Cash(US), Traveler's Cheques , or Credit Cards...

[farmaholic]

Since I am not a traveler.... I need to ask. I gave the trip that I won to the Mayan Riviera to my kids and was wondering what is the safest and easiest form of currency to use?

Thanks in advance...

[bucket]

Maybe SF3 will put it in his weekly travel tips .....should be early this week .....holiday coming up....

[binthere]

they like the color of canadian money but want american dollars.

[lesm]

I live in Puerto Vallarta for 3 months of the winter and the best currency is the peso. Use your ATM at any bank and you get the market price at the time of exchange less commission and fees. The lowest fee bank is CI Banco. The $C is worth 15.21 pesos this morning and you would net 14.8 at this bank. The Mexican merchants will take both US and Canadian currency but at substantial discounts. Even exchanging foreign currency at the banks reguires showing your passport and long lines plus poor exchange. ATM is the only way to go.

[RD414]

Phone local bank in Regina and make sure they have enough pesos, they can order them in but can take a week, and take them. We take some American but mostly all pesos now. Our resort today is paying 20 pesos to 1 AMerican. They did not list a Canadian exchange rate.

[rockpile]

I live in Puerto Vallarta for 3 months of the winter and the best currency is the peso. Use your ATM at any bank and you get the market price at the time of exchange less commission and fees. The lowest fee bank is CI Banco. The $C is worth 15.21 pesos this morning and you would net 14.8 at this bank. The Mexican merchants will take both US and Canadian currency but at substantial discounts. Even exchanging foreign currency at the banks reguires showing your passport and long lines plus poor exchange. ATM is the only way to go.

I agree with lesm - ATM's are the best. Forget Traveler Cheques, many banks won't cash them and the ones that do nail you with fees. And don't be afraid to purchase more expensive items with your credit card. I never had an issue nor have I ever heard of anyone who did. Very good deals on silver but ask around for a reputable dealer and it's a good idea to learn what to look for in high quality products. My wife bought a beautiful silver bracelet for $125 Canadian. Saw the very same item in Calgary for $600. Handcrafted btw.

less - are you up in gringo gulch or in a condo closer to the beach or marina?

[newguy]

go pesos .just exchange canadian to peso either in mexico or order some in from Bank.14 peso to 1 canadian was best rate down there.They like American money more than canadian.but why pay to exchange twice.Did not Ned passport to exchange canadian this time.

[mustardman]

Mayan riviera Wanted American instead of pesos
But on the pacific side, Mazatlan etc Pesos are accepted .lots of money changers to convert your Canadian or ATM (find a busy one as it probably has not been Hacked)

Credit Card will give you Best rate on purchases and is a very safe way

[biglentil]

Pesos are best get a wad at a bank before you leave 10, 20, 50 and 100 peso demoninations especially. The 500 and 1000 peso denominations can be troublesome to break. Atm's will give best rate down there but sometimes it can be hit or miss on finding one that will accept your bank card. They used to like usd until gov't put a weakly limit on the amount locals could exchange into pesos.

[checking]

This is only an aside.

Cash is still king. So much for the cashless society.

Even though the experts, who tend to be wrong often, told us years ago that the folding stuff was history, we seem to like the feel of plastic paper, or just paper.

Rather surprised that the average wad we carry is only $30.00.

[grefer]

I live in Puerto Vallarta for 3 months of the winter and the best currency is the peso. Use your ATM at any bank and you get the market price at the time of exchange less commission and fees. The lowest fee bank is CI Banco. The $C is worth 15.21 pesos this morning and you would net 14.8 at this bank. The Mexican merchants will take both US and Canadian currency but at substantial discounts. Even exchanging foreign currency at the banks reguires showing your passport and long lines plus poor exchange. ATM is the only way to go.

Be careful where you use the ATM. The wife and son had their cards hacked at a mall ATM. I used only the one at our resort and was ok.

[tweety]

Going to a resort. why would you go to a different country and then not actually go to that country? Instead going to the disgust, waste, and all that's ugly of america.

Yuck.

[farmaholic]

tweety.... i am "encouraging" them to get off the resort and go see some stuff(hence the question about how to handle the money), guided group tours for safety reasons. Keep your nose clean attitude. And you know, for someone who has never done a lot of the hot destination thing maybe staying on the resort is a good place to start. Confidence...? Caution...? The last one I won to Jamaica I gave to them as well.... they did the group tour thing off resort and had a blast.

To each their own...

[fjlip]

Farma you should be buying everyone tickets...with your luck. Or maybe you spend hundreds on tickets?

[sumdumguy]

Our best trip was to Paris and Monaco. We used the rapid train to get around but we met some Americans who rent a car to see the sites - they wouldn't travel Europe any other way. Next time we will do that. But before we go back to Europe, we would like to take the barge cruise down the Mississippi. Anyone know anything about that cruise?