Credit Card Phones in Vava'u - not recommended

I recently returned home from a visit to Vava'u. On going over my credit card statement I found that using a public credit card phone in Neiafu had cost me US$42! It was only a brief call to try to reach my airline, but I was never connected, and was redirected to a directory service - possibly accounting for the cost.

I imagine a better option would have been to purchase a phone card from the corner store and use the guesthouse phone.

Crikey.

For others: local calls in Tonga are cheap. a TOP$5 will last ages.

This site will give an idea of price on local and international calls: http://www.tcc.to/

Digicel will have some thoughts too.

I used the phone outside Backpackers in Neiafu.

Couldn't read the Tongan language instruction on the phone so the Receptionist shouted direction to me-SHOUTED because the phone is right next to the road and traffic can be heavy/noisy.

Or not.

It is Neiafu after all.

Anyway I used a handful of those huge coins but as Harry says it cost a pittance.

I also tried to use the phone outside Adventure Backpackers in Neiafu but it was annoying due to the street noise, so it turned out better to walk 1 minute to the telecentre nearby and use their silent phone booths. I managed to change my flight by phone with one of those TOP$ 10 phone cards. It was an international call to NZ and took about six minutes.