• U.S. & Canada: English is dominant; French in parts of Canada (Québec).

• Mexico: Spanish, though English is widely understood in tourist areas.

• Europe:
  • France → French
  • Italy → Italian
  • Netherlands → Dutch (with excellent English proficiency)
  • Germany → German

• Asia:
  • Thailand → Thai
  • Japan → Japanese
  • Indonesia → Indonesian (Bahasa)

Learning basic greetings, “thank you,” and “how much?” is always helpful.

English is widely spoken in many popular travel destinations, but how common it is varies by region:

• United States & Canada: English is the primary language, with French spoken widely in parts of Canada (Québec).

• Mexico: Spanish is the official language, but English is commonly spoken in tourist areas like Tulum, Mérida, Cabo, and Mexico City’s Roma/Condesa neighborhoods.

• Europe:
  • Netherlands: Excellent English fluency—one of the highest in the world.
  • Germany: Good English, especially in major cities, but not everyone speaks English.
  • France & Italy: Moderate English—tourist areas speak it, but smaller towns may not.
  • Spain & Portugal: Moderate English—cities and hotels speak it, rural areas less so.

• Asia:
  • Japan: Lower English fluency, but helpful signs and tech make it manageable.
  • Thailand: Moderate English—tourism workers speak it well.
  • Indonesia (Bali): Good English in tourist areas; limited elsewhere.
  • Vietnam: English varies—urban centers speak more than rural areas.

Should you learn local phrases?
Yes. Even in English-friendly countries, knowing basics like hello, thank you, and how much? shows respect and makes travel easier.

• U.S., Canada, Mexico: Plug Type A/B, 110–120V

• Most of Europe: Plug Type C/E/F, 220–240V

• UK & Ireland: Plug Type G, 230V

• Japan: Plug Type A (similar to U.S. but lower voltage 100V)

• Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam: Mostly Type C/F with 220V

A universal adapter works for nearly all destinations.

U.S. & Canada

• Uber / Lyft – Ride-hailing apps used to book safe, reliable transportation without needing a taxi. Great for airport transfers and late-night rides.

• Google Maps – The most accurate map app for walking, driving, public transit, and saving places you want to visit.

• Apple Maps – Similar to Google Maps; works well for iPhone users with real-time walking and transit instructions.

• Yelp – Helpful for finding restaurants, coffee shops, and local services with detailed reviews.

Mexico

• Uber / Didi – Safe, affordable rides across major cities. Often safer and cheaper than street taxis.

• WhatsApp – The primary messaging app in Mexico; many hotels, tour companies, and drivers use it to communicate.

• Google Maps – Great for navigating cities like Mexico City, Mérida, and Guadalajara.

Europe

• Citymapper – The best app for navigating public transport in cities like London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Shows trains, trams, buses, walking routes, and exact travel times.

• Google Maps – Works extremely well across Europe for transit, driving, and walking.

• Uber / Bolt / FreeNow – Rideshare alternatives depending on the country. Useful where Uber works differently or is limited.

• WhatsApp – Main messaging tool across almost all of Europe.

Asia

• Grab (Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia) – The most popular rideshare app in Southeast Asia; you can book cars, scooters, taxis, and even food delivery.

• LINE (Japan, Taiwan, Thailand) – A widely used messaging app for communicating with locals or tour guides.

• Google Translate – Essential in countries where English is less common (Japan, Vietnam). Use camera mode to translate signs and menus instantly.

• Maps.me or Google Maps Offline – Helpful in Bali, Thailand, or rural areas where signal may be weak.

Apps useful everywhere

• XE Currency – Converts money quickly and helps you understand prices in local currency.

• Airalo / Holafly (eSIM apps) – Buy international data plans instantly without a physical SIM card.

• Rome2Rio – Shows how to travel between any two places using planes, trains, ferries, buses, or taxis.

• Google Photos / iCloud – Cloud storage to back up travel photos automatically.

• North America: Buy a local SIM (T-Mobile, AT&T, Rogers) or use an eSIM.

• Mexico: Telcel and AT&T offer cheap tourist SIMs.

• Europe: Orange Holiday Europe eSIM covers most EU countries.

• Asia:
  • Thailand → AIS, DTAC, TrueMove
  • Japan → Sakura Mobile or Mobal
  • Indonesia → Telkomsel

eSIMs like Airalo, Nomad, or Holafly work almost everywhere.

• Visa rules depend on your passport:

  • U.S., Canada, Mexico: Usually no visa needed for short trips between these countries.

  • Europe (Schengen): Many travelers can stay up to 90 days without a visa.

  • UK: Visa-free for short tourism stays for many nationalities.

  • Asia:
    • Thailand → visa-exempt for many countries for 30 days
    • Japan → visa-free for many tourists
    • Indonesia → visa-on-arrival for most travelers

  Always check official government websites before your trip.

• U.S. cities (NYC, LA, Miami): Layers, comfortable shoes, weather-appropriate outfits.

• Canada (Vancouver, Banff): Warm layers, waterproof gear, hiking boots.

• Mexico (Tulum, Mexico City): Lightweight clothing, swimsuits, sun protection.

• Europe (Italy, France, Netherlands): Stylish but comfortable outfits, scarves, light jackets.

• Asia (Thailand, Bali, Vietnam): Breathable fabrics, sandals, modest clothing for temples.

• U.S. cities (NYC, LA, Miami): Layers, comfortable shoes, weather-appropriate outfits.

• Canada (Vancouver, Banff): Warm layers, waterproof gear, hiking boots.

• Mexico (Tulum, Mexico City): Lightweight clothing, swimsuits, sun protection.

• Europe (Italy, France, Netherlands): Stylish but comfortable outfits, scarves, light jackets.

• Asia (Thailand, Bali, Vietnam): Breathable fabrics, sandals, modest clothing for temples.

• U.S. & Canada: 15–20%

• Mexico: 10–15%

• Europe: Round up or add 5–10% (varies by country)

• Asia: Tipping varies; often optional in Japan and Korea, appreciated in Thailand and Indonesia.

Always check local customs.

• U.S. & Canada: Uber/Lyft, metro systems in big cities, rental cars for national parks

• Mexico: Uber, taxis, ADO buses, metro (Mexico City)

• Europe: Trams, metros, high-speed trains (Eurail, Eurostar)

• Asia:
  • Japan → trains, Shinkansen
  • Thailand → BTS Skytrain, Grab
  • Indonesia → Grab, scooters in Bali

Public transportation is excellent in Europe and Japan.

• U.S., Canada, Europe: Widely accepted everywhere

• Mexico: Accepted in cities; cash preferred in small shops

• Asia:
  • Japan → Many places still prefer cash
  • Thailand & Vietnam → Mix of card and cash
  • Indonesia → Many cafés accept cards, markets take cash

Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere.

• U.S.: AirTrain (NYC), FlyAway (LA), metros, Uber/Lyft

• Canada: Vancouver SkyTrain, Toronto UP Express

• Mexico: Uber, taxis, ADO buses

• Europe:
  • Amsterdam → direct train
  • Paris → RER B
  • London → Heathrow Express or Tube

• Asia:
  • Tokyo → Narita Express
  • Bangkok → Airport Rail Link
  • Bali → taxis or Grab

Each destination has a reliable, well-known method.