Apr
Travel
Best Travel Apps for Belize to Help You Feel Like a Local
Jess Signet from Tripelio recently wrote to me asking if she could do a guest post on travel apps for Belize. Of course, I said yes, being a smartphone girl and knowing how useful they are. I had a couple of her recommendations already and learned about some good new ones. You can read a little about her at the end of this post.
Best Travel Apps
I would like to thank tacogirl for publishing this article! Her site is the go-to resource for anything you need to know about traveling, living or moving to Belize. After reading it, I highly recommend you check out her post on voluntourism in the area!
The tropics are a much-coveted destination for any traveler. Sun, sea, sand, palm trees, island life: what more could you ask for? With so many expats heading out to sunnier shores and the numerous claims by vacation makers that people could live somewhere like this, there is an ever-growing demand to help those from overseas feel really at home on the islands.
Fortunately, the dramatic rise in technology use over the recent decades has given us the opportunity to form a global community and, no matter where we are in the world, the use of apps is bringing us ever-closer together. For those jetting off to Belize, there’s a high chance you’ll never want to leave, and although it might not be time to become a local, these six apps will take you a large portion of the way to feeling like one.
ExpressVPN
Unfortunately, not all internet is equal. Many countries have a blacklist of blocked sites that you can’t access when connecting on their soil, however, some are more inconvenient than others. Not so much anymore, Belize in particular, used to be well known for blocking Skype and other VOIP services. This means that travelers trying to contact loved ones back home may get a nasty shock when they try to log-on and find themselves denied access. There are still other uses for a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
ExpressVPN offers a solution by assigning you a new IP address, which is what determines the location of your device. Instead of your own, you are given the IP address of the VPN server, which will be located in another country, and will be able to access the internet as if that is where you are. It’s available on almost any platform, ensures a high quality of service and comes with great customer help options for those struggling to set it up or make it work. Receiving incredible reviews from numerous sources, and a Belize local’s favorite, it’s definitely one of the best on the market.
Fishes: Greater Caribbean
By far one of Belize’s most alluring attractions is its marine wildlife. Home to numerous scuba and snorkeling spots, this underwater wonderland is a world of its own. While most locals will be able to identify common fish species with relative ease, tourists are more than likely to struggle. Luckily the Fishes: Greater Caribbean app has got you covered. It includes 1,599 species and 5,500 images to help you identify them.
As well as an in-depth description identifying key features, you can also access a map of its regional range and view similar species. You can either browse through the alphabetical list or search for specific terms in the search engine to identify species you see while out and about. You can record observations, and the app automatically compiles a list of recently viewed pages, so it’s easy to check back for extra information. Highly recommended by divers, it’s sure to get you swimming like a local!
Hot Guide Belize
Hot Guide Belize is by far the best app for all your practical travel needs when visiting Belize. It covers all the major categories, including where to stay, eat, travel costs and things to do in Belize and all its surrounding islands. As well as giving you a vast amount of diverse information, it also allows you to book flights, accommodation, and activities directly from your phone. There’s a click-to-call feature, so you can ring companies and make inquiries and reservations with ease.
The app also offers some amazing savings that are too good to be missed! Enjoy discounts on car/golf cart bookings, golf courses, and tours. You can also get reduced rates on diving, fishing trips, restaurants and bars including free drinks, appetizers or desserts and loyalty cards to use at many businesses. The app is free to download and available on Android and iOS, as well as being accessible through web browsers, so there’s no reason not to sign up!
San Pedro Lobsterfest
San Pedro has an annual event that runs in June, usually starting around the 15th which the opening day of lobster season. It’s by far one of the highlights of the year and celebrates all things lobster related on the island. Situated on Ambergris Caye, there are street parties, live music, drink booths, and a grand prize draw, alongside numerous other festivities.
The San Pedro LobsterFest app is an essential accompaniment to the event. It contains all the information you could need to navigate the festival, and it also allows you to collect loyalty points when you attend certain celebrations or visit participating businesses. These points can then be exchanged for raffle tickets in the prize draw. Throughout the rest of the year, the app also offers loads of great discounts, so it’s definitely worth downloading.
About Author Jess Signet
Thanks for the compliment Lisa. I agree Belize Shuttles is good I have used them to get from Corozal Belize to Chetumal Mexico. I also like Teddy Bear Shuttle out of San Ignacio area, he gave my friend and I a great mini tour of town before taking us to the San Ignacio Resort Hotel. http://www.teddybearshuttle.com/
Great posts on this website. If you’re ever heading to Belize and you’re looking for excellent transportation services to get around anywhere in Belize, the cayes, or even Chetumal, Mexico, then visit Belize Shuttles and Private Transfers at http://belizeshuttles.com/ . They offer excellent services, you can depend on then any time.
Thanks for sharing daydreamer, that sounds like a good one. I will see if they have it for android too that would be useful to me in other parts of the country.
I’d assume that my favorite gps app Spyglass could also be helpful there. It has a lot of features for those who are not very good at orienting (like me). It shows your accurate position on a map and allows to save locations for tracking (e.g. your car or your hotel location). Really helpful. Here it is, if interested https://itunes.apple.com/app/spyglass/id332639548?mt=8&at=11lLc7&ct=c
I can get that Tacotruck, especially since I am always taking so many pictures for work I sometimes feel like I miss the moment while trying to capture it. Thanks for the best app compliment 🙂
Odd Frank I can click through with no issues. I have experienced that with another local site where I got a warning every time I went but no one else did including their web designer.
Very nice info here. I clicked the ‘Hot Guide Belize’ link and my anti-phishing software by Bitdefender blocked the site. Oh well.
I guess I’m old school when I’m on vaca I put the phone down and explore half the fun is finding new stuff by making new friends talking to the locals, all great apps for sure with all the carts speeding around all we need is more people focused on the phone, look up!, you just missed something really neat!
And the best app of all is right here Tacogirl.com!