroad.com Find an embassy anywhere in the world and get updated visa
information
SAFETY
fco.gov.uk The UK’s Foreign Office is a good starting point
smarttraveller.gov.au The Australian government’s advisory and consular assistance service
doesn’t pull any punches. Tips include what to do if you get arrested or
sexually assaulted overseas
travel.state.gov The US State Department warnings can be a little imprecise – if one spot
is potentially dangerous, they put the whole country on the list
voyage.gc.ca Canada’s warning page offers all the basic plan-ahead info
TOURIST OFFICES
worldtourismdirectory.com Find a tourist bureau worldwide
TRAVEL TOOLS
CONVERSIONS
digitaldutch.com/unitconverter This speedy site converts weights, measurements, distances and so
on
toomanyadapters.com Under the banner “Technology for Travelers”, this site gathers all
possible tech info for the road, from how to get a SIM card in Portugal to
tips on portable wi-fi range extenders
EVENTS
eventful.com 22 million registered users rely on this site for info on sporting events,
concerts, movies, exhibits, nightclubs, family stuff and lots more
festivals.com Find out when and where the party is on, no matter where you go
GLOBAL ADAPTORS
voltagevalet.com The lowdown on how to plug in any electrical appliances you may be lugging
around with you
LANGUAGE
translate.google.com The only translation tool you’ll need, from phrases to websites. It can
even detect what a language is if you’re not sure
ONLINE MAPS
earth.google.com The Big Kahuna of online maps, with tons of stuff you never dreamed was
possible
maps.google.com Does all the things Google Earth doesn’t
TRAVEL GEAR
altrec.com An online-only retailer with gear from all brands
ems.com Loads of gear with many web deals
gogogear.com.au A site for getting gear down under – it even has all the cheap stuff (ear
plugs, sink plug, etc) for one-stop shopping
neighborgoods.net Rent tents, sleeping bags etc in the US direct from the owners
rei.com The megastore US retailer has regular online specials
spinlister.com Rent bikes, skis, snowboards etc direct from the owners in 55
countries
zilok.com Lets you rent just about anything (a sewing machine, Playstation or
Hummer) from both companies and individuals.
WEATHER
intellicast.com/global Global ten-day forecasts
worldclimate.com Average temperature and rainfall for a huge number of destinations
WORLD FACTS
cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook No cloak-and-dagger stuff, just one of the best sources of information
around
countryreports.org From flags to maps to national anthems, here’s a good starting point for
learning a little about the countries you’re heading to
nationalgeographic.com The National Geographic Society offers a top-end presentation of the
planet
WORKING AND VOLUNTEERING
TEACHING ENGLISH
cambridgeesol.org Home of Cambridge ESOL programs; allows you to find nearest
location
eslcafe.com Dave’s ESL Café is a TEFL forum with general job-searching and
classroom-teaching tips and lessons
teflinternational.com For getting a cheaper TEFL certificate in fourteen countries, including
China, Costa Rica, France and the US
VOLUNTEERING
globeaware.org Caters to those who want to volunteer on their vacation and are willing to
pay handsomely for the short-term, well-planned experience
goabroad.com/volunteer-abroad Huge directory of international volunteer programmes, which you can search
by location
idealist.org Idealist works to connect people, organizations and resources with the aim
of free and dignified lives for all
metowe.com Upper-end volunteer trips, but typically well put together. Can help place
families as well
takingitglobal.org Online global community that helps point people towards current
opportunities to take action
vfp.org Volunteers for Peace is a US-based organization with inexpensive
international programmes
volunteerinternational.org A regularly updated list of volunteer opportunities and internship
exchanges provided by an alliance of non-profit organizations based in the
US
WORKING
anyworkanywhere.com Find work in dozens of countries and get help with visa information
dogvacay.com Can set you up as a dogsitter. Available nationwide in the US, with
offshoots into Canada
iagora.com An online community featuring entry-level jobs and internships around
Europe
jobmonkey.com Search by job type, from skiing to teaching
jobsabroad.com This site allows searching by country or job type, and has links to study
and volunteer programs
liveworkplay.com.au An Oz-based site with useful working-holiday information, including visa
permits
michaelpage.com Professional work-placement agency
monster.com Jobs for skilled workers all over the world
overseasjobcentre.co.uk Guide to working and living abroad, working holidays and gap years
taskrabbit.com Can be a good place to earn some short-term money if you’re a whizz at
gardening, putting together IKEA furniture etc. Signing up involves a
screening process, including a criminal record check
wwoof.org Directory of World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms