Travelling is an important part of life. It broadens our horizon by exposing us to new cultures, different customs and traditions, food, etc. We learn new things, step outside of our comfort zones, which in turn makes us more flexible and adaptable to new circumstances.
In the past, we used to open the physical map, spread it across and check if we are in the right place. It was fun to get lost, and find unexplored places on our vacation. It was a common practice to purchase pocket maps of any new place we visit.
But right now we have a variety of apps that guide us to get to our destinations. And, today we are going to explore them. Here are the essential apps that will guide you on your next adventure.
Google Maps
It is one of the top tier app for any explorer. I always open Google Maps before I start driving. It always helps me when going to a completely new place, it helps me visualize the way ahead. It notifies when a sharp turn is coming, or where to exit in a confusing roundabout.
How helpful is google Maps?
- Add multiple stops: If you are planning to visit multiple places in a day, then maps can help you pre-plan. You can add multiple stops and rearrange locations, based on proximity and time.
- Download Maps: If you have bad connectivity, you can download the route map for reference. So, even there is no network connectivity, you are not lost, as you have a map for reference.
- Multiple Map Modes: Google give the option to select from multiple map types.
- Default
- Satellite
- Terrain
- Change Map Details: You also have the flexibility to change Map details. You can add,
- Public Transport
- Traffic
- Bicycling
- 3D
- Street View
- Wildfires
- Air Quality
Waze
Waze is a simple app, with easy visuals for navigation. The app is best suited for daily commute and long distance drivers.
Waze provides Crowdsourced traffic conditions, that helps drivers to find the best route to reach their destination.
How crowd sourced works?
Imagine you are driving and you see a car breakdown. You can tag it in the app and it will notify other users to be aware. At, the same time, if the broken-down car you tag is moved and not available. Other Waze users can remove that tag.
Waze also notifies upcoming speed camera, traffic update, police traps, road closures and hazards. It is a simple navigation that is a must. Only drawback of Waze is that, it does not provide routes for walking or cycling.
Citymapper
It is one of the best app for urban navigation. It has clear, concise interface and unique features like estimated travel time, multiple option to reach destination using public transport, etc.
City mapper is amazing if:
- You live or travel in urban areas
- You prefer public transport
- You like cycling or walking.
Even though City Mapper is so amazing, it is limited to only certain cities.
Apple Maps
Apple maps have slowly become a good contender. Their strength is the strong integration between the apple devices.
Apple Maps are great because:
- Clean interface: Apple is famous for its clean UI and sharp interface.
- Voice guidance: Apple’s voice guidance is clear and concise. Which is understandable and instructions are easy to follow.
- Privacy: Apple always focuses on privacy. It collects less data, compared to other apps.
But, there are thing which Apple could fix to make it better :
- Maps have very limited offline functionality
- Confusing and not comprehensive when showing public transport directions
Here We Go
It is an exceptional app for offline navigation which give global coverage. One of the top apps that is going along with giants like Google Maps.
Let’s took at its strengths:
- Best offline maps feature. You can download maps of 200 countries and regions.
- It has accurate and UpToDate maps.
- The app is clean and user-friendly. It also offer navigation for walking, cycling and public transport.
It has weakness as well:
- Free version have very limited features.
- Need improvement in voice navigation
- Rerouting is not seamless
Ready to explore? These top apps can fuel your adventures. Find hidden gems, learn new things, and travel with confidence.
