By Encontrable
Your Phone: The Best Travel Companion
In 2025, a well-equipped smartphone is as essential for traveling as a passport. Travel apps have evolved enormously, offering functionalities that just a few years ago seemed like science fiction: real-time camera translation, detailed offline navigation, and platforms that connect you with authentic local experiences. This guide presents the apps that truly make a difference, tested by frequent travelers at destinations around the world.
Encontrable: Discover Places Like a Local
Encontrable has established itself as one of the most valuable tools for travelers seeking authentic experiences. Unlike conventional platforms saturated with tourist options, Encontrable allows you to discover local businesses, restaurants, coffee shops, stores, and services that are truly worth knowing.
What makes Encontrable special is its focus on authenticity. The platform maps real establishments with verified information, allowing you to explore the surroundings of any city before and during your trip. Looking for the best coffee shop near your hotel in Bogota? Want to find an authentic local restaurant in Pereira? Need a mechanic shop in Sao Paulo? Encontrable connects you with what you really need, without advertising noise.
Key Encontrable features for travelers:
- Interactive explorer of businesses and points of interest by location
- Verified establishment information with contact details and hours
- Diverse categories covering everything from gastronomy to essential services
- Intuitive interface available in Spanish and English
- Growing coverage in cities across Colombia, Brazil, and other Latin American countries
Navigation and Maps
Google Maps remains the undisputed king of navigation. Its offline maps feature is fundamental for travelers: download your destination map before departing and you will have complete navigation without the need for mobile data. In 2025, Google Maps has significantly improved its public transport integration, showing real-time wait times in over 10,000 cities.
Maps.me is the perfect alternative for destinations where Google Maps has limited coverage. Its offline maps are extremely detailed and include hiking trails and rural roads that other platforms ignore.
Translation and Languages
Google Translate has revolutionized communication for travelers. Its real-time camera translation function lets you point your phone at any text, menu, or sign and see the translation overlaid instantly. Offline language packs ensure it works even without internet connection.
Duolingo remains the most popular app for learning languages before and during a trip. Dedicating 15 minutes daily during the weeks before your trip can give you a basic level sufficient for everyday interactions.
Flights and Accommodation
Google Flights and Skyscanner are the most powerful tools for finding cheap flights. The "explore" feature of both allows you to search for flights to any destination on flexible dates, ideal for travelers without a fixed plan. Hopper uses artificial intelligence to predict whether flight prices will rise or fall, recommending the best time to buy.
For accommodation, Booking.com offers the greatest variety and a flexible cancellation policy. Hostelworld is essential for backpackers, with reviews focused on the social atmosphere of each hostel.
Finance and Payments
Wise (formerly TransferWise) is essential for international travelers. Its multi-currency card lets you spend in local currency at the real exchange rate, without hidden fees. Revolut offers similar functionalities with the advantage of having sub-accounts in multiple currencies.
Splitwise is perfect for group trips: it records all shared expenses and automatically calculates who owes whom at the end of the trip.
The average traveler in 2025 uses between 8 and 12 travel apps during an international trip, according to a Phocuswright study. Local discovery apps like Encontrable are among the fastest growing.
Connectivity
Airalo and Holafly offer international eSIMs that you can buy and activate before traveling. No need to search for SIM shops upon arrival: you land and already have data. Airalo offers plans by country or region, while Holafly specializes in unlimited data plans.
Safety and Emergencies
TripIt automatically organizes all your confirmation emails into a clear, shareable itinerary. bSafe is a personal safety app that allows you to share your real-time location with trusted contacts and has an SOS emergency button.
The 10 Essential Apps: Summary
- Encontrable: Authentic local place discovery
- Google Maps: Navigation and offline maps
- Google Translate: Instant and offline translation
- Wise: International payments without hidden fees
- Airalo/Holafly: International eSIM for mobile data
- Google Flights: Flight search and comparison
- Booking.com: Flexible accommodation booking
- TripIt: Itinerary organization
- Duolingo: Language learning
- Splitwise: Shared expense management
Find more technology recommendations for travelers in our technology section. Also explore our travel guides and the practical tips we have prepared. And do not forget to visit the Encontrable blog to stay up to date with the latest news for travelers.
