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Welcome to part three of the Travel Planning Series! To read the first two posts, click here.
Thank goodness I travel internationally for work in 2018! If it weren’t for the apps I use, it would be so much harder traveling to new countries where I don’t speak the language. After many trips testing out different apps, here are the ones that make my travels much more convenient!
Google Maps
This is the most obvious choice on the apps list, but did you know there’s a way to make this app even more useful?!
One of the reasons I love using Google Maps is that it lets you cache certain maps for offline use. That way, I don’t have to worry about always having data or wifi to get around a new city! This functionality isn’t available everywhere (I just tried it in Tokyo and Seoul, to no avail) but when it is, it’s wonderful!
I’ve incorporated the habit of caching maps into my trip prep routine! Since the files can be pretty big, I download them while I’m packing my bag. After all, you never know how good (or awful) the wifi will be at the airport or at your hotel. Here are some screenshots on how to cache maps:
Google Translate
Another obvious choice, but also one that can be even better! Google Translate is a real life save when I travel. I can’t live without it! I always try to learn key phrases for when I travel, but of course I can never learn enough to just go out and chat up the locals. We can all tell when a tourist is really lost, and I try to figure things out on my own as much as possible.
Just like with Google Maps, you can download language packs in Google Translate to be able to use them even offline. I can’t tell you how many times this has been helpful! The first time I went to Beijing, I went to a restaurant that was highly recommended by an acquaintance. When I got there, the menu was in Mandarin only, and no one there spoke English! If it weren’t for Google Translate, I would not have had one of the best dishes of my life!
Additionally, Google Translate in English also offers the option for live translation, which is a wonderful feature! Instead of having to take a photo and highlight what you want translated, the live translation feature will automatically translate anything it detects, which can be super useful for signage and quick translations. It’s not that useful for long text and phrases, so stick to quick things for this one.
To download the language packs, follow the screenshots below:
TripIt
TripIt is an app I came to know through work. My company has a business account with TripIt that gives me access to TripIt Pro, which is full of super useful resources for when I travel.
For starters, it’s really easy to send information on your flights and hotels to TripIt. After downloading the app on your phone and creating an account, all you have to do is forward confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com and it will automatically sort your itinerary for you. What I love about it is that it shows you the complete itinerary, including flights, hotels, transportation, etc.
One of the most recent updates that made me love TripIt even more is the “International Travel Tools” section. It gives you important details that I would spend a lot of time researching before, all in one place! The kind of plug, the current exchange rate, the time zone, where the nearest US embassy is, necessary vaccines, etc… Have you ever gotten to a new country, gone out to eat, and thought “Omg, how do tips work here?!” TripIt will tell you that as well. It’s so, so useful, and I love it!
TripIt Pro also sends you alerts when check-in is available for your upcoming flights and notifies you about your flights (gate changes, delays, etc). It also allows you to change the seats on your flights.
To me it’s so great having everything in one spot, and the notifications are incredibly useful!
Your Airline and Hotel Apps
It’s always a good idea to have the apps for your airline and hotel brand. If there are updates (such as boarding gate, delays, etc), your airline app will likely be the fastest way to get those. It’s also a lot easier to find information on your flights or hotels than having to look through your email or their website!
Uber/Lyft
Before traveling it’s good to check whether Uber or Lyft are available in the country you’re going to. Of all the places I’ve been to, I think the only one where I couldn’t use them at all was China. But even in countries where Uber/Lyft are allowed, drivers may not be allowed to pick you up at the airport. Always worth looking into!
If it’s possible and safe, I always prefer taking public transportation. It’s so interesting to see how people commute in each place, and each public transportation system is reflective of a city’s personality. But if that’s not possible, it’s always great to be able to call an Uber/Lyft. It’s also relieving to know I can share my trip and destination with my family just in case, and that I can monitor the map to make sure the driver is going the right way. As a woman traveling alone, it’s little things like this that make me more relieved and confident when I travel.
(Side note: I will always support Lyft over Uber because of Uber’s notoriously toxic corporate culture and stories of harassment. If a city doesn’t have good or public transportation, and if Lyft isn’t available, then I’ll call an Uber.)
Yelp
Yelp is my go to app for finding anything. I’ve used it to find hair salons, restaurants, museums, stores… It’s super useful and trustworthy!
One pro tip for finding good, authentic restaurants in a different country: avoid tourist traps by looking for restaurants with positive reviews in the local language!
These are a few of the apps I use when I travel that make a big difference! Which apps do you use and recommend?
Stay curious,
Nati
