How else can you brag about your escapades with like-minded travellers who’ll appreciate just how awesome your last trip was?
There are websites popping all the time, promising an easy user experience to rival the best.
However, many of these fail to deliver, and some disappear overnight.
Here, we check out five of the best to make sure you never have to write a postcard again.
Gogobot
What: With millions of users in more than 60,000 destinations around the world, trip-planner gogobot.com is making storming progress.
It works similarly to TripAdvisor, but links users via Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare, so you get travel tips and advice from trusted friends, instead of strangers.
You can ask questions, read reviews of everything from hotels and hostels, to bars and nightclubs, and book your trip via online travel agents.
Then share your stories, photos and digital postcards for your friends to achieve maximum bragging rights.
App?: Yes, free on iPhone. Android being launched later this year.
gogobot.com
Triptrotting
What: Join this worldwide community to meet locals and like-minded travellers in more than 2000 cities around the globe.
The ethos is that if you’re with someone posessing local knowledge, you’ll have a much more authentic trip and a less-touristy introduction to an area.
Travellers and hosts are connected by common interests, similar to a dating site. There’s no fee, but hosts sometimes ask for a tip to help cover costs.
App?: No, but you can sign up on Facebook.
triptrotting.com
Travbuddy
What: Share photos, write blogs and reviews, research destinations, chat in lively forums and meet travel buddies on this busy site.
Create an account along with more than 334,000 others, and join the conversation. There are regular meet-ups in various cities as well, so you can hook up with a group while you’re away.
App?: No, but site is mobile-friendly.
travbuddy.com
Tripping
What: Interact with this global community with members in more than 175 countries. Connect with hosts and meet for a coffee, or choose from 750,000 sofas, apartments and homes to stay in.
This site rounds up housing options on to one platform – from castles and condos, to boats and bungalows.
Tripping also validates people, checking passports and proof of address to add an element of safety to your travel adventures.
App?: No, but you can sign up on Facebook.
tripping.com
Travellerspoint
What: With lively forums and blogs where you can upload images, videos and maps, this site also offers travel guides and a budget-accommodation search function.
You can also book hotels and hostels online. It’s is simple to navigate, and has more than 500,000 users, as well as 3000 ‘travel helpers’, or local advisers.
App?: Not yet.
travellerspoint.com
Photos: Tripping; Thinkstock
