Visa Guides and Travel Planning Tools
When planning trips, there can be so many things to figure out – from flights, accommodation, activities, transportation, oh and visas. To help save you some time, I have compiled the tried-tested-and-reviewed planning resources from years of traveling:
All the travel platforms I use and love;
Visa templates and checklists that have secured me Schengen, US, UK visas; and
Another bonus: the really essential items you should consider for trips.
Just so you know
Some of the links below are affiliate links , which means I may get a small commission if you book through them – at no extra cost to you. This helps fund my visa applications and travel, so thanks for the support.
Flights
Who doesn’t want cheap flight deals?! I’ll admit – I’m one to scour the internet looking for flight deals and tracking flight prices. The best options for these are skyscanner and google flights, where you can search flights to anywhere (skyscanner), or filter by date and price (google flights) ensuring you find the lowest prices and best routes.
Most times, I prefer to book directly via an airline’s website as that allows more flexibility if things don’t go to plan.
Accommodation
Booking.com has been my go-to when travelling anywhere in the world, and when I need a cancellable/refundable hotel reservation for a visa application. I have relied on them for hotels, guesthouses, apartments across 4 continents (Level 3 Genius member here). They are the biggest hotel booking platform so you’ll definitely find something to fit your needs .
Alongside booking.com, I will also check tripadvisor for additional real reviews. It’s amazing for judging both hotels and things to do.
If you’re on a budget or solo and keen to make friends, then hostelworld is great for hostel options all over the world.
Another platform I have used to find holiday villas or apartments – especially when staying longterm – is VRBO. Good experience all round.
Travel Tours and Activities
Whenever I land somewhere new, I love starting with a guided tour, whether it’s on foot, by boat, or even by road. It’s an easy way to get a feel for different neighbourhoods, see the main sights, and learn a bit of the backstory. I’m also usually eager to understand the history and culture from people who actually live there.
GetYourGuide is where I browse for tours with local guides, unique activities, sightseeing options, attraction tickets – pretty much anywhere in the world.
As a backup, you can check Viator for any other tours or availability that may not be on GetYourGuide.
VISA APPLICATION CHECKLIST
SAMPLE COVER LETTER
REAL INVITATION TEMPLATES
