Using one of the major U.S. long-distance carriers (and a calling card from one of them), calling home to the U.S. from Cancun is relatively easy. Using an AT&T calling card, for example, you'd first dial the AT&T access number (01-800-288-2872), then follow the detailed directions provided. When placing a call to the U.S. from a public phone, look for one that's marked Ladatel or Telmex.

If you're using a calling card provided by the company that provides your long-distance service at home (such as AT&T, Sprint, MCI, or IDT), be sure to contact the phone company before leaving to ensure that international calling privileges are activated on your calling card.

One company that offers prepaid calling cards specifically for calling from Mexico to the U.S. is Creative Calling Solutions International (www.creativecalling.com). A twenty-four-minute prepaid calling card (for calls from Mexico to the United States) is priced at $10, while a fifty-one-minute prepaid calling card is priced at $20. When purchasing one of these calling cards from the company's Web site, you'll be provided with the access phone number (01-800-088-5383) and a special PIN. Upon calling the access number, follow the recording prompts to make calls. Keep in mind that many hotels and resorts charge a connection fee, even for calling toll-free phone numbers (such as access numbers for calling cards).