Useful apps for travelling Sri Lanka the phone toolkit worth downloading before I fly
I like to land with the right apps already installed What is the genuinely useful Sri Lanka phone toolkit ride hailing maps train booking translation weather payment messaging Which apps do locals and seasoned visitors actually use which are essential versus pointless and what should I set up before I fly versus on arrival with a local SIM Practical app list please from people who travel here
4 Answers from travellers
Local who helps visitors set up so the genuinely useful toolkit Ride hailing PickMe is the essential one the local champion books cars AND tuktuks at metered rates (the transport threads) install it first Uber works in Colombo as a backup run both Maps Google Maps is the primary and crucially download the OFFLINE maps of your regions before you travel for the signal gaps in the hills and parks (the navigation threads) Train booking the government railway has its e ticketing and there are apps and sites for reserved seats useful for the 30 day booking scramble but expect them to strain at popular release times a station counter or agent is the backup Translation Google Translate download the offline Sinhala and Tamil packs the camera translate for menus and signs is genuinely handy and the conversation mode helps in a pinch though English is widely understood Weather a decent weather app helps in monsoon season for timing around the afternoon rain Payment and money your banking app for the card the ride and some services take card but CASH is still king (the ATM threads) a contactless card and the ride app cover the cashless moments Messaging WhatsApp is what everyone uses guesthouses drivers operators all communicate and send you pins and live locations on it set it up it is how you will book confirm and navigate the last lane Accommodation the booking platform app to find places then message direct as the booking threads advise Essential versus pointless ESSENTIAL PickMe Google Maps with offline WhatsApp Google Translate offline POINTLESS most niche tourist apps a good map plus PickMe plus WhatsApp covers ninety percent Set up before you fly download Google Maps offline regions the Translate offline packs install PickMe and WhatsApp and your booking app on arrival activate PickMe with your local SIM number (it needs the local number for the OTP as the SIM threads note) and you are running The toolkit PickMe Google Maps offline WhatsApp Google Translate offline the railway booking the weather and your banking app set the downloads before you fly activate PickMe on the local SIM and you have the country in your pocket
PickMe Google Maps offline WhatsApp and Translate offline as the core download before activate PickMe on the local SIM this is the exact toolkit I wanted the offline packs are the bit I always forget thank you
WhatsApp being how guesthouses and drivers send pins and live locations is the key insight it is not just messaging it is the whole booking and navigation glue here set it up first
The Google Translate camera mode on menus and signs in Sinhala and Tamil is genuinely useful in smaller towns where English thins out download the offline packs as said and it works without data
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