8 Best Travel Planning Resources You Need for 2025
We have been meticulously planning trips for as long as I can remember, and after nearly three years of full-time backpacking across three continents, these are our most loved and used platforms to keep our travels moving smoothly (ish).
Whether you’re right at the beginning of the researching stages of your trip or you’re already there, these travel planning resources will help you out to get everything sorted AND save money!
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🔒 Insurance 🔒
SafetyWing
We have been with SafetyWing travel insurance throughout our three years of backpacking, and I cannot recommend them highly enough!
Whether you’re heading off on a two-week holiday or you don’t even have a return date booked, SafetyWing is our top choice for travel insurance.
We have found their rolling contract feature invaluable because we have no idea how long our trip will last. Each month, we have the option to cancel or extend; it’s so flexible! AND, when Chris fell over in Istanbul, their customer support team were there for us to answer our questions within minutes of me opening up the chat. Check out SafetyWing’s affordable plans.
🛌 Accommodation 🛌
Booking.com
We swear by Booking.com, and over the last three years, we have personally saved close to £800 thanks to their Genius loyalty programme!
We have also built up loyalty points, and earnt exclusive offers like additional discounts, free breakfasts, free room upgrades, and even cashback!
Using our link won’t negatively impact your personal Genius status, but it will help us earn a little commission to keep the blog running!
Agoda
Agoda is a sister company of Booking.com that is more common in South East and East Asia due to the headquarters being based in Singapore.
They have a loyalty programme, that has similarities to Booking.com’s Genius, called AgodaVIP.
🚌 Transport 🚙
GoTrip
If you’re visiting Georgia or Armenia, you can’t really afford to not know about GoTrip! While the local transport will get you pretty far, there are many locations that are not serviced by public marshrutka.
GoTrip is a private transfer service with a prearranged price, and you can even book a multi-day trip, like your own private tour!
So, instead of just travelling from A to B by marshrutka, stop en route for photo opportunities or a scenic lunch spot to break up the journey!
12Go
For taking buses and trains, our favourite platform for checking timetables and routes, as well as booking tickets is 12Go.
It’s easy to use, and booking in advance means that you can secure your spot for those busy routes that sell out. Trust me, we’ve found ourselves in that situation many times!
👩🍳 Experiences 🥾
If you want a more hands-off approach when you travel, and would rather someone else do the heavy-lifting so that you can just enjoy the moment, these are great platforms to use to book your prearranged experiences.
Between the two of them, you are sure to find what you’re looking for, whether it be a cooking class, a guided hike, or a multi-day trip!
Viator
– Best for connecting with locals for unique experiences.
TripAdvisor
– Best for booking experiences with plenty of reviews/feedback to help you decide.
💷 Fee-Free ATMs 💷
Tired of having to pay ATM withdrawal fees when you travel? Well, don’t! Use our exclusive list on your next trip.
✈️ Flights ✈️
Trip.com
We’ve been using Trip.com to book a lot of our flights recently. When you book a flight, you can earn Trip coins to use on your next flights.
You can also earn airport VIP lounge access, esim packages, and airport transfers.
Planning Your Trip to the Caucasus Region?
We have spent nine months exploring the Caucasus region, mainly Georgia and Armenia, which is genuinely our favourite part of the world. And we want to help you fall in love with it too! So, we are now offering you extra detail for your trip to Georgia and/or Armenia.
Personalised Recommendations
Maybe you’re more comfortable with the planning, but want some inside knowledge. You don’t want to just go to the spots that all the other tourists go to; you want to know a great spot for an authentic meal without the tourists, a unique day trip, or maybe even a laptop-friendly cafe that serves tasty coffee.
Answer a few questions for me, and I will send you a list of curated recommendations that will make your trip to Georgia and/or Armenia stand out! I specialise in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Yerevan.
Itineraries – Coming Soon
If you’re looking for a detailed itinerary for a week’s worth of travel in Georgia, take a look at our routes on Thatch Travel.
We have two itineraries in the works that will walk you through everything you need to know to travel these routes like a local, and to take out the guess work of exploring a new country on your own.
They include info on airport transfers, marshrutka transport, day trips, accommodation recommendations, as well as all the best things to do and places to eat.
7-Day Georgia Itinerary: Sea, Tea & Monasteries will take you through West Georgia (Kutaisi, Chiatura, Ozurgeti & Batumi)
7-Day Georgia Itinerary: Wine & Mountains will take you through East Georgia (Tbilisi, Kazbegi & Telavi)
Itinerary Reviews & Consultation Calls – Coming Soon
You have a rough idea of where you would like to go already but you want to plan a route, or maybe you want to go everywhere but need help narrowing your plans down to see the very best that these countries have to offer?
Book yourself in for a chat with me about your trip. I know SO many people hate the planning part of travelling, but it’s one of my favourites!
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