Let’s face it, travel planning can be quite daunting. I’ve put together a carefully curated list of free travel resources for all types of travellers since it’s been requested for some time and it’s about time I get my resources all in one page!
From figuring out transportation, accommodation, foreign currency, and that’s only after you’ve successfully booked your trip. How do you find good flight deals or sales? What site is best when it comes to safely booking that too-good-to-be-true sale?
If you haven’t already, subscribe to theFantasia’s Wanderluster List which provides exclusive access to a carefully curated list of travel deal and flight sale sites.
The Free Travel Resources
| FLIGHTS & BOOKING | ACCOMMODATIONS | TRANSPORTATION |
| TRIP PLANNING & TOURS | TRAVEL INSURANCE | POINTS & MILEAGE |
| TRAVEL BLOGGING |
FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS & BOOKING SITES
MOMONDOOne of the least utilized flight search tool out there is Momondo. For some reason I’m always finding the cheapest fares on this site. Not only that, Momondo gives you more options and extensive fare analysis on various destinations. Not as well-known as Kayak or Expedia, but one that consistently sources the cheapest deals! They have a bar graph that allows you to check and visualize travel date combinations quickly.
SKY SCANNERA resource site would not be complete without the mother of all search sites. With a clean, uncluttered (read: minimal ads) interface, Skyscanner provides easy-to-visualize flight sorting tools and I love their amazing flexible searches. You can search by “EVERYWHERE” or “CHEAPEST MONTH” if you need some inspiration!
GOOGLE FLIGHTSGoogle’s latest offering is not one most people know about but the feature I love most from here is the endless travel date combination you can go through on the drop-down menu. You can also save and track your flight choices and get notified on your Gmail account. It’s one of the most-intuitive and easy-to-use search engines and since they are not powered by ads (rather they get a cut if you use their booking link), you will see every possible and unbiased fares.
HOPPER APPThe Hopper App is one of my most visited on the iPhone –
Hopper’s algorithm analyzes billions of flights to help you find the best deals and the best times to fly and buy! I love the calendar view which shows when the low/shoulder seasons are so you can easily see what times of the year are best to travel. The app allows you to track the destinations and their push notification are great reminders to see when flights are cheap enough to buy.
HITLIST APPPossibly the only Chrome app I don’t mind seeing over and over again. This app will give you a real case of wanderlust as every time you open a tab, you are shown a new destination and the cheapest price to travel to those destinations (based from your destination airport). You can build your individual preference (i.e. budget, length of trip) and the destinations is worldwide!You can also track your flight searches and be notified directly every time you open a new tab.
SECRET FLYINGI always keep an eye out for this site for flight deals. They post multiple times a day and deals can be found from various destinations. You can check out flights from the US or Canada. I find the best way to stay on top of those deals is through social media – Twitter or Facebook. If you haven’t already been already, I have an extensive flight deal site list over on the theFantasia Free Travel Resources.
KAYAK EXPLOREKayak may be a staple site you hear of over and over again but my favourite tool on Kayak is not the search or track, but their Kayak Explore feature! It’s a unique tool that allows you to explore global destinations at a glance. I love that I can quickly see the best prices for various world destinations and length of time. The tool makes it easy to plan long-term travel or last-mine ones!
SEATGURUHave you ever wondered what the best seat on your flight is? Where you’re least likely to be seated near a baby, or least likely to be seated near washroom traffic?SeatGuru is a crowd-sourced site that provides reviews on various seat options according to how travellers have rated them. It’s a good way to identify what seats would be perfect for your next flight.
AIRLINE MEALSAirline Meals is an excellent crowd-sourced site for seeing what kind of airline meals you might be served on your next flight. This is an excellent resource if you have certain dietary restrictions impact your travels. They have over 40,000 images from 700 airlines showcasing meals in different cabin classes.ACCOMMODATION
AIRBNBEver since I discovered Airbnb, I’ve used it extensively for my travels.I’ve had only the most pleasant encounters with my hosts, and I enjoy learning the local customs, and living like a local. Airbnb experiences can be hit or misses but as long as you are respectful of your hosts and their homes, you’ll have a great time!
