What's Up With Mexico Utilities - Water, Toilets and Phone?

gomexico.about.com

By Kathleen Crislip

Question: What's Up With Mexico Utilities - Water, Toilets and Phone?

Answer: Yes, you can drink the water in Mexico. Carefully.

About Drinking the Water in Mexico

Drinking the water from the tap in Mexico is asking for digestive trouble unless you're going to be there for more than six months and your innards can get used to the local bugs. Even then, you may be ingesting parasites and raw sewage that can cause the mega travelers' trots.

• Hotel room tap water
  • Sink water - even the cheapest Mexico hotel will supply bottled water in your room if the tap water is not potable (shouldn't be drunk). If you don't see bottled water in your Mexico hotel room, look for aplaque or sign proclaiming potable tap water; even with that disclaimer, you may prefer bottled water but you can be assured brushing your teeth is safe.
  • Shower water - if you can't drink the sink water (see above paragaph), don't let the shower water into your mouth. A partial mouthful of water in Mexico is enough to make you sick. Nothing in the water is going to hurt your external body during a shower.

Tip: remember to buy extra bottled water for your hotel room at night if you're drinking booze -- don't be double sick the next day from dehydration *and* guzzling the tap water.

About the Toilet in Mexico

If there is a wastepaper basket next to a toilet in Mexico, it means you are to deposit your used toilet paper in the wastepaper basket. The wastebasket's placement may mean that a septic system is in use which can't handle loads of toilet paper without expensive maintenance. It's tough not to automatically put toilet paper in the toilet in Mexico -- remembering that you could accidentally wreak havoc helps.

How to Make a Phone Call in Mexico

The long distance code in Mexico is 01. If calling the United States, first dial 001. To make other international calls, dial 00, and then the country and state and / or city (area) codes.

You can buy phone cards good for making calls in Mexico for 30, 50 and 100 pesos (about $3-5-10 USD).

Emergency Mexico phone numbers
• Police - 060
• Fire department and ambulance - 080
• Highway emergencies - 078
• Tourist security - (55) 5250-0123 (it's meant to be used)

Call (55) 5658-1111 in Mexico for Mexico information (like 411). Use country code 52 if calling Mexico from another country.

Women's Bathroom Tips in Mexico

• Don't flush tampons; put them in the same wastebasket used for toilet paper.
• Don't count on finding machines dispensing tampons or pads in public bathrooms, including those in hotels or restaurants.

Telephones in Mexico

gomexico.about.com

 

Calling Mexico

The country code for Mexico is 52. If calling from the U.S. or Canada, dial 011 + 52 + area code + phone number.

Area Codes
In the three largest cities of Mexico (Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey), the area code is two digits and phone numbers are eight digits, whereas in the rest of the country area codes are three digits and phone numbers are seven digits.

Mexico City 55
Guadalajara 33
Monterrey 81

Long-distance calls from within Mexico

For national long-distance calls (within Mexico) the code is 01 plus the area code and phone number.

For international long-distance calls, first dial 00, then the country code (for the U.S. and Canada the country code is 1, so you would dial 00 + 1 + area code + 7 digit number).

Country Codes
U.S. and Canada 1
United Kingdom 44
Australia 61
New Zealand 64
South Africa 27

Calling Cell Phones

If you're within the area code of the Mexican cell phone number you wish to call, you should dial 044, then the area code, then the phone number. Mexican cell phones are under a plan called "el que llama paga," which means that the person who makes the call pays for it, so calls to cell phones cost more than calls to regular phone numbers. Outside of the area code (but still within Mexico) you would first dial 045 and then the 10 digit phone number. To call a Mexican cell phone from outside the country you would dial as if to a land line: 011-52-1 then the area code and number.

Phone cards

Phone cards ("tarjetas telefonicas") for use in pay phones can be bought at newstands and in pharmacies in denominations of 30, 50 and 100 pesos. Pay phones do not accept coins. When buying a phone card for pay phone use, specify that you would like a "tarjeta LADA," because pre-paid cell phone cards are also sold in the same establishments.

Calling from a pay phone is the most economical way to call, though all long-distance phone calls are more expensive from Mexico than from most other countries. Other options include calling from your hotel, or calling from a "caseta telefonica," a business that has telephone and fax service.

Emergency and Useful Phone Numbers

Keep these phone numbers close at hand for any emergencies that might occur. You do not need a phone card to call 3-digit emergency numbers from a pay phone.

