The Best Travel Apps & Websites for 2024

The planning stage of a trip can be very daunting, especially if you are doing the planning yourself. So, to help ease the process and ensure you have a seamless trip, I have compiled a list of the best travel apps and websites for you to use before your trip (in the planning phase) and during the trip.

There are 10 categories from accommodation booking sites to activities & tour sites, flight comparison sites, eSIMs, travel insurance and even VPNs. I have also included sites for the pre-trip research.

Keep reading if you want to make your planning process easier!

Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. If you end up booking a trip, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you!

Trip planning research

Nothing prepares you more than research. So, before a trip, you need to gather as much information about the destination you are travelling to and be as informed as you can. The more you know, the easier it is to budget. Research also gives you confidence and helps you make less mistakes when travelling.

All of the following apps/ websites are search engines and they each have their usefulness.

• Pinterest: this is a search engine just like Google and it has up-to-date videos and links to blog posts with guides for your desired destination. However, limit the number of blogs you search on to 2/3, this ensures you’re not overloaded with information.

• Instagram: just like Pinterest, you can use hashtags to search for information about your destination country and you can make collections of posts for easy accessibility. Something else I love about Instagram is that you can contact the creators of the content directly for more information and you’ll usually get a reply.

• Google: this is the most popular way of doing research however it’s not always the best. The websites and blogs that rank on the first page of Google are not often up to date and can be years old.

• TikTok: another favourite of mine. I utilise TikTok a lot for research because creators make daily vlogs on this platform and usually post budget breakdowns and it helps me visualise myself in said country.

Booking Accommodation

There is an app and website for every type of accommodation there is out there. It doesn’t matter if you’re on a budget, looking for the most luxurious stay, travelling solo or are in a large group – one of the following platforms will have what you are looking for:

• Booking.com: this is my all-time favourite platform for booking accommodation. Many deals can be found here and it’s sometimes cheaper to book through here than on the hotel’s website. Also, the more you book, the more discounts you unlock.

P.S.: something you should look out for when booking through booking.com are reviews. Use the reviews to vet where you want to stay because there have been a few horror stories about some listed properties not existing.

• Hostelworld: This is a hostel travel app for backpackers on a budget who want to stay in the best hostels, enjoy group activities and even meet up and connect with like-minded travellers. You should use this app if you’re looking for very affordable accommodation in any part of the world.

• Airbnb: this is a great option if you are travelling in a large group or if you need to book somewhere for a month or more. Airbnb is great for extended stays. Just keep in mind that the prices may be higher than they would be on the property’s website because there are cleaning and service fees included in the total Airbnb fee. I booked a container-turned studio apartment in Accra, Ghana and for 4 nights, the total amount was less than $200 so it was very affordable.

• Vrbo: This is just like Airbnb, it’s by the Expedia group and you can book entire homes and properties for extended periods of time.

• Trusted House Sitters: this is a great way to travel for free. You can get a free place to stay by offering unlimited pet and home care. Pet owners can travel and leave their pets at home with a “Trusted House Sitter” and the sitter gets to stay in homes around the world for free.

• Couchsurfing: locals sign up to Couchsurfing if they have a “couch” available for you (for free). It’s not necessarily always a couch, some also have rooms available. Then travellers connect with locals who can host them in their homes. Just make sure you do enough research and you’ve properly vetted your potential host. It’s a great way to meet new people and connect with locals.

• Expedia: is one of the best platforms to book accommodation. I haven’t made a booking with them yet but they are very well-trusted and have several glowing reviews. Also, you can book hotel stays personally recommended by your favourite creators.

• Tripadvisor: another booking platform just like Expedia and Booking.com. It was one of the first booking platforms so has thousands of vetted reviews on every property listed.

Booking Activities and tours

If you only have a short time in a country, pre-booking tours and activities is a great way to ensure you do everything on your bucket list. It also helps you assess how much certain activities cost which helps you budget better. The following is a list of sites that help you book your preferred experiences in the chosen country.

• Get Your Guide: I book a lot of my activities on Get Your Guide. It’s very convenient, you can read reviews from others who have booked the experience and you can communicate with tour operators before the trip date. I booked a desert experience in Abu Dhabi with Get Your Guide for 5 people and the service was impeccable.

• Viator: another aggregator platform for tour companies. I haven’t booked with them before but from my research, they don’t have as many experiences available unlike Get Your Guide and they are slightly more expensive. However, they are a great alternative if you don’t find what you are looking for on other sites.

• TourRadar: a convenient site to help you find tours (both group and private tours) all over the world. From budget to luxury, you’re spoilt for choice.

