The best travel apps

There are so many apps out there aimed at travelling but here are the ones that we actually found useful.

Currency converter- this is an essential app for any country you travel to. Make sure you get a currency converter app that works offline. This is the one I have been using.

Lambus- Jacob found this app and it has been essential in planning our trip, and keeping track of our expenses. On Lambus you can create separate trips (e.g. Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia), and for each one you can record your expenses, accommodation, transport, itinerary, and add photos, documents, and general notes. We’ve used Lambus everyday since our trip began, and I would highly recommend it.

Polarsteps- this is a great app to show family and friends back at home what you have been up to on your trip. You check into each town/city that you visit and upload pictures you have taken from this place. Polarsteps shows the places you have visited on a map so you can see the route you have taken. It also means you don’t have to send photos separately to all your friends and family as they can all see them on the Polarsteps app.

12Go (not the app, the website)- 12Go is great but the app is rubbish so always use the website when booking tickets. The app glitches too much and never lets us process payment. 12Go is how we have booked the majority of our transport whilst travelling South East Asia. It’s very easy to use and generally we have had no issues with it.

Google maps- this is obvious but is an essential. We have said many times that we would be completely lost without Google Maps (in fact we were once in Hanoi when neither of us had data!) A useful feature of Google Maps is the ability to create lists for different places. This allows you to save cafes, restaurants, attractions etc to a list so they are easy to find, and also to check out the reviews.

Google translate- Whilst we have travelled South East Asia we haven’t had many issues with communication because generally the level of English that the local people have is amazing. However on some occasions we have relied on Google Translate. It is also an app that the local people will have on their phones to make communication easier for them. A good feature of Google translate is its ability to translate text on pictures you take. This is useful for menus, items in shops etc.

Maps.me- this is a map that allows you to download the map of a whole country so you can access it offline. This has been so helpful when we have arrived in a new country and haven’t yet got a SIM card. You can download up to 9 free maps but just simply delete them when you no longer use them to free up space.

Grab- most big towns and cities we have visited have used Grab. It’s essentially a taxi app, like Uber, where there is a price agreed before the journey begins. There are cars, motorbikes, and tuk tuks available to book on Grab (depending on your location). You can also order food on Grab in some places.

Bolt- Bolt works the same as Grab but we have found that Bolt is often cheaper than Grab so make sure you check. Bolt isn’t as widely available though.

Skyscanner- this is the app we use to check out the cheapest flights. You enter where you want to depart from, then either choose a specific date or whole month, and a specific destination or select everywhere. Skyscanner will then show you all of the flights from different providers that are available. You can book the flights directly through the links on Skyscanner or go direct to airline websites once you’ve chose your flight.

Rome2Rio- this is a great app for planning a route. If you enter your departure destination and where you want to travel to, it will show you all the different methods of getting there.

Foodpanda- a lot of places we have visited in South East Asia have used Foodpanda which is a food delivery app. We have found that there are often more options on Foodpanda compared to Grab, and usually better discounts.

Booking.com- we use booking.com to book a lot of our accommodation. There are lots of filters you can select so you can narrow the search down to find somewhere that suits you. The more you book on Booking.com, the more ‘genius’ points you build up. More points equal more discount on certain properties, and added extras such as having breakfast included.

WhatsApp- if you are travelled around South East Asia then WhatsApp is essential. You will be able to keep your normal phone number on WhatsApp even if you have a different SIM card in your phone. This lets you easily communicate with people back home. A lot of businesses in SEA use WhatsApp too.

Airbnb- in some countries, such as the Philippines and Indonesia, we have found that the accommodation options are much better on Airbnb than Booking.com. I would advise to always check both but there are definitely some gems on Airbnb.