WEBSITES

www.frommers.com

A user-friendly online resource for travel planning, Frommers provides everything that a traveller needs from accommodations, restaurants and attractions in various price ranges for destinations all over the world. Frommers online forums and travel articles are top notch and smoothly refreshing like lemonade on a hot summer afternoon. However booking through Frommers may give you a few price hiccups. Be advised! Look here shop elsewhere!

www.hitchsters.com

For many destinations cabs are the best way from the airport and back, but they can get expensive. Hitchster.com is a web-based system, which conveniently connects travellers so that they can share taxis, and thus split the fare. Whether you're interested in saving money, time, the environment, or just looking for a cab companion, Hitchsters.com can help.

www.lonelyplanet.com

If you are a traveller and not heard of Lonely Planet you're probably in Mars or Jupiter! Lonely Planet has the same excellent quantity and quality of travel information as Frommers. They cover a wider range of accommodation budgets too. They supply all the necessary practical information travellers want, where to stay, where to eat and how to get around. Their recommendations are right on the mark. The site includes blogs and forums as well, to add real traveller feedback. They have booking services but again their prices are out of the planet!

www.cruisemates.com

Many online booking sites are offering vacation deals and packages, making it difficult to obtain objective travel advice. Cruisemates.com, the online expert in cruises, is not affiliated with any travel agent or booking company, so you're getting straightforward advice from cruise industry leaders, and fellow travellers. Users can search for cruises by destination or category, share information via message boards, and even plan to meet with other cruisemate members once they hop aboard. Now that's what we call

cruise control!

www.tripadvisor.com

This is the ultimate review site. Tripadvisor has the largest traveller-generated review database on the web. They have reviews of accommodations, restaurants and tourist attractions. There are many sites that imitate or republish Tripadvisor's reviews. Stick to the original site. If you find a great deal on an all inclusive resort or hotel, check out the reviews on Tripadvisor prior to booking. Keep in mind, some travellers are never happy so look at the average rating. Many hotels have over fifty reviews. The hotels are ranked for travellers who don't have the time to sift through reviews. So log on and don't let anyone else take your trip!

www.sleepinginairports.net

Informative and quite funny, sleepinginairports.net reviews most major airports in dozens of cities across the globe. The ratings range from hell to excellent, considering it's an airport. They are rated based on comfort and cleanliness by travellers who share their stories of spending a night in the airport. Some travellers had no other choice due to layovers and delayed flights; others just think that sleeping in the airport is a good way to save a buck.

www.hostels.com

For travellers on a budget, this website is the key to finding hostels worldwide. You may get better deals directly through the hostel; otherwise, booking through hostels.com gets you a reasonably good price. They also have a small data base of travel information on the practicalities of various destinations, particularly European cities. Also included is information pertinent to the younger crowd, plus reviews and blogs.

www.momsminivan.com

The road trip mom has put together a lengthy list on ways to keep the little ones busy while travelling. With printable car games, ideas for keeping babies busy, and the license plate game, momsminivan may actually eradicate the ?Are we there yet?' road tripping parents hate to hear. Make sure this site is a part

of your to do list before you pack off on a trip.

www.Seatguru.com

If nabbing the perfect seat is on the top of your mind, seatguru is here to your rescue. You can preview seat maps including where to find the power outlets as well as that extra inch of legroom for 73 models of aircraft on 39 different airlines. Like most airlines these days, the site is no-frills, but you'll never get stuck next to the bathroom again.

www.dopplr.com

Frequent travellers will love this stylish site. Users share their travel plans with friends and colleagues, with the hope of flagging up occasions where you might meet. Coincidences aside, you can also get travel tips from friends who've been to places you're heading to, but the best bit is the end-of-year report of your annual trips, carbon footprint and missed opportunities to meet with friends. A good start to plant trees and grow relationships while you travel.