Lonely Planet had these staggering figures about travel apps available for savvy travelers as of November 2013:
“The apps just keep coming! Apple’s App Store now hosts over a million (with 60 billion downloads) and Android’s Google Play store has a similar number. The ‘travel’ search parameter brings up thousands upon thousands of apps. With such a mind-boggling array available, we’ve run up a list of a few favourites to save you precious hours of trawling and trialling.” (Top Travel Apps for Smartphones)
These statistics prove how useful these mobile travel applications are. These can make anyone’s travel details a lot easier to track. These can also point you in directions with access maps and driving routes, help you look up hotels and resorts, restaurants, make the bookings and make your itinerary, among others.
But with that plethora of apps, which would download and use? The Sharing Brothers have this to share through Shareable: 7 Apps that Will Change the Way You Travel Forever.
“It all started with a bet. In July 2014, two friends and I launched The Sharing Bros project and set off for a crazy adventure. We traveled from Vancouver, Canada to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil using only the collaborative economy. We produced 11 videos to share our adventures…
We’ve personally tested and shortlisted a dream team of travel tools for you—seven apps that will change the way you travel forever.”
- Couchsurfing – Meet locals and sleep for free.
This one is recommended to those who love immersing in cultural experiences. Sharing Brothers rated it as: Authenticity: check. Affordability: check. Hospitality: check. Comfort: Who knows? The possibilities are endless and the experiences are unique for each traveler.
2. Airbnb – To feel at home away from home.
This app works great when you want that homey feel in a room or home you can rent from a chap you can meet through Airbnb.
3. Feastly – To share a good meal with a local.
Foodies will find Feastly the perfect app to find the best places to eat while holidaying. If you want a dining experience with the locals or you refer a fine dining experience, Feastly will find it for you.
4. Spinlister – To rent out sports gear for cheap.
What sports gear do you need to make an adventure an unforgettable one? Rather than rent from expensive rental shops patronized by tourists, you can go rent from a local enterprising resident. It will not only be cheaper, they can also offer you a lot of tips to upgrade your travel experience.
5. Tripda – Split the costs of traveling with a local.
When car rental is the best choice to travel around, but its cost is something that will drain your budget, use Tripda. Carpooling is such a smart decision. Find travelers in the same boat, share the cost and share the good times down the road. Who knows, you might just meet nice people with whom you can have a great time. Just exercise caution.
6. WWOOFing – Pay your room and board with farm work.
Backpackers love this app. WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) offers you opportunities to work while doing an RTW tour with limited budget. Rather than pay for an organic travel experience – milking goats, picking fruits or coffee beans as well as relaxing in the farm barn, or fishing in the nearby stream – you can have your fill for it and for free while earning on the side.
7. Laboriosa89 – To find a place to work.
Looking for a place where you can do your work in peace and quiet? Then Laboriosa89 is for you. The office spaces here are shared so you don’t have to pay for the entire space. You can also opt to pay per hour, day or month (if you are on an extended holiday). It is now expanding into more countries. So check it out on your next travel.
In this digital age, a lot of things have just gotten more convenient and easy with a lot of apps available for you. Travel need not be a stressful affair. It can be more fun when you successfully pick out the appropriate apps for your needs. So, don’t be tech-shy. If you are ashamed to ask for help, these suggestions are great for starters. There are more if you’ll do some research.