Top 5 Apps to discover new places

May 26, 2016

When we are traveling or even sitting at home, we are always on the lookout for new places, things to do or restaurants to eat at. Blogs, guides and of course TripAdvisor are the first set of resources we go to but sometimes they just aren’t enough. You need something extra – unique apps to discover new places.

This is where the following apps really come in handy as they provide great local insights, options and deals.

1. Foursquare

We have always been a big supporter of Foursquare and have been using it for years, long before we even considered blogging. For many it might be a dying/dead social media network but I we think it has still some use.

2. Eatigo

Eatigo is an amazing app for finding the best restaurant deals. At off-peak hours you get discounts as much as 50% off! This is an excellent way of trying out new restaurants you never thought existed or wanted to try.

Registration and booking process is extremely easy. Finding a restaurant is even easier as you can search by restaurant, cuisine or location.

Simply select your restaurant, the date and time you want to go, number of people (up to 20) and plug in the promo code if you got one. Hit next and fill out the details, which should automatically fill in and confirm your reservation. Voila! Just show your booking code to the restaurant and enjoy.

The downside is that it is only available for Bangkok, Pattaya and Singapore thus far, so be sure to find a similar app for your destination.

3. Instagram

Yes, instagram! What most people use for showing off their visual feed, we also use it for finding new places. Thanks to Instagram’s location tag and search function, we have found out about many interesting spots that are not often found on blogs or guides.

A photo posted by Kanika & Shayan | Dose of Life (@doseoflifecom) on Jan 2, 2016 at 5:10pm PST

The sticky waterfall in Chiang Mai for example was never on our itinerary so it was a blessing that we saw it on Instagram.

Tip: just click on search > places > nearby places. Finding places isn’t that easy though. You have to spend quite a bit of time searching and hoping that one of the people you follow or someone from the explore tab is tagging a location that peaks your interest.

4. Tripwire

Are you an intrepid traveler who likes to meet other travelers and be inspired by their trips? Tripwire is an amazing app for you to do just that. Think of it like a Facebook for travel. Marvel at pictures and posts by fellow travelers who share their stories of destinations and hidden locales that will set fire to your wanderlust.

The app lets your plot and plan your travel plans and if your travel paths connect with another person, Tripwire will let you know. What a great way to discover people and places! However, at the moment it is only available on iOS.

You can see more about how Tripwire works on our app review.

5. Places

We just found out about this app recently. It covers a range of places that are sometimes difficult to locate. Looking for a gas station or a bank? This app will list them out with a category and radius search function. Depending on the city you are in, this list may not be, and probably is not, comprehensive. The UX/UI isn’t that great either, but it’s something worth having on your phone, just in case.

How many of these apps do you use? Do you use them alone or in conjunction with each other? If we are missing any, do let us know.

13 Comments

Meg Jerrard June 3, 2016 at 9:09 am - Reply

I love that you’ve included Instagram as a tool for discovering new places – I think it’s a highly underestimated app in that regard!
- Shayan June 7, 2016 at 2:34 pm - Reply
  
  Right? Thank you Meg. Yea most people use it show off their own stuff or where they travel but hardly take the time to actually engage with others and discover new things. I may be wrong but that is what I noticed.
  Let me know how else you discover/find new things when you travel.
Voyager June 7, 2016 at 3:12 pm - Reply

Would definitely try some of these apps, is it not wonderful how technology has enabled so much information at our fingertips!
Regarding Instagram, it is indeed a great tool, I regularly surf it to discover new places.
- Shayan June 8, 2016 at 1:20 pm - Reply
  
  It sure is! Google is also a great tool that people underestimate or don’t know how to use properly lol It should be the FIRST resource.
  Glad to see people find my Instagram option popular or intersting.
Amanda June 7, 2016 at 7:53 pm - Reply

Good point re instagram! I have never checked out Tripwire, so will have to take a look.
- Shayan June 8, 2016 at 1:18 pm - Reply
  
  Cool! Find me there, just search Shayan Naveed 🙂
Jojo June 8, 2016 at 3:43 am - Reply

I use Yelp for all my foodie needs 😊 I do use Instagram a lot for looking up events.
- Shayan June 8, 2016 at 1:20 pm - Reply
  
  How do you look up events? What do you search – by place or tags?
Stephanie June 8, 2016 at 5:02 am - Reply

I love using Instagram to preview my destinations, and sometimes the posters are nice enough to answer some questions for me!! I also used to be obsessed with foursquare. I need to get back into it.
Christina September 29, 2016 at 6:09 pm - Reply

I’m going to check out Eatigo and Tripwire as they look like useful apps for travellers. Which countries does Eatigo cover?
- S & K | Dose of Life September 29, 2016 at 9:58 pm - Reply
  
  Awesome Christina. Eatigo covers Bangkok, Pattaya and Singapore.
Marija February 9, 2017 at 1:37 am - Reply

Wow what a helpful article. Thank you! will definately check it out! 🙂 P.S. Love the look of your site!
- S & K | Dose of Life February 20, 2017 at 11:32 am - Reply
  
  Wow, thanks so much Marija 🙂

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1. Foursquare

2. Eatigo

3. Instagram

4. Tripwire

5. Places

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Top 5 Apps to discover new places