The Most Useful APPs When Travelling in Yunnan

Language is an important tool in work, life and other aspects. When you plan to travel other places where there are languages that are different what you use. Do not worry. With the development of science and technology, the smartphones, translation programs, and increased access to apps that were once only Chinese can be set in different languages, such as English, Japanese, Korean and other languages. To some extent, the many apps with translation functions make people easy to travel many countries, even they can only speak the first language. When you plan to Travel Yunnan, you just have these apps (your app store may or may not work without a VPN in China) and you will be able to easily communicate, navigate, book flights, trains, and hotels and make purchases. The specific apps are as follows:

1.  Waygo (Free, Offline)

Waygo is the award winning leader in visual translation services, the offline travel translator and dictionary app for Chinese, Japanese and Korean. The advanced technology allows you to hover your phone’s camera over foreign text and instantly translate and read that text in English. Users only need to use the camera on the smartphone to highlight the Chinese characters and the app will instantly translate it to English. It’s very helpful to order menu, read important signs, translate some characters you need to know what they express for. It is very convenient for visitors who plan to travel in Yunnan, China or any place in China.

2. Wechat(Free, Online)

WeChat (微信) is a Chinese multi-purpose messaging, social media and mobile payment app developed by Tencent. It was first released in 2011, and by 2018 it was one of the world’s largest standalone mobile apps by monthly active users, with over 1 billion monthly active users (902 million daily active users). Described as one of the world’s most powerful apps by Forbes, it is also known as China’s “app for everything” and a “super app” because of its wide range of functions and platforms. In addition to China, it is also the most popular messaging app in Bhutan. If you have a Chinese Tour Guide, Wechat will be the best app to contact with him/her. In China, wechat is the most popular social software.

3. Google Maps(Free, Online)

Google Maps is a popular tool that tells you where you’re going and how to get there. The app and corresponding website are designed to map out the most efficient route either by car, foot, bike, or public transportation to any given destination. The app gives audio directions to users or simply follows along a person’s route to show someone where to go silently. Google Maps also offers “street view,” an option that lets a user see what it looks like on the ground in any given location. The tool also uses satellite data to most effectively map out areas around the world. Google first introduced Google Maps in 2005 and has rolled out subsequent updates over the years. At the end of 2017, Google even took Google Maps out into the solar system, allowing users to explore planets and moons from the comfort of their own computers. Who knows what’s next for the popular mapping tool? We’ll have to wait and see. When you plan to travel in Yunnan, Google maps will be the best map app for you. You can go anywhere with it, even you can not speak Chinese.

4. Pleco (Free, Offline)

Didi, a well-known Chinese taxi platform, called the mobile phone “the useful tool for taking a taxi”, is a favorite “taxis” application. At present, Didi has grown from a taxi software to a one-stop travel platform covering taxi, express, premier, Luxe. The “Didi” app changed the traditional way of taxis and established a modern travel mode that is guided by the era of large mobile Internet. Compared with traditional telephone calls and  taking a taxi on roadside, the birth of Didi has changed the traditional taxi market pattern. The Didi is adopted the way of using the characteristics of mobile Internet, integrating online and offline, paying fares from the initial stage of taxiing to getting off the car, and drawing a closed loop of o2o where passengers are closely connected with drivers. It gives the passenger taxi experience, changes the traditional way for a driver waiting for passengers and let the drivers be willing to “take orders” according to the passengers’ destination, saves the communication costs of the drivers and passengers, and maximizes the resources and time of the two sides. Therefore, when people plan to travel in Yunnan, Didi will be the best way for taking a taxi. What’s more, the vast amount of Wi-Fi around the country in hotels and restaurants means that even without a Chinese SIM card you’ll be able to call for a driver and he or she will be able to find your exact location based on the info you have transferred. Payment is done automatically with your registered credit card. It’s very easy and usually also cheaper than using normal taxis. 

6. Ctrip(Free, Online)

Ctrip has successfully integrated high-tech industry and traditional tourism industry, providing more than 90 million members with comprehensive travel services including hotel reservation, plane ticket booking, vacation reservation, business travel management, preferential merchants and travel information. It can also solve the problems that you may meet on the travel, such as, where to stay, where to visit. Therefore, it is a necessary app on your phone if you plan to travel in Yunnan.

If you want to know the latest travel information in Yunnan? You can feel free to contact us at anytime. What’s more, compared with the most useful apps, our tour guides will give you the best Yunnan travel experience. If you have any problems, just let us know.