• Emergency 066
• Red Cross 065
• Police 060 
• Directory assistance 040
• Tourist protection and information 01 800 903 9200 or 01 800 987 8224, from the U.S. and Canada 1 800 482 9232 or 1 800 401 3880

Cell Phones in Mexico

 mazatlansource.com

Mexico loves cell phones! There are probably two or three times more cell phones in Mazatlan than regular ‘land-lines’, partly due to the fact the Mexico’s phone system was in a shambles until about a decade ago, the same time that cell phones began to see wide-spread popularity. Many residents, Mexicans and ex-patriots alike simply use a cell phone and don’t have a normal land-line at all.

Whereas most cell phone calling plans in the USA and Canada require a long-term contract and a monthly calling plan, a majority of the cell phone plans here are ‘pay as you go’, which makes it especially attractive to people only spending a few months here or those who don’t have a fixed residential address (such as vacationers who may move from one place to another occasionally). While the monthly calling plans are available here, most choose the pay-as-you-go method, so that is what we’ll cover here.

The most widely-used network is TelCel, followed by MoviStar and USACell. Here in Mazatlan, TelCel seems to have the most towers and best reliability, and also allows you to hear and read important messages from the provider in English (such as warnings when your credit is nearing depletion). There are cell phone stores literally EVERYwhere..inside every supermarket and at least two in each mall, on street corners, in stores literally no wider than an alley. You can buy phones starting at about 300 pesos and running as high several thousand, with as many or as few of the bells and whistles as you like, from manufacturers like Motorola, Nokia, LG, and more.

Purchase of a phone usually comes with some free airtime to get you started, and it’s not unusual to spend 300 pesos for a phone and get 300 pesos in airtime free, hence, a basically free phone. Once you’ve depleted your calling credit, you buy more at any other store and even in many ‘mom-and-pop’ type corner stores all over Mazatlan.

Calling credit is available in 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 peso increments and at various times of the year promotions offer, for example, 450 pesos credit when you purchase 300 pesos worth. The card you purchase for credit has a scratch-off strip (like a lottery ticket) which will reveal a long string of numbers…dial these numbers into your phone (usually preceded by a couple other digits, depending on the provider), hit ‘send’, and listen for the voice telling you you’re credit has been added.

IF YOU ARE BRINGING A CELL PHONE WITH YOU FROM THE USA OR CANADA, you may be able to use your cell phone here for inexpensive calls back home. Check with your provider BEFORE you depart for details. If so, you’ll probably be able to use it here for ‘local’ calls as well, though it’s likely to be expensive.

How to Call the United States From a Mexico Vacation

ehow.com

Instructions 

 1. Contact your cell phone company to set up international calling. Fees for this service vary depending on your cell phone provider. Costs per minute for phone calls may be about 99 cents. Carriers that provide this service include Verizon, AT&T, Telus and Nextel. Check with your phone carrier to see if you can update your phone to work in Mexico.

2. Purchase a global phone. With a global phone, you can make international calls and send text messages from other countries. Global phones already have international calling plans built into them. Contact your cell phone provider for global phone availability.

3. Rent a cell phone. Cell phone rental in Mexico allows you the convenience of using a cell phone that allows you to make reduced price calls back to the United States. You can even have a U.S. number for ease of people trying to call you. For more information visit the Cellularabroad.com website.

4. Purchase a calling card. Calling cards allow secure international calling at reduced rates. Calling cards provide a toll-free number as well as a PIN number. Once you dial the toll-free number plus the PIN, you will be able to enter the United States phone number you are calling from Mexico. For more information on purchasing calling cards, visit the Callingcards.com website.

5. Download Skype. Skype is a free Internet calling service that allows you to call anyone from your computer to their computer for free or purchase a pay-as-you-go plan allowing you to call a U.S. phone number for a few cents per minute from your computer. Visit the Skype.com website for more information.

Travel Technology: How Has Technology Changed Travel

nonstoptravels.com
October 15, 2013 by Tianna Gratta 

About 12 years ago I started traveling.

When I packed my bags and made a list of the things I would need when I was away to entertain myself and continue to write the list was very short. I had a discman (you know what existed before iPods) a journal and a book.

Travel technology

As I am packing for my most recent trip and organizing all the things I will need to write and function while away I see how much times have changed. Let’s talk travel technology.

Now I still refuse to own a Kindle or Nook.

