Proper planning makes all the difference between a rushed, stressful trip and a restful, worry-free vacation. And, trust me when I say the best travelling apps can make your trip worthwhile.
From trip planners and itinerary generators to online marketplaces for flights and hotels; there’s no shortage of apps designed to help the tech-savvy traveler.
Here are a selection of apps you should know of:
Google Software Apps (Assistant, Trips, Translate, Maps, etc.) (Android, iOS: Free)
Is there anything we can do without the almighty google? With its full range of apps ranging from google assistant to remind you about your itinerary and reservations, to google maps that is arguably the best navigation app around town. Google’s software apps are an absolute necessity when planning a trip.
Traveling to a foreign country whose language you don’t understand? Google translate can convert words, phrases and short sentences from one language to another in a seconds.
TripAdvisor (Android, iOS: Free)
This app is your go-to guide to hotels, restaurants and attractions worldwide. It allows you to browse through millions of reviews from friends and travel experts to get helpful advice and recommendations. It features a long list of establishments worldwide.
Airbnb (Android, iOS: Free)
Airbnb (Android, iOS) is an amazing alternative to hotel accommodation, especially when hotel prices are too high for your budget. From mom-and-pop B&Bs for a night, to a small apartment for a week, moored yachts, houseboats, or even a castle for a month, there is no shortage of these quirky and unique establishments. It covers a range of prices suitable for your pocket in more than 34,000 cities across almost 200 countries, which means the adventurous or flexible traveler has some interesting choices for accommodations on their next trip without breaking the bank.
Uber (Android, iOS: Free)
Getting a ride in a new city use to be a challenge. But apps like Uber have been a disruptive, on-demand transit revolution. Operating in dozens of countries and more than 600 cities, Uber makes hailing a ride simplicity itself, so long as you can get a mobile or Wi-Fi connection. Set up an account, link a credit card, and then simply type in your destination to request your ride.
Uber will do the hard work of connecting you to a vetted driver, complete with an upfront pricing. It’s usually cheaper and more efficient than a regular taxi. And if you find yourself in Croatia, you can try out the new Uber speedboats! Uber remains a valuable resource for casual and business travelers in cities worldwide . Although, Uber is not allowed in certain parts of the US, Canada, Denmark, and some parts of Asia and Australia. In all it is an amazing app that makes your movement easy and simple.
Hipmunk (Android, iOS: Free)
Hipmunk (Android, iOS) is a fast, all-in-one travel planning and booking solution, with a powerful flight and hotel search engine. In addition, to the usual flight search criteria such as price, Hipmunk also includes an agony index for flight duration, number of stops and other factors. Users can also take advantage of last minute hotel deals, view reviews from TripAdvisor and other sources, and check out heat maps that show hotel proximity to shopping, dining
Skiplagged (Android, iOS: Free)
If you’re traveling light and looking to save a few bucks, check out this app. It can help keep your travel costs down by taking advantage of “hidden city flights”, where you get off at a layover, instead of at the final destination. Users enter their origin and target destination, and Skiplagged will show you the cost of a direct flight, as well as any cheaper “hidden city” flights that have your intended destination as a layover. Economical right!
FLIO (Android, iOS: Free)
This app is like a mobile airport. FLIO aims to be the all-in-one companion app for harried travelers helping you make your way through airports worldwide. An official partner of 300 airports; including information on thousands more, the app provides you with terminal maps, a boarding pass scanner, a flight tracker and directions to shuttle buses and booking options for everything from parking to lounge access. The app’s sheer variety of services and features make it a great addition to the app toolkit of frequent fliers and vacationers alike.
WhatsApp (Android, iOS: Free)
Roaming rates for SMS, voice calls, and mobile data can be very expensive. If you’re traveling abroad, and at the same time you want to share videos , photos of how much fun you are having on your vacation. If you’ve got access to Wi-Fi, you can sidestep that expense with apps like WhatsApp, which allows you to send messages, stories, photos, voice clips, including voice and video calls to friends and family members who also use the app. WhatsApp is easy to set up, without any new logins or PINs, and its combination of ease of use and rich feature set make it a great app for keeping in touch with loved ones at home and abroad.
Do you know any other apps that make planning a trip easy? Do share with us in the comment section.
