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Ask HN: What travel apps do you use while traveling?
Curious what travel apps the HN community actually finds useful when traveling internationally.
I'm particularly interested in:
• Navigation and getting around unfamiliar cities
• Dealing with language barriers
• Finding local experiences vs tourist traps
• Any apps that have genuinely saved you time or made travel easier
I've tried Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and the usual suspects, but they all feel generic. What do you use? Any hidden gems?
(Context: I'm working on a travel app called PAVO Travel, so trying to understand what features travelers actually need vs what developers think they need)
- reena_signalhq 8mo ago[dead]
- Nora23 8mo agoPAVO uses location-based grounding with Gemini to generate local guides in your native language. So it's less about "travel utility tools" and more focused on deep local knowledge and cultural context. But you're right - Google Maps handles destinations well, but there's no reason we couldn't use Gemini with grounding for transit guidance too. That's a really interesting idea, thanks! Definitely going to explore that.
- synack 8mo agoNot strictly a mobile app, but I keep offline Kiwix snapshots of Wikivoyage and Wikipedia on my laptop. It mostly comes in handy on trains with intermittent wifi.
- Nora23 8mo agoThis is really helpful, thanks! The offline aspect keeps coming up. PAVO currently generates content in real-time with Gemini, which obviously doesn't work without connectivity. Thinking I should add a "pre-download" feature where users can generate audio guides and itineraries over WiFi before heading out. Would that solve the offline problem, or do people need the flexibility to explore spontaneously without planning ahead?
- deleted 8mo ago[deleted]
- 31337Logic 8mo agoI love Organic Maps for offline navigation and exploration. They even download wiki articles about popular tourist attractions! The other app I use is Briar for communications. It's surprisingly handy. You can use it on existing wifi networks but also mesh your own network with Bluetooth. Joplin to journal my vacation (which then synchs to my home network). Oh, and of course Wireguard!