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Is there a money exchange at BAQ airport or should I buy some Colombian Pesos before I head down?

... in response to Money at the airport, posted by Montrealer on Oct 20, 2005

There is an ATM there in the BQ airport. 2nd floor.

... in response to Re: Money at the airport, posted by Ken2 on Oct 20, 2005

good suggestion. it is better avoid the money exchange companies at all costs..they are the worst exchange of all

... in response to Re: Re: Money at the airport, posted by papi on Oct 20, 2005

Ever see the fees credit cards charge for pulling cash out in a foreign country( citi bank), I would rather go to western union and exchange dollars for pesos, but it is kind of a pain in the butt. I just exchange about $ 500 and its lasts quite a while, which i will be doing in 2 weeks :-)

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Money at the airport, posted by mudd on Oct 20, 2005

Mudd, the best exchange is the ATM. My bank does not charge a fee but the ones that do - what are you looking at $1.50 per transaction?

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Money at the airport, posted by papi on Oct 20, 2005

i wish, when i got my statement, i was charged like $7 for every transaction. i do like the convienence of just going to an ATM, but......... when you go several timesin a trip, forget it, ill just go to a moneygram or western union.

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Money at the airport, posted by mudd on Oct 20, 2005

$7.00!? find a new bank!!!

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Money at the air..., posted by papi on Oct 20, 2005

I agree again. What fees. I have never been charged any using my ATM

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Money at the air..., posted by papi on Oct 20, 2005

i would like too, but i have almost $ 100,000 in points, so i get a free airline ticket, or a lot of $50 coupons to red lobster or some other good restaurants.

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Money at the..., posted by mudd on Oct 20, 2005

Mudd,

I was in same situation as you, i do my business banking at BofA, but those A-HOLE at BofA charge $5/transaction if I used ANY bank in COL(they "partner" bancocolombia, but that means squat you still pay atm transaction).  After blowing $60 on atm fees in a 2 week visit.  I OPENED another account at citibank, now before i head over to COL, i deposit however much i think i need(ie, 2000 USD for 2 week trip) then in col i withdrawl from citibank ATM FOR FREE, every MAJOR city in COL has citibank branch, they have 24 hr security guard INSIDE the ATM lobby.  

I'm hear in Cali for another 6 weeks and use citibank, when i head over to Medellin i used the citibank there.  SOme credit union don't charge atm fees either.  

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Money at..., posted by caslug on Oct 21, 2005

i will be in cali on the 4th of november, so can you point me to the citi bank, since that is my credit card company, or do you actualy have to have a bank account with them?
THX

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Mone..., posted by mudd on Oct 21, 2005

I have a checking account with them, i also have them for CC BUT i never use my CC for cash advance(for the reason you stated).  Since i have a checking account i got an ATM card and use it at the citibank branch.  The one i use is near avienda sexta/avienda 5th, i know how to walk there or get the taxi to take me there, but i don't know the EXACT address, LOL!..

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: ..., posted by caslug on Oct 22, 2005

i guess i will have to open a savings account here with them, but i doubt i would get my ATM card before i leave in 2 weeks. gues ill be exchanging cash for pesos. THX for the info though.

... in response to Money at the airport, posted by Montrealer on Oct 20, 2005

[This message has been edited by Spanky]

I have been to Baq six times. I practically live there. Listen, and listen tight you newbie s.o.b! The following is the ONLY way to spend your days in Baq (-: ;-D O-:

1) Stay at the El Prado. It is an old, exotic hotel with old world Colombian style and charm. It will cost you about $100 a night for the deluxe room, and they are great. So is the service. Nothing else beats this hotel. Sol and Versailles are rinky-dink. Baq Plaza is sub-par. I stayed at the Dann (not "Don", sorry) last year. They were still building and i had to listen to los martillos late into the night. Anyway, the Dann is a nice hotel, but there is nothing Colombian about it. May as well be at the Marriott in Chicago.

2) credit card is a must. Credit card companies negotiate for the best exchange rates. Use them everywhere you can. All the malls, restaurants and stores take them. Call the company beforehand to inform. Why would you use ATM's and pay the cash advance fees? Bring about $1,000 in cash and exchange it in the city as needed. The El Prado provides a room safe.  

3) The Carrulla grocery store is on Calle 72. This is down the street from Puerto de Oro Hotel; 2 blocks down from the El Prado on 70.  It's got everything your extra green, gringo ass will need. There is a small restaurant inside with a good sample of good Col. food. They have a Western Union that will exchange your dollars.