I’ve written about the few things you should do to ensure a great relationship with your Airbnb host. If you use my Airbnb referral code you can also save $50 on your first booking!
HOSTEL WORLDIf you prefer to travel cheaply, staying at hostels is a great alternative. The rise of solo travel means all sorts of different types of hostels are starting to pop up. You have more options than ever and more likely to come across other solo travellers as well!
They have over 35,000 properties in 170 countries so you definitely plenty of options to choose from.
What I appreciate about Hostel World is you don’t have to pay the full amount right away in case of itinerary changes (you can hold your room for 10% deposit at the time of booking) and the rest upon your arrival. You can opt for insurance to protect your booking for a few bucks more.
YOTELIf you need a quick refresh or need a safe place to stay during a long layover at the airport,look no further than Yotel. Their rates are often cheaper than airport hotels and you can check in at any time of the day. Essentially you only pay for the hours you stay. You can book for any time lengths but must be 4 hours at minimum. Yotel caters to everyone from solo traveller to business travellers as well. I’ve stayed at the London Heathrow Yotel location several times but Yotel is becoming more and more available in other major airports.
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
RAILEUROPERailEurope is a major European distributor of European rail passes. The passes are available for different traveller types, length and rail companies. RailEurope allows you to travel through Europe quite hassle-free as you don’t have to keep purchasing tickets and validating them. It’s an excellent value for money if you plan to travel extensively through the continent and wants more flexibility (or spontaneity) compared to booking each leg separately.
EURAILEurail is an alternative to RailEurope although their offering is fairly comparable. They offer rail passes for different age groups, destinations and lengths. A travel blogger has reviewed the two offerings in great details so I’ll direct you to that blog so you can read more about the two offerings!
THE MAN IN SEAT61Probably the most comprehensive site out there for train travels in Europe, the Man in Seat61 offers very detailed and thorough information about train travels throughout the continent. Offering multiple routes (budget-friendly or more scenic alternative), he makes it super easy to travel through Europe on train. He also goes deeper and have a few posts on different types of train classes available.
ROME2RIOAnother one of my favourite transportation planning site is Rome2Rio – it offers multi-modal route information as well as the best ways to travel between points A and B, saving you precious times from having to go at it with “trial and error”!
TRIP PLANNING & TOURS
SANDEMAN FREE TOURMy first stop when planning out my travel itinerary is typically Sandeman’s New Europe which offers FREE walking tours in 18 different cities.In addition to the free walking tours, you can also join their pub tours or other interesting tours. I love joining these free walking tours as you can get a really good sense of the city and also make new friends. This is how I met different people whilst travelling solo and I remain friends with a lot of them today!
VIATORViator is a popular aggregator for day trips, short tours,and general activities in different cities. I have never booked their tours (I prefer booking directly rather than through middle-man) but I use the available day tours to get a sense of itinerary and available offerings. Their prices are also helpful so I know whether I’m paying a fair price for that particular activity or if I’m getting ripped off.
GROUPONGroupon is easily my favourite site to book new things to do in different cities. I use it extensively at home, and it’s a great place to see what kind of offerings are available in different cities. Since everything done through Groupon is done at a discounted rate, you also get to save money in the process. If you don’t have an account, make sure you sign up for one – they do 20% discounts quite frequently so you can expect to save even more money!
TRIPADVISORI feel TripAdvisor gets a bad rep in the online travel community and I agree with some of it. They give out those TripAdvisor awards like freebies, and I’m told is not as carefully curated as some of us would like to think. I’ve had great experiences in booking with companies that TripAdvisor has recommended as being the top companies for that particular activity. I do find that due to the popularity of the site, you are likely booking with a highly “touristic” company and probably won’t feel as authentic of an experience. But for some, this is something they prefer due to the safety and/or time aspect.
LONELY PLANETLonely Planet is a name that’s practically synonymous with backpackers and travelling. I’m a fan of their guidebooks, though I find the physical books to be highly impractical. I also find their information to be fairly outdated (even in reading the latest edition) and suggestions are often very touristic. I do like perusing their more “coffee book” – like the Ultimate Travelist or Where to Go When to get inspired for my next trips, or as a conversation starter with friends!
