Travel Apps You Need to Download if You Don’t Want to Get Lost and Hungry

If you have a tight schedule full of activities when you travel internationally and you can’t afford to get lost for 5 hours or if you don’t want to accidentally order sheep’s head and feet or fertilized duck egg, you need to download these travel apps!  

Thanks to the advancement of technology, we now have smartphones with apps we can use for practically anything we need when traveling abroad. Your basic Spanish skills can’t even help you differentiate café con leche from café con azucar. We now have an app to translate one language to another! Did you forget your paper map at the hotel? That is so 1999! Maps are now literally at our fingertips, and idiot-proof! Just follow the blinking dot and you’ll arrive at your destination.  

Here are the travel apps you need to download before you step on that airplane.  

The first app you need to download if you still don’t have it on your phone is Google Maps. Whether you’re hunting down that hole-in-the-wall restaurant that serves the “best tacos of your life,” or you're trying to look for the most unique and affordable souvenirs, this app will help you. Not only will this app get you to your destination, but it will also give you real-time updates on traffic. Pro tip: Download offline maps when you still have Wi-Fi so when your phone’s signal disappears, you won’t.  

If you’re the type of traveler who forgets everything they need to remember about their trip (flight details, hotel bookings, itineraries), you need to download TripIt ASAP. This app is like your personal EA which can organize all your travel info. You just need to forward your confirmation emails to the app, and it will arrange all your travel details for you! No more checking your emails or opening several apps to check your flight details, everything is in just one app.  

Don’t just rely on your basic French skills; download Google Translate to avoid the locals rolling their eyes at you when you mispronounce "croissant." You can even translate street signs, menus or even that shampoo bottle in your hotel. It’s like having your translator who wouldn’t get annoyed when you butcher their language.  

For those who were always doodling or sleeping during math class in school (aka me) or those who don’t have the brain capacity to convert and compute currencies, you need the XE currency converter app. You can convert currencies on the spot with real-time updates, so you won’t be caught buying a souvenir you don’t have the budget for.  

Never forget your charger or sleep mask ever again! With PackPoint, you just need to add your trip details and activities, and it will prepare your packing list based on the weather at your destination, the length of your travel, and any activities you plan to do during your trip. No more second guessing about whether you need to bring a coat or a jacket or how many pairs of socks you should bring.  

One of the reasons why some vegans are deterred from traveling is the lack of food choices that cater to their preferences. Fortunately, HappyCow is a game-changing app for vegans, vegetarians, or travelers looking to eat healthily. This app provides vegan, gluten-free, and plant-based cuisine in 185+ countries.   

Not all of us can travel first class and have immediate access to lounges. Nevertheless, we commoners can now access airport lounges thanks to LoungeBuddy. Airport lounges are not only for elite and frequent travelers anymore. With this app, we can book and access airport lounges worldwide, giving us a peaceful and comfortable place to wait for our boarding.  

Say goodbye to any travel-related stress with these apps. No more getting lost, missing airport transfers, and under or overpacking (though, no promises there.) Download these travel apps now and say hello to smoother and less stressful travels!