TRAVEL RESOURCES
Getting ready to travel?
Here’s a quick list of travel sites and service providers I always come back to, which consistently make travel easier, cheaper, and more enjoyable.
FLIGHTS
Bob’s Top Choice
Skyscanner
This is my go-to place to find flight deals. Wide search across many smaller platforms, and calendar view is clean.
Google Flights
Solid option, particularly for exploring routes. You can run an empty search to get a map of prices to potential destinations.
CheapOair
Decent flight aggregator, this site reigns supreme when it comes to last-minute airfares. Excessive popups can be annoying though.
Directflights.Com
Super practical tool, type in an origin and get all direct flights from that airport. Especially useful for building itineraries.
ACCOMODATIONS
Bob’s Top Choice
Booking.com
Probably the most widely used site globally. Strongest in US/Europe, it has good deals, and Genius loyalty unlocks discounts.
Trip.Com
Global and rapidly expanding site for hotels, flights, trains, tours etc. It has aggressive discounts and reliable refund policies.
Agoda
This is my #1 place to find hotel deals in Asia. I like the data-driven interface, and Platinum loyalty gets you the best rates.
TrustedHousesitters
For longer stays abroad, watch someone’s home/pets for free accommodation – global with care as currency, it’s a sweet deal!
TRAINS & BUSES
Bob’s Top Choice
Rome2Rio
Global transport network, input origin & destination and it will map out the best route by train, bus, and even ferry and plane.
Trainline
The best option to book travel by train (and bus despite the name) across Europe. Good site design, it makes the process painless.
Flixbus
Solid option for booking bus travel across Europe. Huge network, easy to use, buses are comfortable with Wi-Fi and power outlets.
The Man in Seat 61
The nerd in me loves this site. One guy compiled a global and highly detailed resource to help you get the most out of rail travel.
CAR & RIDE-HAILING
Bob’s Top Choice
Uber
With the largest global market share, Uber is your best bet outside of Asia, the Middle East, and parts of South America.
When in Rome…
Go with the best local option. Click below for my comprehensive guide to the best ride-hailing app in every country on Earth.
inDrive
Growing service with a unique business model. You negotiate live with all available cabs to find the cheapest price, pretty cool.
rentalcars.com
If you like having the freedom to drive yourself, this is the best aggregator to get competitive pricing on an on-site rental car.
TOURS & ACTIVITIES
Bob’s Top Choice
Viator
Acquired by TripAdvisor in 2014, Viator is a huge marketplace for travel experiences. Use it to search for tours and activities.
GetYourGuide
Another big marketplace for experiences and excursions, this is a good resource for finding tours at your destination.
Klook
Yet another large marketplace for travel experiences, especially in Asia, use this tool to search for travel experiences.
Intrepid
This tour operator organises adventures for small groups. They stand out with their focus on corporate responsibility.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Bob’s Top Choice
SafetyWing
This is the travel insurance I always use. Good basic coverage, very affordable, fast claims time. For best value, go with this.
World Nomads
This is a great option for adventure and extreme sports travel with coverage for kayaking, surfing, rock climbing etc.
Genki
A newer provider that offers remarkable value by covering only medical insurance abroad, not theft, delays, baggage loss etc.
InsureMyTrip
This is the best travel insurance aggregator out there, allowing you to compare plans/prices from lots of reputable providers.
E-SIMS
Bob’s Top Choice
Holafly
This is the e-sim provider I use. It offers unlimited plans so no data limit worries, and you can choose country or regional coverage.
Ubigi
This is the best overall option if you don’t need unlimited data. Wide coverage, competitive pricing, and allows data hotspot.
Airalo
A popular e-sim, strong ties with local telcos make it a cost leader. A solid choice if you’re looking for an affordable and reliable e-sim.
Airhub
Unlike the vast majority of e-sims, Airhub includes voice minutes & SMS, not just data. If voice calls are your thing, look no further.
VPN
Bob’s Top Choice
Windscribe
I’m a long-time user, Windscribe offers the most generous free VPN plan I’ve found. Easy to use, does the job, no fuss.
Proton VPN
Perhaps the best overall option, middle-of-the-road pricing gets you quality privacy tools + cloud storage. Free version is also solid.
ExpressVPN
Present in 105 countries, its large fleet of servers makes it ideal for global location spoofing while traveling.
NordVPN
Arguably the most premium VPN out there including a wide array of features, that does come at a price with higher monthly charges.
FINANCES
Bob’s Top Choice
Wise
If you need to make an international money transfer, Wise offers reasonable fees/rates and a super clear interface.
Revolut
Revolut offers low-cost digital banking services. They’re a good option for sending money overseas and currency exchange.
Splitwise
Useful when traveling in groups, Splitwise tracks individual expenses and makes it easy to settle up at the end of the trip.
Honey
Free extension for your web browser, automatically looks for coupons whenever you’re booking. Set and forget, it’s free money.
CREDIT CARDS
Bob’s Top Choice
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
My fave card for flexible points redemption. No annual fee, get miles for all purchases, not just travel, and a big sign-up bonus.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
A popular choice among travellers, this gives excellent value, incl. lots of points from travel spending, and a generous starting bonus.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The best travel card money can buy, for a hefty annual fee you’ll get airport lounge access, Uber credit, airline incidentals etc.
Citi Strata PremierSM Card
This is the travel card for people who also want a high reward rate on non-travel spending. Another plus is the annual hotel discount.
MORE USEFUL APPS
Bob’s Top Choice
polarsteps
Popular app that tracks your movements across the Earth. Can share live location with friends, and upload photos as you go.
Google Maps
Classic app, no serious traveller should go without it. Pro tip: download the offline map before any trip to use it without Internet.
what3words
Innovative geolocation tool, every 3mx3m square on Earth has been assigned a unique 3-word code. Lifesaver when GPS fails.
My Elevation
Free app that gives you live elevation data using internet sources. Much more accurate than GPS and useful when hiking!
Google Translate
This is just a must-have when traveling. It will translate any language from typed text, voice, an image, document, or website.
WeatherBug
Weather apps are a dime a dozen but this one takes it to the next level, including storm alerts, pollen levels, radar etc.
ATM Fee Saver
Simple but ever-useful app, it maps out the nearest free/low fee ATMs. As a bonus, it also provides visa and emergency services info.
Numbeo
This crowdsourced cost of living database tracks difficult to find quality of life metrics. Useful to know avg prices at destination.