Hand-picked tools we use to travel smarter, cheaper, and better.
When you travel as much as we do, you quickly discover that having the right tools can make all the difference. Over the years, we've tried and tested dozens of travel services — some good, some not-so-good — and a few that we now swear by every time we hit the road. Whether it's finding the best deals on cars, places to stay, or unique experiences, these resources have helped us plan smoother, save money, and discover more of the world.
This guide is our hand-picked list of favourites that we personally use and recommend. Many of the links below are referral links, which means we may earn a small commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Using them helps support the blog and keep Chasing Paradise running, so thank you!
Hotels & Accommodations
From boutique hotels to affordable hostels and homely apartments, we always start our accommodation search with Booking.com for the sheer variety and user-friendly interface. For longer stays or something a bit more local, Airbnb is our go-to. And when we're feeling social (or need to stick to a tighter budget), HostelWorld has helped us find clean, friendly places in dozens of cities around the world.
- 🛏️ Search stays on Booking.com
- 🏡 Find a place on Airbnb
- 🎒 Browse hostels on HostelWorld
Car Hire
Whether we're road-tripping through Europe or just need wheels for a few days, two services consistently offer us the best prices and flexibility: Rentalcars.com and DiscoverCars.com. Both compare deals across major rental companies, making it easy to filter by price, insurance options, and car type. We often check both to get the best rates — it's worth taking the two minutes to compare!
- 👉 Book with Rentalcars.com
- 👉 Search on DiscoverCars.com
Tours & Activities
We love planning some parts of a trip... and leaving others up to spontaneity! GetYourGuide and Viator make it super easy to book fun, insightful, or adventurous activities wherever we go. Think cooking classes in Italy, boat tours in Thailand, or day trips to hidden gems you’d otherwise miss. We often book a few things ahead and keep the rest open for inspiration on the go.
- 🎟️ Explore with GetYourGuide
- 🌍 Discover tours on Viator
Buses
When we travel overland, especially in places like South America or Southeast Asia, Busbud is our secret weapon. It helps us find and book reliable buses and train services across countries — often in English and with a credit card, which isn’t always possible when booking locally. It’s saved us from many a confusing station scramble!
Final Thoughts
We only recommend resources we personally use and trust — the kind that have helped us travel smarter, safer, and with fewer headaches. If any of these services help you on your adventures, we’d love to hear about it. And if you book through our links, a big *thank you* from us for supporting Chasing Paradise.
Here’s to many more adventures! 🌍✈️
