Alicia's Travel Guide
- Apr 1, 2020

MY TOP 20 TRAVEL APPS

In the digital age we live in there are an abundance of apps to choose from. It's difficult to know which ones you'll actually use, so if you're anything like what I used to be, you would download a whole bunch of apps you know you'll never use. Over the past couple of years, I've tried and tested a number of apps I love and use every time I travel, and those I think are completely pointless. Here are my top travel apps that I actually use. Ordered by category rather than by preference.

TRANSPORT

Grab / Uber.

These apps are the best ways to get taxis that won't overcharge you in most countries. Grab works best in Asia, and Uber everywhere else. Grab, although owned by Uber, is specifically tailored to Asian customs. You have to pay by cash at the end of the journey, and there's the option of a motorbike. Everything else is basically the same as Uber; you will be told the price range of your trip, and the registration of the driver beforehand, as well as the ability to track your trip throughout.

Local MTR /Subway App

Whilst many map apps do include public transport options, I always prefer to use the local app. The specific app will tell you which station is closest to you, which stations are best to change at, but most importantly they show you the first and last train times, as well as the last train time to make all of your connections. They will also be the first ones to update you with any disruptions or delays. Most of these work offline too.

CityMapper /Google Maps

These two apps are very similar and ultimately perform the same functions. What I like most about these apps is you can download specific areas to download offline. Before travelling to a new city, I will always download the entire city area to be available offline; just in case you end up lost and don't have data/ wifi. I actually prefer Google Maps due to the fact it will tell you which exit of the station to leave from to be closest to your destination.

It's a common misconception that Google Maps is the app that comes preinstalled on iPhones, it's not, Apple Maps is. I find Apple Maps one of the most inaccurate map apps, so I definitely recommend downloading an alternative map.

LANGUAGE/ COMMUNICATION

Google Translate

Whilst your highschool language teachers will always tell you not to use Google Translate, I'm saying it can be beneficial. Yes, some translations from your language to another can be inaccurate but I find that translations from another language to your language is pretty accurate. What I like most about the Google Translate app is the fact it can live translate via your camera; simply point your phone towards a poster or sign and your translation will appear on your screen- simple!

This may seem simple, but it's vital. Whatsapp is one of the most used communication apps all over the world. Most importantly, it works on wifi; meaning that you can contact friends and family at home, but also new friends you're making abroad for no additional cost!

FOOD

Happy Cow

I've only recently discovered this app, but Happy Cow is a vegan/vegetarian's dream app! This app simply provides a list (or map view is also available) of all exclusively vegan/vegetarian eateries, or with locations with veggie/vegan options on a full menu, around you. Being able to simply open the app and see the relevant food eateries is such a big time saver if you aren't familiar with the city.

Open Rice / Yelp / Open Table

These apps are all relatively similar. Open Table allows you to book a table at a number of restaurants in different cities. Some restaurants, in the US in particular, are moving to book exclusively through OpenTable so it's definitely worth downloading!

Yelp and OpenRice are essentially the same apps, with OpenRice more specific to Asia and Yelp, Europe and the US. These apps allow you to view restaurants near you in a list or on a map view, see reviews, view the menu etc. I love using these apps wherever I am to discover new restaurants!

ACCOMMODATION

HostelWorld

When staying in a hostel, the HostelWorld app is absolutely vital. Not only can you easily search and book hostels, but there are also a number of in-app features to use for the duration of your stay! For example, there's a chat that you can access to talk to others staying in the hostel, a translator, and often a virtual noticeboard of hostel activities and events.

Booking.com

Although I mainly use the HostelWorld app when travelling, I always have the Booking.com app just in case. I mainly stay in hostels (you can also book hostels on Booking.com but I prefer HostelWorld), however, why not treat yourself and stay in a hotel once in a while. Especially if there's little difference in price between a hotel and a hostel; this is often in the case in places like Taiwan.

ACTIVITIES

Klook

I use Klook to book excursions or tickets to attractions whenever I can as I know they're a reliable vendor and have some of the best prices out there! For instance, I booked my entrance ticket for Singapore's Gardens by the Bay for considerably lower than what was advertised on their own website! As well as this, if you write a review and upload pictures of the experience you gain Klook Credit which can be used for additional discount on future purchases!

TriCount

When travelling it is likely that you will end up buying something for your group of friends and then someone else doing the same, it can be difficult to figure out who owes who money. This is where TriCount really comes into play. You can enter how much you've spent on each item, and so can your other trip members, the app will calculate how much is owed.

All Trails

For those who are more outdoorsy, this app is perfect for you. The app has over 100,000 trails globally, for you to use online or offline. As well as this, the app allows tracking of your GPS to ensure you're on the right route. It also has options for you to record your pace, distance, elevation, and max speed, and share your adventures with friends and family.

FINANCES

Daily Budget

When travelling you're often on a tight budget, and it can be difficult to keep track of what you're spending. This app allows you to set a daily budget and will calculate how much you have left for the day based upon the information you input when spending. What I love about this app is the fact it takes into account if you were under or over budget the previous day; if you were over budget your daily budget will be less the following day, and if you were under budget your daily budget will be more the following day.

Currency Converter Plus

Whilst in some countries it can be relatively easy to calculate the price in the local currency, in others it can be extremely challenging. That's why I love this app. You. simply choose which currency to start from and which to convert to and it will tell you the most up-to-date price. Offline capabilities are just as good as online, however, I do tend to open the app with wifi before I go out for the day so that the currency conversion is correct. I find this particularly useful when visiting markets in Asia, as often the vendors will try and overcharge tourists.

OTHER

App In The Air

I like this app for two main reasons. The first being it shows you a map with lines showing where you've travelled, but also statistics about how far you have cumulatively travelled, for how long etc. For example, since July 2016 I have travelled 106,135 miles which is a total of 238 hours; I think it's so interesting to see the total figures!

As well as this, the app will inform you of which gate your flight is at as soon as the information is available. This is great if you're in a rush or if you aren't sat by the screens with the information on.

Pack Point

If you're anything like me you'll want to pack almost all of your wardrobe for your trip; you know, "just in case I spill something on my top". I'm not sure about you but I end up having enough to spill something on your top three times a day for the entire trip. Pack Point simply requires you to enter if you're male or female, where you're travelling to, when, and for how long. The app will then generate a packing list to ensure you remember everything but also don't over or under pack!

Time Shifter

When flying long haul your body clock is all over the place. This app not only allows you to create your own personalised jet lag plans but also boost your energy levels, allowing you to arrive at your destination feeling somewhat alive. It tells you when to see bright lights, see some light, or avoid light altogether, as well as tell you when to sleep/nap.

Trip Whistle

This is one of my go-to emergency contact apps. This app tracks your location and coordinates and also sends out an SOS call if you so choose. When travelling you may not know off the top of your head what the emergency number is for police/fire/ambulance, all of these numbers are easily found in the app. I've never had to actually call using the app but I like having it as a fallback position just in case I do find myself in an emergency.

Been

This app isn't necessarily for use when travelling, but I love to use it as a virtual bucket list! You can tick off the countries you've been to and it'll display them on a list, as well as telling you how much % of the world you have travelled. The app also has a feature to select which states you have been to and it will again tell you how much % of the US you have travelled!

Polarsteps

Finally, I love to use this app as a virtual journal. You can start a trip diary to keep photos and voice notes of where you have been. One of the best features of the app is that it records your location so you can see each stage of your trip broken down! I wish I discovered this app when I was living in Hong Kong and was travelling a lot in Asia. You can also follow friends and other travellers to see their trips; also gives so much inspiration for future trips