Have you decided on your next destination? Great! Now it’s time to plan your trip. I know, it can be overwhelming, there are many arrangements to take care of: flights, accommodations, travel insurance, excursions, visas, and so on… To help you out with this task, below you will find a list of the main travel resources I count on when planning my trips on my own.

Disclaimer: Some links on this page are affiliate links. This means that if you purchase a product or service using my link, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. I always give honest opinions and experiences on those products.

Travel List

When packing, you’ll need a travel list to make sure you don’t forget anything. To help you, go right ahead to download my Travel List for free and adapt it to your preferences.

Flights

Google Flights is the first tool I use for finding cheap flights on the internet. It is very visual. In the search engine, after entering the airport or city of departure and destination, it opens a world map with updated prices. 

As an option, you can filter the results and rank them by stopovers, airlines, schedules or more, according to your preferences.

And also, if the option “Book on Google” is available, then you can buy the ticket straight from an airline without leaving the page. Here, Google only acts as an intermediary, sending your information to the airline to process the booking.

Skyscanner is another meta search engine I use for comparing flights and select the cheapest ones; I like it because it gives you many options among low-cost companies and you can set alerts to let you know when prices go down.

Learn more about Skyscanner’s use in the post How to plan a Trip – A step-by-step Guide.

Omio is a website and app where you can search and book trips within Europe to travel by plane, train or bus. I like Omio because it allows you to compare prices between different methods of transportation in the same search.

The BookAway site is focused on trips in Southeast Asia, although they also operate in Europe and Latin America. As Omio, it compares all the different methods of transportation showing price and schedules. You just have to choose whether you prefer to travel by train, bus, ferry or car and book online. You can also read the experiences of other travelers and digital guides from some countries. 

Check out this link to compare fares and transportation.

Accommodation

The first site I check to search for hotels on the go is Booking. It allows you to make a selective search according to location and price, and let yourself be guided by guest reviews. It also has a free cancellation policy on most rooms.

Airbnb. This site is a great way to find unique accommodations all around the world.  It’s worth a look, sometimes the prices are cheaper than in hotels.

Rent a Car

Based on the destination you explore, you may need to rent a car. RentalCar is the perfect place to hire a car and one company with the best opinions from the customers, it’s part of Booking.com group.

Tours, Trips, Excursions

A very useful website to find excursions and activities in your destination is Viator. The great advantage is that as they take you with everything organized, you don’t have to worry about anything, just enjoy the moment. And of course, you save a lot of time and go straight to get to know the interesting things. You can book the activity in advance or on the same day.

In addition, they also offer free tours, guided visits in which you pay for the will.

You can book excursions, activities, and free tours from this link.

Travel Insurance

One of the most important aspects to take into account when planning your trip is to hire a good travel insurance for the possible unforeseen events that may arise. The fact is that nobody is safe from incidents, and if they are abroad, it can become a drama. In the post “Why you need a Travel Insurance for your next Adventure” I share with you a deeper insight about its importance.

Some destinations do not have medical coverage or their health is not at all reliable, so you can avoid unnecessary hassle by knowing that the travel insurance covers you for physical damage, flight cancellations, theft or accidental damage to baggage and personal items, …

I have personally used Iati Seguros for my insurance for the last few years and I am very pleased with their service and offering. Book your cover with Iati Seguros and you will get a 5% discount.

Other

Luggagehero allows you to store your luggage wherever you go. It’s perfect when you can spend a few hours in the city and need a place to store your belongings.

I hope these travel resources will help you plan your trip.