When the travel bug bites, sometimes the best cure is to just give in and roam around a new foreign land. Don't go jetsetting without a gameplan, though–the best travellers always come prepared to make the most out of their time and adventures. If you're about to explore the world, it's time to travel smarter by stepping up your travel game with these tips. Here are modern travel hacks to turn you into an awesome citizen of the world.
Eat like a local
Skip the familiar fast food chains and typical dishes you're already accustomed to. While you tread on foreign territory, let your tastebuds in on the adventure by trying the local cuisine — some eateries might even save you money, while allowing your palate to have a taste not only of new flavors but also of the region's culture.
Browse top local food blogs online to know which hole-in-the-walls you should eat at. Moreover, Foodspotting is also handy to check out the must-try dishes in the area and where to find it — all curated by the locals.
Fun fact: The Tip Check – Tip Calculator, Free Tipping Guide, & Bill Splitter app lets you in on how much you should leave your server in up to 69 countries for different types of services — from restaurants to taxis.
Get around easier
As much as possible, use guidebooks moderately since it only gives you famous tourist destinations (read: "touristy" rather than local flavor). While taking photo-ops in those places is fine, you'd also want to see the other uncommon but must-see spots which the locals love.
While exploring off the beaten paths with the help of Yelp, avoid getting lost and know how you will reach a place using Google Maps ( iOS | Android ), which gives you the estimated time of your arrival depending on whether you're walking, driving or even riding a bicycle!
Fun fact: No service? Not a problem! You can save an offline map from Google Maps in case you reach a destination that's off the grid. Choose the location, tap on the three-dot icon in the top-right corner and then "save offline map."
Speak in their native tongue
Use the local language as much as possible–not only does it show that you're making an effort to communicate, it can also give you discounts or freebies in some situations. Avoid getting tongue tied and lost in translation with the help of Google Translate ( iOS | Android ) which has the ability to translate written text to 90 languages, interpret active conversation for 32 languages, and instant visual translation for 27 languages.
While you're at it, why not get a local to show you the best places using the Party with a Local app and experience where the best scenes are in town?
Fun fact: Traveling to Europe? Here are the basic phrases from common languages you should know.
| English | Hello | Please | Thank You | Goodbye |
| French | Bonjour (bohn-zhoor) |
S'il vous plaît (see voo play) |
Merci (mehr-see) |
Au revoir (oh reh-vwar) |
| Italian | Buongiorno (bwon-jor-no) |
Per favore (per fa-vo-re) |
Grazie (gra-tyse) |
Arriverderci (a-ree-ve-der-chee) |
| Spanish | Hola (oh-lah) |
Por favor (por-fa-bor) |
Gracias (grah-thee-ahs) |
Adios (ah-dee-ohs) |
| German | Hallo (a-low) |
Bitte (beet-uh) |
Danke (dong-ka) |
Auf Wiedersehen (all-veet-a-zen) |
| Dutch | Hello (a-low) |
Alstublieft (ahl-stu-bleeft) |
Dank u (dang-u) |
Tot ziens (tot-zines) |
Make friends
Whether you're travelling solo or in a group, Backpackr is an app that helps you find travellers nearby and check their itineraries. You can even see if you'll make as good travel buddies by checking their profiles. It's always good to socialize — a good conversation can easily turn an acquaintance to a friend.
Fun fact: Globetrooper is a website where you can find travel partners for group trips and world adventures. Its users create trips and invite people from all over the world to join them.
Update your loved ones
Let your family and friends know you're having the time of your life and upload picturesque shots of your destination on Facebook and Instagram (don't forget to tag that friend who had to cancel on the trip last minute — "Wish you were here!"). Get them the pasalubong that they actually want by staying connected through Viber or Whatsapp while you're off doing shopping — take quick snapshots of items you think would be cool to bring home for them and ask for their preference.
Don't forget to make your own travel diary of memories, too — backtrack all your different trips with ease by using unique hashtags whenever you post your adventures online.
Fun fact: Since YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter are blocked in China, the most popular app right now is WeChat where you can create posts that contain text, images, links or videos. The network has over half a billion active users, according to the company. Facebook has 1.19 billion monthly active users.
