There are many different ways to make calls home from vacation in the Riviera Maya. You can use the hotel phone, which will set you back about $5/minute. You can purchase pre-paid calling cards at a local convenience store and place calls from a payphone, though you won't be able to receive calls and you'll have to deal with street noise and other issues associated with using a public phone. The fee for this is about $.50/minute.
You can also head to the local calling station, where an attendant will connect your call, then you sit or stand in a little booth to have your conversation, then you pay the cashier for the minutes used. These calls cost about $1/minute, for a call to the USA.
Another option is to purchase a WiFi phone and use any wireless Internet connection to make and receive calls - with your own phone number - for pennies a minute. With an account from Skype, you can make free calls to anyone with a Skype account (normally run from a computer) and you can also make or receive calls to/from any regular phone, for a small fee, which is about $.02/minute. WiFi connections can be found across the Riviera Maya, in hotel rooms, restaurants, bars and even some spots along the beach.
MayanHoliday.com recommends the following Netgear WiFi phone:
More:
Riviera Maya Hotels
Airport Transportation
Tours & Activities
Riviera Maya Guidebook
