Image credit: Garmin
- Modern smartwatches are well-equipped to track sports and outdoor adventures like hiking, running, biking, snorkelling or recreational diving, skiing, golfing.
- They also monitor health and wellness metrics to keep your fitness in check.
Travel has become faster and more dynamic than ever, and with the right gear, you can make all the difference. One such reliable companion is a smartwatch. Whether you’re trekking through mountains, navigating unfamiliar streets in a new city, or squeezing in a workout in your itinerary, a smartwatch designed for travel and fitness can make things so much easier. If you’re looking for a practical watch, scroll through our selection of the best options available, right here!
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Combining powerful navigation, advanced health metrics, and seamless connectivity in a compact device, modern smartwatches help travellers stay on top of their travel and fitness goals, no matter where they are. With features like built-in GPS, offline maps, long battery life and automatic time zone, they ensure you never lose your way in a new destination. At the same time, by constantly monitoring your wellness stats like heart rate, sleep quality, SPO2 and different workout modes, they also facilitate health and fitness routines.
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Most brands offer a variety of smartwatch straps (also called bands or loops) made in different materials and styles. Rubber or silicone bands suit ocean adventures, while trail straps are ideal for workouts and sports.
While productivity features like notifications and call management keep you organised on the go, built-in safety tools offer emergency support when needed. These smartwatches are also crafted from high-grade materials for rugged durability, designed to withstand extreme weather, water, and dust.
While choosing the right smartwatch depends on your travel style, fitness goals and requirements, there are many offerings from brands including Apple, Garmin, Samsung and Google Pixel. Many of these models also boast insightful performance tracking for outdoor sports like diving, golf, skiing and trekking, without compromising urban convenience.
Explore our curated list of the 6 best smartwatches
TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 SBT8A80.BT6293
A hybrid between a smartwatch and a luxury timepiece, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 combines the classic chronograph aesthetic with advanced technology. Crafted in a refined design, this model from the Connected Watch collection exudes both modern sophistication and a sporty flair. Powered by the TAG Heuer OS, it offers a battery life of up to 3 days (on low power mode) and 17 hours (in sport mode). From wellness features like sleep, SPO2 and heart rate monitoring to precision activity tracking for sports modes, GPS and Altimetre, this watch does it all. Other sensors include Barometre, calorie count, compass, microphone for call management, and gyroscope.
Pre-installed apps and features include hiking, swimming, cycling, running and other adventure sports. The robust make, using materials like Grade 2 titanium coated with black DLC, ceramic, sapphire crystal and rubber, offers high-end durability and water-resistance of up to 50 metres.
Image credit: TAG heuer
Garmin Fenix 8
Garmin Fenix 8 is one of the best outdoor and recreation smartwatches that allow you to be fearlessly limitless on all your adventures. Built in a rugged design and tested to US military standards of thermal, water and shock resistance, the watch is made to withstand extreme conditions. Featuring a built-in GPS, LED flashlight and even a speaker and microphone, it makes for an ideal travel and everyday watch. It is packed with abundant features for all your pursuits. From various health monitoring metrics to performance features for multiple sports and workouts, this watch tracks it all.
Additionally, functions for recreational water and mountain activities (including diving and snowboarding) help adventurers efficiently. If you get lost on an unmarked trail, a host of sensors and different maps would help you find your way instantly. Connected features, including smart notifications, music, contactless payments, stock tracker and much more, add to this watch’s efficiency. It offers a battery life of up to 29 days in smartwatch mode.
Image credit: Garmin
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple Watch Ultra 3 is one of the best lifestyle, fitness and travel smartwatches currently. Facilitated with plenty of features, it promises to be a great practical investment that’ll take you through your daily commute to far-off adventures efficiently. While it provides the usual health insights for ECG, hypertension, sleep score, blood oxygen, heart rate, respiratory rate, menstruation and ovulation cycles, the watch also supports various fitness and sport metrics. You can track different training sessions, custom workouts, and parameters for running, cycling, and swimming.
If you’re into hiking or diving, the watch will be a reliable companion for how it supports both adventures with powerful features like a compass, dual-frequency GPS, offline maps, and a full dive computer. Additionally, innovative safety functions like Emergency SOS, fall and crash detection, medical ID, siren, flashlight and automatic check-in act like a lifeline. The rugged titanium and sapphire crystal of the watch makes it extremely durable and IP6X dust and up to 40 metres water-resistant. The battery life spans from 14 hours (outdoor workout mode) to 72 hours (normal, low power use mode).
Image credit: Apple
OnePlus Watch 3
Offering superior performance, high endurance with up to 120 hours of battery life, and unparalleled precision with a dual-frequency GPS, is the OnePlus Watch 3. Featuring enhanced sports tracking (100+ modes) with professional and accurate indicators, the watch helps in keeping all your fitness aims in check, no matter where you are. Dual-frequency GPS, and sensors like accelerometer, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor, light sensor, and barometer help you in all your outdoor feats and adventures.
Additionally, the various wellness tracking functions (for sleep, heart rate, stress, and breathing) allow you to stay on top of your health goals all the time. Google apps and assistant, notifications, call management, and media control enhance the capabilities of this model, making it an unmissable travel essential.
