New website, PublicEarth, shares hidden gems from around the globe

The new website PublicEarth may still be in beta, but it’s already showing plenty of promise for travelers looking to find hidden travel gems and inside information for their next trip. The idea behind the site is that it is set up in a wiki format allowing contributors to share their experiences and favorite locations with others in a unique and interesting format.

PublicEarth is the brainchild of Duncan McCall, an avid adventure traveler who has explored the far corners of the globe. While on those travels, he would often meet up with other adventurers, and swap stories over a few beers, sharing tips and secret destinations. Those conversations proved invaluable in getting the most out of those journeys, and upon returning home to the U.S., McCall wanted to come up with a way to create that same experience for travelers everywhere. PublicEarth was born from that idea.

The website’s concept is simple. The plan is to combine “location searching and place discovery” with well designed and easy to use tools that make it simple for travelers to not only sift through the content, but also share their own experiences as well. With nearly five million places already in the system, it is clear that the concept is already resonating with travelers, who are contributing as much as they are reading.Visitors to the site are able to find places in a number of categories, such as “food & drink”, “history & culture”, “outdoors & nature”, and more. The entries are then dropped on to a map, showing locations and general proximity to one another, making it a perfect tool to plan your next escape.

PublicEarth looks like it has the potential to be a very powerful and useful tool, and it is already growing quite quickly. It just might earn a spot in your list of favorite travel sites as well.

10 travel sites (besides Gadling) to keep an eye on

Hopefully you’re an avid Gadling reader. With popular features like The Cockpit Chronicles and Galley Gossip and helpful tips on new travel gadgets and which destinations to avoid, how could you not be?

Ok, enough with the shameless self-promotion; we’re obviously not the only travel website out there. The Times Online just published an article on the 10 travel websites to watch for October. The list is a good combination of sites that give you everything from dirty pilot rumors to tips on staying slim while on the road. Keep in mind that since it’s from the Times Online, the list has an English twist – many of the sites are Britain related.

Check them out yourself:

  1. Professional Pilots’ Rumour Network – check out the topic “nicest celebs” for the inside scoop
  2. Seatplans.com – aircraft seating plans and flight reviews
  3. Thetrainline.com – find cheap tickets in the UK and on Eurostar
  4. Hotels.com Visualiser – custom select your ideal hotel and the site finds on that matches
  5. Mr. & Mrs. Smith route planner – plan your itinerary with the site’s tips on local pubs, etc.
  6. Virgin Holidays + Hip Hotels – uber stylish hotels for the glitterati
  7. Slimtree – fitness workouts you can download and use on the road
  8. Trivago a new travel search engine
  9. RogerandRandy.com – business travel experts give their two cents
  10. Great Hotels of the World -the name says it all