Traveling is therapeutic and it opens your eyes to the possibilities in life. You meet different people, explore different cultures and see the world from a different perspective. But you’ve got to be equipped with the right tools, gadgets, and tech to better enjoy your trips. The biggest hurdles that we come across in a new country/region include language, accommodation, itinerary planning/finding location and currency. While I have only touched the base of some of the problems, but these issues are mostly the top ones.
So, here are some of the best smartphone apps for travellers that will assist you throughout your journey and will aid you to make better and informed decisions:
1- Google Translate
If you’re an Android user and a traveller, you may already know about Google Translate. It simply translates words from different languages in your own language. You just have to point the camera in front of the word/sign/menu and it translates it swiftly. It truly is a lifesaver if you end up in a town where no one understands or speaks your language.
2- Airbnb
Airbnb is another super-awesome app that every traveller who travels internationally knows by now. It helps you find accommodation places in town that are offered by any Airbnb user. They follow the Host & Guest format and both host and guest can review and rate places, attitudes, and overall experience of their stay to build credibility.
3- Google Maps
Google Maps is the most famous map app in the world. Not only it tells you your current location and the nearest places, but it also updates you about the traffic that you can most possibly encounter throughout your itinerary. It helps you to find the nearest restaurants, gas stations, fitness facilities, and many other essential outlets to assist you in every possible manner. The best bit is that you can enter your current location and the place where you want to go and Google Maps will tell you about the best and shortest route to your destination.
There are plenty of alternative mapping tools to use out there. For example, if you have an excel file with a list of the destinations you’d like to visit, there is a tool that allows you to export the addresses into a map which then you can use to figure out driving time destinations.
4- VPN Apps
Many times travellers complain that they aren’t able to access the websites and services that they were able to easily access in their own country. It’s because not every service or website is allowed internationally and might only be limited to the country/region where it operates. So, to access those websites and services, expats and travellers use VPN apps to get access to those locations. ExpressVPN is one of the most famous VPN apps that is trusted by millions of travellers around the world for security, privacy and getting virtual digital access to online platforms.
5- XE Currency
Anyone who’ve travelled internationally always faces this issue of converting the currency of their own country to the one they’re residing in currently. That is where the XE app is bliss. Besides a whole load of business-related features included, it also updates the rate of the currency, precious metals in real-time. It’s really an amazing app for anyone who’s having a hard time swapping currency differences on the go. It also works offline, so if you’re somewhere with connectivity issues, you’re still good to go.
So, the next time you plan your travelling, be sure to have these apps on your smartphone that’ll assist in the best way possible.