 

I will read books until the last one is printed. However I have finally updated from pencil and paper. Realizing it can make my life easier and I can work from anywhere I bought a tablet, a Motorolla Xyboard, which I love. Having a laptop is great and when I am home I pretty much only use it. However when traveling it makes much more sense to take a tablet. It is slender and lite weight. I can fit it in my bag, there is no way I can do that with my laptop. I even bought a blue tooth keyboard which is just as small and lite as the tablet. I still bring my journal for note keeping and thoughts but when I need to sit down and write an article I have my tablet.

Bringing my music with me.

Travel technology

Like I brought up before I used to carry a disc man. I had a small case of CD’s to bring with me. That was my music selection. Now I have a unlimited music supply. My iPod holds more songs then I can even listen to when I am away. Not only do I never have to repeat a song I can fit my iPod in my back pocket.

Snapping pics along the way.

 

 Travel technology

Along with all these gadgets, I recently acquired a brand new Samsung camera. My old camera is wonderful but I have dropped it so many times the casing is all broken off and you can literally see the inside. At this point it is,sadly, time to retire it. The best part of this new camera? It has a front screen! Here’s to taking awesome selfies in front of the Eiffel Tower. And I remember when it was normal to have one of those throwaway cameras that you had to crank.

 

The age of apps.

 

However the most important thing for travel bloggers comes not as a device but simply as apps. To think I traveled with out these for so many years. I have been using Twitter and Facebook for some time and both have proved to be great when trying to keep in touch when I was away. Now I have Instagram and Vine. It used to be no one knew where I was when I was away now people can literally follow every picture I take and move I make. I have decided to try to take vine video for this upcoming trip and incorporate it in to a few future blog posts. I want to experiment with how it can bring the trip to life for people who have not gone. As instagram will surely help people follow me as I move around as well.

After looking at all this new technology I wonder what they will come up with next and how it will change travel for me again.

Staying Connected in Mexico

frommers.com

Telephones

Mexico's telephone system is slowly catching up with modern times. Most telephone numbers have 10 digits. Every city and town with telephone access has a two-digit (Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara) or three-digit (everywhere else) area code. In Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, local numbers have eight digits; elsewhere, local numbers have seven digits. To place a local call, you do not need to dial the area code. Many fax numbers are also regular phone numbers; ask whoever answers for the fax tone ("me da tono de fax, por favor").

The country code for Mexico is 52.

To call Mexico:

1. Dial the international access code: 011 from the U.S. and Canada; 00 from the U.K., Ireland, or New Zealand; or 0011 from Australia.

2. Dial the country code: 52.

3. Dial the two- or three-digit area code, then the eight- or seven-digit number. For example, if you wanted to call the U.S. consular agent in Acapulco, the entire number would be 011-52-744-484-0300. If you wanted to dial the U.S. embassy in Mexico City, the entire number would be 011-52-55-5080-2000.

To make international calls: To make international calls from Mexico, dial 00, then the country code (U.S. and Canada 1, U.K. 44, Ireland 353, Australia 61, New Zealand 64). Next, dial the area code and number. For example, to call the British Embassy in Washington, you would dial 00-1-202-588-7800.

To call a Mexican cellular number: From the same area code, dial 044 and then the number. To dial the cellular phone from anywhere else in Mexico, first dial 01, and then the three-digit area code and the seven-digit number. To place an international call to a cellphone (e.g., from the U.S.), you now must add a 1 after the country code: for example, 011-52-1 + 10-digit number.

For directory assistance: Dial tel. 040 if you're looking for a number inside Mexico. Note: Listings usually appear under the owner's name, not the name of the business, and your chances of finding an English-speaking operator are slim.

For operator assistance: If you need operator assistance in making a call, dial tel. 090 to make an international call, and tel. 020 to call a number in Mexico.

Toll-free numbers: Numbers beginning with 800 within Mexico are toll-free, but calling a U.S. toll-free number from Mexico costs the same as an overseas call. To call an 800 number in the U.S., dial 001-880 and the last seven digits of the toll-free number. To call an 888 number in the U.S., dial 001-881 and the last seven digits of the toll-free number. For a number with an 887 prefix, dial 882; for 866, dial 883.

Mobile Phones

Telcel is Mexico's expensive, primary cellphone provider. It has upgraded its systems to GSM and offers good coverage in much of the country, including the major cities and resorts. Most Mexicans buy cellphones without a specific coverage plan and then pay as they go or purchase prepaid cards with set amounts of air-time credit. These cellphone cards with scratch-off pin numbers can be purchased in Telcel stores as well as many newspaper stands and convenience stores.

