Thanks to the ever-present smartphone there is no need to get lost in Bangkok and with the right apps you almost can navigate like a local and find the best spot during your stay at the hotels near Nana plaza or get the best services at your destination. Here are some apps that are useful to visitors when staying in Bangkok and Thailand:

1. Google Translator – translation app

Due to the different characters used in Thai language it is very hard for foreign visitors to find one’s way around. Here comes Google Translator in play. The newest version supports copy clipboard and instant translation on the same screen, voice input, Thai script input by drawing the characters on the screen and a word input as “karaoke”. That means you can type in the word as you hear it with roman characters and the app is trying to find the Thai meaning. Unfortunately as opposed to Chinese language there is no option yet to capture and recognize the Thai characters by your phones’ camera. A useful option is the offline function, you can download certain dictionaries and use the translation function without cell network connection.

2. Grab – taxi and transportation app

Depending from which country you are coming, you might have used Uber or Grab already. Since the takeover of Uber operations in SEA by Grab, this is currently the only alternative to public taxis. Grab operators are widely present in Bangkok and other tourist centers of Thailand. Grab offers several modes of transportation, including GrabTaxi (which are public taxis that cooperate with Grab) and GrabCar (which are private drivers). In May 2017, Grab also launched GrabBike, a motorcycle taxi service, which is especially convenient for short distances when time is of the essence and you need to weave around Bangkok’s legendary traffic back to or from the hotels near Nana plaza. Another new service is GrabDelivery, a food delivery service as well they can run some errands for you like postal delivery directly or to the next official post office.

3. Eatigo – restaurant discount app

This restaurant app offers discounts at many restaurants as well as making a reservation or searching for recommendations. Depending on date and time you might get a discount up to 50%. The participating venues range from family-run eateries to international hotel chains. You can search by categories of cuisine, neighborhood and style as well as nearby your position with the “Here & Now” function. The app and its use are free and there is no login required.

4. Wongnai – restaurant review app

This app is basically a Thai version of Yelp and Trip advisor with focus on food and restaurants. You can search by cuisine category, location and specific dishes, also special deals and delivery service is available in this app. One downside, while the interface can be set to English, most of the descriptions and reviews are however in Thai so you might translate that with another app or help of the hotel staff.