Named after the Joe Cocker song “Space Captain,” (the founders Maureen and Tony Wheeler thought he sang “lonely planet” – it’s really “lovely planet) Lonely Planet is perhaps the leading online travel research, tips, advice and informational site.  These guys got their start penning travel guidebooks for backpackers and other low-budget travel efficianados.  In addition to thier Web presence, which was revamped in 2008, Lonely Planet’s repotior also includes hardcover photography books, food guides, city-specific guides, travelogues, and language guides, just to name a few.

What once started as a travel resource has morphed into a kindof travel phenomenon, even resulting in the creation of the tongue-in-cheek term Banana Pancake Trail - the monkier given to the well-worn path that backpackers (who, many say, found out about these places thanks to Lonely Planet) take throughout South East Asia.  This constant influx of adventurers has inspired bed and breakfasts, tour and event guides and restraunts to be founded in order to accomodate them.  Many guesthouses and cafes now serve banana pancakes – a tasty treat reminiscint of home.

What’s Good: Find world guides, travel forums, links to travel services, traveler photographs, community blogs, travel-related applications etc. on one user-friendly (and visually exciting) site. Planning a trip of just curious about an area? Zero in on your vacation destination using Lonely Planet’s regional search tool and get in depth information including maps, “top city” picks, travel alerts and more..

What’s Bad: Too much of a good thing? As asthetically pleasing as the site is, it’s easy to get lost in the site, unable to get back to that tasty tidbit you meant to jot down or research further. And while there is ton of information on the commonly vacationed-to destinations, the site is lacking information on the more offbeat areas.