Many North American and European cellphone companies offer networks with roaming coverage in Mexico. Rates can be very high, so check with your provider before committing to making calls this way. An increasing number of Mexicans, particularly among the younger generation, prefer the less expensive rates of Nextel (www.nextel.com.mx), which features a range of service options. Cellular Abroad 
(www.cellularabroad.com) offers cellphone rentals and purchases as well as SIM cards for travel abroad. Whether you rent or purchase the cellphone, you need to purchase a SIM card that is specific for Mexico.

Internet & Wi-Fi

Mexico's largest airports offer Wi-Fi access provided for a fee by Telcel's Prodigy Internet service. Most five-star hotels now offer Wi-Fi in the guest rooms for free or for a fee. Hotel lobbies often have Wi-Fi as well. To find public Wi-Fi hotspots in Mexico, go to www.jiwire.com; its Hotspot Finder holds the world's largest directory of public wireless hotspots.

Many large Mexican airports have Internet kiosks, and quality Mexican hotels usually have business centers with Internet access. You can also check out such copy stores as FedEx Office or OfficeMax, which offer computer stations with fully loaded software (as well as Wi-Fi).

What's Up With Mexico Utilities - Water, Toilets and Phone?

about.com

By Kathleen Crislip

Question: What's Up With Mexico Utilities - Water, Toilets and Phone?

Answer: Yes, you can drink the water in Mexico. Carefully.

About Drinking the Water in Mexico

Drinking the water from the tap in Mexico is asking for digestive trouble unless you're going to be there for more than six months and your innards can get used to the local bugs. Even then, you may be ingesting parasites and raw sewage that can cause the mega travelers' trots.

• Hotel room tap water
  • Sink water - even the cheapest Mexico hotel will supply bottled water in your room if the tap water is not potable (shouldn't be drunk). If you don't see bottled water in your Mexico hotel room, look for aplaque or sign proclaiming potable tap water; even with that disclaimer, you may prefer bottled water but you can be assured brushing your teeth is safe.
  • Shower water - if you can't drink the sink water (see above paragaph), don't let the shower water into your mouth. A partial mouthful of water in Mexico is enough to make you sick. Nothing in the water is going to hurt your external body during a shower.

Tip: remember to buy extra bottled water for your hotel room at night if you're drinking booze -- don't be double sick the next day from dehydration *and* guzzling the tap water.

About the Toilet in Mexico

If there is a wastepaper basket next to a toilet in Mexico, it means you are to deposit your used toilet paper in the wastepaper basket. The wastebasket's placement may mean that a septic system is in use which can't handle loads of toilet paper without expensive maintenance. It's tough not to automatically put toilet paper in the toilet in Mexico -- remembering that you could accidentally wreak havoc helps.

How to Make a Phone Call in Mexico

The long distance code in Mexico is 01. If calling the United States, first dial 001. To make other international calls, dial 00, and then the country and state and / or city (area) codes.
You can buy phone cards good for making calls in Mexico for 30, 50 and 100 pesos (about $3-5-10 USD).

Emergency Mexico phone numbers

• Police - 060
• Fire department and ambulance - 080
• Highway emergencies - 078
• Tourist security - (55) 5250-0123 (it's meant to be used)

Call (55) 5658-1111 in Mexico for Mexico information (like 411). Use country code 52 if calling Mexico from another country.

Women's Bathroom Tips in Mexico

• Don't flush tampons; put them in the same wastebasket used for toilet paper.
• Don't count on finding machines dispensing tampons or pads in public bathrooms, including those in hotels or restaurants.

10 Biggest Travel Ripoffs

By Jamie Beckman, Wednesday, Sep 18, 2013

(Pioneer111/Dreamstime)

Getting fleeced anywhere, whether in the states or abroad, is never fun—especially when you're trying to travel conservatively. Different languages and customs, however, can send even the smartest traveler into a financial tailspin. "Being gloriously overwhelmed by novelty and excitement at every turn leads us to be less perceptive than perhaps we might be back at home," says travel psychologist Michael Brein, Ph.D. "After all, the money is Monopoly play money—it isn't that real—so it's no wonder that it goes relatively more quickly than we think or expect." Recognize the world's top 10 worst travel ripoffs and you can save your cash for meaningful experiences that are worth the coin.

