8 best apps for an easy holiday

These days, all you need is a phone. Technology has made travel a lot easier than it used to be, as everything’s available at the touch of a button. From packing tips and language lessons, to detailed maps and restaurant reviews – you name it, there’s an app that can do it.

While you’re away, you’ll probably use some apps – like Google Maps, Uber and WhatsApp – almost as much as when you’re at home. But there are a few extra travel apps we’d recommend downloading before you go, to help make your holiday easy and stress-free. Take a look at our eight favourites.

If you’re guilty of struggling to shut your suitcase – eight pairs of shoes for a week is fine, right? – PackPoint might just become your favourite holiday app. Designed to stop you from over-packing, this clever app will create a customised packing list for your trip. You simply enter where you’re going, when and for how long, and ta-da! – you’ll receive a detailed recommendation of what to take. As well as considering your destination’s climate, PackPoint also looks at famous attractions and popular activities to create the perfect packing list.

When you’re planning to visit a non-English speaking country, it can be useful to learn a few key phrases before you go. Nobody will expect you to be fluent, but the locals will appreciate your efforts. Even just knowing the basics – like hello, goodbye and thank you – will make your trip much more enjoyable. That’s where Duolingo comes in. On this language app, everything is broken down into bite-size lessons and fun games, so you can quickly get to grips with some useful words and phrases. And, thanks to the app’s pronunciation coaching, you’ll soon know how to say everything correctly.

There are loads of different languages on there, including French, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese and Indonesian. Why not download Duolingo a month before your holiday and start practising?

SkyGuru is a must-have for any nervous flyer or, indeed, anyone who finds turbulence stressful. This scientific app uses aeronautic information to predict any unusual weather during your flight, so it can forewarn you and help you feel prepared for any turbulence.

And that’s not all. While you’re in the air, the pro version of SkyGuru can use your phone sensors to explain every sound that your plane makes. So, although you can’t stop potential turbulence or any strange noises, you will at least know what’s going on and why. And, if turbulence is expected, you can have a nice distraction at the ready – whether that’s a book, some music or a meditation app, like Calm or Headspace.

Google Maps is probably your go-to navigation app when you’re at home but, when you’re exploring on holiday, you might want to avoid using your mobile data abroad. And that’s the beauty of MAPS.ME. Unlike a lot of other navigation apps, this one lets you view the map when you’re offline. You simply download the relevant map when you’re connected to Wi-Fi – at the airport or your hotel, for example – and then you can access it whenever you like. So, you can turn off your roaming and still find your way around easily. MAPS.ME shows essentials like restaurants, bars, supermarkets and train stations, as well as walking trails – so you can get off the main roads and go on an adventure.

Some countries feel like they were designed for road trips. When you hire a car or campervan, you’ll have total freedom to go at your own pace and change your route whenever you feel like it. For some travellers, that’s all part of the fun – but it can be a bit daunting for others.

With Roadtrippers, though, all the hassle is taken care of. If you’re planning a holiday to the USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, it’s one of the most useful apps you can have. As well as plotting the best route, Roadtrippers will highlight any key attractions or beauty spots you could stop off at on the way. And it’ll estimate your petrol usage, so you don’t get caught short.

Can you remember a time when you used to book a restaurant without checking the reviews first? No, neither can we. Thankfully, the TripAdvisor app makes it easy to check out local attractions on your holiday. With the click of a button, you can read thousands of reviews and ratings relating to just about anything. Plus, you can save all your favourites and view them on the map when you’re out and about. The app’s “near me” function also helps you track down all the must-see spots in the vicinity, from museums and waterparks, to bars and restaurants.

If you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, this is the holy grail of travel apps – especially when you’re visiting a country where the cuisine is very meat-heavy. Covering about 200 countries, Happy Cow allows you to track down over 100,000 suitable cafés and restaurants, as well as bakeries, market stalls, juice bars and ice-cream parlours.

You can also filter your results to show gluten-free options or specific cuisines. And, to make things even easier, the results all pop up on the map, so you can see the nearest place for some grub.

Even if you’ve been practising with Duolingo, there’s a chance you might still be a bit baffled by the local language. If you get lost in translation – literally – why not use Google Translate to smooth things over? With over 100 languages, the app can translate text and spoken conversations. But perhaps the most impressive feature is the link to your phone’s camera – meaning you can take a photo of a sign or menu, and Google will translate it for you. And if there are any common phrases that you’re struggling to remember, you can star them to access them offline, anytime.

Now that you're clued-up on all the best travel apps, it's time to put them to the test. To start planning your next trip away, give us a call and chat to one of our Travel Specialists. Whatever destination you choose, we'll make sure your holiday is nothing short of amazing.