Image credit: OnePlus
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Another smartwatch that allows travellers to push boundaries is the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, which is their toughest ever. Constructed in an impact-ready cushion design, it offers high-endurance battery power ranging from 48 to 100 hours. Capable of withstanding 55 degrees Celsius heat, 9,000 metres altitude and 100 metres of water-resistance, the watch is designed to be a trusted source for all sorts of activities. From ocean sports (water skiing, windsurfing, swimming, kayaking) and biking to hiking and even desert adventures, the Galaxy Watch Ultra tracks it all. BioActive Sensor, dual-frequency GPS, dust-resistance, Water Lock mode, SOS and fall detection, and Track Back are some of the features that ensure close tracking.
Additionally, you can also transition between multiple workouts and endurance sports when training for triathlon, aquathlon and other such challenges. Wellness metrics like energy score, burned calories, sleep quality, blood oxygen, blood pressure, Advanced Glycation End-products(AGEs) index, and cardiovascular health can also be easily monitored all the time. While you can maximise productivity with Google Gemini even on the go, connectivity to other Samsung Galaxy devices lends more control and functionality.
Image credit: Samsung
Google Pixel Watch 3
If maintaining fitness goals even while travelling is your priority, then the Google Pixel Watch 3 will be your ally. Featuring an Actua display for enhanced legibility, the watch’s battery life ranges from 24 hours (with always-on display) to 36 hours (on battery saver). It can track more than 40 different types of workouts (custom and pre-saved) while providing real-time guidance and performance insights. To allow you to find a balance between activity and rest, metrics like sleep, heart rate variability, and cardio load are also monitored to show when you’re ready to take on a tough workout or prioritise recovery. All this can further be enhanced with Fitbit premium providing advanced insights and personalised recommendations.
SOS, medical information and fall detection features help in getting quick aid in an emergency. Since the watch works seamlessly with a Pixel phone, connectivity between the two also lets you control the Pixel camera, Google TV, and Recorder functions easily.
Image credit: Google
Features to look for in a travel smartwatch
Image credit: Freestockpro/Pexels
Some essential features to look for in a travel smartwatch include:
- High-performance GPS and navigation system (including offline maps) to ensure you don’t lose the way during outdoor activities like hiking, trail running and cycling.
- Long-lasting battery life is usually considered ideal so that it supports your long-haul adventures.
- A durable and rugged travel-ready build is essential so that it withstands all kinds of weather conditions and unforeseen falls and crashes. Water (at least 50 metres), dust and scratch-resistance are a must.
- Tracking of health and wellness stats like heart and breath rate, sleep quality, blood pressure, SPO2, and stress levels helps in getting insights into overall well-being, especially during workouts.
- Safety features like emergency SOS alerts, fall and crash detection, siren activation and medical information are an unmissable.
- Look for wireless connectivity with smartphones and apps using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or the network’s mobile data. Always consider the phone you’re using (Android or iOS) to ensure your watch is compatible and pairs with it seamlessly.
- Travel utility functions such as world time, stopwatch, alarm, automatic time zone, notifications and call management also add to the productivity of the piece.
(Featured image credit: OnePlus)
Related | Worried About Losing Things On The Go? Shop The Best GPS Trackers For Travel
Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Are smartwatches useful for travel?
Yes, smartwatches can prove extremely beneficial for travellers. From going hands-free to get things done on-the-move to tracking various outdoor adventure sports and fitness parameters, there’s so much one can do using their smartwatch.
Which smartwatch is best for international travel?
Smartwatches such as Apple Watch Ultra 3, Garmin Fenix 8, Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and Google Pixel Watch 3 are ideal for international travel.
Can a smartwatch work without a phone while travelling?
Yes, a smartwatch can work without a smartphone but it depends on whether it has LTE/cellular (e-SIM) connectivity. Many important features (GPS, workout tracking, health monitoring, step count, alarm, contactless payments, offline maps) still work on a watch when disconnected.
What is the best smartwatch for trekking and hiking?
Garmin Fenix 8 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 are some of the best options for hiking and trekking. They both feature advanced modes and metrics that track and deliver accurate insights for such activities.
Can a smartwatch track sleep and jet lag?
Yes. While all smartwatches can track sleep quality, they can also give insights into the effects of jet lag by monitoring vitals like heart rate pattern, sleep stages and movement to analyse circadian rhythm shifts.
Are smartwatches waterproof for beach vacations?
Yes, modern smartwatches are suitable for beach vacations since they’re water-resistant up to at least 50 metres. They can withstand activities like swimming, snorkelling, and even recreational diving.
Do smartwatches have GPS without internet?
Yes, most smartwatches feature a built-in GPS system that can track routes, distance, location and speed to deliver accurate insights. Some models even allow downloading offline maps in advance to access navigation without data.
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With an academic background in Public Relations, Divya has a flair for writing about topics spanning ..Read Moregenres like lifestyle, beauty, fashion, travel, FnB, tech and entertainment. She fancies everything that’s a wholesome blend of contemporary finery and timelessness. Quirky earrings and tees are her weakness. When not creating content, you will find her devouring food, snuggling in with a book and a cup-a-chai, admiring skies or revisiting Hogwarts. Read Less