Travel Independent . info

Everything you need to know about budget independent travel (aka. backpacking). If you are rich or poor, young or old and are curious about traveling independently - we probably have an answer.

Travel is back with a bang. Expect queues & higher prices. Get traveling! Pleased you found us. You have come to the right place. There's a world to explore! Enough of reading blogs. Need real help?

Travel Independent .info is an independent, non-commercial site by travellers for travellers to encourage everyone to travel independently and give them the information they need to feel confident about it.

It is not a blog full of ramblings or selfies. No self-promotion, no sponsored content, unrealistic claims or e-books/tours for sale.
Around since 2002, updated monthly. You'll find balanced, comparative, simple advice for 110+ countries, 7 continent  - everything important to get you 'on the road'. There is simply no other travel site with a broader scope, wider range of countries covered or experience.

No idea where to start? Start here:

If you are totally new to travel or starting to plan a trip and simply have no idea where to start - this one page guide is probably the place for you.

Know roughly what you are looking for? Follow the chapter links below:

Start Here
What to Pack

Seen enough 'packing lists' to make you sick? Confused on what to pack for travel / backpacking trip?

Take it from those who have learnt the hard way and are not selling or promoting anything other than the concept of travelling light. What you pack can really make a difference to your trip: packing tips and advice on everything you need.

Where to Go

Where to travel to? Good question. How to pick a route, our country/sight recommendation and why you might have already decided. - the real planning is up to you with some hard choices to be made.

Global highlights and lowlights - a few ideas of the good, the bad and the ugly!

Before You Go

Unsure as to malaria prophylaxis, jabs, how much will you send, how to carry money, insurance or visas you need?.

The before you go bit is tougher than the trip itself and can seem like an administrative nightmare. It is all covered from money to buying air tickets and travelling alone.

Travel insurance is a particular minefield. Found out exactly what you need, what you don't and who the best providers are.

Country Summaries

What will you find there? Country summaries are a detailed country by country break down of all the information that's really handy to know in the planning stage or simply for a vicarious trip. From Antarctica to Zimbabwe - a whole load of information - constantly updated and added to.

Regions featured: Australia and Melanesia, New Zealand and Polynesia; Asia: North and South; South East & Indochina. America: Central, South & North. Africa: East, West, North & Southern. The Middle East; The CIS, Antarctica and the Caribbean. Up to-date topical facts and tips - now you have no reason for apprehension or bad planning.

Resources

 A selection of recommended travel resources: planning guides, guide books, travel reading.

Discover: Pre-trip planning, Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand & Pacific & Latin America.

We have great recommendations for travel insurance, hostel/guesthouse booking and a tonne of great backpacking links.

On the Road

'On the road' a comprehensive guide to some of the things that you need to face and deal with whilst travelling and how to deal with them, such as food poisoning and bus travel.

It is all covered from getting ill and staying healthy, moving around, sleeping, looking after your things/avoiding crime to dealing with beggars and hassle.

If you are interested in using any of the material in this site, would like extra material for commercial purposes or would like to support the site with a paid link, then please get in touch.

Read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).


Support us. Please note this site is kept up-to-date and current with a lot of hard work, miles and (where you can help) even simple reader contributions. As for getting something for nothing: this site doesn't pay for itself, hosting and bandwidth particularly, cost money. This site is kept banner ad free by readers using Amazon links and other recommended products/services.

What did you think? We try hard to provide independent travellers with the latest information, but things are always changing. As you might expect, up-dates, corrections and new information are always sought.

Even a simple thought shared can help build the site's content for all who love travel. A few lines is all it takes to help keep info fresh and provide for future travellers. It's also a big thank you.

Face It goes without saying that the majority of the information on this site is subjective at the very least.

Furthermore attempting to write something to cover all eventualities within the budget / independent travel context would be impossible. However, many a long hour has been spent (you have no idea!) constructing these pages in order to try and help and enlighten others.

We are sure more experienced travellers will find some information a little patronising, but no one is really putting anything new out here - it's just how it is.

Just a reminder... This is a personal website/blog, and not an agency or a business. No one receives any commission for any advice. Only a few recommended links pay for bandwidth.

"We shall not cease from exploration, And the end of all our exploring, Will be to arrive where we started, And know the place for the first time"

— T.S. Eliot