After my recent visit to Thailand I gathered a selection of apps that came in handy through my travels which I wanted to share with you.
Top 10 Travel Apps:
Airline App
The very first app I downloaded was the app for the airline I was using. This meant that I could check in to all six of my flights online via the app, choose my seats and have copies of my boarding passes on phone. Just make sure you’ve got plenty of charge on your phone!
Google Translate
This app is super helpful to translate things like signs or menus that are in a foreign language. You can hold it up to things and it will automatically translate things for you! A must have for any traveller who doesn’t speak the lingo.
xCurrency
This is the app I use most during my travels on a daily basis, to check the cost of Thai bhat in pounds. There are lots of different apps on the market but this one is free to download and really simple to use.
Days
There are loads of different countdown apps available on the App Store but I love the interface of the days app. It’s really simple, modern and free.
Grab / Uber
I’d first downloaded Uber as we planned to use this to zip about in foreign cities as it’s much cheaper than using local taxis (or tuk tuks) but it turns out that Uber is actually illegal in Thailand so it doesn’t operate there but there’s an alternative called Grab which is essentially the same thing. It’s free to download and operates in the same way as Uber but just remember that you’ll need internet to get a grab (you could use WiFi spots instead).
Maps.Me
If you don’t have a local SIM card or you don’t have access to internet during your travels then you might want a decent maps application that doesn’t require an internet connection (Apple maps and google maps both need the internet). Maps.Me is free to download and you download maps before you leave and you can still navigate around without an internet connection when you arrive at your destination.
TouchNote
This has been one of my favourite apps for the last few years but it really comes into its own for travelling. You can use your own photographs to design and send postcards back to friends and family at home for just a couple of pounds. It’s a great personalised touch and I’ve sent quite a few over the last few years.
Starling
These days people take less and less cash currency when travelling – everyone seems to have a currency card. After doing extensive research I’d narrowed it down to Monzo and Starling, with the latter having the edge as it’s completely free to use and withdraw your money (with Monzo the first £200 is free and after you have to pay a small fee). It has a mobile app so you monitor your transactions and you also get a contactless payment card which you can lock via the app if you lose it on your travels.
Duolingo
If you don’t speak the local language or you want to brush up on your phrases then Duolingo is perfect. It’s free to use (although there’s an option to upgrade to a premium version) and you could practice on the plane or while you’re waiting at the airport. A perfect little app to kill some time.
Finally, the whatsapp app is essential for all travellers which allows you to stay connected with everyone at home. It’s free to download and uses a data connection so you can stay connected to everyone back home.
