5 Must-Have Apps for Travelers

Once you’ve got your ticket booked, your packing checklist sorted and your ‘I’m going traveling’ party planned, you’ll probably feel like you’re all set and ready to go. But have you thought about how you might entertain yourself in any downtime when you’re off wanderlusting? As you’re no doubt aware, there’s an app for everything nowadays, but some might come in handy more than others while you’re away. I’ve compiled a list of some helpful (and somewhat quirky) apps that I think will help you…

5 Must-Have Apps for Travelers

TripAdvisor

You’re probably well-versed in using TripAdvisor by now - millions of people all around the world do and it’s a great way of easily sifting through the reams of information out there. Whether you’re looking advice on the best hotel, restaurant or even tourist attraction to visit, you’ll find that someone somewhere in the world has probably been there and given their (hopefully) honest opinion on it. Of course, you’ll probably also want to use word-of-mouth recommendations while you’re traveling too, but with this app at least you’ll have options if you happen to be the only person around in a tiny beach town out of season!

AirBnb

If you’re planning a bit more of a ‘winging it’ approach to your vacation, you’re sure to find this app useful. You can search for places near to you and, even if the only hotels in the town you’re staying in look out of your price range, you might strike it lucky and find someone offering a comfortable private room in their home for a fraction of the cost. You’re sure to save your dollars by using AirBnb, which can only be a bonus when you’ve got so many places to tick off your to-visit list.

Mobile Gaming Apps

If you’ve got a long layover on your journey or you’re just in a hostel on your own one evening, you’ll be grateful for extra company and that’s where a mobile gaming app can come in handy. There are millions to choose from nowadays, so a ratings and review website like Casino UK can be helpful to find the best app if slots, blackjack and poker are up your alley. If you're more into puzzle games, this article from The Guardian lists the top ten, including Lara Croft Go and Best Friends. And fans of strategy games should definitely opt for Clash of Clans or Plants vs Zombies to challenge their minds for hours on end.

E-reader apps

Despite Amazon’s best efforts, not everyone on the planet has their own Kindle. But you can turn your smart devices into an e-reader if you download an app. Books are probably the heaviest thing you can pack and, if you’re away for a long time, you’ll bound to need plenty of reading material to keep you entertained.

Rather than lugging every book you’ve ever wanted to read around with you, you can buy them beforehand on the app and download new ones whenever you’ve got decent wifi connection.

Flush Toilet Finder

This may sound slightly ridiculous, but this will really come in handy if you’re ever caught short (especially if you’re also in a country facing a language barrier!). The Flush Toilet app finds you the nearest public restroom and even directs you to it. It has a wide database of more than 100,000 public convenience stops worldwide (and is ever expanding), so you should be able to find somewhere nearby.

There are literally millions of apps to choose from, but these will hopefully give you a taster of what’s out there. Do a bit of research beforehand, but also remember that most countries have wifi facilities nowadays, so you should be able to download what you need on the go too.