There are new travel companies popping up every day, making it difficult for the average traveler to know which ones are actually worth using. But don’t worry, today we will tell you which travel companies we think are the true gems and will help enhance your travel experience the most.
Airbnb
We have been using Airbnb quite a lot in the past two years, not only as travelers, but also as hosts while we were on our Nomads’ Vacation in Florida. We just love the fact that sometimes you can find a whole apartment for rent for less than a private room at a hostel or hotel. Click here to get $35 off of our next Airbnb stay with our Airbnb coupon code.
Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is more than just a free couch, it’s a great way to meet locals and learn more about the places you travel too. Some of our best travel memories were with other couchsurfers. And because of that, we try to use Couchsurfing as often as possible. If you are open minded, don’t mind crashing on a couch once in awhile, and enjoy meeting new people we highly recommend you give it a try.
I Like Local
If you consider yourself an adventurous traveler who enjoys going off-the-beaten track and getting a true feel of a place, then be sure to check out i-likelocal.com. I Like Local believes that the best way to experience a new country is through local people and is always on the lookout for unique experiences. For example, you can stay with a local hill tribe in Thailand, on a tea farm in Nepal, in a coastal village in Bali or in a monastery in Cambodia. You can choose from a large range of experiences: farmstays, homestays, food experiences, unique walks, tours and more.
The great thing about I Like Local is that unlike other sites, local hosts receive 100% of the money they ask for their experiences. You can sleep well knowing that your money benefits the communities you visit.
Skyscanner
Skyscanner is our go-to search engine whenever we are looking for flights. Unlike many other flight search engines, Skyscanner also includes budget airlines in their search results, which is great if you are on a budget. However, our favorite thing about Skyscanner is, that you have the option to select “Anywhere” as a destination. Which lists you all the flights to anywhere in the world (duh!) from your current destination according to their price tag. We use it whenever we wanna go somewhere but don’t know where.
Blacklane
Arriving at a new city and don’t want to deal with crooked taxi drivers at the airport? Blacklane offers luxury airport transfer service worldwide at the fraction of the cost of regular limousine service and gets you right to where you need to go. Just book a ride on their app and a professional Blacklane driver will pick you up straight from the airport on your arrival. It can’t get any easier than that.
BlaBlaCar
BlaBlaCar is a long distance ride sharing service that connects drivers with people traveling in the same direction. They have an especially strong presence in Europe and most rides are cheaper and faster than the bus or train. We have used them twice so far in Austria and are hooked. It’s a great way to travel and have some great conversations with a complete stranger.
Workaway
If you are looking to volunteer abroad, Workaway is one of the best places to look. They have an extensive list of volunteer opportunities all over the world and for less than $30 a year you get access to all of them. Workawayers are usually required to work 5 hours a day for 5 days a week in exchange for three meals a day and a place to sleep. So far, we have volunteered on a permaculture farm in Guatemala and at a hostel and cat sanctuary in Belize with them. Both were great experiences that not only enhanced our travels but also helped us save money while traveling.
What are some companies that you like to use to enhance your travel experience?
Mindi Hirsch says
January 7, 2017 at 10:40 amWe’re big fans of Airbnb after staying in 27 different apartments this past year. We also use Skyscanner to research flights. We’ll have to check out the other recommended services and let you know what we think.
Jazzy says
January 9, 2017 at 6:12 amYes, please do! We look forward to hearing what you think about them!
Fiona says
January 7, 2017 at 2:49 pma good checklist. I have to admit I don’t think I have anything similar as a list. I do think I am a bit beyond couchsurfing – though I love Airbnb
Jazzy says
January 9, 2017 at 6:11 amYeah, people can grow out of couchsurfing especially if they prefer something more quiet and private like Airbnb rentals provide!
Rhonda says
January 8, 2017 at 4:45 amI have heard of all of these travel companies (except one) and I have used a couple and they are great – my go to’s for planning. Workaway sounds intriguing.
Jazzy says
January 9, 2017 at 6:03 amHey Rhonda,
Thanks for the love, glad to hear that you are taking advantage of these companies’ potential to enhance your travels :)! Work away is definitely good for not just enhancing your travels but also saving money while you travel.
Safe travels :)
Tamason Gamble says
January 8, 2017 at 4:46 pmWe have not actually tried Airbnb. I don;t know what it is about this company, but I keep hearing so many bad things about the accommodation available that I am completely put off by the idea. I know you are only ever going to really know about the bad stays but still…
Likewise, couchsurfing is something we are yet to try. As a couple I always thought it would be difficult to find people to host us but maybe I need to look into this more.
Jazzy says
January 9, 2017 at 5:59 amWe absolutely love Airbnb and Couchsurfing! For so many reasons! We are actually in the process of writing a post about why we love them (will post here when it’s done) so much. Either way, you should definitely give them a try regardless of all the “bad” rep. The best thing to do is test it out and see if you like it. If you don’t like it at least you know for sure, and if you love it than you would never miss out!
Think of it like traveling, so many people think traveling is dangerous and say you shouldn’t do it but you gave it a shot anyway and now look at you, you’re a traveling book junkie :)
To get you started, here is a airbnb coupon code with $35 off. To redeem it you must spend at least $75 on your stay!
Let us know how it goes if you try them :)!
Megan says
January 9, 2017 at 12:25 amSome fantastic companies here – great list! I actually also really like Groupon when we’re overseas – many people only think of it as something to use while their at home, but if you change your local settings you can find some fantastic local deals from places and attractions which aren’t in the guide books :)
Jazzy says
January 9, 2017 at 5:44 amAgreed! The first time we traveled together to Niagara Falls was all due to Groupon :) We also used it for cooking classes and other activities throughout our travels, totally a great suggestion Megan!
Cai says
January 9, 2017 at 6:50 amWorkaway is really awesome. I manage a hostel here in Bangkok and we have a volunteering system so most of our staff are volunteers and work away really help us to find great volunteers to help us along the way.
Travelling Tom says
January 9, 2017 at 10:08 amI use skyscanner to book all my flights. You definitely save a lot that way, especially compared to booking at a travel agents! I’m a little bit sceptical about Airbnb after living in Barcelona. A lot of the apartments here are now Airbnb apartments and it can be difficult trying to find somewhere to live because of this. I know it’s a great alternative to staying in a hostel, but it can affect the people who live in the city.
Joan Torres says
January 10, 2017 at 6:29 amI’ve been hosting and surfing couches for about 7 years and I absolutely love it. Whatever country I go I always try to surf at least once, usually in the capitsl. I’ve had many different experiences (good and bad) but in the end, this is always the best way to learn about local insights. It’s also really nice that your age doesn’t matter when you do CS, so I hope I’ll keep doing it for many years