By Bevan Kehoe
They’re called smart phones for a reason – our little pocket-sized computers can help us work and live smarter and make our lives a whole lot easier (most of the time, let’s not even get into the phone addiction, time wasting and FOMO-inducing side effects). Travel, one of the greatest things in life, can also be one of the most stressful and our phones have made things infinitely easier in so many ways. So, in order to beat the travel stress and make things as painless as possible in figuring out your next getaway, Bevan Kehoe – pharmacist, style icon and travel fanatic – has done us the great honour of sharing with us the best travel apps that she has personally used to plan and execute trips around the world from San Fran to Singapore to Iceland and beyond…
1. Skyscanner
This app is great for finding cheap flights from virtually every airline known to man. I use it all the time when I am planning trips abroad. It also has a cool feature that allows you to choose your dates and it will give you a list of all the cheapest destinations for your preferred dates. I found a very last minute trip for New Year’s Eve a year ago on a shoestring budget using just this feature.
Good for: Recommending tiny, unheard-of, but hidden-gem, airlines.
2. LuckyTrip
Part roulette, part travel agent, part Tinder: I find myself using this app during my downtime when I’m dreaming of taking my next trip. You plug in your dates and how much you want to spend on your trip and press “go”. The app then presents you with random cities within your budget with interchangeable flights and accommodation. If that destination doesn’t tickle your fancy, swipe left and you get another destination. This app is highly addictive!
Good for: European city breaks.
3. Airbnb
A must in these millennial times, this app links you up with self-catering rooms, apartments or houses around the world that are being offered by locals. Some of these ‘locals’ are actually Airbnb landlords, so do your research before you book. This app also offers you the opportunity to do an activity or experience with a resident, like a guided tour, so it may be worth planning that into your trip too to get a sense of what the locals get up to.
Good for: Ikea furniture lovers and those who like a more relaxed stay.
Okay, so you’ve chosen your destination, now what?
These two apps are some of the best ways of spending money abroad. You set up an account with them, they send you a card, you top up the card with money and then you’re free to spend money abroad. Most Irish cards will charge you a transaction fee per payment or withdrawal. These fees are reduced or scrapped on these two apps.
Hot tip: When withdrawing money from foreign ATMs never accept the machine’s currency exchange rate as you will be charged a transaction fee then.
5. Cluster
This is a cloud based photo app. I use it when I’ve taken too many photos whilst on holiday and have filled up my phone’s storage. Simply upload your photos and videos to this private photo sharing site and then delete the originals from your phone as you go along. The photos can be downloaded again when you land back home if you want to.
Good for: sharing your selfies with statues in a group with your travel buddies.
Now what are you waiting for? Time to plan your next trip!
Looking for more travel articles and inspiration? Check out our guide to Bath and what you NEED to know before travelling to Seoul…
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