Top 10 travel apps for iPhone, iPad and smartphones

Dion Wick    ash, Top 10s, Travel Gear     Adventure Travel, iPad, National Geographic, Technology, Travel, Travel apps, travel gear, travel technology, trekking

When travelling, technology is sometimes a lifesaver. And now with web enabled phones, it’s really easy to get travel apps for your iPhone, iPad or smartphone that help point you in the right direction. Some work like modern day maps, others just show you where to find great food.

Travel Apps: there's one for every journey. Image: Flickr/John.Karakatsanis

Travellers are increasingly looking to pick up languages skills and destination advice long before they’ve packed their bags. And there are travel apps for these too.

There’s even an app that turns your phone into a flashlight. And if you like to write as you roll, we’ve sourced a travel app that lets you upload your own destination reviews.

If you are already using an app not featured, let us know and we’ll check it out and add it to our list.

Lingibli

Learning a language is guaranteed to give you a better insight into a destination. And while the market is flooded with apps, each championing a different method, Lingibli is designed around the fact 50% of all conversation is based on 100 words. These 100 words are included in the Lingibli phrases and sentences, based on the research of Tony Buzan, behind the famous mind mapping technique, while applying the ‘see it, say it, repeat it, learn it’ method. Languages include Arabic, Greek, Spanish and French among others.

From £5 per language. http://en.lingibli.com/

Images from the "National Geographic Adventure: Greatest Stories Ever Told" app for iPad Photo by Lynsey Dyer/National Geographic

National Geographic Adventure: Greatest Stories Ever Told

Hear the stories of some of the greatest explorers of our time with this new travel app for iPad from the adventurous arm of National Geographic.

Enhanced with eye-opening video, stunning photography and interactive graphics, it brings together the world’s greatest explorative feats, from Yosemite free climbing and crossing Antarctica to diving the Bahamas’ blue holes and deep-diving on the Titanic. Taking advantage of the iPad’s superb graphics, it makes you want to break free immediately on your own intrepid escape…

Available from National Geographic $1.99

Great free app for people visiting Britain

VisitBritain UK Top50 places

Discover the UK’s top 50 places according to the tourist board, places of interest nearby, and receive up-to-the-hour tips on the latest happenings and events in your chosen area with this free app. And while it includes its ‘top 50′, it actually lists over 500 UK hotspots. Ideal for those based in the UK looking to save the pennies and sticking to a staycation this year. Also perfect for tourists booking adventure holidays anywhere in Britain but keen to find top tourist spots. Built in functionality also advises where to buy tickets with links for more detailed information.

Available for iPhone. Free. www.visitbritain.org

SeeBeforeYouDie

It’s no myth that word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to discover hidden and off-the-beaten track destinations. While guidebooks and travel features do their bit, nothing says it better than a fellow traveller telling you how it is. This is the premise of this free travel app for iPhone, iTouch and Android, which allows you to read and post stories about the most spectacular and not-to-be-missed destinations. Entries include short descriptions, images plus user comments and rankings for you to make your own mind up.

www.seebeforeyoudie.net

EchoEcho 

Lost your friends in a strange city? This ultra-private free app, for all smartphones, locates your missing travel companions by sending a request to their smartphone. Once your friend accepts, echoecho reveals their exact location on a map, together with simple directions on how to find them.

And since you have to give permission for it to determine your location, you can remain hidden and under wraps if you prefer not to be detected.

www.echoecho.me

National Geographic and Nat Geo Traveller both have travel apps.

National Geographic Traveller

Launched just over a year ago, this popular mainstream travel mag has unveiled its first app for iPad and iPhone.

Free to download, it gives users the chance to download back issues of the magazine with stunning photography and top-notch travel features, while offering the option for future issues to be downloaded.

The current issue is available to download for £1.99 per issue, and future issues are also available through the auto-renewing subscriptions priced at £7.49 for six months and £14.99 for 12 months.

Simple and easy to use, you can read the magazine offline and in landscape or portrait view. There’s also a fast and easy search function, contents menu, bookmark features, sharing facilities and full online support.

http://natgeotraveller.co.uk

Jiwire Wi-Fi finder in action

Wi-Fi Finder

Using your smartphone overseas can lead to scary bills on your return. Slash data roaming costs by sticking to Wi-Fi with this free app for iPhone users, designed to seek out public Wi-Fi hotspots — there are close to 500,000 free and paid wi-fi hotspots in over 144 countries. Users can get directions for both free and paid locations, plus have access to the Wi-Fi hotspot directory for offline use.

www.jiwire.com

Flashlight 2 for 1

Here’s the scenario: you’re on a camping holiday and after a day in the sun you nip to the pub where one pint turns to several more. Torchless and slightly worse for wear, you return to the campsite but thanks to being shrouded in darkness, you have no idea where your tent is pitched. Shine a light on the situation with Flashlight 2 for 1 for Blackberry — a free travel app that turns your camera’s flash into a powerful beam of light, and the LED display into a more ambient, softer light. Also ideal when fumbling in the dark for keys at the bottom of your bag.

http://appworld.blackberry.com

Urbanspoon app: perfect for foodies

Urbanspoon

Foodies will love this app from restaurant-finder website, Urbanspoon. As well as making recommendations, you can discover the best eateries, from Michelin-star to street food diners in USA, Canada, UK and Australia, using its straightforward search filter. You can also make reservations and read reviews from newspapers, bloggers, and fellow eaters, all within this smartly designed, foolproof app.

www.urbanspoon.com

HG2: A Hedonist’s Guide

Learn from the experts and discover the coolest sites in the world’s buzziest cities with this app for iPhone from the people behind the Hedonist’s Guide series. Covering 41 urban centres it includes 12,000 reviews, together with music playlists, from international DJs, inspired by each city. Also includes suggested itineraries and is packed with travel savvy, from the best bars to adventurous outings.

From £9.99. www.hg2.com

About the author

Dion Wick wrote 13 articles on this blog.

I'm a travel journalist by trade, and have spent many years travelling the world researching and writing. I love the spirit of travel and the intricacies of other cultures.

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