fbpx
Menu
  • The Curious Traveler

BJourneys’ Best Travel App Superlatives

While I have always been a big proponent of leaving behind as much technology as possible while on vacation, ever since I got my smartphone, I have to admit, there are some pretty handy gadgets available to smooth out the road and enhance the travel experience. Video chatting on Skype with my kids while at my safari camp in Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park – being able to actually show them the same elephants I was looking at from my tent – now that is pretty cool. Of course, we all have the good sense not to do this in the public areas where we’ll disturb the peace of camp life, right? Right?

That said, here are my favorite must-have smartphone travel tools.

Best “Don’t Annoy Your Loved Ones” App: World Clock

Have you ever been woken up by your daughter/father/brother–or worst of all, co-worker–by an ill-timed phone call from a far away time zone? What’s worse than hearing “Wish you were here… this is the most amazing place!” while sitting at your desk at work? Hearing the same thing at 3 a.m. Don’t do that to someone you care about because your jet-lag addled brain can’t remember if New York is six hours ahead or behind Siena. It’s not fancy, but the World Clock comes pre-loaded on most every phone… use it to always know what time it is at the place you’re calling.

Best “Know Before You Buy” App: Currency & Units Converter

Okay, you can tell me that $1 is roughly equal to 20,819 Vietnamese Dong, but I’m not quick enough to figure out if that street vendor who wants to charge me 75,000 Dong for a bowl of pho is taking me for a ride, or being completely fair. Enter GlobeConvert’s free currency converter. More than just a currency converter, it also converts area, length (186 kms to Dingle is how many miles?), temperature (geesh, no wonder I’m hot! It’s 42 degrees Celsius in Luxor today!), and more.

travel appBest “How to Impress Your Guide” App: SkyView
As an amateur – and I mean AMATEUR – astronomer, this cool little app allows me to sync with my current location, point my phone’s camera at the sky, and get instant information about the heavenly bodies that surround our little piece of the universe. Not sure if that bright spot over the eastern horizon at sunset is Mars or Venus? SkyView can tell you.

What are your favorite travel apps? Visit our Facebook page and let us know!

About Boundless Journeys Boundless Journeys is an award-winning small group adventure tour operator. With a diverse collection of locally guided, small group itineraries and Private Collection trips around the world, Boundless Journeys offers “The World’s Great Adventures.” The adventure trips for 2-16 guests are active, ranging from leisurely cultural explorations and wildlife safaris to challenging trekking ― with plenty of easy to moderate walking and sea kayaking in between.

Questions?

Our dedicated team of travel experts are here to help.

1-800-941-8010

Travel + Leisure World's Best Award

Top 5 World's Best Tour Operators
Multi-year Recipient

National Geographic Traveler

50 Tours Of A Lifetime
Multi-year Recipient

National Geographic Adventure Magazine

Best Adventure Travel Company Winner

ATTA member since 2006