The Ultimate Resource Page for EVERYTHING Travel
How to Find Flights
Skyscanner
This is my ultimate flight checker. I LOVE that you can choose by the month to see the cheapest date and you can choose “flexible” to find the cheapest city to wander to! Check out my guide for cheap flights to everywhere.
Google Flights
Google Flights has a great set up for seeing the entire month’s price before even clicking anywhere and I love seeing a map! But no “flexible” option.
Secret Flying
I haven’t used any of these deals (because they tend to have certain date availability only), but holy moly there are some good ones! It’s worth following their Facebook to see what error fares they have found.Accommodation
FREE $20 for airbnb
By far the most comfortable stays I’ve had! You get something way more homey than a hotel. Plus you get a free $20 with my link. Boop! You’re welcome, friend!
Agoda
I’ve used Agoda for ages now . It’s the best way to look up accommodation around the world. Even if you don’t book, it’s the perfect way to search what’s available and gives you an idea of the prices in the area.
HotelsCombined.com
Literally, hotels combined. They combine all the deals on offer for your selection from many of the popular hotel search sites.
Booking.com
A MASSIVE variety of properties to choose from. They offer hotels to homes.
Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is always an option too! Not just for accommodation, but for meeting new people too!
Tour Operators
I’m not much of a tour person but sometimes a tour is necessary! Here are the most trusted tour companies around…
G Adventures
Highly recommended! Here are their current deals.
viator
Another highly recommended tour company.
Travel Insurance
Sometimes life happens… And it gets EXPENSIVE! Be prepared and covered with insurance. I’ve done the homework for you already! Everyone has different needs but these are the TOP most recommended travel insurance policies to get. I travel with Allianz.
Dealing with Money
Hands down the only travel card an American traveler needs. You get reimbursed for each ATM fee incurred and they don’t charge a dime themselves. Depending on what account you open, you could get $100 bucks (code REFER. nonaffiliated)
THE easiest way to transfer money, especially in different currencies, around the world. It doesn’t hurt to compare, but I’ve found it to be the cheapest.
Phone Plan
What’s the best way to stay connected abroad?
Everyone wants to know how to get data on their phone the easiest and cheapest way! You have three options.
1. You get a SIM card for your unlocked phone in every country you go to. Annoying, but the only way for a cheap and reliable connection. They are always available at the airport.
2. You buy a mobile hotspot which isn’t cheap at anywhere from $8+ a day.
3. If you’re from the USA, sign up with T-mobile. I have a $45 monthly plan that gives me unlimited data abroad. It’s not always the fastest, but I at least stay connected and I don’t have to worry about SIM cards. (Not from the US? What plan from your county offers something similar? Research it!)
Teaching Abroad
TEFL Certification to Teach English Abroad
This is one of the quickest, easiest, and most affordable ways to get certified online to teach English everywhere. You can check out this guide to teaching English abroad for more info on getting a job almost anywhere!
Discount code: Nina35
Best VPNs
ExpressVPN
The most recommended VPN out there that works in nearly 100 countries. Most people use VPNs to keep their privacy safe while browsing the internet, but sometimes countries block things you want to use. If you’re going to China, this is something you will literally need! Unless you can live without anything related Google, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram… Yeah…
Hola
Don’t need a super serious VPN? Too cheap? Hola should do the trick. It’s free and I’ve used it many times while trying to watch Hulu while in Thailand, for example. It’s not the best, but it didn’t cost me a dime, so I was happy with it. PS – Think this will work in China? Think again…
Travel Gear
GoPro Hero 3+
My ultimate camera. I like landscapes and I like not being faced in pics because I’m not even the slightest bit photogenic, awkward AF annnddd I’m clumsy sooo. GoPro is the answer for me.
GoPro Accessories
For a mere few bucks, these accessories and extra parts come in handy. Don’t make fun of the selfie stick, it’s actually a great way to get an epic pic.
Canon Rebel t6i
This is my baby! I LOVE this camera! It takes great pictures and video. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t know how to work a DSLR. I didn’t either! I’m slowly teaching myself and this has been the perfect camera to do it with. I’m getting better with every snap!
iPhone lifeproof case
I literally can’t have nice things. I ruin it. Unless it has a case, and even then… This case has saved my phone nearly everyday if its life. Bless.
iPhone 5 SE
Best phone I’ve had so far. Essentially an iPhone 6 but smaller, therefore, in my eyes, better for a traveler. The camera is excellent too!
Macbook Air
This is the Macbook I use! I’m all about the Apple products. I find them to be worth the extra cash because they last longer. I work online, so I can’t have my computer breaking down.
Dry Bag
I love this bag. Boat trip? Snorkeling? Beach? Rainy day? Waterfall chasing? THIS bag can go there with no issues. I have two. One of them is over 5 years old and going strong.
Backpack
I used to have something like this, but this one is better. For the first time in FIVE years, I’m actually using a suitcase!
Carry on Backpack
These old-school backpacks really are my favorite. They last forever and are perfect for carry-on luggage. Now that I have camera gear I need a specialized backpack. I will recommend this to anyone traveling who doesn’t have gear, though!
Camera bag
Got camera gear and a laptop? Need something safe and padded? Want extra room to throw in hard drives, your mouse, and some other random crap? This is the bag I use! Only small complaint is that it’s a tad heavy, but I’d rather deal with that than a broken DSLR!
Day pack
This is what I use when I’m walking around town. I throw my DSLR in here (with a sweater for padding), my GoPro, my water, my purse, other random bits and I still have room. I use this for everything! It’s water-resistant, lightweight, and packs down to nothing.
Selfie stick
OMG I know… People either love or hate these things. I was a hater before and now I hate myself for being late to the game because these sticks really are game changers. How else do you expect to get that EPIC pic?! Just give in… You know you want to. Also if you have a GoPro, it’s a must.
Travel Blog Resources
Travel Blog Success
An investment, yes. An invaluable resource that continuously gets updated, yes. Totally worth it, yes, but only if you’re seriously thinking of starting a successful travel blog.
SiteGround
Most bloggers recommend Blue Host, but if you don’t want to deal with massive issues later down the road, I can’t recommend SiteGround more. I signed up with BH because I was being cheap, but Site Ground is worth the extra money.
Elegant Themes
Serious about blogging? I got the lifetime membership for two simple reasons. I’m awful at coding and figuring out technical aspect, so their support team is there anytime I need them. I also change my mind often and they have a plethora of themes to choose from. Boom. Sorted. (I use Divi theme)
Disclosure: Some of the links in this blog post are affilates links. This means nothing to you, but everything to me. I make a small commission if you buy from my links at no extra cost to you. This is a major help to keep the costs of this blog down. Thanks for your support!