“FILL YOUR LIFE WITH ADVENTURES, NOT THINGS. HAVE STORIES TO TELL, NOT STUFF TO SHOW”
About to head off on the adventure of a lifetime? Don’t leave home without these 8 apps downloaded onto your mobile or device!
MAPS.ME
This is a great app that allows you to download maps of cities your travelling to and access them offline from your device. It works the same as Google Maps or a GPS but you don’t require an internet connection if you’ve already downloaded the maps onto your phone. So best thing to do is to download them all before you leave so you’re never stuck!
Google Translate
Great if you’re travelling to a foreign country where English may not be spoken everywhere and you don’t know the language. You are also able to download languages and access the translator offline which is really helpful. This app was my best friend in China. I used it often and it made life a whole lot easier.
TripIt
For all the organised travellers out there, TripIt keeps all your travel plans in the one app! You can forward your travel confirmation emails for accommodation, flights, tours etc. and it will compile it all into one master itinerary that you can access easily. No need to worry about constantly searching through emails to find what you need, TripIt will keep it all together
Grab/Uber
Grab and Uber are surprisingly big in South East Asia and I have found having both these apps on my phone has saved me huge amounts of money. In almost all cases the price of a Grab or Uber is half what you would pay for a taxi. You do need the internet, but commonly you will have access to free Wi-Fi at airports and hotels to book and organise your transfer.
A great app for communicating with loved ones whilst you’re travelling. It does free calls and messaging – though you will need the internet. A lot of businesses around the world also use WhatsApp which is extremely helpful if you need to get in touch with a hotel or tour company to confirm or discuss anything.
HappyCow
For all my fellow vegetarian and vegan travellers out there, HappyCow is a blessing. This app locates the closest restaurant/café/store to you that has vegetarian/vegan food options. I have found so many amazing places all over the world thanks to this app. There is a free version as well as a paid version. At the moment I am using the free version and it’s been amazing!
Snapseed
A great photo editing app for all those holiday snaps! It has a little more to offer than your standard Instagram filters so if you want to make all your friends and family back home jealous of your amazing photos, Snapseed is the perfect app.
Hostelworld
If you’re travelling on a budget, or haven’t booked all of your accommodation, Hostelworld is a good app to have handy to search for last minute accommodation for a cheap price. If dorm rooms aren’t your thing, don’t worry, there are also options for private rooms, but trust me when I say dorm rooms are not as scary as they sound. It’s a great way to meet other travellers and the reviews on Hostelworld are quite often very detailed which will help you pick somewhere suitable for you.
Be sure to follow my adventures on Instagram & Twitter!
I tried Maps.Me for my trip in China. Nothing. Everyone else, no problem. So, besides getting lost in Yabgshuo a couple of times (easier than expected) had to trust my instinct – and anyone with Maps.Me savvy.
Grab in Saigon & Hanoi were great.
Silly me, I had deleted my WhatsApp and never did download it again although it is excellent for when in China.
I prefer Baidu over Google Translate.
Xe.com is also an excellent App to have if travelling to more than country.
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Oh really!? I found Maps.Me extremely helpful in China! But I can understand where you’re coming from for sure. Great recommendations. Thank you 🙂
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Grab was one of the most important Apps for me during my Malaysia trip. Couldn’t have lived without it. Taxis in Malaysia don’t have metres, so they just tell you anything.
For hostels I used the Agoda App. Whenever I checked Agoda and Hostelworld, I found Agoda to be cheaper, so I just used that.
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Hi Sophie. Definitely agree with you on the Agoda tip. I like to pay for my accommodation on my card rather than cash, so that is one good thing Agoda does that HostelWorld does not – I suppose it does depend on preference. Both are great apps!
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This is an excellent post. Heading to Thailand next week, so this post was perfect timing 🙂
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So glad I could be of help 🙂 Have an amazing time in Thailand!
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I haven’t heard of Snapfeed. What’sApp is a good one that I use even at home. Have fun won’t you 🙂
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It’s great if you like to get a little creative with some of your favourite travel photos. Thanks Miriam!
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That’s a useful post.
I’m a big fan of Snapseed and WhatsApp. One app I never leave home without is Evernote. I pay to use the offline notebook facility, so that I have all of the important document copies and note available at all times, on all devices. It’s also useful for making notes along the way.
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Great tip! I tend to use my Google Drive for that same reason. That way I can access from my laptop and my phone both online and offline. Thanks for stopping by!
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Great tips! Thanks!
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You’re welcome Jo!
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