If you enjoy solo traveling, you might also appreciate Google Maps, just like me.
This electronic map, which remains free to use to this day, has significantly reduced the difficulty of independent travel.
As long as your phone can connect to the internet, in many areas, you can rely on Google Maps for everything from food, clothing, accommodation, transportation, to entertainment.
Coupled with a translation app, getting lost is not a worry in most densely populated cities.
Here are a few Google Maps features that the author frequently uses during solo travels.
By the way, the photo in the title was taken with the camera of my ROG Phone 8, which is excellent in this generation.
If you enjoy taking photos with your phone, this device is a great choice.
Keyword Search
This is an extremely, extremely, extremely practical feature of Google Maps, and I believe this is what sets it apart from other mapping systems.
Google Maps relies heavily on the ability to search by keywords, almost like using a search engine.
You can simply throw in a keyword into Google Maps and it will search directly for it.
For example, if you want to eat ramen, just type "ramen" into the search bar of Google Maps. You don't even need to use the language of the area to search.
Continuing with the ramen example, whether you're in New York, Tokyo, or Brisbane, typing "ramen" into the search bar of Google Maps will yield results. You can search for any cuisine you want to eat, whether it's pasta, pizza, or pork knuckle.
↪︎ Just search for whatever cuisine you want to eat.
If you want to see a scenic view, you can search for "observation deck," if you want to soak in hot springs, you can search for "hot springs" or "hot spring hotels," and if you want to find nearby stations, you can simply search for "station."
Furthermore, you can directly search for phone numbers and postal codes in the search bar of Google Maps.
Use your imagination, give Google Maps a keyword, and you can quickly explore your surroundings using this method.
Road Trip
If you're planning to drive abroad, the navigation feature works just like what you're familiar with.
In most areas, Google Maps navigation will pronounce the names of roads directly. If you can understand the language of the area, this navigation method can be very useful.
Driving on highways or toll roads may have restrictions in different areas. You can choose to avoid highways or toll sections when planning your route, or use this feature to compare the route changes between toll roads and regular roads.
↪︎ If you find that the route without tolls has a shorter travel time, it doesn't necessarily mean it's easier to navigate. It's recommended to open Google Street View to see the actual conditions.
↪︎ If you want to quickly skip toll roads in route planning, click on the "︙" in the top right corner after specifying the destination.
↪︎ If you want to avoid toll roads altogether, it's advisable to check options to avoid toll booths, highways, and ferries.
However, one thing to note is that Google Maps typically plans the shortest route, so it might guide you through some narrow roads.
In unfamiliar places, I strongly recommend choosing major roads as much as possible.
Finding Accommodation
Simply searching "hotels" on Google Maps will quickly list hotels and accommodation options around you, along with their prices, which I find very, very helpful.
If you find yourself delayed at a certain location and realize that you won't be able to reach your planned hotel as scheduled, you might consider immediately looking for nearby accommodation.
It's recommended to secure accommodation before dinner time. Also, keep in mind that even if you find accommodation with room prices listed, it may not guarantee on-site check-in. Nowadays, some rental accommodations don't have staff at the front desk and require payment through booking websites to obtain a code for access to the rooms.
