Travel Apps & Phone Hacks That Completely Changed the Way I Travel

Before I started travelling full time, I figured I’d use my phone for the basics: navigation, taking photos, messaging people back home. What I didn’t expect was that it would become the single most important tool in my backpack—from finding food, booking places, and volunteering, to staying safe and healthy.

Here’s a full list of apps and phone hacks that turned out to be way more useful than I ever expected. Most of them are free, super practical, and work around the world—especially in places like Asia and South America.

🌍 Planning, Booking & Tracking Travel

Polarsteps – Plan, Track, and Document Your Trip

This app has become my personal travel journal. It tracks your location automatically, plots your journey on a map, and lets you upload photos and stories. At the end of your trip, it even offers to print your travel diary as a book—without you needing to do anything fancy. It’s easy, beautiful, and a great way to remember your journey.

Skyscanner – Flights Without the Fuss

Still one of the best apps out there for booking cheap flights. I love the “everywhere” feature that shows you the cheapest places to go from your current location, and the ability to search by the cheapest month makes spontaneous trips way more doable.

Booking.com / Airbnb / Hostelworld – The Accommodation Trio

I rotate between these three, depending on where I’m going, my budget, how long I’m staying, my working

schedule and also what mood i'm feeling.

• Booking.com for quick bookings and free cancellation.

• Airbnb when I want a homey stay, long-term rental or if I want to book a place with a pool/ sauna etc just to relax.

• Hostelworld for affordable dorm beds, social vibes and a games of cards or pool until all hours of the night.

  
  

Worldpackers – Travel Through Volunteering

Worldpackers lets you find volunteering gigs all over the world—from working at eco farms to helping out in hostels. You usually get free accommodation (and sometimes food), and in return, you contribute a few hours a day. It’s a great way to save money, meet people, and travel with purpose. Also a great alternative if you have run out of money and need a few weeks to get yourself back on your feet. This being said, a lot of hostels are glad to take on volunteers all you have to do is book in and then ask.

🗺️ Navigation & Getting Around

Maps.me – Offline Maps, Online-Level Detail

Maps.me lets you download entire cities, countries, or regions to use offline. It shows walking trails, public transport, even small businesses that aren’t on other maps. I use it constantly in remote areas, hikes, or when data is spotty.

Google Maps – Urban Explorer's Best Friend

The classic for a reason. I use Google Maps when I have signal—especially in cities. Obviously it’s great for transport routes, checking reviews, business hours, and dropping pins on places I want to come back to.

AllTrails – The Essential app for Hikers

AllTrails is a go-to for any hike, anywhere in the world. Unlike standard map apps, it’s built specifically for the outdoors. It doesn’t just show trails—it gives detailed info like distance, elevation gain, estimated time, and even calories burned. You can filter hikes by difficulty, user reviews, and trail type, and save your favourites for offline use. It’s especially helpful for staying on-track in nature and avoiding surprise detours. If you're serious about hiking or just want to make sure a trail suits your fitness level, AllTrails is indispensable. I can guarantee that you won't have to spend the night in the jungle if you use this app, especially in combination with maps.me.

Grab / Uber / Bolt – Rides & Food Delivery

These ride-share apps are essential depending on where you are:

• Grab is a must in Southeast Asia.

• Uber is widely used in major cities globally.

• Bolt is great across Europe and parts of Africa.

And as we all know they can also double as food delivery apps, which is perfect for quiet nights in places without easy food access. Speaking of food....

🍴 Food & Dining Apps

Food is one of the greatest joys of travel—but it’s also one of the easiest ways to blow your budget or fall into tourist traps. These tried-and-tested apps helped me find amazing meals and keep my purse happy. I could order a cocktail when I wanted to and didn't have to feel guilty about the spending thanks to some of the great discounts that were available on these apps.

TheFork –

If you're travelling in Europe, TheFork is a game-changer. It helps you discover local spots, book tables in seconds, and score discounts—sometimes up to 50% off—just for reserving through the app. I’ve found some of my favourite hidden gems this way.

OpenTable –

OpenTable is a staple in the U.S., UK, Canada, and parts of Asia. It’s fast, dependable, and great for last-minute plans. Bonus: you earn points for every booking that can add up to future meal credits.

