My Favourite Apps for Solo-Travel, Backpacking and Exploring

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If you’re anything like me, you’ll rely on your phone for the entire duration of your travels. I mean, why bring endless books on top spots to see when a Google search brings up results in seconds. Right? Before you even think about spending hours searching for travel resources, give this post a read. I’ll walk you through apps I can’t travel without, to make your next trip smoother.

Planning a solo trip sometime soon? I think you’ll love my post on life-lessons from the perspective of a solo-traveller!

HOUSING:

If you’re looking for temporary housing, typically between 3-6 months, then check out BADI. I’ve used this app multiple times to search for housing in Spain. One of the great things about this app is the ability to select housing preferences, your preferred language and your desired age-bracket. Just be careful you don’t fall into a potential house-viewing which requires a deposit for checking out the property. This isn’t the norm on Badi.

For people on a budget, or those feeling particularly adventurous, COUCHSURFING is a good shout. Essentially, hosts rent out a sofa or spare room free of charge to globetrotters, nomads, explorers, you name it. As with anything, check out reviews, credibility of your potential host and read up on policy so you know what to expect on arrival. You can also volunteer yourself as a city guide if you don’t have a space to host. This way, you’ll still socialise with travellers.

TIPS AND GUIDES:

An oldie, but a goodie. Who doesn’t love the Lonely Planet Guides app? You’ll find resources for so many destinations, have access to a phrasebook and can use the currency converter feature. Still not sold? You can also save location insight and maps in ‘Offline’ mode. A sweet offering.

If you prefer something a little more multi-purpose, TripAdvisor is your best bet. I’m sure all of us know the site but how many of us actually have the app downloaded?

SOCIALS:

Female travellers, I’ve got you covered. TOURLINA is an app specifically for female friendships. You’ll be able to connect with other females and plan future trips together. It’s worth noting this app does have a paid subscription option, but you can join for free.

Want to bond over your love of food? Give EATWITH a try. The way I would describe this app is by saying it is like AirBnB for foodies. For example, you can book with hosts to eat at their place or learn how to make a dish. You can also host your own events, which may be an exciting concept for those who want to flex a little on your culinary/socialising skills!

OTHER:

A fairly recent discovery of mine has been the app HOPPER, which I use for flights. Hopper allows you to see the cheapest time/month for your trip and gives you alerts on the desired destination. Not a bad way to bag a deal, eh?

Got a life-saving app which hasn’t been featured on this post? Let me know! I’m always open to suggestions.

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