5 Best Travel Apps to Have

Traveling to a new place needs planning. From packing to booking a place to figuring out transportation to get through the language barrier, there is a lot to consider. With the digital age, a lot has become easier. Because of our phones, a lot of these things can be dealt with easily. Here are five of my best travel app recommendations that are a must-have.

1. PackPoint

Packing is one of those things that many people struggle with. It is time-consuming and takes a lot of attention to details if you are packing for a place that you have never been to before and has different weather than yours. I always suggest people create a packing checklist before they start packing.

This app takes it a step ahead and compiles your packing checklist for you. You have to input your destination and travel dates, and this app will create a packing checklist that is weather-specific to the dates you are visiting. Not only that, you can put in activities you are planning to do while there and PackPoint will make suggestions based on your answers.

The suggestions might not be perfect to your taste for the activities, but the lists are customizable, so you can build off of the suggested list.

PackPoint is available for free for iOS and Android.

2. Airbnb

Everyone knows what Airbnb is for; it helps you rent home for a short period while you are visiting someplace. Now, it has branched out to much more, it also gives suggestions and recommendations, known as “Airbnb Experiences.” This is updated by experts and local hosts. It lets you know of different activities you can partake in and also lets you make restaurant reservations in some cities.

Airbnb is available for free for iOS and Android.

3. SitOrSquat

Searching for restrooms in public places can be quite a headache, and if you are in a place that you are unfamiliar with and don’t know the local language, then it can be much more of a disaster for your poor bowels.

This app helps you find a restroom nearby. It is loaded with more than 100,000 public restrooms to give you options, and it pinpoints to the nearest restroom available. The users can rate the bathrooms, that is where it gets its name from. If the bathroom is clean, it is rated as “sit,” and if it is dirty, it is rated as “squat.”

Apart from the rating, users also get to update the database by adding new bathrooms. Restrooms can be searched based on location, rating, free to use, availability of changing table, etc.

SitOrSquat is available for free for iOS and Android.

4. Uber

Uber is a handy app to have for local travels. If you are in an area where the local language is foreign to you, then having an app that can book your travels can be very convenient.

Uber is available in many countries. Check if the place you are visiting has the service and install the app, if some other cab booking app is popular and more convenient in that place then you might want to get that.

All you have to do is type in your location, and your destination, and you get options for different vehicle options and it also sorts any confusion between you and the driver. The price is also shown to you, so there is no need for haggling about the fare later.

Uber is available for free for iOS and Android.

5. Google Translate

Visiting a place where the language is unfamiliar can be a bit of a pain, especially when traveling along. Having an app that can translate the language into yours is more appreciated then.

Google Translate can translate 103 different languages. It doesn’t take more than just choosing the language you want to convert the text in and typing the text. Fifty-nine of those languages can be downloaded for access even without a data connection.

Thirty-eight languages can be translated by using your phone camera. All you have to do is point your phone’s camera at the word written, it can be anything from a street sign to a dinner menu, and the app will translate it for you. Sometimes it isn’t that accurate, but it is enough to give you a gist of what’s written.

Google Translate is available for free for iOS and Android.