Stuff To Know About Cancun, Mexico

Utilities (water, electric, telephones, internet)

Water Concerns
The water in Cancun is treated and purified, but the distribution system is not perfect.  Most hotels and restaurants use purified water in beverages and ice and for cooking, but to be safe always ask  (Auga purificada, por favor.)  I would suggest that you not drink the water from a private home or condo, unless you know there is a purification system installed, and working.  Buy bottled water to take with you to the beach or on tours. In outlying areas it is still best to stick with bottled water and request your beverages without ice.

Electricity
Standard current is 110 volt AC, as in the US, however adapters are useful because three prong outlets are not widely available.  If you are coming from Europe, or any country that uses 220 volts, you will need the proper adapters.

Telephones
The country code for Mexico is 52, and the area code for the Cancun area is 998.  If you are calling to Cancun from the U.S., first dial the international access code of 011, then 52, then 998 followed by the phone number in Cancun you are calling.  If you are calling a local number from within Cancun, just dial the local number.  Dialing 01 gets you long distance within Mexico. You only need to dial it to call numbers outside the city you are in. Each city also has its own area code, which you only need to dial when you calling another city. So to call from one Mexican city to any other city in Mexico you dial: 01 - 3 digit area code - 7 digit number.

To call TO the USA or Canada from Mexico: first dial 001, then the area code and number you are calling.

Cellular Phones: While there is local [Mexican] cellular service, very few U.S. cellular services will allow you to "roam" in Mexico, so unless you have a special plan that does allow roaming in Mexico, your cell phone will not likely work unless you take it to a local [Mexican] cellular provider and have it reprogrammed (most cell phones can be repgrammed fairly simply).  If you do this, you will also need to have it reprogrammed again before you return to the U.S. so it will work when you get home.  If you really need cellular service in Cancun it might just be easier to buy a new phone in México, especially if you will be coming back.

Hotel Phones: Calling direct to the U.S. from your hotel room phone is often extremely expensive so be sure to ask the rates (for both minutes and connection) at the front desk - many people choose to purchase pre-paid Mexican phone cards which, while more expensive than the average U.S. phone card (average .30 to .60 cents per minute), are still the least expensive way to call home.  Or call 01 800 111-SAVE from any phone in Mexico.  You can use this number to make credit card calls, collect calls and even calls using your calling card from your long distance company in the U.S.

Payphones:  Most pay phones say Ladatel (or Telmex which is the same thing) on them.  They only work with a phone card, even for collect or toll free calls. Cards can be purchased at most hotels (at the front desk), pharmacies, grocery stores, or most likely at a store in sight of the phone. You can buy cards as small as 10 pesos.

Beware of the phones plastered all over some towns, usually on the front of businesses.  They are marked "TO CALL LONG DISTANCE TO THE USA & CANADA, SIMPLY DIAL 0"   The writing is in black and USA is in blue letters with CANADA in red letters.  They also have pictures of credit cards on the signs.   The phones are put there by a private phone company and are VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE.  You will probably faint when you see your phone bill or credit card bill.  Others are marked with "call home collect" and "international collect calls" they seem like a traveler's dream. If you care about the person you are calling, don't use them. Some of these phones charge $10 a minute to call the US compared to $2 with a Ladatel card. No matter how much they love you, nobody wants to pay that kind of bill.

Internet Service
You have several options if you need internet access while in Cancun - you can bring your laptop computer if you want to, or there are a number of Cyber Cafes in Cancun where you can use their computers to surf the internet or check your email (even if you have POP3 email, you can go to www.mail2web.com to login and check your mail securely). If you choose to bring your laptop, you can either direct-dial your U.S. ISP via a toll-free or long distance number (charges may apply even when using a toll-free number - check with your hotel before calling), or you may contact one of local [Mexican] ISP's who will provide you with temporary Internet access for your limited stay.  If you are staying in a hotel, make sure your modem will bypass their PBX phone system.  If they have a data port on their phones you should have no problem, set your modem to dial whatever number you normally dial for an outside line, then your ISP's access number.  Bringing a laptop computer into Mexico is a legal and accepted practice, no hassles with Aduana (Customs).