After years of travel we’ve used many travel resources and honed in on some of our favorites. This list will evolve as we try new products and services.
Check back to see the latest products or tools we’re using.
Backpack Essentials
LifeStraw Water Bottles – A good water bottle is a must when traveling. The LifeStraw bottles are great because they have built in filters that make them useful when you are uncertain about water quality.
Infinity Travel Pillow – We love these pillows! I have never been able to sleep on airplanes, but this pillow has changed that. It’s so soft and versatile, and the material is like a comforter. It’s big enough for me to fully wrap my head in, but still easy to hook around a backpack when you’re on the move.
Backpack Locks – These are great if you are staying in a lot of hostels or taking trains. They are TSA approved and work well with backpacks or lockers.
Packing Cubes – Packing cubes are a must if you like to be organized (we do). When working with limited space, organization will help you get that extra t-shirt or hoodie to fit. These are the cubes we use and love, but there are lots of options to fit your need. Also, these specific cubes come with a laundry bag which is super useful.
Top Accommodation Travel Resources
Hotels.com – If you love to travel extensively, but prefer the finer things most hostels don’t provide, Hotels.com is a great resource. Hotels.com has competitive rates on most hotels and a solid rewards program. For every tenth night you book you get one night free. This adds up quickly if you are traveling a lot. Additionally, you get extra perks at hotels when you are a silver or gold member which is easy to attain.
Airbnb – We love staying with superhosts so we know the lodging will meet our standards, and they usually have great tips on local restaurants and venues worth visiting. Additionally, you can often get better monthly rates if you are staying in one place for awhile.
Hostelworld – While we are still feeling out the hostel experience, we have used Hostelworld and it is a great tool. The app and site are easy to use and have a detailed rating system for each hostel.
Best Flight Search Tools
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is a well known tool for finding budget friendly flights. It is the go-to flight search engine for price conscious travelers and has easy to use features that help you find the cheapest flights around the world.
Google Flights – Google Flights isn’t designed solely to find cheap flights, but it is a simplified flight search tool that often does find affordable flights. We have used it for years and found cheap, yet convenient flight options.
Remote Work
Complete PalFish Teaching Guide – Review our complete guide to teach English online with PalFish. We provide a full walkthrough of how you can get started with PalFish to start earning money online to travel full-time.
International Phone Service
GoogleFi – GoogleFi’s vast network agreements abroad has made it extremely easy to use while traveling. Our phones automatically switch networks to the one with the best signal strength in any of the 200+ countries or territories currently supported. It works great in the USA as well, and is more affordable than the major phone carriers.
Transportation Travel Resources
Uber – Uber is easy to use and cheaper than a taxi in most cities. We were heavy users of Uber even before we started traveling.
GrabCar – GrabCar is the ride share of choice in Southeast Asia. Like Uber, it is both easy to use and cheap.