Resources > Internet Cafés

Internet cafés (also known as "cybercafés") have in recent years become pretty much ubiquitous. Even in small, remote villages with insufficient food, clothing, and housing, don't be surprised to find an Internet connection, often available at surprisingly low cost. But it helps to know a few things before you go.

Several Web sites exist to help you locate local Internet cafés, including the Cybercafe Search Engine, Cybercafes.com, and that of the growing easyInternetcafé franchise. Some of these tools are better than others, but all offer at least some unique listings. Realize, however, that Internet cafés are still a fledgling industry, and can come and go faster than the various Web sites can track them. So it's often more effective, and simpler, to just look for them on your own.

How? Keep your eyes open, and/or ask! Tourist offices often know the best places, which may be anything from the back room of a local restaurant or bar (or even less likely establishment), to a fancy, well-lit storefront, chock-a-block with rows of the latest in computer technology (one easyInternetcafé in Amsterdam had 650 computers the last time I visited). They are most commonly found in areas frequented by students and travellers. In some places (Thailand, Cambodia, México), they seem to be everywhere, while in others (London, Paris) they can be more of a challenge to uncover. Check the local telephone directory. Libraries often have the least expensive (sometimes free) Internet terminals. Indeed, asking any 20-something person on the street will likely yield the name of a good local Internet café (you'll find "Internet" to be a universally-understood term, but if language difficulties ensue, just wiggle your fingers as though typing).

Hotels commonly have Internet connections, but they're usually much more costly to use than those you will find elsewhere (though the occasional hotel offers them free to guests). Cruise ships have them also, but the costs there are typically outrageous. Pricing methods vary: sometimes you buy blocks of time, sometimes it's just by the minute; sometimes you pay up front, sometimes not; sometimes the rate varies depending on how busy the café is at the moment. You should expect to pay anywhere from $1 to $5/hour on the average, occasionally more (or less). America and Europe are generally the most expensive locations, but it's hard to predict.

Be aware also that many Internet cafés require that you present some sort of government-issued picture ID. A passport is the most universally accepted form of same, but sometimes a driving license is acceptable.

Keyboard layouts are not the same around the world (touch-typists be forewarned!). There's a good chance that characters you need (such as the all-important @, should you want to send e-mail) may be missing, and require some special key combination to invoke. Or they may not be what you expect (in Turkey, for example, the letter i often types as ï, and if that character is in an e-mail address that you're entering, the message won't reach its intended destination). You may even have to do something special to get your particular keyboard/terminal to "speak" English. Don't be shy about asking for help; you're unlikely to be the first with any particular problem. Most computer terms are English by nature, so you'll generally be understood. The ten-year-old sitting next to you probably knows what to do.

Should any problems arise (dropped lines, blocked sites, etc.), don't hesitate to call them to the attention of the attendant(s), who will usually fix the problem and/or credit you with the lost time.

Finally, before you leave on a trip, make sure that your local e-mail account can be accessed via a standard Web browser, and find out the URL (i.e., Web address) necessary to do so. If your service provider doesn't offer this option, it can likely be accomplished using a (free) service such as mail2web; alternatively, consider acquiring an (also free) e-mail account from Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo! (learning to use such services before you depart is a wise step, and don't forget to create the necessary address lists of your correspondents).

These various minor challenges (to which you can occasionally add slow connections and smoky rooms) aside, the global e-mail access made possible by Internet cafés has been a huge boon to travellers worldwide. Learn to reap its benefits.