It’s important to have the right apps that harness the inner travel beast and get the ball rolling on your next trip. Here are a few of my favorite apps guaranteed to stoke the wanderlust in you.
1.MAPS.ME
The MapsMe app is a real life saver when exploring a neighboring state, a foreign country, or even trekking in your favorite country. The app lets you download maps for particular countries or areas to your phone. Once downloaded these maps can be used off-line and they even work with your phones GPS.
The maps are searchable so you can easily find restaurants or attractions. You can even save your own points of interest. The app is great for planning a trip as you can easily pin your hotels and attractions before leaving.
2. LoungeBuddy
LoungeBuddy takes the pain out of the waiting around in airports. Long layovers and terrible connections, expensive Wi-Fi, and bad food are a depressingly regular part of budget traveler’s life. After entering your credit card, airline status, and lounge memberships, the app tells you which lounges you can access at any given airport. Even for people like me who don’t have any of those things, the app still lets you know about any free lounges or ones you can purchase a day pass for. It’s slick, easy to use, and free!
3. OpenRice
OpenRice is the Yelp of Asia. It shows a city’s most popular restaurants, ratings, menus, booking numbers, and everything in between. It’s widespread in Southeast Asia and a better resource than Yelp. It has listings for Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.
OpenRice is available for Android and iOS.
4. Detour
It is an app that offers immersive audio tours. It uses your GPS signal, it will guide you through the world’s most interesting places, narrated by a local who knows the city inside out, so you’ll be getting beneath the surface of the place. They have tours for San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles, Austin, Washington DC, Boston, Portland, Savannah, Charleston, Chicago, Rome, Berlin, Marrakech, London, Paris, and Barcelona.
Detour is available for Android.
5. ROME2RIO
Getting around an unfamiliar city or country can be stressful. Trying to figure out how to get from point A to point B can sometimes be a pain. Bus, taxi, train, bike, fly, or take a ferry. Too many choices!
The options for travel will be lined out for you including time, costs, and all the details. It even tells you the specific bus or train numbers you need to catch. Just have to put in the travel dates and it tells you specific departure times for that ferry ride, flight or bus. It’s cool check it out.
6. PACKING PRO
You wont forget anything with this helpful app. Having a sound packing list can really speed up packing and make it less stressful by assuring you have everything for your trip.
Packing Pro is a great app and is very thorough with a great amount of features. It has recommended lists for various types of travel. It breaks the lists down for his, hers and even kids. And of course, it’s all customizable. If you have a few bucks to spare it’s certainly worth it.
Packing Pro Android – sorry not available yet
7. Google Translate
Learning some basic phrases of the local language goes a long way (plus it helps you improve your skills). Google Translate is a great tool that should be in every traveller’s arsenal. The easy to use interface will help you communicate with different nationalities. Additionally, It EVEN has this translation feature that helps you to read menus. Very helpful app , especially for a solo traveler.
8. Revolut
Revolut is an online banking app that allows you to easily switch between currencies and save money. Cards are normally around £10. Super handy if you travel frequently or you like to organise your finances with the tap of a couple of buttons.
9. Transferwise
Don’t make the mistake of transferring money from your bank or through PayPal as you can be hit with insanely HIGH fees. If you’re going abroad on a more long term trip then THE ONLY WAY to send your money is with Tranferwise.
It’s an online money transfer service that allows you to move money overseas. The service is simple to use, fast and if you use this link you can get your first transfer free!
10. XE Currency
This free currency converter app gives you up to date information on worldwide currency rates and allows you to easily work out how much you’re spending. Additionally, if you’re going to a couple of different countries it’s very convenient as you can have up to 10 currencies saved to your phone!
