Matador Travel launches the Matador Network

I’ve posted before about my ongoing love affair with travel networking sites, and specifically with Matador Travel. Now I’m thrilled to announce the launch of the Matador Network, a series of travel blogs covering everything from gear reviews and study abroad info to global nightlife guides and volunteering opportunities.

The coolest thing about the network is the way it integrates blog articles and advice with the existing community content – so you might read an article about a great cooking school in Thailand, and then get linked to another member’s personal blogs about her experience there, or read about nightlife in Buenos Aires and then get a list of Matador members on the ground in BA and ready to meet for a drink.

Six new sites have been added to Matador’s existing blog offerings (Brave New Traveler, The Traveler’s Notebook). Matador Trips offers detailed destination guides, Matador Study covers study abroad, languages, and other learning opportunities, Matador.org showcases worldwide organizations in need of volunteers, Matador Nights tracks down the globe’s best nightlife, Matador Goods reviews the latest gear and travel books, and Matador Pulse – which, full disclosure, I’ll be co-editing – collects news and notes from around the Matador network and the world wide web.

The network’s just getting started, but it looks to be yet another great, free online resource for travel junkies. Also, for all of us aspiring travel writers, it’s a great opportunity to get published, and paid! Check out the “Contributors” page on any of the sites for details.