TABLE OF CONTENTS 

AIRFARE 

ACCOMMODATIONS 

GEAR 

TOUR COMPANIES 

TRANSPORTATION 

JOB RESOURCES 

I’ve planned and booked a lot of trips all over the world and the
companies listed in this document are the exact ones I use
when I travel. I’m a firm believer in them and that’s why they are
listed. They are the best out there, and continually offer the best
deals, including some Nomadic Matt exclusives.

   
AIRFARE 

Momondo
This is my all time favorite search engine. They
always seem to find airlines that offer the best
deals and their calendar view lets you see which
days are cheapest to fly. I like them because they
search the small booking sites no one else does. I
make this my starting point for all flight searches.

Airtreks
This company is a leader in round the world
tickets. Their booking engine will allow you to
construct itineraries using multiple airlines so you
can piece together the best deals. Their staff is
excellent and really knows their stuff.

Skyscanner
This great website searches a lot of different
airlines, including many of the budget carriers that
larger sites miss. While I always start with
Momondo, I’ll often check this site too as a way to
price compare.

Google Flights
One of the best flight search engines out there,
Google Flights lets you enter your departure
airport and see flights all over the world in a map
so you can see where the cheapest destination is.
They also suggest different dates for cheaper
flights.
ACCOMMODATIONS 

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. (If you’re new
to Airbnb, ​get $35 off​ your first stay!)

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, wide selection,
and no money down policy. They are especially
good for listing in developing countries.
ACCOMMODATIONS (CONT.) 

Hostelworld
The best hostel accommodation site out there with
the largest inventory, best search interface, and
highest availability. I use them for all my hostel
bookings. And, since they bought their competitor
Hostelbookers, they are the biggest game in town.

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.

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
conjunction with the bidding site Better Bidding,
you can substantially lower the cost of your hotels
by as much as 60%.
 GEAR 

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
them since I started traveling in 2003. They are
also recommended by Lonely Planet and National
Geographic so you know they are good. DO NOT
LEAVE HOME WITHOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE.

Rail Europe
If you are going to Europe and taking a lot of
trains, get a rail pass. I’ve used a rail pass three
times and saved hundreds of dollars each time.
The math just works. I use the company Rail
Europe and suggest you do too. You can read
about my experience using rail passes by ​clicking
here.

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. For more on
picking the perfect backpack, ​read this article​.
GEAR (CONT.) 

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.

T-Mobile
If you are a traveler and live in the U.S., get
T-Mobile. T-Mobile gives their users contract-free
plans (starting at $50 per month) with free
international data and text messaging in over 100
countries — plus all calls while in those countries
are only 20 cents a minute. I’ve been using them
for years and love them.

EatWith
This website allows you to eat home cooked meal
with locals. Locals post listings for dinner parties
and specialty meals that you can sign up for.
There is a fee (everyone sets their own price) but
this is a great way to do something different, pick a
local’s brain, and make a new friend.
TOUR COMPANIES 

Intrepid Travel
They offer good small group tours that use expert
guides and leave a small environmental footprint.
If you go on a tour with anyone, go with them.
They are my favorite multi-day tour operator and I
take at least two tours a year with them. ​And, as a
reader of this site, ​you’ll get exclusive offers​!!

Context Travel
One of my favorite walking tour companies,
Context offers in-depth history, food, and cultural
tours through cities in the world, with a speciality in
Europe. This company gets experts to lead tours
(i.e. a chef to lead a food tour), which is why these
tours are some of my favorite.

Vayable
I enjoy this site because it allows you to
experience niche, offbeat, and interesting tours
that bigger tour companies might not run (like a
street art tour in Los Angeles). Plus, the groups
tend to be very small, making for a more intimate
experience.
TRANSPORTATION 

The Man in Seat 61

This website is the ultimate guide to train 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.

Rome 2 Rio
This website allows you to see how to get from point A
to point B the best and cheapest way possible. Just
enter your departure and arrival destinations and it will
give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can
get you there as well as how much they cost. One of the
best transportation website out there!

Cruisesheet
This company works voodoo magic and searches the
web for the cheapest cruises on the web, sometimes as
cheap as $27 a night. This may not be your typical
cruising website but a deal is a deal. This website is
especially good for repositioning cruises across oceans.

BlaBlaCar
BlaBlaCar is a ridesharing website that lets you share
rides with vetted local drivers by pitching in for gas. You
simply request a seat, they approve, and off you go! It’s
a cheap and much more interesting way to get from
point A to point B than by bus or train!

Gumtree
This Craigslist-like site is an amazing resource for
travelers. You can find travel partners, rideshares, jobs,
second hand gear, homestays, and much more. It is an
amazing website for travelers of all kind!
JOB RESOURCES 

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.

Grassroots Volunteering
If you are looking to volunteer when you travel and
want to support good organizations, this website
compiles a list of ethical and responsible local
volunteer organizations that keeps the money
within the community and not in the hands of a big
organization. This is a tremendous resource for
anyone wanting to volunteer overseas.

How to Work on a Cruise Ship

This book is the best resource for those looking to
work on a cruise ship. The author, Wandering Earl,
spent close to a decade working on ships and his
phenomenal book that will help you find jobs, learn
about the application process, experience, how to
interview, and much more. It’s the only book I
know of that puts the secrets of working on a
cruise ship in one place.
 JOB RESOURCES (CONT.) 

Helpx
HelpX is one of the best places to find work and
volunteer opportunities when you travel. They have
farms, farmstays, homestays, B&Bs, hostels, and
sailing boats who invite volunteers to stay with them
short-term in exchange for food and
accommodation.

WorkAway
This is another wonderful job finding website!
Workaway is a lot like HelpX except this website
has more paid job opportunities for when you travel,
though it also has volunteer opportunities too.

How to Learn a Foreign Language

Speaking the local language is an important part of
traveling. Best selling author Benny Lewis of ​Fluent
in 3 Months ​has a series of guides that can help you
learn the basics of any language for your trip. I’ve
used Benny’s tools to help me learn French and
Swedish.

Disclosure:​ Please note that some of the links in this document are affiliate links, and at no
additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I use all the companies listed
here and recommend them because they rock and have made my travels better. If you are ready to
book your trip and would like to support Nomadic Matt in some way, using these links is one way to
do that. Please do not spend any money you don’t feel are right for you. If you have any questions
about the companies, e-mail me. I’m happy to answer any questions you have.
 
 


  
  


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