MORE ESSENTIAL TRAVEL APPS
Visiting a new country where the layout, language and/or culture is unfamiliar doesn’t have to be stressful. Downloading reliable apps to your phone beforehand can make your arrival and the overall trip a breeze (the way it should be).
The 10 Essential Travel Apps
This is tailored for iPhone users, so some apps (if any) may not be available for Android
Hostelworld
Tripadvisor
Airalo
Polarsteps
Life360
Bounce
Tile
WhatsApp
Grab
Smartraveller
1. Hostelworld
Hostelworld is a great app to not only book cheap accommodation but the chat function allows travellers to mingle with each other before arriving. The chat function activates two weeks prior to arrival where travellers are added to an in-app group chat in that allows people to mingle with others that will also be in the same location at the same time.
Other reliable accommodation apps include Booking.com, Agoda and Hotels.com.
2. Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor is fantastic for finding nearby eateries. Users can filter searches by a range of criteria including the cuisine type, cost range and customer ratings. This is especially useful for budget travellers looking for a high-quality feed without overspending.
3. Airalo
E-sims can be convenient for travellers wanting immediate data in a foreign country or for processes requiring two-factor authentication like online banking. Although there are e-sim providers that are cheaper at face value, Airalo is a reliable option that’s worth the investment.
4. Polarsteps
Polarsteps is great for not only journalling all the noteworthy events of a trip but users can also link their camera roll to have a detailed itinerary recorded based on photo location. The app will display things like the number of countries visited, trip duration and total distance covered.
If you are interested in learning more about my various trips and tribulations, then check out Gede’s Travel Journal.
5. Life360
This app may be more for the loved ones than the traveller. This is a location-tracking app where both Android and iPhone users can create networks and share their exact location at any time. This is a good safety measure for the unlikely scenario of being kidnapped. It can also be useful for tracking a missing device.
6. Tile
Bluetooth trackers can be useful for locating things like lost luggage. The Tile app shows the location of the linked Tile trackers at any given time. The app can also allow users to project a noise from the tracker to help find missing items. Conversely, the trackers can be pressed to help find the linked phone.
7. Bounce
Bounce is useful for times where temporary luggage storage is required on a trip as it displays nearby storage facilities along with their respective cost and customer reviews.
8. WhatsApp
WhatsApp may not be commonly used in Australia, but it is everywhere else and for things outside of standard communication with friends and family. It is common for hostels, tour guides and drivers to confirm bookings through WhatsApp.
9. Grab
This is tailored towards Southeast Asian travels where public transport isn’t as prominent or convenient. Grab is the go-to ridesharing app and works pretty much the same as Uber but with a significantly lower fare.
10. Smartraveller
Technically not an app but it’s so useful that it needs to be bookmarked on the homescreen.
Smartraveller is run by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which offers comprehensive resources for Australian travellers including consular emergency support. The site has information about the current safety levels of countries, their visa requirements, local laws and emergency contacts. The best feature of this site is their email subscription notifies people of important information of the countries they’re interested in.