Finding new time-saving, easy to use, and wonderfully useful apps can be so hard.
Not to mention time-consuming!
I most like lists of options I can choose from when I’m looking for new ideas or content so I’ve put together a list here of my favourite travel apps for use in New Zealand.
I find them useful often and hope you will too.
My 15 Top Apps for Travel in NZ
Entertainment Apps
1.
My current favourite app is Libby. Your local library has thousands of ebooks and audiobooks.
With this app you can borrow them, usually instantly, for free, using just the device in your hand. I use it daily, especially in my car as I commute.
We also listen to a suitable title during our family storytime before bed.
Find it here or in the AppStore and on GooglePlay.
2.
Another entertainment app we use a lot on the road is Netflix.
Oh so many hours of visual content!
Although we’re living in a bus, we have mobile internet through Wireless Nation and so we can access video content on the road too.
Netflix is so handy for passing rainy hours indoors, watching your favourites or finding inspiration.
3.
Spotify for music. Free (if you can put up with the ads between songs) or, pay for a premium subscription to go ad-free.
Either way you need never have a dull moment again.
I’m developing a theory that meals made to music are done quicker and taste better!
Travel NZ Apps
4.
The New Zealand Motorhome and Caravan Association created an app accessible by NZ Resident’s & Members with self-contained status.
The app shares GeoZone information and shows last minute discount deals on accommodation and activities around your current location.
The network also allows you to chat with other users nearby, helpful for finding out what’s on in the area or sharing information.
You also get useful alerts in real-time from the NZMCA advising you of important site updates or events.
We find it most useful for finding places to freedom camp or stay for minimal charge e.g. POPs, NZMCA Parks etc. And we use it to pay for nights we stay at NZMCA Parks instead of dealing with cash and change.
5.
CamperMate shows petrol stations, free and paid campsites, public toilets, dump stations, travel tips, supermarkets, free wifi, info centres and more.
6.
Rankers is ranked NZ’s best travel app. Available on both Apple and Android stores, anyone can use it to find a range of attractions, accommodation, activities, transport, and regional information about NZ.
We really like this app and it sometimes includes what CamperMate doesn’t.
7.
Google Maps. Is there any other way to get from one place to another without the stress of map books – if you had one still?
Love this app for all my mapping needs.
You can even download the offline maps of specific areas so you can get from A to B regardless of whether there’s signal or not. Many rural places in NZ are signal free but with offline Google Maps, I’m not going to be one of the lost ones.
8.
Plugshare. It’s an app for EVs (electric vehicles).
We’re driving a Nissan Leaf around NZ with our bus and this app is invaluable for finding the next charger.
You can check-in and out of chargers with it too so technically you should also be able to see when chargers are in use or not.
9.
Another app that would be super useful if you have or will drive an EV in NZ is Chargenet.
It allows you to start charging your vehicle at paid chargers without a RFID dongle to swipe.
It texts you how long your vehicle has charged for, kilowatts used and amount billed. Handy.
Fuel Apps
10.
GASPY is New Zealand’s original fuel finding app that tells you where the cheapest fuel is in your area. Join Kiwi’s and help us locate and share the best petrol & diesel prices in the country. As they say – Cheaper Gas Together!
11.
You can save a ton of money by buying diesel at truck stops in NZ.
Check out the GASPY app to see where Caltex Truck Stops are located. Any shown on Gaspy can be used by anyone. You pay for these ones by credit card or similar but any you find that don’t show up on Gaspy usually require a membership card e.g. Caltex or NZMCA to be swiped.
Other Apps
12.
Need help to pick, plan, and plot your next biking adventure on the New Zealand Cycle Trail?
The Great Rides App is stacked with maps, elevation profiles, trail section descriptions, and photos, along with details of trail services such as bike hire, shuttles, food, and accommodation.
The App has over 1,500 pages and is free to download. Plus once a trail is downloaded it works totally offline, without the need for cellphone coverage.
We like this app! Especially how it automatically marks trails as complete once you’ve ridden them.
13.
To catalogue our journey we’re using this webpage, Facebook and Instagram accounts where we post our photos, experiences, and other antics.
14.
For staying connected to family I find WhatsApp great. It’s a messaging service with free text, image, and video exchange possible wherever you have a connection.
15.
And if you fancy a bit of scrapbooking, try PicCollage as a way to collage multiple photos on to one page, add text and embellishments, before downloading them and sending via WhatsApp to your world. Fun.
Just for interest, here are the world’s currently most popular apps…
| FB Messenger | |||
| Snapchat | UC Browser | Uber | YouTube |
| SHAREit | Bitmoji | Google Search | Google Play |
| Google Maps | Gmail | iCloud | Amazon Mobile |
| Netflix | Google+ |
And just for extra value, when booking attraction entry, be sure to visit the Bookme site a few days in advance to scoop great admission deals.
It also lists amazing things to do by area, latest info, photos, and reviews, as well as deals on activities, attractions & tours in NZ.
Let us know what your top app or website suggestion for travel or easier living is by commenting below.
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Thanks!
Meagan
