Happy holiday apps

Got a holiday, weekend break or business trip coming up? These helpful free apps could come in handy

THE December holidays weren’t all that long ago but if you’re already in the mood for a mini-break, we feel you! Whether you’re planning your next holiday or have your sights set on a weekend away sometime soon, here are a few apps that could make your trip a whole lot easier. From finding the nearest ATM to emergency contacts when you’re hiking in the mountains, these apps are pretty handy – and the best part is, they’re free!

TRAIL GUIDE SOUTH AFRICA Free on iOS and Android

If you’re a hiker, cycling enthusiast or trail runner, this app is for you. It allows you to find nearby trails and you can customise your search according to length, duration, difficulty and even scenery.

The app provides a description of the trail, essential information, applicable fees, and a map of the path showing the facilities available and points of interest. It also gives a list of the equipment you’ll need, a three-day weather forecast and emergency contacts.

And when you’re done hiking, climbing, running or cycling, check the app for a list of places where you can get an icecold drink, lunch or a comfy bed.

WHAT3WORDS Free on iOS and Android

You’re meeting up with friends at a music festival but there are so many people you haven’t been able to find each other. If only there was an app that could pinpoint your location down to a few metres . . .

Well, there is! What3words is a mapping service that divides the world into a grid of 3m x 3m squares – almost 57 trillion of them! – and gives each square a unique three-word “address”. The words are randomly chosen and therefore have nothing to do with the location, so expect an address or coordinates as arbitrary as “whacked.blurred.alloys”.

So if a friend is trying to find you in an unfamiliar place, all you have to do is open the app, find the three-word address of your square and share it with them via WhatsApp, text message, email or Facebook. Of course they’ll need the app too.

There’s a three-word address for every square on Earth – whether it’s in the bushveld, mountain, desert, even the ocean – so it’s amazingly precise. One reviewer said it’s “more accurate than a postcode”.

You can search any location anywhere in the world, find the three-word address of any particular spot on the map and send that set of words to someone. For example, you and a friend are both going to be in London in April and decide you want to meet up at Covent Garden. So you look up Covent Garden on the map, find a suitable spot (you can switch between map and satellite view) and tell your friend to meet you at “spoken.burn. script” on the day in question.

What3words can be used in virtually every country and comes with a variety of language options.

GOOGLE MAPS Free on iOS and Android

It’s the travel app we’d be lost without – literally.

This app comes pre-loaded on most cellphones and has become more than just a digital map. Features such as its ability to give you the

fastest possible route and continuously update your estimated time of arrival (ETA) puts Google Maps streaks ahead of its competitors.

It can even tell you where delays along your route can be expected. No wonder it has more than a billion monthly active users! Click on the pin of your desired location and you can also do a virtual tour of the surrounding area so you can see what it looks like.

One of the handiest features is that you can simply type in words like “restaurant”, “coffee”, “pharmacy”, “petrol station”, “ATM” or “places of interest” and it’ll give you a list of what’s nearby.

When searching for accommodation, Google Maps lets you check availability and price.

If you’re running low on data or aren’t sure how strong the signal will be, the app has a useful offline option. Before you set off on your trip, click on the menu option, scroll down to Offline Maps, download your desired location and the map will be saved for later use.

Note though, this offline map has limited features and can’t update traffic conditions in real time.

There’s also a feature called Your Timeline which is great for when you’re on holiday. Once enabled it tracks your route every day so you can see where you were and how far you walked. Pics taken on the route will also be linked to that route in Your Timeline.

ITRACK AFRICA LITE Free on iOS and Android

If your idea of a great holiday is spending time in the bush and teaching your kids about wildlife, you’ll find this digital field guide quite useful.

Want to know what animal was sniffing around your tent or walking along the path ahead of you? This app offers track information for Southern African mammal species with high-quality track and animal photos that point out key identification features. It has detailed descriptions for both front and hind tracks and scale bars with precise measurements next to many of the track photos.

The “lite” version is limited to five species but has all the functionality of the full version, which covers 57 species. (The full version costs R229,99 on iOS and R204,99 on Android.)

FIRST AID BY SA RED CROSS Free on iOS and Android

This official app of The South African Red Cross Society could be a lifesaver not only while travelling, but at any time – so download it now.

With instant access to information that will help you in the most common emergencies, it guides you through firstaid scenarios with simple step-by-step instructions, and it’s fully integrated with the toll-free 10177 ambulance services so you can call from the app at any time.

In addition to emergency information and videos, there’s a learning section as well as interactive quizzes that allow you to test your knowledge.

Content is accessible anytime and anywhere, even without reception or an internet connection.