Excess Baggage Charges

When you're at home riffling through your closet for the perfect attire for daytime, nighttime, and every time in between (you never know, you might be invited to the opera or a picnic, right?), toting along an extra piece of luggage can seem sane—if not downright practical. Not the case, says travel expert Terry Trippler, founder of the consumer website The Plane Rules. "Chances are you aren't going to wear all that stuff you packed and end up paying more in baggage charges," he says. "In a lot of hotels, you can have clothing laundered for less than taking more and paying excess baggage charges."

Trip Insurance

Travelers can occasionally get a deal by purchasing travel insurance, but only buy it if you read and completely understand the policy. Otherwise, it can be worthless. "Travel insurance used to be basically flight insurance, but with the advent of non-refundable tickets, et cetera, businesses saw a market to sell insurance to cover expenses associated with the traveler's entire trip," Trippler says. (Medical care is one example.) "Watch this one—closely."

Shady Taxi Drivers

The ways that unsanctioned cabs take more than their share of your money by unscrupulous means are many, including high unstated charges, less than efficient routes, and incorrect change returned, says Brein. Instead of hopping into the car of the first person who offers, he suggests asking yourself these questions: "Is the cab marked or not? Is there a license or permit visible? Is there a price chart available? Is the taxi parked with others or hidden away? Is the driver with the cab or hustling elsewhere?"

Eating Like a Tourist

It sounds simple, but try to eat like the locals eat whenever you can, and that means deliberately avoiding the tourist traps. Specifically, watch out for incongruous cuisines, like an Italian joint next to a Caribbean beach, or restaurants that brag about their exquisite panoramic vistas. "What you might lose in atmosphere or views, you will gain in price and authenticity," says Laura Siciliano-Rosen, founder of Eat Your World, a website dedicated to finding the best local eats around the globe. To avoid shelling out cash for sub-par food, she suggests chatting up the locals—and not necessarily the hotel concierge. "Ask regular people: your taxi driver, your waiter, the guy next to you on the bus, the woman in line with you at the supermarket," Siciliano-Rosen says. "Also, you can probably tell where locals are eating by the look of a place. Does the place seem like it's trying to attract tourist money? Who's at the tables? Do you see any guidebooks or cameras?"

Manhattan Hotels

A hotel room in the Big Apple can sound enticing no matter what neighborhood you're in, but for the amount of money you plunk down, you don't get much. What you do get is often an older hotel with tiny rooms. Trippler calls it "probably the worst 'value' in travel." Before you book, research exactly what you're getting, or branch out to reputable hotels in other boroughs.

Airport Airline Clubs

When you picture a members-only portion of an airport, replete with its own bar, your first instinct might be to expect smoking jackets and the tinkling of a grand piano in the background. Not so these days. The reality can be anything but a sophisticated zen environment, which is not worth spending your money on, especially if you're paying a pricey day rate. "More and more people are joining and too often you can find a club that is just as crowded and loud as the airport departure gates," Trippler says. "The 'value' of any airline club depends on how often you will use it and the cities you will generally visit."

Uniformed "Guides" at Airports

A fancy uniform does not a reputable guide make. After deplaning in your destination, you might be accosted by "guides" who look official in dress, but actually are paid to take you to high-priced, touristy locales. "They all lead you to think that they are who they say they are, but in reality they are not," Brein says. "More often than not, they lead you not to places to stay, markets and shops, and sights that have merit or good value, but rather to places that more often than not suit their own purposes." If you need help navigating a city, seek out guides from official bureaus, Brein says.

Changing Money on the Black Market

Trying to beat the system—and more specifically, the exchange rates—by changing money with locals on the black market is only going to hurt your wallet in the end. "Often, a few good bills are mixed in with money padded with either folded smaller bills, older illegal money, newspaper, and whatnot, and the money changers are usually out of there so quickly that the duped tourist has little or no recourse," Brein says. Stay on the straight and narrow and, if it helps you to know before you go, research exchange rates before you leave the country to avoid sticker shock at the counter.

"Minimum" Fees at Restaurants or Clubs

In some countries, "minimum" charges for entering a sought-after (or salacious) nightclub are commonplace—and some restaurants bill you for what seems to be free, like mineral water. The last thing you want to do is blow your budget without getting anything in return. "These tourist-only fees seem to exist in restaurants around the world, particularly in Europe," Siciliano-Rosen says. "The charge may or may not be listed on the menu. When in doubt, gently refuse the bread if you didn't ask for it."

Insanely High Booze Taxes

When in a country like India, which imposes an exorbitant tax on alcohol, skip the cocktails at restaurants, which can easily cost upward of $15. Go for virgin refreshments instead, such as India's traditional yogurt drink: "Stick to a lassi and save the beer for the hotel fridge," Siciliano-Rosen says.

