8 Must-Have Apps for a Smooth Traveling Experience

Traveling brings me so much joy! It is one of the best feelings in the world. But, it can also get a little difficult. Fortunately for us, we are living in a age where we have access to applications that can make our lives easier. The resources are readily available! The next step is to be open to the remedies these applications have to offer.

I am a strong supporter of making my life as simple as possible. If it is going to aid in organization, better understanding, accessibility, and more, why not? During my one-month southeast Asia trip, I've gathered up the most beneficial and frequent used apps that has remedied potential hassles. These apps have helped make my travel experience hassle free and smooth sailing.

Here are 8 beneficial Apps to have when traveling:

Stay & Flight

1. Air Bnb – Ain’t nothing wrong with staying in your own home or villa! The perks are obvious such as your privacy, not sharing bathrooms with randoms, and enjoying the comfort of more amenities. I find AirBnb a good choice when traveling with a companion.

- Bali AirBnb Sidenotes:

Anthony and I found breathtaking villas in Bali for the two of us from $15-$36/night. Some had infinite swimming pools with tropical lush green jungle views. The hospitality is A++++. Most have 24-hour staff that are so quick to help you if you have any questions and with a smile. Free quality breakfast every morning. They can arrange your transportation from booking taxi’s or renting mopeds. Some offer laundry service too!

2. HostelWorld – Staying in hostels are a great way to meet new people from all over the world. It’s a great app to have so that you can book your bed on the go. I find that solo travelers and budget travelers commonly choose hostels as a choice to stay. But of course, it is just preference.

Some hostels offer private rooms, but majority of the time they offer dormitory style rooms that typically have bunk beds and your own private locker to put your things in. I like the kind of bunk beds that have your own curtain for privacy and night light to not disturbs others sleep. Reading reviews are very ideal.

What me and Anthony look for in a hostel:

- CLEANLINESS

- Curtains on bunk beds

- Chill vibe (no party hostel for us)

- Rating of 8.6 +

- Free breakfast

- Free wi-fi

Take note that there are party hostels that party all night. If you are into that, great. If you are not, that’s great too. You can typically find out what kind of hostel it is through readings reviews. That can help you determine if the hostel is a good choice for you.

Average hostel costs

Thailand - $8-$10

Vietnam - $5-$8

Bali - $8-$12

Philippines -

3. SkyScanner – This app finds the cheapest flights for you easily. They have a feature where they can alert you if there was a price drop or increase in the flights you save. If you are looking for the cheapest month to fly at a certain country, it finds it for you. Of course, airline prices are so volatile. The best time for us to book are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Food & Explore

4. TripAdvisor – This was another app I used frequently. Why? To look for amazing restaurants that were vegetarian friendly and within our budget. You can filter it to your desired preference, whether you are feeling like smoothie bowls or pizza. We also used this app to see what were the best places to visit.

5. GoogleMaps – If you opt out of the taxi/uber transportation and chose to rent a motor bike to do your explorations, GoogleMaps will be your best friend. When we were in Vietnam (and didn’t have a sim card for internet at the time), if we wanted to go to a certain destination, we would map ourselves from the hostel or a coffee shop that had wi-fi, and then roll out. Even though I wouldn’t have internet connection after we leave the wi-fi zone, GoogleMaps was already pre-mapped and ready to navigate the pathway.

Communication & Currency

6. Currency - (The app image icon says XE) - I used this app so we could have a better understanding of how much money we were using per day. Although Asia is super affordable as it is, we wanted to make sure we weren’t overpaying for certain foods/products/services so that we can maximize our dollar’s worth for better purposes.

7. Google Translate – I would pre-translate certain sentences and words while I had wifi so that when I was out and about and needed to connect with someone, we can both communicate and understand each other. It helped me a lot in Vietnam.

8. WhatsApp – It’s a free messenger app to communicate with your loved ones from anywhere around the world. Also, many local business owners, Airbnb hosts, taxi drivers, and more use this app to communicate. We used this app to connect with our driver that picked us up from the Bali airport as well as communicate with our Philippines AirBnb host for airport pick-up and booking our boat tours. Another messenger app that I’ve used during this trip is Viber.

Side Note: If you have ATT&T --- Please opt out of their international packages like their silver and gold passport features. It does not work. I’ve tried it in Thailand back in 2015. I have also recently tried to use it in Vietnam and Bali. It was a waste of $60 (silver passport).

TIP: I recommend buying a sim card when you arrive to the country you are visiting.

I bought a 15 gb sim card for $6-$8 when I arrived to Bali. It has lasted throughout my 3-weeks stay in Bali. It’s worth it and it works! To preserve your gb, connect to the wi-fi when you are in a establishment like a restaurant, coffee shop, or your AirBnb so that you don't run out of data fast.

These are my top 8 apps of choice for traveling. They have helped me along my journey and I know that it will continue to help me with my future travels. I encourage you to travel your heart out and expand your mind.

"A mind stretched by new experiences can never go back

to its old dimensions."

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With love and light,

Khristyne

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