Our cell phones are extensions of ourselves. They are never more than 1 metre away from us at all times and constantly being checked in case something interesting is happening on your ‘IstaTwitFace’ profile.
It makes sense then that the little devices, which we spend
so much time on, should play an integral part in our holiday plans. Whether you
are travelling abroad or planning a trip nearer to home, your cell phone may be
able to assist you beyond allowing you to post your selfies to social media.
Here is a list of 5 must-have smartphone apps for any traveller looking to make
the most of their next adventure.
1. Trip Advisor
Trip Adviser is a great place to look for restaurants, hotels,
attractions and nightlife. The app will search around you, show you your
options, with guest reviews and photos, and it will even guide you there. It’s
super handy when you are getting to know an area and the guest reviews really
help you in making your decision on where to go.
Availability: iOS
and Android
2. Google Maps
This handy app is capable of a lot more than you might think
and can be very handy in the planning phase of your trip. Imagine you are
looking for a hotel in a city which you may not know. Locate it in Google Maps
and start exploring! It shows you where hotels are, shows guest reviews and
ratings and provides the contact details and web link to their websites. If you
think you’ve found a winner, use Street View to explore the surrounding area
and take a virtual walk to see what stores, clubs, parks or anything are around
that hotel.
Availability: iOS
and Andriod
3. Duolingo
If you find yourself in a foreign country where no one
speaks your language, it can be scary for a traveller. So why not learn a
little before you get there to help you out? Duolingo is a great new app which
helps you learn languages, from the basics to advanced, for free. What makes it
even better is that each lesson is short and sweet enough that it doesn’t take
too much time out of your busy day.
Learn Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian and English from your
phone or PC.
Availability: iOS
and Android
4. Yelp
At some point in your trip you are going to need to get
something to eat. It seems like such a simple idea but sometimes eating in
foreign territory and out of your comfort zone can be daunting. Yelp is great
because it understands you; well, it feels like it does. You type in the kind
of food you want or a particular restaurant and it will find it for you based
on your current location when using it. It can also be filtered to suit your
needs so if you’re looking for a sushi restaurant within 5 kilometres of your
location that cost a little amount of money with high ratings from past guests,
it will find it for you. Pretty great. This app is not available everywhere but
its growing and is currently being used in 27 popular destinations all over the
world. Did we mention that Yelp can be used to find other businesses too? Needless
to say, this app has saved my tail more times than I can count.
Availability: iOS,
Android, Windows Mobile and Amazon Kindle
5. Wi-Fi Finder
Most apps including your staple Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
and Skype apps, to name a few, require the internet to function. When you are
away from home you are away from your internet connection and this is where
Wi-Fi hotspots come in handy. The app, which can be used offline, locates Wi-Fi
hotspots, paid and free, in your area and can even provide directions to get to
each place. This is one app that you will find yourself using a lot, even in
your own hometown.
Availability: iOS
and Android
