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The BBC Profiles provide an economic, historical, and political overview, with a section on current leaders. The Profiles also list the media outlets, which include television and radio stations and the press.

National Geographic's People and Places feature provides a short overview of the destination and include a Features section with related articles, photos, and videos, depending on the destination.

Travel + Leisure Magazine's guide to the greatest hotels worldwide as selected by its team of reporters and editors.

Weatherbase provides historical weather information such as "average number of day above 90," "average number of days with thunderstorms," and other similar types of data.

Up-to-date information provided by the State Department on matters such as passport and visa requirements, safety and security, crime, health and medical issues, any areas of instability, and the location of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. It also links to Travel Warnings for that country, if there is one.

Frommer's Forums are divided into countries, and all the messages relating to a country are presented in a list that makes it easy to browse through the topics.

Review site with hotel reviews and candid photos posted by users.

Asiarooms.com Travel Guides provide information on topics such as Culture, Tourist Attractions, Festivals, Things to do, How to get in, and Where to Eat.

Concierge.com destinations guides include information on getting there, getting around, lodging, places to eat, see and do, ... etc. Although Concierge.com may not have as many hotel recommendations as some guide books, they provide hotel photos along with the recommendations. The destinations guides also have links to articles about the destination published by Concierge.com or Conde Nast Traveler.

Frommer's has put a substantial amount of content online, making Frommers.com a good resource for travel planning. The site is easy to navigate since all the destinations are organized by similar topics such as "Getting There," "Restaurants," and "Suggested Itineraries."

USA Today's Country Guides have information on topics such as Money, Health, Accommodations, Entertainment, Top Things To Do and See, Getting There, Getting Around, Climate, and Map. You can also select the topics you are interested in and create a mini guide that puts all the information on one page for easy reading.

From Lonely Planet
At some point, every traveller gets the guilts when they're approached by a beggar. Often it's the human face of a much larger poverty that has you shamefacedly digging in your pockets....click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published October 2005
The rewards of a trip to Asia are many, but so are the potential challenges. Herewith, some hard-won tips for clearing the most common hurdles
To the uninitiated, Asia can be one of the world's great obstacle courses. Bus-loads of tourists block your path at famous monuments. There are long lines and bizarre rules for buying, reconfirming, and using plane, train, and ferry tickets. Westerners often are not allowed to rent cars, which puts you at the mercy of hired drivers who may be more interested in extracting more money from you than in getting you to your destination promptly. Sources that ought to be reliable-tourist offices, train stations, English-speaking guides-commonly spread misinformation. And in many countries, there is a seemingly endless stream of locals who try to badger you into buying stuff you don't want. ... click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published April 2006
Checking in to a posh hotel has always been an indulgence. Now, in many places, it can also be a good deed. News Editor Kevin Doyle reports on why high-end hotels are going socially responsible and how a growing number of travelers are choosing to help others by spoiling themselves ... click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published October 2005
A river runs through them, yes, but that's not all that connects the former French colonies of Cambodia and Laos. Shoba Narayan plies Southeast Asia's new tourist axis ... click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published December 2005
You can delve deeper into an unfamiliar culture when you are able to gain access to places, events, and people that are normally off-limits. Below are 50 examples of such extraordinary opportunities worldwide, ranging in price from $80 to $30,000. This list is not exhaustive: The very act of publicizing some rare opportunities offered by the most well-connected travel firms would burn the bridges that make them possible. Furthermore, many of the options described on these pages include special features that we are forbidden to divulge but that will surely enrich your trip. Because of the nature of such experiences, they are of course subject to change and even cancellations. Most cannot be booked a la carte but only as part of a larger itinerary. (Note that prices quoted are estimates for two people.) ... click for full article

From Lonely Planet
When you apply for a visa at Phnom Penh airport, eight uniformed soldiers will check your passport. Eight of them....click for full article

Virtual Tourist has user reviews on topics such as Hotels, Things To Do, Restaurants, Local Customs, Nightlife, Off the Beaten Path, Tourist Traps, Transportation, ... etc.