Awesome Apps to Help You Travel Like a Local

The school year is finally winding down, and that can only mean one thing: THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING. ET and I are super excited to be going on an Epic Europe Adventure this November with our families. Our itinerary will cover Barcelona, Amsterdam, London, Iceland and finally Munich in about a month.

One might think that the natural inclination when travelling with parents is to just hop on a tour bus and let the guide do the thinking. But we have a strong aversion to “checklist tourism” i.e. going on big tours where we are just herded from one tourist attraction to another.  ET likes to wander around, sit at cafes and feel the vibe of the city whereas I love talking to the locals to have a better understanding of the cultural idiosyncrasies. In doing research for this trip, we’ve been amazed at the number of awesome apps and websites that have been established to facilitate travellers with a more authentic experience – from learning the language, to going marketing with home chefs, or even cycling with an Olympic medalist, the options of possible connections are truly endless. After looking through tons of apps and websites, these are the 7 best apps we’ve shortlisted. Although we will only be trying and reviewing some of these during our trip, they have been very useful in our preparation and we hope that they will benefit you too!

Accommodation

Couchsurfing (App)

Couchsurfing is special because it not only provides you with the opportunity to stay at a local home for free, it is also a fantastic gateway to meeting incredibly hospitable people with wonderful stories (: Even if you might not feel comfortable staying in someone’s home, there are opportunities aplenty for you to meet up just for a chat or drink. Just make sure to do your research carefully and avoid anyone that might seem like they’re looking for a meet-up with benefits.

Airbnb (App)

We can’t emphasize how much we love Airbnb. We’re increasingly inclined to staying at Airbnb apartments on our trips, especially when we’re travelling with family or friends, as the apartments are homely, comfortable, and so much more value for money than hotels. Not to mention how there is a pretty amazing variety of accommodation options available, from tree-houses to tepees and even igloos! (Check out this link for the most bizarre Airbnb accommodations worldwide.) But my favourite thing about Airbnb, and what really sets them apart, is their excellent service. I tweeted them about accommodation in London, Barcelona and Amsterdam and they replied me within 24 hours with their Wishlist for each destination! There are a couple of alternatives like Roomorama or Tripadvisor’s Flipkey, but in terms of quality and reviews, Airbnb is still unparalleled.

Local Tips & Tours

Triposo (App)

Triposo sounds like it would fit well in a Singlish sentence, but you would be amazed at how extensively global it is.  We love that it is extremely easy to use and provides all the essential information like the metro map, weather and even a currency convertor!  Offering mini-guides for virtually all the cities around the world, it allows you to explore the city beforehand and plan out your route. What is also cool about the map is that it works offline, so you don’t even need to worry about not having Wifi. Different categories like sightseeing, food, and shopping are also neatly organised. Looking at how thoughtful the app is, it is evident that the developers are travellers themselves. You can even book hotels and tours directly from the app and food recommendations are also connected to their Yelp Reviews.

Vayable (App)

With the aim of enhancing travel through cultural exchange, Vayable is a platform for “independent insiders” such as artists, foodies, and filmmakers to dispense the wealth of information they have on their city. What’s better than touring Amsterdam’s red-light district? Looking at it from the lens of a policeman. Wanna know more than just the sanitized, textbook history of NYC? You probably won’t get a better account from a man who was one of the pioneers of Occupy Wall Street. Somewhat like Couchsurfing, you can even look through the profiles of the Insiders in your city of choice and contact them directly. The website is great, but do note  that the app is still rather limited and will only allow you to look at tours available in the next 7 days. It also offers only 6 out of the 10 countries available on the website.

Travelling to the US? The American counterpart of Vayable is Sidetour, which offers some pretty interesting journeys as well.

Kamino

This app is for those who love learning about a city by walking and wandering. What’s special about it is that the hikes are created by regular people like you and me who have mapped out what’s interesting in their neighbourhood. Creating your own hike is as simple as identifying points of interests along a route and adding descriptions and photos! Options in London include the “Harry Potter Street Stroll” and “Time Travel Through London”. The only downside is that it hasn’t caught on in that many cities yet.

Food

Eatwith

Some call it “the Airbnb for foodies”. Personally, I can’t think of a better way to get to the cultural heart of a country than through its food. And if you’re the sort that loves authentic home-cooked meals, you’ll understand our ecstasy when we chanced upon this website. Some brilliant chap came up with the idea of creating a network for home cooks & aspiring chefs to host travellers at home, and it has been a trend that’s gathering great momentum across the continents.  Some of this meals are even cooked by chefs trained in Michelin-starred restaurants and look incredibly impressive for a fraction of the price. Plus, you get to meet and hang out with other travelers as well! We will be going on a market tour & tapas con paella cooking class with our hosts in Barcelona and cannot be more excited (:

A great alternative if you’re hitting the American cities is Feastly.

Language

Triplingo App

Everyone knows that the best way to connect with people is by speaking the same language. Even if you butcher it along the way, at least you get a laugh out of trying! What sets TripLingo apart from your regular translation apps is its live translate button that will translate anything you say in English. I tried translating “How much are these coconuts?” and “Where can i buy a crazy monkey” into Mandarin and the results were pretty accurate! Their free version also offers a bunch of basic phrases that should come in handy and even a cool slider that allows you to switch between “Formal”, “Casual”, “Slang” and “Crazy” options. Another neat feature is how there’s a culture guide for each language that covers etiquette, business tips, music and art and country info, which would be really useful information before any trip.

We really hope these apps will come in handy for your next trip, and if you do come to learn of other awesome apps or website that can help us travel like the locals, do share them with us! (: