My Favorite Travel Resources & Recommendations

To help you travel more and get more value for your money, you need a good arsenal of resources behind you! Thus, I created this resource page to easily list my favorite recommendations, such as products, services, and companies I personally use to get the most bang for my buck.

With this helpful page, you can find awesome services and products all in one place! You can uncover great booking websites, travel deals, worldwide insurance, or even helpful travel books all from a single page. Cool, right? 🙂

Yay for transparency! Some of the links below are affiliate links and I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through the links. Keep in mind, I do personally use these recommendations and don’t endorse any bullsh*t. 

BOOKING ACCOMMODATIONS

From fun hostel dorm rooms to comfortable hotels, there’s a lot of places to stay throughout the world. I’ve camped, hosteled, hoteled, and AirBnBed my way around countries. Here are some of my favorite travel websites to book accommodations through.

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BOOKING FLIGHTS

All around the world, you’ll find borderline unsafe airlines to world-class flights. I usually stick to budget airlines, getting the best value for my money. Here’s a list of the websites I search to find the best airline and flight deals.

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GETTING AROUND

All around the world, you’ll find an array of different ways to get around – whether it’s a 1st class train or a clunky budget bus. Each have their own pros and cons, but you’ll have to book it to find out! Here’s my favorite sites I use to get around the world.

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TRAVEL INSURANCE

When it comes to traveling the world, no matter if it’s 200 miles or 2,000 miles, you need to be covered. Anything can happen while on the road – that’s why you should always be prepared with travel insurance! Here’s my favorite reputable travel insurance provider I trust (with both my life and my stuff).

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TOUR COMPANIES

Sometimes I don’t feel like planning out an entire day all by myself… that’s why I love going on city tours! While I love exploring on my own, every once in a blue moon it’s nice having another take care of the travel arrangements. Here are my favorite tour companies!

TRAVEL EBOOKS & GUIDES

Ever show up to a new destination without knowing anything about it? Or just need some inspiration to get you out there? I know I do! With these handy e-books and guides, you can fuel your wanderlust and get helpful information on new destinations!

[lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Travel the World on $50 a Day by Matt Kepnes: One of my all-time favorite books about traveling the world on a budget! Better known as Nomadic Matt, Matt Kepnes lays it all out on how to travel the world on just $50/day. Cool, right? No joke, I think I read this book in about a day because his incredible tips and tricks to bring down that travel budget are awesome! Click here to buy the book.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel: Our List of the 500 Best Places to See… Ranked: Not sure what to put on your bucket list? Or you have a bucket list with all the major sites but want to go off the beaten path a bit? The Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel book of 500 best places to see is a must-read for interesting destinations around the world. You’ll be yearning to tick off places on your list in no time! Click here to buy the book.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Rick Steves Best of Europe: Planning an adventure to Europe? Be ready to see this incredible continent with Rick Steves Best of Europe guide! No doubt, you can count of good old Rick to tell you exactly what you need to know to make the most out of countries like Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, and more, featuring helpful maps, tips, itineraries, and practicalities. Click here to buy the book.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Lonely Planet Southeast Asia on a shoestring (Travel Guide): Fresh outta college or planning the ultimate gap year? Southeast Asia is a must region to explore — and to get your moneys worth! Here’s Lonely Planet’s guide to doing Southeast Asia on a shoestring budget. Making your money go far in SEA is simple… but getting carried away is too damn easy! This is the perfect book to figuring it all out. Click here to buy the book.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column]

TRAVEL GEAR

Wherever I am in the world, you’ll no doubt find me carrying around a few precious items. Here are the brands, bags, and companies I support when it comes to discovering my favorite travel gear.

[lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Osprey: One of the best brands to make outdoor gear, as well as travel gear, Osprey is pretty well-known. With their lifetime warranty and guarantee, I know I can trust anything I buy from them. In fact, my beloved backpack is the Osprey brand and even after tacking on the miles backpacking around Southeast Asia, Europe, and the United States, it’s still going strong. Click here to check out Osprey products on Amazon and click here to view the backpack I personally use (and LOVE!).[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Pacsafe Portable Safe: Not sure if you can trust others in a sketchy hostel or hotel? The Pacsafe Portable Safe can help keep your valuables locked up, protected and safe from harm (or hell). You just load it up with things you want to keep safe, like a laptop, tablet, passport, etc., and hook it up to a solid thing, such as a pipe. Cool, right? Click here to buy a Pacsafe Portable Safe.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Shacke Pak Packing Cubes: One of my all-time favorite things to travel with, packing cubes help keep all my belongings organized throughout my bag. Seriously, Shacke Paks make packing a breeeeeze! They’re so efficient and super duper affordable. Plus, they make it easy to pack more than you thought possible. Click here to buy Shacke Pak packing cubes.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Power Bank: Wherever I’m wandering, I always always always have a power bank. More times than I can count, I’ve forgotten to charge my phone or camera the night before and when I arrive to my chosen destination, they’re dead. It’s the worst when my camera dies and I can’t take pictures! Don’t want that to happen to you? Get a power bank. Click here to buy one.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Lifestraw: If you’re ever traveling to remote areas or regions where you can’t drink the local tap water, a Lifestraw comes in pretty dang handy! You’ll not save money on buying water bottles everyday, but you’re also saving the planet from unnecessary amounts of plastic. Win-win! Click here to buy the Lifestraw.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Tripp Lite Power Strip: Ever arrived at a hotel or hostel, only to find there’s not enough power outlets for all your things or all the power outlets are taken? It’s the absolutely worst, right? Traveling with a handy dandy power strip solves all that! With 3 outlets and 2 usb ports, it’s an awesome little thing. And it’s small enough to pack efficiently! Click here to buy a power strip.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column]

PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT

Wondering how I capture the indescribable beauty of the destinations I visit? With some handy dandy skills! Okay, okay, and with some incredible photography equipment. I prefer to travel light, and my camera and camera accessories reflect that! All of it is light and easy to pack, yet extremely powerful in capturing the magnificent this planet has to offer.

[lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Sony Alpha 5100: This little gem of a camera is absolutely amazing! As a mirrorless camera, it’s super duper easy to pack and immensely powerful — as are all the Sony Alpha cameras. And, since it’s pretty much a DSLR, the lenses are interchangeable. Perfect for getting just the right shot every time! Click here to buy the Sony Alpha 5100 (or here for an upgrade — the Sony a6000!).[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Sony 18-105mm Lens: This powerful lens is incredible for both up close shots and landscape shots! While it’s bigger than other lenses, it’s one of those that can be an all-in-one lens — which is actually more practical to travel with! Instead of chugging around 3 lens, I can just take one. Click here to buy the Sony 18-105mm Lens.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]GoPro Hero5: While I absolutely love my Sony Alpha camera… it’s not the best for water! That’s why I typically travel around with a GoPro. As a super durable, waterproof camera that’s small enough to stick in my swimsuit (yes, I totally stick my GoPro in my swimsuit when I’m snorkeling to keep it safe. Lol.) and pack in my backpack. Click here to buy a GoPro Hero5.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column]

BLOGGING RESOURCES

Interested in starting a blog or curious as to how I manage mine? It’s easier than you think! Blogging is a fantastic way to document my travels, inspire others, and make a few dollars on the side. Here are the best blogging resources I use to get all my blog sh*t together.

[lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Bluehost: When you’re first starting a blog, you’ll need to get a self-hosting plan! And Bluehost is the perfect website for beginner bloggers — quality web hosting for a super affordable price. For just a few dollars a day you can have a clean, professional WordPress site, very helpful customer service, and an array of themes to choose from. Click here to check out Bluehost.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Keysearch: A brilliant tool for optimizing your blog posts, Keysearch helps you figure out which keywords you can rank for, how much traffic each keyword gets, and how easy it is for your site to rank for one! After nearly two years of blogging, I’ve finally invested into this little affordable gem of a blog tool. And no doubt, I’m so happy with it! If you ever want to get in on that slice of Google traffic, you’ll need to invest into Keysearch, a super handy SEO tool to help get you there. And don’t for get to use my coupon code for 20% off — “KSDISC”! Click here to read my full, in-depth KeySearch review.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]ConvertKit: If you haven’t heard, email marketing is the best way to effectively reach your target audience, gain blog traction, and make money from your blog. Hypothetically, social media could disappear at any moment and Google changes their algorithm all the time (which could affect your search traffic), thus, the real way to truly connect with your readers is by starting an email list! With ConvertKit, you can easily create landing pages, email lists, sign-up forms, and more. Click here to check out ConvertKit.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”]

[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Tailwind: Pinterest makes up a huge portion of my site traffic and without a doubt, it wouldn’t be happening without the help of Tailwind! With this handy site, I can schedule pins weeks in advance and schedule them to go out regularly throughout the day. It’s a fantastic way to optimize my pinning schedule and essentially save tons and tons of time. Click here to learn about Tailwind.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]StudioPress/Genesis: One of the first things I wish I did when I started my blog is get a premium blog theme. Seriously, it makes life so much easier! Customizing your website, setting up plug-ins, and making sure it gives off the vibe and personality you want is essential for creating a blog brand. A premium theme makes this possible! Check out StudioPress here for premium themes.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column]

MONEY-SAVING SITES

There’s nothing like planning an epic adventure… only to realize your bank account doesn’t support it. So, whether you have 1 hour a day or 10 hours a day, here are a few money-saving sites that can help you build up that number in your bank account to fund your wanders!

[lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]UserTesting: One of my favorite websites to easily make a few bucks! All you do is sign up, fill in a few details about yourself, and test websites — all for $10 per site! Cool, right? It almost sounds too easy. But it really is! Sign up for yourself and make $10 per site test. Click here. [/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Swagbucks: A cool website where you can earn FREE gift cards and cash for all the normal things you do online. For just shopping, surfing the web, or doing a few surveys, you can rake in the free gift cards to your favorite sites from Swagbucks. Sounds pretty cool, eh? Instead of spending your own money, you can spend money you easily earn! Check out Swagbucks here for yourself.[/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”70″ tablet_grid=”70″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]Survey Junkie: Who else loves doing simple surveys that take just a few minutes, yet you get paid for your time? Me too! (okay, so not really). But it’s super duper simple and an easy way to fill up your bank account — especially if you have a few spare hours on hand! Click here to sign up for Survey Junkie. [/lgc_column] [lgc_column grid=”30″ tablet_grid=”30″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”true”][/lgc_column]

Love this handy dandy list of the ultimate travel resources and recommendations? Pin it to help other travelers!

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Yay for transparency! This page contains affiliate links; if you make a purchase through the links, this site receives a small commission at no extra cost to you. Which allows us to continue bringing you wanderful inspiration! Read the full disclosure here.