Last updated: . This update clarifies selected travel-app, fee, and activity details and qualifies venue claims; the family’s Asia trips remain historical. Date information added October 28, 2026.
This guide was published on July 11, 2025. Its screenshots and captions illustrate the apps and offers discussed then. Features, languages, prices, availability, and age or access rules vary; check current provider and activity listings before relying on them.
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We spent seven months in Asia as we traveled full-time with our kids and heard a lot of different languages. This can be very intimidating when considering travel to this continent.
Thankfully, technology is here to help us break those barriers and make our travel experience way more comfortable and easier. How lucky are we to live in this day and age?! I can’t imagine the days when you took a map and showed up at a new place looking for the local hotel. Imagine doing this with kids?! I cannot. I am very glad that some apps can make travel easier, though availability and features vary by app, device, language, and destination.
Many of these apps come in handy when requiring transport, translations or even food if you want to order some in foreign countries. However, app quality varies, so I’m sharing my favorite or best-rated apps when traveling to Asia with kids.
Let’s start with perhaps the most important apps you’ll need in Asia. Language might be one of the most challenging things while traveling in Asia. English may be used in some travel settings, but you may still need help communicating.
Two of my favorite features? You can turn on the microphone and have it listen to a real-time conversation. It will do its best to translate in real time as well. This isn’t perfect but can sometimes give you enough context to understand. We’ve used this at church, for example, to glean at least a little from the speakers.
I also use the camera features A LOT. When shopping at a grocery store in Asia it can be hard to know what exactly you are buying. The camera feature lets you hover over the item and translates on the screen. Again, not perfect, but a lifesaver when trying to feed the family! We did a lot of cooking on our Airbnbs in Asia and sometimes it was a wild guess what I was buying! You can see some of my favorites on what to cook here.
A third plug for Google: we run our entire business on Google, and browser translation has helped us when booking online. Available options vary by browser, device, settings, and language.
Pro tip: If you plan to translate offline, check which language pairs and features your app supports, and download available language packs before you lose connectivity.
Language may not be your only barrier in Asia when traveling there with kids. You likely will also need to know how to get around and find the best routes to best optimize your trip. Check out these options when traveling in Asia:
On a past trip, we rented a car in Tokyo and regretted it. Not only was driving difficult, we parked in a lot we thought was good overnight only to find out that the lot charged per hour … nearly $200 by the next morning! For that trip, we found trains and hiring a car useful in different places. In Thailand, we hired a van for a day; that was our past experience, not a current price or availability quote.
Original family travel video: watch on YouTube.
This list is not as extensive as the other ones. However, I think it’s important to consider this category. Sometimes, when you’re in a different country, currencies can be difficult, and it’s not always easy to keep up and convert. Or sometimes your bank account may not work so it’s a good option to have a backup.
Note: On supported iPhone software, the Calculator app includes currency conversion; check whether the feature is available on your device and software version. I love it. This will help immensely (although I’m still going to make the kids do some math!!), but for more robust features, check out these apps:
Open the original Apple Calculator currency-conversion demonstration video
Whether you’re figuring out your dream itinerary or booking last-minute accommodations, these hotel and travel apps in Asia are some of the best tools you’ll use. Sometimes we plan far in advance and sometimes we are winging it! We did six weeks of train travel in Europe and got to the point where we were deciding which city to visit the next day! Sometimes this kind of travel is super fun.
Either way, here are my top picks for booking apps in Asia:
You may use these apps when organizing your trip or once you arrive at your destination. These platforms list activities from individual suppliers. Availability, age suitability, inclusions, safety details, and cancellation terms vary by activity; check the specific listing and supplier before booking.
We used this when hiking Dragonback in Hong Kong, and I love this app. It helps keep me on the trail!
Over the years, after traveling full-time for a while, we’ve also learned many things from using different apps. There are a few travel tips for Asia apps that helped us stay connected, safe and on budget:
Alternatively, you can always buy a SIM card in the airports upon arrival, use your tour guide to help you get one or find a local convenience store.
Check out your travel necessities from a comprehensive list of all the 7Wayfinders Travel Must-Haves. Click Here!
Search accommodation options with Expedia, or Vrbo, (we also love Tripadvisor and Hotels.com)
Browse activity listings with GetYourGuide, Airbnb Experiences, or Viator
Need to rent a car to navigate the city? Visit Rentalcars.com.
Get insured while traveling with World Nomads / SafetyWing
Want to have a photo shoot while traveling? Check out flytographer!
Capture your travel memories with a GoPro, Sony camera, or our favorite drones: DJI FPV, Air, and Mini
Check out your travel necessities from a comprehensive list of all the 7Wayfinders Travel Must-Haves. Click Here!
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