{"id":3845,"date":"2018-07-03T10:34:50","date_gmt":"2018-07-03T14:34:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/?p=3845"},"modified":"2018-06-29T17:39:22","modified_gmt":"2018-06-29T21:39:22","slug":"6-free-travel-apps-download","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/6-free-travel-apps-download","title":{"rendered":"6 free travel apps to download before you go abroad"},"content":{"rendered":"

A little preparation can go a long way to help make sure international travel goes smoothly. One thing you can do is make sure you have the right resources in the palm of your hand while you\u2019re abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re a seasoned traveller or are heading abroad for the first time, downloading a few apps will absolutely help you make your trip the best it can be. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here are six free must-have travel apps you should absolutely download before you go abroad:<\/span><\/p>\n

Google Maps<\/b><\/h3>\n

Google Maps<\/a> is a must for world travellers. Even if you already have it, you may not know about this cool hack: If you won\u2019t have data roaming abroad, you can search for the city you want and download the map in advance so you can search it even without WiFi. <\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, if you open Google Maps when you have WiFi \u2014 like before you leave your hotel \u2014 and keep it open after you no longer have WiFi, the app will still track your location. Though this isn\u2019t 100% reliable, it\u2019s a major plus to be able to open the app and see exactly where you are without using data. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s still recommended that you carry around a paper map, just in case \u2014 remember that Google Maps drains your battery.<\/span><\/p>\n

Google Translate<\/b><\/h3>\n

Google Translate<\/a> is super helpful if you don\u2019t speak the language \u2014 you can type in phrases to translate, speak into a microphone, or even use your camera to hover over text so your phone can translate in real-time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Similar to Google Maps, Translate has download capabilities. Download any language and the above features will be available to you even when you don\u2019t have WiFi.<\/span><\/p>\n

Duolingo<\/b><\/h3>\n

Duolingo<\/a> is a free app that teaches you a language through short and fun quizzes that only take a few minutes a day. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t have much time before your trip, you can start out with just a few introductory lessons to learn basics like hello and thank you. If you have more time, you can go through an entire course and arrive at your location with a beginner to intermediate knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. <\/span><\/p>\n

To go another step further, partner up with a friend to practice what you\u2019ve learned on the app. This will greatly improve your competence and confidence in the language before you leave.<\/span><\/p>\n

TripAdvisor<\/b><\/h3>\n

TripAdvisor<\/a> is a go-to for finding quick activities and meals on the go.<\/span><\/p>\n

Using TripAdvisor, you can do research beforehand and save the restaurants, stores, and activities that interest you in your destination cities. You can also download whole cities so that when you\u2019re on the go and looking for a quick bite, you can still search for good eats near your location, even without WiFi.<\/span><\/p>\n

Packing List<\/b><\/h3>\n

Packing List is a free app to help you manage your packing lists to make sure you\u2019re totally prepared for your trip.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can manually enter in your packing and\/or to-do list, or use the app\u2019s list of suggested items \u2014 a great way to make sure you haven\u2019t forgotten something essential like your passport. Check off items in the app as you\u2019re packing. Your list is automatically saved, and then you can duplicate it for your next trip.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other (not free) apps like PackPoint<\/a> can even create a list for you based on your itinerary. Enter your destination, length of stay, type of travel, and the types of activities you\u2019ll be doing, and it will customize a packing list for you; it will even take the weather into account.<\/span><\/p>\n

XE Currency<\/b><\/h3>\n

XE Currency<\/a> is a quick and easy way to convert currencies when you\u2019re abroad. Since exchange rates can change quickly and often, this app is a convenient tool for when you\u2019re shopping and you need to decide how much you\u2019re actually spending. <\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of doing the math in your head or using your phone\u2019s calculator, this easy app will make sure you get the most accurate gauge of how much something costs. <\/span><\/p>\n

WhatsApp<\/b><\/h3>\n

WhatsApp<\/a> is an essential for contacting those at home while you\u2019re abroad, as well as contacting people or businesses within the country if you don\u2019t have roaming. While iPhone users can text each other when they just have WiFi, if you don\u2019t have an iPhone, you\u2019ll need this app. When you have WiFi \u2014 most, if not all, of your hotels abroad will provide it \u2014 then you can call or text anyone, and send photos, using WhatsApp.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Are you looking for other ways to prepare for your trip? Check out our destination tips for France<\/a>, Italy<\/a>, England<\/a>, and Costa Rica<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A little preparation can go a long way to help make sure international travel goes smoothly. One thing you can do is make sure you have the right resources in the palm of your hand while you\u2019re abroad. Whether you\u2019re a seasoned traveller or are heading abroad for the first time, downloading a few apps Read More …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":3846,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173,63,172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parents","category-students","category-teachers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3845","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3845"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3845\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3848,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3845\/revisions\/3848"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}