Currency on Roatan

[segundo3000gt]

It looks like Roatan uses the Honduran Lempira as currency and the exchange rate is ~19 Lempira / 1 USD. Can anyone that has been there recently answer a few questions? From what I've read some businesses may accept U.S. dollars but may charge you and would prefer Lempiras. Any thoughts on denominations that are handy to have for taxis/tipping/shopping? Are banks easy to find for converting currency? Do the DMs prefer Lempiras over dollars for tips? I'll be at Anthony's Key Resort if that plays into any answers. I just want to be prepared and make things go as smoothly as possible when we get there.

 

[Bay Island Diver]

The Dollar is almost universally accepted, in denominations of $20 or less. The rate you will get varies from 18/1 to 19/1.

There is really a preference for one currency over the other.

It can be hard to get people to accept 500lempira notes unless you are spending over 300 lempira!

Will

 

[segundo3000gt]

sounds good. i've worked my way through a couple of pages of search results and it looks like dollars or lempiras are fine as long as they're not large denominations. sounds like travelers checks suck to use there and credit card companies may or may not rip you off. i'm going to just plan on having a bunch of 10's, 5's and 1's with.

 

[marcoa]

There are three ATMs here in West-End, not always working though. They run out of money and it's apparently a difficult task to forecast how much it takes to maintain one operational for a week straight. How does the rest of the world do it?

1, 5, and 10s are good ones to have. It's hard at times as mentioned above to get change for 500 L . One thing you can do is buy a banana, for example, from the fruit trucks. They usually have lots of change. That banana will cost you about 2 L.

Visiting the banks in Coxen Hole usually means at least a half day of waiting in line. I strongly recommend avoiding the experience. You can get lucky and be the next in line, but the person in front of you may be performing banking transactions for about 30 people.

Open a payPal account. Several places accept payment via this way. It's easy for both. Credit cards get charged an additional 16%. But in a pinch, you can use them.

Tips are welcome in any currency. The more zeros on each note the better!!!

 

[guavagrov]

Hi there,
We lived on Roatan for a year. The US dollar is always accepted, bills under $20 is easiest to track and accepted as some are wary of counterfiet. Cabs are best with lps as then you don't have to calculate quickly, you can take cabs for 20-50 lps from AKR to West End. You will probably pay 50 lps from AKR just because you are staying at a pricier place and the locals then know you have deeper pockets. Credit cards are not accepted everywhere and travellers cheques are hard to cash unless at bank. Bank is best visited when cruise ships are in town otherwise you end up with VERY long lines of locals and time wasted waiting. Take small bills with you and you will end up with lps from the change of your first purchases.

Visit The Oasis restaurant and poolbar for dinner one night a located west at Guava Grove a short distance from AKR!