Eatigo –

Dining Discounts Across Southeast Asia. Think of Eatigo as the Southeast Asian version of TheFork. It’s widely used in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. It’s also available in Indonesia and India, though selection can be more limited there. Still, the discounts make it worth it if you want to try a fancy meal out at a reasonable price.

🛡️ Health, Safety & Awareness on the Road

This category has become way more important than I thought. These apps have helped me stay healthy, avoid danger, and feel more in control when navigating unfamiliar places.

Yuka – Scan Products for Safety

Yuka lets you scan barcodes on food and cosmetic products and instantly tells you how healthy or harmful the ingredients are. I use it to avoid anything worth avoiding, such as skincare full of harsh chemicals or unhealthy foods—especially when labels are in a language I don’t read.

GeoSure – Neighborhood Safety Ratings

GeoSure gives real-time safety scores for neighbourhoods around the world. It includes categories like women’s safety, LGBTQ+ friendliness, and political stability. If I’m deciding where to stay or whether to explore a new area, I check this first just in case.

Sitata – Smart Alerts & Travel Warnings

This app notifies you about disease outbreaks, political unrest, natural disasters, extreme weather and safety risks specific to your location. It’s like a mini personal assistant keeping an eye on local threats so you don’t have to. This app is an absolute must have personally.

TripWhistle Global SOS – Local Emergency Numbers

Simple but genius: this app gives you emergency service numbers (police, ambulance, fire) in over 200 countries. It also displays your exact GPS coordinates so you can tell people where you are in a crisis—even if you don’t speak the local language.

AirVisual (IQAir) – Track Air Quality

If you’re in a smoggy city or near wildfires, this app helps you breathe smarter. It shows real-time air pollution levels and health recommendations based on your current location. Super useful if you're sensitive to air quality or planning to exercise outdoors. I used this almost everyday in places like Hanoi, Bangkok and other major Southeast Asian cities that have such poor air quality. Most of the time it was when I was driving along via scooter or motorbike. There is a reason locals walk around with masks on their faces its not for show.

☀️ BONUS Tip: The UV Hack That Saved My Skin

Why I Always Check the UV Index—Not Just the Temperature

This is actually a built-in phone feature, not a separate app—but it’s been one of the most valuable things I’ve discovered while travelling.

Most weather apps (like Apple Weather or AccuWeather) show the UV Index, and once I started paying attention to it, I stopped getting sun-burnt. Seriously—it's not the heat that burns you, it’s the UV exposure.

Now, I know some people might already be aware of this—and that’s great! But I’ve met a surprising number of fellow travellers, in the past year and a half, who don’t realise just how important the UV Index is. Many of them tell me they apply sunscreen three or four times a day and still get burnt. The issue often isn't how often you're reapplying, but when you're doing it.

For example, if you’re putting on sunscreen during the cooler parts of the day (say, early morning or late afternoon) when UV levels are low (like UV 2 or 3), you're probably fine. But if you skip sunscreen during peak UV hours—even if it’s overcast—you’re setting yourself up for a burn. I’ve seen UV levels hit 12 on cloudy days!

So here’s a quick guide:

• UV 0–2: Low risk. Sunscreen isn’t usually necessary unless you have very sensitive skin.

• UV 3–5: Moderate. Use sunscreen if you’re outside for extended periods.

• UV 6–7: High. Apply sunscreen, wear a hat, and seek shade around midday.

• UV 8–10: Very high. Take extra precautions—shade, sunscreen, and sun-protective clothing.

• UV 11+: Extreme. Avoid the sun if possible and protect your skin like your life depends on it.

Checking the UV Index has completely changed how I approach sun protection, and honestly, it’s saved my skin—literally.

✈️ Final Thoughts

Everyone knows the basics—Google Maps, Airbnb, Uber—but the real gems are the ones you discover along the way. Apps like Yuka, GeoSure, Sitata, and Polarsteps have completely changed how I travel. They’ve helped me stay healthy, safe, organised, and even save money on food.

Most importantly, they’ve helped me travel smarter, not just more.

If you’re about to head off on a trip, I highly recommend giving a few of these a try. You might be surprised which ones become your most-used tools.

Got a favourite travel app or tip I missed? Let me know—I’m always looking for my next travel upgrade and would love to hear your thoughts.