While every good trip begins with a guidebook, internet research and word of mouth, travel apps are increasingly handy references to have while on the road. From finding places to eat to sharing photos of your travels with your friends, a phone is a useful travel accessory – and it can be lots of fun, too.
We’ve picked our top ten travel apps – but this list is only a start. From a whale-watching app released by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service to an app guide to the Hunter Valley, many tourism bodies are putting out free apps to help you discover their region. Let us know your favourite travel apps in the comments section below.
Released by Surf Lifesaving Australia, Beachsafe aims to help save lives before visitors even get to a beach. It keeps you informed of current surf conditions and which beaches are patrolled – really, all of the info you need to have a safe beach trip.
Are you on Instagram? It’s a mobile way of sharing your photos with your friends, and you can sign up using Facebook or Twitter. You can also introduce special effects like borders, different colour tones and styles. Simply post your image to Instagram and your friends can get a real-time glimpse into your travel adventures.
Layar is an augmented-reality app, which superimposes digital information onto the world around you – from the perspective of your phone. For instance, if you take a picture of the Sydney Harbour Bridge using Layar, info about the bridge should come up on screen. While Layar might not be that advanced yet in terms of travel, we’re excited about the possibilities. Lonely Planet is currently experimenting with using Layar for their apps, which would change the world of travel apps as we know it.
Written by experienced travel writer Lee Atkinson, Oz Road Trip is the only app you have to pay for on our list – but the wealth of information is worth it. Breaking down road trips from family road trips to classic drives, this app is a handy way to discover many of the routes you can take around the country, as well as what you can do on the way and how much each journey is likely to cost.
Are you going on a holiday with your kids? This free app could be a lifesaver. It identifies playgrounds near your location, and shows reviews and pictures taken by other users.
Sunsmart is a collaborative effort between the Cancer Council and the Bureau of Meteorology. Being sun safe is crucial for all travellers in Australia, and the Sunsmart app lets you know what the UV level is in your location, helping you to decide how necessary sun protection is. It also calculates whether you’re getting enough Vitamin D, and shares information about UV radiation and the different levels of exposure.
There’s nothing like Australia
This is a free app released by Tourism Australia. Pick your location and then let the app find nearby experiences. Stuck on the Mornington Peninsula and not sure what to do? This app can point you in the direction of beaches, mazes and cafes.
Twitter is a place where avid travellers often hang out, sharing travel stories and tips, so if you haven’t joined up, you should. Consider following Tourism Australia, Fairfax Travel, travel writers like Lee Atkinson and Lee Mylne, bloggers like Red Nomad Oz and ytravelblog, and travel publishers like Explore Australia, of course …
One factor that affects travel more than anything – other than your budget – is the weather. Weatherzone is a free app that uses data provided by the Bureau of Meteorology to share current weather stats, the weather forecast and any weather warnings.
Can’t decide on where to eat or shop? Yelp is a free app that allows you to find businesses near you. It’s similar to Urbanspoon, except that it includes everything from shops to bars, not just places to eat. With reviews written by users, you can find out what other people thought of the prices, quality and service.
What travel apps do you use?
