5 Apps for Expats in the Riviera Maya

In today’s technological world, living with apps is essential. Whether you’re at home, traveling or an expat abroad, there are some apps that are great for your day by day life. Especially for expats, some apps are great to get around a new city, overcome the language barrier or deciding where to go and what to do. Apps help us decide if we want to dine at a certain restaurant or not, or if we want to purchase a product or another. Here are some amazing apps that will help you and other expats feel more at ease in your new home.

DUOLINGO

Dictionary

This is the gift that keeps giving. This app is a great platform to practice and learn any language you want. If you’re living in Mexico and struggling to communicate on a daily basis, this app can teach you the basics of the Spanish language. Moreover, the app is completely free and you can choose as many languages to learn as you want. It teaches you vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, and hearing. Its sections and quizzes at the end of each lesson help you stay on track

TripAdvisor

You’ve probably heard of TripAdvisor, and it is exactly as its name states. The app lets you read other customer reviews on certain places and companies. Before you head out to try a new restaurant in Playa del Carmen, you can check it out on the app and see what other people are saying about it. It’s also a great way to find out what the tourists like and where the locals are actually going. Customers share photos of the place or the menu. You won’t be surprised when arriving at a place or restaurant you want to visit. It’s a great app for expats before they get a good handle on all the places in their new home.

TripIt

You’ve moved to a new country and are eager to explore every given corner. TripIt is the one place to see and stock all your travel planes. The app is easy to use and rather intelligent. It lets you create a leading itinerary and gives you the opportunity to forward your documents to any travel companions. You can also create a user profile that can be shared with whomever you want. It allows you to sync your calendar, as well, to keep track of upcoming trips and dates. If you’ve got a departure flight, you can check it straight in the app. Any stress of traveling is gone with TripIt. It is efficient and smart.

Skyscanner

Flight

There was no way to avoid an actual flight purchasing app. Any expat knows that constantly looking for flights to go back home is essential. With Skyscanner you can search for the cheapest and most convenient flights available to your destination. For expats who want to travel back home but don’t have a set date, the app allows you to choose the destination and see the cheapest times of the year to fly. Expats can also set alarms for dates and places they are interested in traveling to. It’s an essential tool when planning a trip.

Navigation Apps

Google Maps provides maps all around the world and offers the option to get directions from any point of the city. It allows you to choose your transportation means, as well. You can see the times and routes it takes from one point to another by walking, riding bike, taking the bus or driving. The great thing about Google Maps is that it’s constantly updating its maps to add and remove roads as cities change. You can use it even when you are not connected to the Internet. However, for that to work you need to have your route planned out first.

Maps.me is another wonderful app because you can use the maps offline, working on the Open Street Map Data. You can also bookmark and share location using this app. It is compatible with all devices, making it easy to find and share certain location points with any friends or family in the area.

It’s rather easy to move to another country with today’s internet reach. Everyone has a smartphone today and access to wireless connection. Like these, there are many other apps that can be helpful in new places and when first trying to become familiar with your new city. We suggest you download as many as you can while you get a hang of moving around on your own.