5 Sites You Need To Use Before Travelling

Helping you save time, effort and money

By Adam Stokes

Exploring the world for 6 months, or a simple 7 nights away from the wind and the rain? Whatever it means to you, below you’ll find the best 5 sites you need to use before travelling – because a Travel Agent can only tell you so much. We’ve got tips from savings on air travel to the best travel websites that will provide you with all the information you need to know before jetting out of the country. Don’t forget to check out our 5 Cheapest European Getaways for some inspiration. Now, without further ado…

#1 Trip Advisor – Reviews

Nobody likes being left in the dark – especially when it comes to booking a holiday, where you want everything to go perfectly. That’s where our first site comes in. By far the most widely used comparison and review website around, Trip Advisor is your one stop shop for hotel, restaurant and attraction reviews. The nature of the site means that anyone can post a review, allowing you to get real opinions from people just like you. The search engine allows you to find an enormous range of hotels and restaurants from around the globe, so you can see what others are saying before you even arrive. Our only tip, be cautious and thorough in your browsing. Though most are completely unbiased reviews, there are some that may not be as honest as you first think.

#2 Skyscanner – Flights

Everyone likes saving money. And it’s even better when you’re saving it on something that can normally be quite expensive. Being able to find cheap flights is one thing, but to find the cheapest flights you need go no further than Skyscanner. The site advertises itself as a travel search engine, and helps you find the best flight deals. Simply enter your details – dates, destination, class – and sift through all the cheapest airline tickets available. The site even shows you prices elsewhere so you can feel even better about how much you’ll be saving. Don’t forget to check out this guide on how to find the cheapest flights.

#3 Booking.com – Hotels

We’ve all seen the adverts… Booking.yeah! Booking.com is your hotel equivalent to Skyscanner, and finds you the cheapest deals on hotels throughout the world. Whether you’re looking to travel Europe, pass through Paris, or explore the world over, you’ll want a comfy bed to crawl into at the end of the day – and all at a budget price. Booking.com will help you find your perfect hotel, and results can be filtered by amount of people, price, recommendation or even location – so you can narrow down your search and find the perfect place for you in no time.

#4 Lonely Planet – Travel Information

Finding cheap flights and hotels is nothing if you don’t know where to go, and reading reviews on hotels and restaurants won’t go far in the way of helping you decide on an actual location. So, welcome, Lonely Planet – the world’s most exhaustive travel and tourist information site. Unlike Trip Advisor, Lonely Planet is an in depth, professional look at everything you need to know about thousands of destinations across the globe. You can find info on accommodation, food and drink, attractions, car rental, travel insurance, sightseeing and more – all from trustworthy travelers and professional writers.

#5 XE – currency

So with everything else sorted, you might have almost forgot amidst all the excitement that nowhere else in the world actually takes GBP, meaning you’re gonna have to get some currency converted. Many travel agents offer this service, as well as independent currency converters such as Travelex, and The Post Office, but with XE you get live exchange rates, so you know exactly how much your pound is worth all over the world. You can also quickly add the amount you’re planning on taking with you and generate how much foreign currency it is worth, so you don’t get short changed anywhere! The perfect site for managing your money before you set off on your adventure. Check out the XE Currency Converter.
Finally, check out Numbeo to see the cost of living at any destination in the world to help you decide how much you want to take with you.

Well, there you have it. Our top 5 sites to visit before you even look at a brochure. Using these sites will save you time, effort and money – making that short break, getaway or holiday that more enjoyable.

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Check out How to Travel the World on the Cheap for tips on how to save even more.