The Travel Apps You Need for Your Asian Holiday
advertisement
The October Holiday is here and you may have booked your tickets and nailed down your accommodations, but what else do you need when traveling in Asia? Definitely apps. Lots of apps. From feeding yourself to getting around, to paying for all of the above, here are several apps you might need.
OpenRice (openrice.com)
Hong Kong is a foodie haven, home to some of the finest dining on the continent, plenty of small, unique, locally-owned restaurants, and countless cheap and flavorful street stalls. Launched in 1999, OpenRice contains information on over 20,000 restaurants and works like Yelp or Dianping, providing users with addresses, reviews, and promotions. You can also use it to find restaurants in Taiwan and Singapore.
Languages: English, Indonesian, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Thai, Traditional Chinese
Price: Free
System: IOS, Android
Gurunavi (gurunavi.com)
Similar to OpenRice, Yelp, and Dianping, Gurunavi is another restaurant app covering Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido, Kanagawa, Aichi, Hyogo, and Fukuoka. Set your location, your preferred category of cuisine, time, and budget, and Gurunavi will find you the perfect restaurant. Some restaurants also have in-app coupons offering special discounts.
Languages: English, Korean, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese
Price: Free
System: IOS, Android
HungryGoWhere (hungrygowhere.com)
Malaysia and Singapore are home to a diverse range of cuisines and dishes, but few travelers arrive there knowing exactly what they should order. HungryGoWhere provides info on 50,000 restaurants of different types with special food guides, reviews, and photos from diners.
Language: English
Price: Free
System: IOS, Android
advertisement
MetroMan Hong Kong (metroman.cn)
Taking taxis in Hong Kong can easily burn a big hole in your wallet but there's no need to when the public transport is so great. Developed by MetroMan, MetroMan Hong Kong (香港地铁通 xiānggǎng dìtiě tōng) can be used offline. Just enter your starting point, destination, and time, and the app will show you multiple routes including the price.
Languages: Russian, German, Italian, Japanese, French, English, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Traditional Chinese
Price: Free
System: IOS, Android
Taiwan High-Speed Rail Ticket (thsrc.com.tw)
If you can't use the convenient all-in-one machine at 7-Eleven stores in every corner of Taiwan, download the Taiwan High- Speed Rail Ticket (台灣高鐵 T Express行動購票服務 táiwān gāotiě T Express xíngdòng gòu piào fúwù) app, developed officially by the Taiwan High-Speed Rail office. You can check timetables and book seats on the train from anywhere.
Languages: Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English
Price: Free
System: IOS, Android
Gothere.sg
If you think "Singapore is just a fraction the size of Beijing, navigation will be simple" you are going to get so lost. Gothere.sg not only provides information on where to go but also shows you how to get there, with timetables for buses, directions to shopping malls and even lists of available discounts in stores.
Language: English
Price: Free
System: IOS, Android
Grab (grab.com)
In case you're spoiled by Didi Chuxing, download this local car-hailing app when you travel abroad. Similar to Didi Chuxing or Uber, the app allows users to book a taxi or car, a shared car, an upgraded car, and even bikes. You can use it in Bangkok, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Languages: English, Burmese, Indonesian, Malay, Simplified Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese
Price: Free
System: IOS, Android
We hope these apps keep you full of delicious food, traveling in a comfortable car, and experiencing the best of Asia. Bon voyage!
Photos: Wikimedia, the app developers
advertisement