• Showaround: you can find locals to show you around their city and plan tours with them that are tailored to your needs. It’s a great way to meet people and find affordable tours. Some may even decide to show you around for free.

• Expedia

• Tripadvisor

• Klook

If you are interested in free walking tours worldwide, here are sites that offer them:

• Free Tour
• Guruwalk

Flight Comparison Sites

The flight ticket is sometimes the most expensive expense you’ll incur on a trip (depending on the country of departure and arrival) so you definitely want to get the best deal on it.

Here is a list of flight comparison sites you can use to find the most affordable airline deals:

• Skyscanner: when searching for flights on Skyscanner, use the “everywhere” function to filter your finds for the cheapest flight ticket from your location.
• Wakanow
• Google Flights: with Google Flights, you can track the prices of flights to your destination and set up flight alerts so you get notified if there are increases or decreases.
• Kayak
• Expedia
• Trip Advisor
• Kiwi

Flight deal subscription companies:

• Scott’s Cheap Flights: Cheap flights departing from just the US (for now).
• Jack’s Flight Club (For flights from the US, UK, Ireland and other parts of Europe)
  • You receive alerts for cheap flights departing from all airports in the United Kingdom and northern Europe.
  • Sends alerts for cheap flights departing from Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington airports, as well as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle departures.

eSIMs

This is one thing you need when travelling. When arriving in a new country, worrying about communication and data limits is the last thing you need and buying a physical sim isn’t always possible. While public wifi or roaming is an option, this can be unreliable and expensive.

So to avoid connectivity issues, here are 3 eSIM provides for you to choose from on your next adventure.

• Truely

If you’re a business traveller, digital nomad, backpacker or just someone on vacation, travel eSIM is a great way to connect to local networks without the fear of roaming fees. With just one eSIM that works worldwide, you don’t have to switch it when you arrive at a new destination. It’s available in over 200 destinations and regions with flexible data plans.

• Airalo

Airalo is one of the first eSIM stores which helps you avoid roaming charges with access to digital SIM cards. With eSIMs from Airalo, download and install a digital data pack from 200+ countries/regions and be connected anywhere in the world the second you land.

• Holafly

Holafly is a digital eSIM that provides you with unlimited data in over 150 destinations with data plans starting at 5 days up to 90 days. It’s very simple to set up and can be installed before your trip so you are connected as soon as you land in a new country. It’s especially great for countries like Ghana where local sims are not easily accessible.

So, if you want to stay connected and save yourself the hassle of searching for local sims, download Holafly for your next trip and save 5% with my code FERINAJO.

Travel Insurance

The number one travel rule is never to travel without insurance. Of course, you are anticipating a smooth trip without any accidents or mishaps, however, for your safety and peace of mind, you need insurance coverage. Anything can happen; from medical emergencies to lost baggage, so it’s essential to to take the necessary precautions – never travel without insurance.

The type of coverage you get depends on what you pay for. Travel insurance can cover a variety of things including:

• Medical expenses
• Emergency Evacuation
• Flight delays
• Loss of property
• Cancelled trips
• Coverage for trip cancellation and medical expenses due to the pandemic

Best Travel Insurance Company’s:

• Safety Wing: is the world’s first International Travel Medical Insurance for remote workers and anyone travelling or living abroad. It’s on a subscription basis and coverage starts at $37 for four weeks. It provides 2 types of Insurance.
  • Nomad Insurance for digital nomads
  • Remote Health Insurance: comprehensive health insurance for full-time nomads.

I use SafetyWing whenever I travel because it is travel medical insurance created by nomads for nomads. You can buy a policy for the duration of your trip and end it when you want; it is also extremely flexible. Check out their website and get travel insurance for your next trip!

• World Nomad Travel Insurance: Travel insurance for independent travellers and digital nomads. World Nomads travel insurance has been designed by travellers for travellers, to cover your trip essentials. You can buy insurance while on the go and it covers over 150 adventure activities.

VPN

If you use public wifi, like the free airport or restaurant wifi then you need to use a VPN to protect your information. A VPN is a “virtual private network” and it encrypts your data and masks your IP addresses. This hides browsing activity, identity, and location.

Also, it can help you access and use apps that have been banned in certain countries. For example, WhatsApp and Facetime are banned in the UAE so a VPN will allow you to use them. Three VPNs you can use (free and paid):

• 1111 Faster Internet VPN (Free)
• Surfshark (Paid)
• ProtonVPN (Paid)

Maps

If you don’t want to get lost then save the locations you’ll be visiting before your trip and download them so you can use them offline. This way you’ll never get lost. I use Google Maps always because it has never let me astray and it lets me save different locations in different cities. However, Waze is another great app for navigation.

• Google maps
• Waze

I hope this helps! Happy Travels!