Over the years as we have travelled all across Europe, Asia and Central America we have learnt a thing or two about finding the best deals. Which are the best sites to use to book flights, accommodation and transport?
Perhaps most importantly, which companies are the most reliable and easy to use?
To help you make the most of your travels and find all the best deals, here are some useful travel resources and sites we use all the time;
Help With What To Pack
Water-To-Go – We both have filter water bottles from Water-To-Go and we use these every day. They allow us to drink tap water safely wherever we go and we don’t have to buy ANY plastic water bottles. It’s a win-win!
Our Backpacks – We chose our backpacks very carefully and absolutely love them! We both have Osprey 50-60 litre backpacks that have a smaller backpack that zips onto the front. This gives us a small day bag too. They also have a cover that zips over the straps making it more compact and safe for flights.
Useful Posts for Packing
Complete packing list for Central America
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Finding the best flights
SkyScanner – We use SkyScanner to search and compare flights. 95% of the time we will also book straight through them too. Skyscanner is a flight aggregator that gives you the best rates on airline tickets and other travel deals!
KLM – This airline is our favourite for city hopping around Europe from Amsterdam. Not the cheapest but really reliable and has great customer service.
Useful Posts for finding Flights
How to find and book cheap flights
Travel Insurance
Imagine travelling from the buzzing streets of Tokyo to the serene beaches of Mexico, all without a worry in the world. That’s where SafetyWing comes in, acting as your silent guardian. It’s not just about avoiding pitfalls; it’s about diving into your adventures with confidence.
Embrace your freedom, and chase new experiences. With travel insurance, you’re always one step ahead, ready for whatever comes your way, ensuring your journey is as smooth as the destinations are breathtaking.
SafetyWing offers insurance products designed specifically for nomads, remote workers, and digital nomads, positioning itself as a provider of a global safety net. Their offerings include travel insurance and health insurance for remote teams and workers. Here are some key details about SafetyWing’s products:
- Nomad Insurance: This is a travel and medical incident insurance tailored for digital nomads and travellers. It can be purchased while already abroad, includes coverage for home visits, and operates on a monthly subscription basis, as well as set trip dates. Coverage is available in over 180 countries, and you can cancel at any time. The insurance covers unforeseen medical emergencies and certain travel-related costs.
- Remote Health: This is a health insurance product for remote workers and digital nomads, offering comprehensive coverage including outpatient services, dental, vision, screenings, vaccines, and maternity. It features near-worldwide coverage with a high coverage limit, and members pay a portion of the costs.
Sites for Booking Accommodation
Booking.com – This is the site we use the most to compare prices of accommodation all over the world. The more you book through them the more they reward you with discounts and free upgrades/breakfasts.
Hostel World – A great site to find the best Hostels and read reviews from other travellers.
Airbnb – We have used Airbnb and never had any issues BUT we always read reviews very carefully and never stay anywhere with no/few reviews. Airbnb has a reputation for being troublesome, with some dodgy hosts and no support if you have any problems. Just good to be aware of before booking with them.
Useful Posts for Accommodation
Best Hostels In Central America
How to find and book cheap accommodation
Banking and Money
Wise – Wise are a great online bank that allows you to withdraw money abroad without fees, transfer abroad, has great exchange rates and you can hold money in multiple currencies. They are basically just great at all things multi-currency and travel spending.
Revolut – Pretty much all the same perks as Wise so we have accounts with both.
Sites For Booking Different Transport Options
Discover Cars – A great car rental comparison site that allows you to check and compare the prices of lots of different rental companies to get the best deals. We don’t often hire cars when we travel but whenever we consider the option we always use Discover Cars to check the prices and availability.
BusBud – For searching and comparing cheap bus rides all over the world. We have used their coaches countless times to travel across Central and South America.
12Go.asia – This is an awesome site that allows you to compare different travel options all across Asia and book tickets online. We have used this in India, Thailand and Cambodia.
Travel for Less/Free
Work Away – Work Away is a great site that for a small annual fee, allows you to connect with hosts all over the world who will give you accommodation and meals in exchange for 4-5 hours of work a day. Just be careful and read the reviews.
Trusted House Sitters – If you’re an animal lover then this could be ideal for you. Basically, pet owners who are travelling will post ads looking for people like you to go and stay in their house for free and look after and love their pets for them while they are away.
Couch Surfing – A site that allows you to connect with people all over the world for social events or to literally sleep on their coach for free. Again, always read reviews folks! I have a friend who is a super host in the UK and has hosted hundreds of travellers and organises meet-ups all the time, it’s a great way to travel for less and spend time with locals.
Must-Have Travel Apps
I don’t travel without these essential Apps (as well as the apps for most of the above-mentioned sites);
- Google Maps
And use the download offline feature to download areas I will be going to beforehand so we can use the maps without the internet. - Google Translate
You can also download entire languages to be able to still use the translate app without the Internet which is so useful. - Currency exchange App
If you’re like me and can’t keep up with new currency and exchange rates then having an app you can quickly check conversions on is really handy. - Happy cow
We use this App in every new place we go to find the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants and cafes to try.