Top 5 Best Smartphone Apps for Travelling
Regardless of whether you’re travelling the world recreationally or for business, you’ll want to stay equipped with the latest technology. The modern day smartphone has many surprising capabilities (in the form of third party applications) that can make travelling simpler and more convenient. These travel apps in our top 10 list serve a variety of different purposes. Whether you’re planning a trip, navigating around, booking overnight stays and last minute flights, or other personal reasons, there are applications to help you out.
As always, if you’re planning a trip out of the country we advise that you exchange your currency before you leave. By doing so, you won’t feel pressured to convert money overseas at unfavourable exchange rates. We highly recommend to those seeking foreign exchange services to use a provider than they can trust – like Knightsbridge Foreign Exchange.
KnightsbridgeFX is a 100% Canadian based company with over 100 positive reviews on Google. The best part is KBFX will guarantee exchange rates that are so competitive that they beat the banks.
OUR 5 FAVOURITE MUST-HAVE MOBILE APPS TO USE WHILE ABROAD
The apps featured on this list vary from widely-accepted around the world to only being used by a specific tourist niche. To get the full benefit of these apps, you should download the ones that best suit your individual travelling needs. In most cases, as long as you’re travelling to a well known area you should encounter very few issues when using these electronic services. We also recommend staying in places with good cell service or a reliable wireless internet connection to get the full functionality out of these applications.
Uber has revolutionized the ride sharing and trip-request industry in many countries around the world. In some parts of the world it’s still a controversial groundbreaking technology, especially in regards to the more widely accepted taxi industry. With that being said, it’s still a very practical app that you can easily use while on the go in participating countries. If you’re unfamiliar with a location and aren’t comfortable using the local ride-request services, you can call an Uber with the press of a button. Very similar to a taxi service, your driver will pick you up from wherever you’d like, drop you off as per request, and charge you based on the length of your trip.
Triposo is a comprehensive all-in-one smart travel guide that gives you a ton of information about a foreign location on one convenient interface. Instead of carrying a hardcover paper guidebook with hundreds of pages, Triposo filters everything you need to know to a more manageable and pocket-friendly level. The app includes information such as foreign location safety tips, online and offline maps, frequently visited tourist locations, and information about the place you’re visiting. Triposo shines in its ability to bundle multiple relevant travel details in a single platform whilst retaining its offline functionality. That’s right – many of Triposo’s features related to mapping and planning routes can be used without an internet connection.
If you consider yourself to have an extroverted personality but don’t know where to find likeminded people abroad, then Meetup is the perfect app for you. Meetup is designed to pair you with foreign locals or likeminded travelers that are interested in the same activities as you. Whether it’s visiting nearby attractions, taking part in some group hobbies, or just walking around a new area, Meetup can connect you with individuals to participate with. The app delivers an exciting way to meet new people without having to scour through endless internet forums to find other travelers nearby.
WhatsApp is essentially an innovative take to cell phone usage. The app provides all the main features of a cell phone without the need for actual cell reception or a SMS provider. The app acts as a direct personal messaging and calling service through an internet or cell data connection. Similar to social media accounts that do personal messaging like Facebook or Snapchat, all you have to do is sign up and it is free to use. WhatsApp lets you send text messages, place calls, and send files all within the application’s platform. The best part is you could even install a desktop version on your laptop and access all of your conversations!
Possibly the most appropriately named application on this list; Calm does precisely what the name suggests. Put simply, Calm gives you access to several meditation and relaxation techniques that are designed to reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and lower stress. Calm is designed primarily to help individuals manage their anxiety levels, but it’s a great app if you have a fear of flights. Plugging in your headphones and navigating the Calm app on a long flight can help make the airborne trip more tolerable.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Mobile Applications Designed Specifically for Travelling
While there are many other apps that are recommended to be used for travellers such as Hotels.com, Air BnB, DuoLingo, and more, these five should be your top priority in any circumstance.
Another important thing you should consider is that to make foreign payments, you’ll need foreign cash. Granted, some mobile applications can help you do this but they typically come with unfavourable rates that can end up being expensive. If you want to convert your dollars to an international currency, you should use KnightsbridgeFX to get the cheapest conversion rate on your transactions.
Here are just some of the other benefits to choosing KnightsbridgeFX over the competition:
- Safe – Secured and regulated by FINTRAC. KnightsbridgeFx is registered with FINTRAC under the MSB registration number M09819788 and AMF # 904210
- Legitimate – More than 70,000 satisfied clients (> $2 billion CAD converted)
- Transparent – Zero hidden fees and guaranteed best rates that you can lock-in
- Convenient – Entire exchange process can be completed in one day (< 24 hours)
- Newsworthy – Appeared on CBC, BNN, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and CTV