15 essential travel apps every traveler should have

So you got your bags packed? Have you also checked your smartphone? Here are my essential travel apps every traveler should have! 

Accommodations & Flights Travel Apps

1) Skyscanner

Skyscanner is a handy app to check out flight rates and new destinations. We did this to prolong our Thailand journey and found Cambodia to be the best option by using Skyscanner! 

2) Booking

Booking.com is one handy app for accommodations. Easy to use and you can book accommodations in no time. The app has a lot of filters so you can find the perfect accommodation for your wishes but the best option is the free cancelation option. Many hotels have a free cancelation option which may come in handy when you find yourself in a sticky situation and want to cancel your hotel

3) Airbnb

When you rather want to stay in a house or BnB, then Airbnb is your match. The app allows you to see photos and reviews of the accommodation and certain rules (cleaning the house yourself or not). 

Discount Fact: Use the link below to find your perfect place to stay. https://www.airbnb.be/c/laurep3911?currency=EUR

4) Tripadvisor

Booking a hotel but want more recommendations? Use Tripadvisor one of the best travel apps! Tripadvisor has over 7000 million reviews and is the best app to compare reviews for hotel accommodations. You can also use the app for booking tours as I did in Cambodia, Thailand, and Canada.

Transportation Travel Apps

5) Uber

Uber is well known in the world but also handy. Just enter your pickup and drop-off locations and select your ride option. You can see the cost before you accept it which is also useful. At the end of your ride, you can rate your ride on the app and decide if you want to leave a tip. I used this app already in Europe many times.

6) Grab

Uber is not a big thing in Asia, but Grab is! The app offers you a quick and affordable ride in Asia. You can choose your vehicle (taxi, car, or other) and get a ride. Grab Bike is the same delivery service but for bikes. I used this app in Thailand and Cambodia. 

7) 12Go Asia

12Go Asia doesn’t have an app yet but it is quite worth the mention. In Thailand, we wanted to take the bus from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai and used 12Go Asia for it. You could choose the type of bus (with air conditioning or not, luggage or not) but not your place on the bus. The bus was of good quality!  

Maps Travel Apps

8) Maps.me

Maps.me is a useful app that also works offline (just make sure you downloaded the maps when you’re online). You can highlight the places you want to visit in a visible color but you can’t make a trip in it with several stops, unfortunately. Better to use Google Maps for driving and use Maps.Me to find hiking trails. I used this app in Canada the most for finding all hiking trails but I also used it on trips in Europe. 

9) Google Maps

Who doesn’t know this app right? Google Maps offers you map locations, directions, and even directions for public transportation! You can also download maps in advance so you can use the app offline.

10) Waze

Waze is quite the hype but it never works on my phone (location is always wrong). But with other friends, it’s working just fine. This app is a lifesaver when there is traffic or blocked roads.

Handy Travel Apps

11) XE Currency Converter

Want to know the currency rates in a quick tap, then this is your app to go to.

12) Google Translate

Google translate is a handy app when you don’t speak the language of the country you’re visiting. It also has a camera function where you can take a picture of a word and it’s translated. 

13) Tricount

This app helps you splitting the cost between groups. I even use this app in my daily live!  

14) WhatsApp

WhatsApp is the best messaging service when traveling a foreign country. You only use the wifi and avoid texting fees. I don’t think I need to explain this app 😉 

Entertainment Travel Apps

15) Netflix

Netflix has been so useful when I had a delayed flight, no tv in the room,… If you have a Netflix account, you can pre-download your favorite shows onto your device to watch them at a later time. Just know that those downloads can expire so download them a day before you leave and watch them on time (once downloaded and expired, you have to wait a month before you can re-download them).

Life of a Passion