Telephones in Mexico

  about.com

 Suzanne Barbezat

 

Calling Mexico

The country code for Mexico is 52. If calling from the U.S. or Canada, dial 011 + 52 + area code + phone number.

Area Codes

In the three largest cities of Mexico (Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey), the area code is two digits and phone numbers are eight digits, whereas in the rest of the country area codes are three digits and phone numbers are seven digits.

Mexico City 55
Guadalajara 33
Monterrey 81

Long-distance calls from within Mexico

 

For national long-distance calls (within Mexico) the code is 01 plus the area code and phone number. For international long-distance calls, first dial 00, then the country code (for the U.S. and Canada the country code is 1, so you would dial 00 + 1 + area code + 7 digit number).

Country Codes

U.S. and Canada 1
United Kingdom 44
Australia 61
New Zealand 64
South Africa 27

Calling Cell Phones

 

If you're within the area code of the Mexican cell phone number you wish to call, you should dial 044, then the area code, then the phone number. Mexican cell phones are under a plan called "el que llama paga," which means that the person who makes the call pays for it, so calls to cell phones cost more than calls to regular phone numbers. Outside of the area code (but still within Mexico) you would first dial 045 and then the 10 digit phone number. To call a Mexican cell phone from outside the country you would dial as if to a land line: 011-52-1 then the area code and number.

Phone cards

 

Phone cards ("tarjetas telefonicas") for use in pay phones can be bought at newstands and in pharmacies in denominations of 30, 50 and 100 pesos. Pay phones do not accept coins. When buying a phone card for pay phone use, specify that you would like a "tarjeta LADA," because pre-paid cell phone cards are also sold in the same establishments.

Calling from a pay phone is the most economical way to call, though all long-distance phone calls are more expensive from Mexico than from most other countries. Other options include calling from your hotel, or calling from a "caseta telefonica," a business that has telephone and fax service.

Emergency and Useful Phone Numbers

 

Keep these phone numbers close at hand for any emergencies that might occur. You do not need a phone card to call 3-digit emergency numbers from a pay phone.

• Emergency 066
• Red Cross 065
• Police 060
• Directory assistance 040
• Tourist protection and information 01 800 903 9200 or 01 800 987 8224, from the U.S. and Canada 1 800 482 9232 or 1 800 401 3880

Calling To and From Mexico

mexico.com

We all wish our smart phones were, well, smart. But until someone invents a phone that can automatically decipher a phone number and determine what country it is and how to dial it, you are going to have to rely on your noggin. So we've created some handy tips to help you puzzle through making a phone call from the United States to Mexico and from Mexico to the United States.

How to call Mexico from the United States

1. Dial, 011 the exit code, must be dialed first for all international calls.
2. Dial 52, the country code for Mexico.
3. Dial the area code for the city you want to call, they are three-digit area codes, except for the three largest metro areas. Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey have only two digits these are; Mexico City 55, Guadalajara 33, Monterrey 81.
4. Dial the seven digit local number.

Note 1: If you are calling a mobile number in Mexico, the process changes after Step 3. Add 1 after the country code and before the city code (e.g. 52-1-81) if you are calling a mobile number.

Note 2: There are three official Time Zones in Mexico which correspond to what we know in the U.S. as the Pacific, Mountain and Central Times.

• Acapulco, Cancun, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Maya are on Central Time
• Los Cabos is on Pacific Time

Note 3: From any other country the exit code will vary.

How to call from Mexico to the United States

1. Dial 00 the exit code, must be dialed first for the United States.
2. Dial 1, the country code for the United States.
3. Dial the three digit area code for the city you want to call.
4. Dial the seven digit local number.

Note: If you take your U.S.-based mobile phone, you are able to make calls with the carrier's applicable roaming charges.

How to read/write an address in Mexico

For those having trouble deciphering Mexico street addresses, here are a couple of handy tips using this address as an example:

Crucero Princesa
Paseo de las Garzas 100 - B
Zona Hotelera Norte
CP 48333 Puerto Vallarta Jalisco
Mexico

1. Name of the person or business.
2. Street name for the business or residence and street number after the name. (This is the opposite of how addresses are written in the US/Canada)
3. Name of the district. It might refer to the Colonia (neighborhood) or Fraccionamiento (housing estate)
4. The five digit postal code (codigo postal), it can be preceded by the abbreviation C.P.
5. Name of the city and state
6. Country name, Mexico