G ADVENTURESI personally detest group travels/group tours but I’ll make an exception for G Adventures. I didn’t have a great trip with them in 2012, but what I love about their tours is the small group sizes. If you are an introvert or maybe afraid of not getting along with your group, rest assured that G Adventures limits their group sizes to 12-16 at most. The other thing I like is the group is far more diverse in terms of age group and preference. In 2012, I joined a 10-day European tour with G Adventures, and I would say about 6 of the 12 people were adults (30 ).
INTREPID TOURIntrepid falls in between the spectrum of both Contiki and G Adventures. Size-wise, it is larger than G Adventures but less rowdy than Contiki. What I like about the Intrpeid tours is their more “adventurous” offerings over the regions they operate in. Price-wise they fall in the middle of the spectrum as well so it caters to a variety of different types of travellers.
CONTIKI TOURSIf you prefer to be social at all times, meeting lots of new people and really making memories, then Contiki Tours is the one for you. The group that joins Contiki is typically younger and since they have the capacity to stay up longer than 8PM, the company has become synonymous with large group buses and a party-ready group.INSURANCE
WORLD NOMAD INSURANCEWorld Nomads offers great travel insurance and is Lonely Planet’s recommended company of choice. In addition to your medical insurance, they offer something most insurers don’t really cover: travel gears insurance coverage up to $2000. I bought this travel insurance to protect my expensive photography equipment when travelling through South Africa in 2016, and would say the peace of mind is absolutely worth it.
MANULIFE TRAVEL INSURANCEI am covered through Manulife for medical insurance (including up to 30 days of travel days). However, in 2012, I also bought their student travel insurance to cover the additional days after the first 30 were up (I was travelling for almost 3 months). If you are under 25 years old, the coverage is very affordable – I believe I paid $25 for the added medical coverage in 2012.
AMERICAN EXPRESS INSURANCEI am an American Express Gold Card holder so I am automatically covered for other travel-related incidents that medical or personal effects that other insurance don’t. I am automatically protected in case of travel interruption, if my bags are lost, or if my rentals are damaged. I’ve been a member since 2014 and would say that despite the $150 annual fee, their points system and insurance coverage have paid itself over and over again..TRAVEL POINTS AND MILES
AWARDWALLET If you are a member of multiple airline reward programs, it can be extremely tricky and difficult to keep track of them all. AwardWallet is like a supercharged Excel file – it automatically updates your points information and program status with a click of a button. In order for the program to do this, you have to provide your login information and authorize each account. Once the program is authorized, AwardWallet allows the users to track their frequent flyer miles all in one place which makes it easy to book reward flights.
THE POINTS GUY This blog is run by an expert frequent flyer and miles collector. Through his blog, you can find all sorts of interesting information, hacks and tricks that you can learn to take similar trips. Definitely keep an eye out on his blog for travel deals and the occasional credit card sign-up bonus.
TRAVEL BLOGGING
SITEGROUNDSiteground is one of the most popular webhosts out there with excellent uptime, speed, and safety profile so you can be assured that all your hard work will be maintained well. Their plan starts at $4 for the most basic offering. For new bloggers or those who don’t require much space, their site offers really great plans for anyone interested in starting out with blogging or are looking for a more reliable host, this is the way to go. I have not been hosted by them but is my preferred host if at some point I need to move hosts.
BLUE HOSTBluehost is a name that I’ve known for ages. Even before I become a full-fledged blogger, they have built up a loyal following and base for their services. What’s unique about Bluehost is their budget-friendly offering – providing more for less. Bluehost isn’t the best when it comes to customer service so you might want to be prepared to troubleshoot or Google their technical challenges yourself. They are more prone to downtimes due to the number of blogs and sites they host so that might factor into your consideration. Otherwise, if you are looking for a budget offering this is a solid one.
WORDPRESS WordPress is the free open-source software and blogging tool I’ve used for over 10 years of blogging. This was when blogging wasn’t even a thing and I was writing an online diary where I didn’t want to be covered by ads (i.e. LiveJournal or MySpace). I gave WordPress a shot,and never looked back! It is a very user-friendly, Google-compliant, and versatile blogging platform I’ve used (and I’ve tested many of them over the years!) but I’d easily go back to using WordPress again and again!