Ten Useful Travel iPhone Apps

Smartphone, iPhone apps can be used to turn your mobile or pad into a travelling tour guide offering useful travel information at  the touch of a button.

Most travellers will find that there is always some information that they desperately need while they’re on the road. Whether it’s the latest exchange rates, the German phrase for “where is the bar” or an idea for good local restaurants in which to eat.

Smartphones give the average traveller the opportunity to carry around the knowledge normally found in the local tourist information centre. The inclusion of a few simple applications can give you access to a wealth of travel content that will provide useful information from around the world.

Most holidaymakers are looking for information about the local area, assistance with a foreign language or help finding somewhere to stay for the night. These additions to your mobile phone will give you essential information and advice, making your visit a more pleasurable one.

1) Wikitude – using the camera’s GPS system it automatically overlays information about your surroundings. Linking your real-time position with Wikipedia’s vast database of information the Wikitude acts as a local tourist guide for travellers offering over 370,000 sites of interest. (Free)

2) Lonely Planet – Another in the line of virtual tour guides that gives detailed information on 25 city guides and includes a very useful audio phrasebook in 16 languages, each carrying over 600 phrase. (Free) iPhone and android version

3) oMaps – A great accompaniment to any traveller, 3G rates for connecting can be expensive but you can download maps off-line before you travel. On the iPhone it is the ideal travelling companion. It also provides a list of ATM’s, restaurants, bus stations and local attractions as well. ($1.99) iPhone.

4) World Customs – How often do you read about tourists falling foul of local customs and traditions? Well this little app will prepare you for wherever you travel, no more needing to worry about what to wear or if holding hands is acceptable. The World Customs program covers all the laws and local peculiarities for 165 countries all over the planet. (Free) iPhone

5) Open Table – Offering the choice from over 14,000 restaurants in the United Kingdom, United States and Canada at present and offers reward vouchers to users of the app. You can locate the nearest restaurants, book tables and get directions at the simple push of a button. (Free) iPhone

6) Eventful – Find out exactly what is happening around the area while you are on holiday. Eventful is an iPhone app that has millions of events internationally, thousands of venues and tour dates of over 130,000 performers. GPS will let you know of entertaining options near you. (Free)

7) XE Currency Converter – The XE Currency Converter allows you to check how much you are paying for things in your home currency and is linked to current market rates so gives you up to the minute exchange rates as well. It has access to 180+ currencies and allows users to customise their choice of currencies to track. (Free) iPhone and android systems.

8) Translator – No need to panic if you can’t find the phrase or the toilet ever again. I Translator app links with the Google program and will help you understand Spanish, German, French, Italian Japanese, Hindi and many more. While not making you a fluent foreign language speaker it will give you the confidence to understand what is going on around you. (Free)

9) Travel First Aid– One concern all travellers will face at one point or another is worries over health. What if I’m sick? Travel First Aid gives helpful advice and explains symptoms and offers ways of treating or finding medical care abroad. The First aid guide proves to be a useful guide for anyone travelling or on holiday. $2.99

10) Hotel Pal – Never have to panic over finding a room for the night again. The Hotel Pal has over 100,000 worldwide hotels to suggest, giving pricing, facilities and directions, with good coverage of most urban areas. (Free) iPhone