The modern traveller is very lucky to have been born in a time where a host of gadgets and gizmos are available to make those long days on the road infinitely more comfortable, and provide information far more efficiently than books.
For many though, the idea of lugging around tons of equipment can be rather off-putting. So instead of giving you a list of pricey, expensive thingamabobs we swear will make your life better, brighter, and happier, we’re bringing you a list of the top free travel apps … which every smart traveller should already have on their phone.
1. Google Maps
Gone are the days of navigating by the skies, stars and winds; using only our memory of the surrounding terrain to see us safely to our destination. Instead, we welcome in the Google era of accurate satellite maps, with handy pins demarcating points of interest and public transport. Now you can plot your journey from beginning to end, calculating pit-stops along the way, and find the nearest attractions on each leg of your journey.
The best part about this handy app is that you can attach it to a hands-free device on your car dashboard, and watch your winding line and the tiny car blip progress as you drive, or have the friendly AI voice read your directions out loud. The Google Maps App is free to download and use for most cell phones. I must admit that if you’re in an area with sketchy cellphone signal, the maps won’t load nearly as quickly as they do in 3G areas, so if you don’t like the wait, feel free to haul out your beat-up map book, and plot your course the old fashioned way.
2. Google Translate
In this modern world, the need to hire a guide in foreign-speaking cities has become a rather outdated mode of communicating (and even when it was popular, you could never be entirely certain that the nice shop keeper your guide was bargaining with wasn’t ripping you off). Yes there are clunky ‘portable’ translators, limited to a few languages on the market, but now in the 21st century, isn’t it far more elegant just to get the free Google Translate App?
Google Translate has over 64 different languages, and with text to speech, you need only type your request, such as “where is the bathroom?”, for it to be spoken out loud in the desired language. If you’re not a fan of typing, some versions of the app can translate your direct speech into one of 17 languages. For this, you just speak your phrase, the phone will translate it, and voila, some nice local will point you in the direction of the train station … hopefully free of charge.
3. Tripit
Most conscious travellers keep meticulous track of all their bookings and hires, which usually means that there’s a very large folder somewhere stuffed chock-a-block with the documents that need to accompany you on your travels. You’re welcome to continue doing that if you’re happy with the arrangement, but we’d like to just mention the Tripit App, which is the modern equivalent of ye-olde-giant-folder.
All you need to do is download Tripit from their website, and set up your present itinerary. When you’ve got an e-mailed copy of your booking confirmation, you just send it straight onto plans@tripit.com, and it updates into your itinerary. You can add-in your own maps and directions, photos, and recommendations, as well as share these with friends and family to keep them in the loop. It is available for most mobile providers, and it’s also available for PC’s and MAC’s.
4. Triposo
For those who hate waiting on slow internet connections, this is the ideal travel guide app for you! Once you’ve downloaded it, you won’t need to connect to the internet again to source the information you’re looking for, and all the maps are stored on your mobile device. With over 8000 destinations around the globe listed, you can bookmark the ones you’re interested in, and they come complete with city guides, tourist attractions, eateries, entertainments, etc.
The information for Triposo was sourced via an algorithm which crawled thousands of websites, blogs, and reviews, before compiling it into this all-around-the-world guide. One of the most unique features on this app is the fact it can detect your location, and then suggest an itinerary based on your interests and the nearby attractions; it even takes into account the time of day you’re viewing the information!
5. go! Travel South Africa
We all wish there was a single “Best of” website, to discover every fascinating nook, cranny, and eatery in the world. Instead, there are thousands of sites out there, each listing different “Top” activities and places to try. In the vein of knowing what to do, where and when, the go! Travel South Africa App has a comprehensive list of attractions, services, and restaurants across South Africa. As they put it: “This is a one-stop resource for finding out everything you wanted to know about travelling in South Africa”. You can create your itinerary by dragging pins from the interactive map, and once you’re done, it will suggest a route for you.
The accommodation find-and-book section of the app is one of the best on the market. Choose from a variety of luxury levels, such as backpackers, guesthouses, and hotels, or keep your eye out for featured specials on certain establishments, with several offering discounted rates up to “30% off”! Another great feature is the list of suggested trips, which delve into the best activities and attractions for each of the nine provinces, and why they’re the best experience for your travel type (families, couples, singles, etc). If you’re not quite sure where to start, browse through the numerous articles which list popular local places, and other areas of interest and cultural importance. To hear more from the go! Travel team, you can now find them on Facebook!
Please note: For most of these apps, data charges will apply and not all the apps are suited to every cell phone make or model.
Apart from that, you now have a host of free resources to ensure you get the most out of your next business trip, vacation, or family holiday. Let us know which ones you’ve used before, and which ones you’re keen to try.
Main image credit to Qfamily (Flickr)
