kristyambrose
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Hola, Explorers! Say Hello to Mexico with These 7 Travel Apps
I’m an expat living and working in Mexico.
As someone who’s lived in Mexico for so long, you may think I’m completely in control of my life here.
Well, yes and no.
For example, I can speak Spanish to make my way around.
But I still need help figuring out which bus to take when I go to a new area. And sometimes I’m worried that thieves will target me because I’m foreign.
But for those issues (and many others) I can rely on a group of travel apps I specifically downloaded for my time in Mexico.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Hola, Explorers! Say Hello to Mexico with These 7 Travel Apps
Language Learning and Translation Apps for Mexico
No matter where you go, it’s important to know at least some of the local language.
Doing so will help you befriend locals, order food at restaurants and ask for directions when you’re lost. And that’s just the beginning!
iTranslate
This app is known for its versatility. Use iTranslate to study a language you’re already familiar with or translate a new tongue in real time.
Even if you’ve become conversational in Spanish, you can’t possibly be prepared for every situation. In case you find yourself struggling to think of the correct Spanish word or how to conjugate a verb correctly, you’ll have iTranslate to bail you out.
You can also use iTranslate offline, so feel free to wander away from the safety of a cell phone signal.
Google Translate
This popular program is connected to a global community of translators, editors and reviewers that provide current information and ensure accuracy.
Use Google Translate while you travel to translate speech and text in real time. You can even use the app to translate entire documents from English to Spanish or vice-versa. This could be handy if you need to translate something like a car rental form in Mexico!
Transportation Apps for Mexico
It’s easy to find global transportation apps to help you with flights and transfers. But you need something more local once you actually arrive.
The following app will help you find your way around Mexico.
GPSmyCity
Use this app to create a personalized walking tour of pretty much any Mexican city.
GPSMyCity is just as useful after your trip is over, as it’s available for over 1,000 cities around the world.
This versatile app does much more than chart and plan your route. The main function is to design and curate custom walking tours. Both users and experienced staff who maintain the app contribute their ideas for ideal routes and must-see attractions.
Apps for Tourism and Attractions in Mexico
Of course, we have to save room for fun and games.
There’s a lot to do and experience in Mexico. The following app will help you organize the sights, sounds and tastes of one of the world’s most diverse and interesting nations.
You may already have WhatsApp to stay in touch with folks back home. It’s also very useful and popular in Mexico as it only needs a Wi-Fi signal to make phone and video calls or transfer files.
Virtually every business in Mexico, from taxis to pizza places, has a presence or WhatsApp. You’ll find it’s even more widely used than Facebook. Continue to use it for communication with both friends and businesses on the road.
Apps for Health and Safety in Mexico
Sure, travel apps are a lot of fun. But they’re also vital for helping us stay safe!
Mi Telcel
Just having a phone isn’t enough. You need to add some saldo (credit) so you can make conventional calls and send an occasional SMS.
The site has a number of convenient packages for those crossing borders who need data exchange and internet connectivity along with the usual telephone services.
Once in Mexico, you can reload your cell phone with the handy Mi Telcel (My Telcel) app, which also works with most American and Canadian phones.
Prey Anti Theft
This security application is more than just a convenient “lost and found” program for your phone.
It guards against theft by tracking your phone’s location and collects information that the authorities can use to track a stolen device. If you forget your phone in a bar or taxi, this app can help you find it.
Prey Anti Theft works with several different operating systems, so you can use it to protect your laptop or tablet in addition to your smartphone.
This app works just as well in any part of the world, so you can keep using it after your trip is over.
SkyAlert
Mexico is generally a safe place geographically, but earthquakes can definitely be a problem. This unique app has one major purpose: to predict and warn you about seismic activity.
This app was designed in Mexico as an early warning system. It uses 120 strategically placed sensors to let you know up to two minutes in advance of an impending earthquake.
Fun fact: There’s an American version of SkyAlert in the U.S. that’s administered by the same company, so if you live in California, Oregon or Washington, you can keep using this app back home.
Apps make my life in Mexico significantly easier.
Whether you’re moving here (like me!) or just visiting the country for a week, downloading Mexico travel apps will change your trip for the better.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Kristy Ambrose has been writing professionally since 2010. She dabbles in various genres, including everything from short blog posts to serialized novels. Her inspiration comes from gamers, beachcombers, foodies and fellow travelers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Victoria.
