Airfare

Kayak

A good flight search engine for fares leaving from the United States. They search a wide variety of airline and other flight brokers (Kayak is what is known as a meta search engine). I think they are a great starting point for searching for cheap airline tickets, especially if you are based in the US.

Vayama

A great flight search engine, especially for international flights outside the US. It’s one of my main starting points for when I book international tickets and I’ve found fares on their site hundreds of dollars cheaper than I’ve found elsewhere.

Skyscanner

This great website searches a lot of different airlines, including many of the budget carriers that sites like Kayak miss. This site should be involved in your search for cheap flights.

Momondo

This is one of my all time favorite search engines. They always seem to find airlines that offer the best deals. I tend to make this my starting point for all international flights.

Airfarewatchdog

This website monitors airline ticket prices and will alert you when deals occur. They find a lot of unadvertised fares and I highly recommend signing up for their newsletter. This is one of the best websites on the Internet to find airfare.

Travel Hacking Cartel

A great place to find special and bonuses for frequent flier and hotel loyalty programs. Best for US based travelers.

Accommodation

Agoda

An amazing website for accommodation in Asia. This should be your primary accommodation website for guesthouses and hotels in Asia. They have the most robust inventory and offer the best rates. When I travel around Asia, I don’t use anyone else.

Booking.com

Booking.com provides great resource and booking site for cheap hotels and other accommodation. I like their easy to use interface too.

Hotwire

This is probably the hotel site I use most. I really enjoy their blind booking process. They essentially say “we have a super rate on a 3 star hotel in New York’s Time Square” and you book it without knowing the hotel. While that sounds scary, I’ve never ended up in a bad hotel and have saved a ton of money in the process. Highly recommended site.

Hostelworld

The best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and availability. I use them for my bookings and they are an official sponsor of this website.

Couchsurfing

This website allows you to stay on people’s couches or spare rooms for free. It’s a great way to save money while meeting locals who can tell you much more about a city than you will find out in a hostel/hotel. I have used this website dozens of times and the site also has groups where you can meet up for events in your city.

Hotels.com

One of my favorite hotel booking sites, Hotels.com has a robust inventory, lots of sales, and gives you one free nights stay for every 10 booked. They make for a good starting point when looking for brand name hotels. Plus, I do like earning a free rooms.

Expedia

Not my favorite website but they do a really good deals on cruises, hotels, and sometimes flights. Better flight booking sites are Kayak and Vayama. However, for cruises and package deals, you really can’t beat Expedia. They also have a really good loyalty program.

Priceline

One of my favorite hotel sites because it allows you to bid on hotels and save a lot more money than just by booking directly. When used in conjuction with the bidding site Better Bidding, you can substainlly lower the cost of your hotels by as much as 60%.

Airbnb

Another good accommodation alternative, this site connects with homeowners who rent out their homes/apartments to you. You’ll get all the comforts of home, the chance to stay in a local, non-touristy part of where you are going, and pay a fraction of the cost of a hotel room. 

Travel Gear/Products

World Nomads Travel Insurance

I buy all my travel insurance from World Nomads. They have great customer service, competitive prices, and in depth coverage. I’ve been using this company since I started traveling in 2006 and think they are the best. They are also recommended by Lonely Planet and National Geographic.

Lonely Planet Guidebooks

Everyone has their own guidebook preference. Lonely Planet is mine. I like the look of their guides, organization, light weight, and emphasis on budget travel. Lonely Planet also redesigned their books in 2011 and they are now better organized with more photos and better maps.

REI Backpacks and Gear

I’ve had the same REI backpack with me for the last 6 years and it’s as good now as it was the day I bought it. Their products will last you a long time. Because the quality has been so great, I purchase all my travel gear through them.

Rail Europe

If you are going to visit Europe and do a lot of long train trips, get a rail pass. You will save money. I’ve used a rail pass twice and saved hundreds of dollars each time. The math just works out for long train trips. You can read about my experience saving money with them.

I-to-I Online TEFL Course

If you are looking for a good TEFL class, check out I-to-I. They run online courses, are cheaper than their competition, widely recognized, and will help you find a job. I highly recommend them over any other company if you are looking for to get a TEFL in order to teach English overseas. GET 10% OFF WITH THE DISCOUNT CODE “KEPNES”! Valid until 5/31/13.

Tours/Agents

G Adventures

My first overseas trip was in 2003 to Costa Rica with G Adventures. That trip turned me into a travel junkie I am today. I like their commitment to the environment, local communities, small group sizes, and balance of free time and scheduled activities. It’s the way touring should be done.

STA Travel

A good company for those under 26 or are students. They offer discounted airfare as well as travel passes that save on attractions. I don’t use them that much anymore since I’m way over 26 but if you aren’t, make sure to check them out.

Briefcase to Backpack

A great resource for people who want to take a career break and need to know how. They hold yearly meet ups around the country to help people meet, plan, and go.

Go Today

A Great website showcasing highly discounted last minute tours and hotels. Great for the last minute planner.

The Man in Seat 61

This website is the ultimate guide to travel travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.

Top Travel Credit Cards

Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card

Get 25,000 Starwood points when you sign up. This is one of the best cards out there. You get a 20% bonus when transferring Starwood points to airlines and hotel bookings start at a couple of thousand points. This is my primary travel card because of the good points program. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS CARD.

The Platinum Card from American Express

This card is expensive ($450 annual fee) but great for frequent travelers. You get free airport lounge access, a $200 USD airline credit, travel coverage, and elite status for a number of companies. You get 25,000 AMEX points for signing up.

Chase Sapphire Card

Another great card with a 50,000 Ultimate Rewards sign up bonus. You can transfer those points to companies like United, Hyatt, Amtrak, and more. Or use them for a travel credit. This card comes with no overseas transaction fee and when used in conjunction with an airline credit card, can jump start your mileage balance.

Books

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Do Travel Writers Go to Hell? by Thomas Kohnstamm
Unlikely Destinations: The Lonely Planet Story by Tony Wheeler
The Beach by Alex Garland
Oracle Bones by Peter Hessler
Smile When You’re Lying by Chuck Thompson
Vagabonding by Rolf Potts
Seven Years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer
In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner
The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World. by The Lost Girls
The Longest Way Home by Andrew McCarthy
The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux
The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Pacific by J. Maarten Troost
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama, and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet by Heather Poole
The Good Girl’s Guide to Getting Lost by Rachel Friedman

Movies

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
The Art of Travel
The Beach
City of God
The Darjeeling Limited
Eurotrip
A Good Year
The Hangover
Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures
Into the Wild
Last Stop for Paul
Lawrence of Arabia
Midnight in Paris
The Motorcycle Diaries
Seven Years In Tibet
Thelma & Louise
The Way
Up in the Air
Vicky Cristina Barcelona