Whether you’re going away for the upcoming Easter break, holidays are all about relaxing and disconnecting. A little bit of tech preparation can you make your holiday a bit safer and more enjoyable.

holiday
AI image generated by DALL-E

If you don’t know where to begin, here are some of the technologies you can add to your checklist and tips to incorporate ahead of your travels.

1. Data and connectivity

If you’re traveling abroad, you have several options. The first is to check if your mobile network has international data bundles. Example, Vodacom offers 1GB at R99 or 5GB for R349 to use internationally, and MTN also recently announced a partnership with KnowRoaming with 1GB bundles starting at R69.

These options should not be confused with roaming data, which carries exorbitant costs and should be avoided completely.

The second option is to check if you have eSIM capabilities and purchase a travel eSIM ahead of your trip. Some travel eSIM providers include Airalo, KnowRoaming, Holafly, Nomad, etc. Register and purchase the eSIM and bundle ahead of your trip and activate upon landing.

Your third option is to purchase a local prepaid SIM card when you land. If you have a dual SIM phone, this makes the most sense, so you can keep your primary SIM in your phone.

2. Travel Apps

Travel apps that may help you include apps for your airline, hotel and other services. Airline apps is especially useful for last minute gate changes, flight delay notifications, tracking luggage and issuing digital boarding passes.

Additional apps that you may find useful are currency conversion apps, third party lounge apps, Splitwise if you’re travelling in a group and want to record expenses, and on-demand apps.

On-demand services like for taxis or food could be useful if you don’t carry cash and in most cases, food delivery apps are cheaper than room service, plus if you have any dietary restrictions, the options are better.

3. Tech Essentials

An international travel plug is a must, you just need to buy it once-off and it should work around the world. However, keep an eye on the ones with multiple USB-C ports for your devices, in addition to a regular 2-pin plug and some USB-A ports.

Other essentials include a powerbank of at least 10 000mAh during transit; noise-cancellation headphones for the plane; and an Airtag or a similar Bluetooth tracker for your luggage as it’s the quickest way to track your bags.

A tablet or Kindle is also a great travel companion as you can load them with reading materials, movies and TV series.

Remember to run any security or crucial updates ahead of your trip so you don’t have to rely on public WiFi or waste mobile data on it.

4. Offline Access

There are several apps that provide offline access that you can use during your travels. This helps when you’re in transit, don’t have access to WiFi or if you don’t want to waste your data bundles.

You can load videos for offline play on YouTube, Netflix, Showmax, etc, or you can download music like from Spotify or Apple Music, and most importantly, Google Maps has offline maps. Simply download it for the city you’re going to for navigation when you can’t predict there will be no signal.

Another top tip is to save all your trip confirmation emails into PDF format and send it to yourself on Whatsapp so you can access it any time, especially at border control if they want proof of your itinerary and travel plans.

If you are visiting a country where English is not the first language, download the language packs on your favourite translation apps from Apple, Samsung or Google so you can use it without data.

5. Safety and security

If you will be relying on public WiFi, make sure you have a robust VPN to encrypt your data, especially if you will be logging into services like email, social media or doing banking. If you are traveling with family or in a group, use apps like FindMy to keep track of everyone’s location, which may be handy in a foreign location.

Try to use anti-theft products where possible, like RFID wallets or bags, hidden zipped compartments or a combination lock on your backpack.

Another popular accessory is crossbody strap or holster for your smartphone so it won’t get snatched out of your hands.

Again, don’t forget to back up your devices ahead of traveling so you can still access your data should your device get lost, stolen or damaged. You want to access services that are most up-to-date when it comes to security.

Lastly, if you have a smart home, you can control certain things remotely. Example, an additional security measure is to switch on your lights in the evenings so it doesn’t appear your house is empty; if you have a timed geyser, you can switch it off for the duration you are away; and if you have a video doorbell, you can answer it from anywhere. Similarly, if you have an insurance plan that lets you pause cover while away, all these small savings add up.