Discussion forums
If you want the name of a specific hotel in Hong Kong or ferry connection in the Caribbean, or up-to-the-minute advice and opinion unfindable in travel guidebooks, you can find a treasure trove of detail by searching past posts or joining and asking new questions at any of these forums:
- Lonely Planet Thorn Tree
- Travellerspoint
- Fodor’s Travel Guides: Travel Talk Forums
- Rick Steves’ Graffiti Wall
Embassies, visas
Electronic Embassy Page
A list of all of the foreign embassies in the United States.
Travel Document Services
Provides visa services for U.S. citizens for most countries for which an entry visa is required; also has up-to-date information on most countries. You can browse their travel resources and purchase relevant books.
Health and safety
Centers for Disease Control Travelers’ Health – Destinations
Health information by destination, as well as outbreaks, diseases, insect protection, safe food and water, travel medicine clinics and more.
Road safety
Founded by Rochelle Sobel in memory of her son, Aron, who was killed in a bus accident on the roads of Turkey, The Association for Safe Travel Abroad compiles data on which countries have the worse record for fatalities (currently Egypt, Kenya and Kyrgystan lead the list). Rochelle recommends that adventure travelers avoid night travel in countries with poor safety records, and insist that reckless bus drivers be responsible (if they don’t, disembark at the next stop). Please spend some time visiting this Web site before your trip, and heed its sage advice.
State Department travel warnings
Travel warnings for global hot spots.
Meeting travelers
The Globetrotters Club
This 50+-year-old club is a great place for independent travel enthusiasts of all ages to network.
News, regional information
CNN Travel Guide
Travel news, destination information, booking information.
TravelPage.com
Where to go, how to get there, and what to expect.
Study abroad, live abroad
GoAbroad.com
A site for alternative travel including information on study abroad, living abroad, alternative travel and more. Offers a searchable database of overseas travel programs.
lAgora
Work and study abroad solutions, renting rooms or apartments to internationals, hotel rooms in Europe.
InfoHub Specialty Travel Guide
Comprehensive, easily searchable database of special interest travel programs.
Transitions Abroad
The central hub of alternative travel online with links to the web sites of everyone listed in its resource and program directories. You can purchase books reviewed in our resource directories and read articles and features from recent editions of the Alternative Travel Directory and Work Abroad as well as Transitions Abroad magazine.
TravLang
Provides useful tools for the traveler and those interested in learning a foreign language; also links to other places on the ŒNet providing related services.
Worldwide Classroom
Travel planning information broken down into 25 categories, plus an impressive list of educational travel programs.
Trip Planning
American Society of Travel Agents
Includes a directory of travel agents who specialize in particular types of trips, as well as a great deal of international travel information and resources.
Backpack Europe on a Budget
Backpacking and hostelling information, tips, and links for student and budget travelers planning a trip to Europe.
Best Budget Travel Web Site Portals
Review of useful sites by our friends at Transitions Abroad.
Booking Buddy
Directory of travel Web sites and deals.
Currency conversion
FXConverter features a program that will do conversions for more than 160 different currencies. Or you can try XE.com – The Universal Currency Converter.
Wanderlust and Lipstick
Travel tips, information, forums, and product recommendations for women traveling solo.
Journeywoman Online
For women who love to travel; a free e-mail newsletter is delivered to you in minutes.
New York Times’ Travel Navigator
Impressive array of links including ones tracking flight delays, academic and learning vacations, wifi connections, visas, weather data, airport codes, and much more.
Paytrust
Paytrust offers a way to keep up with your bills while on the road.
Petswelcome.com
Thousands of lodging listings for pet owners.
Trip Advisor
Very interesting reviews of vacations, hotels, resorts, vacation and travel packages.