If there’s one thing that most people can agree on, it’s that being stuck in an office glued to a computer and only leaving when the sun sets is a dreadful way to live. And travel is a sweet escape from all that. It’s why holidays are so addictive, to the point where boarding a plane almost feels like freedom.
A recurring existential crisis aside, we do love our technology when globetrotting, especially when we use apps, in particular iPhone apps (Apple recently sent us some recommendations, including Clips; which allows you to create video messages and movies; as well as Memrise, an AR app that helps you learn the local language).
Still, we have our personal favourites set in stone, and while they’ll never reach oxygen-level necessity, it’s no stretch to say that we can’t do without them. From getting that shot for the gram’ to enjoying music on the road, here are our favourite iPhone apps you should definitely download if you’re a true blue travel addict:
Adele
Splitwise
This is a finance app that let’s you keep track of who paid for what. It may not sound like something you think you need, but if you’re travelling with friends (even if it’s just one other friend), it’ll be the most useful thing on your trip. Whoever pays can put in the amount and choose how it’s split (equally, the entire bill is paid by a particular person, etc.), and you can see a summary at any time, of who owes you money, or if you owe someone money. No pieces of I.O.U.s and no squabbles!
Sumikko Gurashi
I’ve been playing matchy matchy with these adorable characters since my sis introduced this game to me a year ago. It’s a great time-waster when I have to wait (eg. to board a plane, at the doctor’s, in line for the toilet…) And there’s some strategy involved on which Sumikko to use; so it can get challenging and therefore interesting! By the way, the plushies are now sold at Kinokuniya!
Nikon Snap Bridge
This is Nikon’s app for immediately and automatically transferring photos from a Nikon camera to the iPhone. On press trips I like to take photos with the Nikon D7500 and share them within minutes through WhatsApp; and I always get the surprised “Wah! So fast!” comment from other journalists. That’s because of this app. Did I mention that it transfers photos automatically in the background? I don’t even need to open the app; I just need to have it installed in the phone. That’s what we’re talking about!
Marcus
Instagram
I fully cop to curating a lot of my travel plans around where and when I can capture the best pictures to beautify my feed. Of course, most of what you see on my Instagram doesn’t really reflect the reality of what I’m actually doing (#finsta) but I promise I do it more as a passion project than for bragging rights. It’s also great for checking up what my friends back in Singapore are up do while I’m away.
VSCO
What’s a good photo without some (a lot) of editing? I like the no-edit edit, so if we’re travelling together you’ll probably spot me ever so often carefully dragging my fingers across the various scrollbars in the app to precisely achieve that aesthetic effortlessness which actually took ten minutes of ruthless scrutiny.
Every time I take a new picture it feels like I’ve never done it before. “Oh, the angle’s not right” or “Why do I look so distorted?” are thoughts that often run through my mind. Pinterest is like if Google images were a hipster. There’re mood boards upon mood boards for every personality type and I find that search results are usually pretty spot-on.
Vidhya
VSCO
My ultimate go-to for editing pictures on the go— I mean who doesn’t take loads of pictures when overseas right?
Spotify
Music is so important, whether you’re road tripping, taking a 14-hour flight, or hey you might need music for the hotel jam out session – totally not guilty.
Google Maps
I’ve got myself lost while travelling a bunch of times, and this easy-to-navigate virtual map has been my ultimate saviour each time.
Patrene
My choices are pretty self-explanatory, and I realise while writing this that they’re apps that I use pretty regularly, and not just when I’m traveling.
Spotify
Spotify is a necessity for me as I need music as my companion whenever I’m moving around alone.
I picked Instagram because I tend to post a lot of Insta Stories when I’m overseas.
Google Maps
Of course, Google Maps is usually a staple for anyone trying to figure out where they’re going, and I unashamedly use it in Singapore, too, when I’m looking for somewhere specific.
Eleni
Spotify
I use different apps depending on the type of travel I’m on. For a road trip, my 3 main apps would be Spotify for the tunes (there’s nothing better than driving on a long empty road listening to my favourite track).
Google Maps
Definitely Google Maps for direction, although I have previously winged it with my partner and just drove to see where we end up.
Camper Mate
The third is Camper Mate. This app comes in handy when I’m looking for a cool camping spot, it also tells me where the nearest Wi-Fi and grocery stores are among many other useful things.
Joel
Spotify
It isn’t as if it was difficult to get my music kicks before Spotify came along. It’s just that with Spotify, everything is so much easier. From streaming songs to looping playlists that I’ve meticulously crafted for weeks, it’s difficult to find a better app for music. And it goes without saying that Spotify is perfect for long flights or for when you’re waiting for hours at those pesky immigration lines.
Google Maps
What would I do without Google Maps? This app has saved me on countless occasions, whether I was navigating through the narrow, motorbike-laden streets in Ho Chi Minh City, or squeezing my way through chaotic crowds in Delhi. It even came in useful when I was trekking in the Himalayas (connection was a little iffy obviously), but more often than not, this is definitely one dependable tool.
Skyscanner
Unless I have absolutely no choice, I will not pay over the top for an air ticket. Why should I, when there are ridiculously cheap options in abundance? Which is why Skyscanner is a godsend. I love the fact that I can search for flight timings based on my convenience, and if anything, the app is a good barometer for when I should start booking my tickets before they start becoming costly.
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