4) I know an English speaking Colombian Taxi driver i use every time i go. He is a must. A great guy, fun to be around and will treat you right. This info however (name and cell phone number) will cost you: $75 Paypal (-:

buena suerte senor!

... in response to The Don Carlton; Don Schmarlton, posted by Spanky on Oct 20, 2005

Thanks for the info, but as for the $75, go fly a kite.

... in response to The Don Carlton; Don Schmarlton, posted by Spanky on Oct 20, 2005

Spankster, mostly good advice except on the ATM's. I get a better exchange with my ATM then the credit cards. The credit cards take a % on the exchange, my bank nor do the banks in Colombia charge ATM fees and even if they did the $1.50 or so transaction fee is smaller than the credit card %. FYI, the versalles is not rinky-dink. It is a simple hotel with very nice staff, very clean, cheap and in a good location

... in response to The Don Carlton; Don Schmarlton, posted by Spanky on Oct 20, 2005

[This message has been edited by zack]

Which hotel in BQ is "best" is a matter of opinion.

Montrealer- the bottom line is, if you are looking for a hotel that is more Colombian style, less expensive, with SO SO rooms at best but a nice pool and grounds, stay at the El Prado. If you are willing to pay more for a nicer hotel with GREAT rooms, awesome location, and a rotating restaurant at the top, stay at the Dann Carlton. I have stayed at both several times and the Dann Carlton gets my vote hands down. The construction there is finished.

Good luck and have fun.

... in response to El Prado Schmado, posted by zack on Oct 20, 2005

Thanks Zack for the review of Dann Carlton.  It sounds like its a good hotel with all the modern features I'm used to.  Thats what I wanted to hear.

... in response to Money at the airport, posted by Montrealer on Oct 20, 2005

All the airports have ATM (Cajeros). You get a better rate from them anyway. Just take your Credit/Debit card with you and get what you need from them.

Disclaimer: I haven't been to BAQ, so someone else may need to vouch for the airports there.

... in response to Re: Money at the airport, posted by soltero on Oct 20, 2005

About the ATM's.  My card carries "The Plus" logo on it.  Have you guys seen that logo on the ATM machines.  I would hate to be putting things on the credit card, especially cash advances at 24.5%.

Speeking of credit cards, do most stores except them?  And has anyone ever had a problem using there card in a foreign country.  I only use my card for online purchases and am bringing the card only in case I get robbed and need to survive.  Am wondering if I should notify my bank about it so they don't think its something strange?

Thanks for the help,
Joel

... in response to Re: Re: Money at the airport, posted by Montrealer on Oct 20, 2005

i dont think you will have a problem with either your credit cards or ATM but i would suggest 2 ATM's if possible. When in town, put everything in the hotel safe deposit box. only carry around a color COPY of your picture page of your passport - shrunk and laminated, 1 ATM, 1 credit card and some cash - $200-300,000 pesos

... in response to Re: Re: Money at the airport, posted by Montrealer on Oct 20, 2005

In Venezuela "Plus" is all over. I am not sure of the ATM's in Colombia, but they are a nightmare in VZ. I went to at least 15 of them before I found a working one. On top of that, my Spanish in conversational banking is nada, so I kept guessing at the screen. I could figure out the cash part, but there was about a 1.5 second window to make a selection or it would cancel the session. I went through this many times.

I notifed the bank when I went and I will do it again. I am thinking about Western Union'ing myself some cash and have it waiting. Some may or may not agree with this, but another thing I did on a trip was tell the girl how much cash I wanted when I arrived, and I asked her to bring me some Bolivares and she can exchange them for my dollars. It's a big deal down there to have a connection to buy dollars from, so it worked out good.

I just didn't feel right using my credit cards down there, so that is why I wanted to carry cash. I carried nothing but money and a copy of my passport. I'd much prefer to think "Damn! He got me for a hundred bucks!" and go about my day.
The last thing I want to do is worry about cancelling credit cards.

I had some clown at the airport offer to change my dollars if we just went outside around the corner. He offered a whopping extra 5 bolivares on the dollar. haha! "Dude! Number one: I am not going around back with you, and Number 2: I am definitely not doing it for an extra penny on the dollar!" (It was actually less than a penny too)

V-Dude

... in response to Re: Re: Money at the airport, posted by Montrealer on Oct 20, 2005


since you still have some time before your trip! Notifying your credit card(s) company of your travel plans makes perfect sense. I had to call card services once to verify, that I was actually in Colombia. This happened during my first trip.

... in response to Take more than one Debit Card..., posted by Hoda on Oct 20, 2005

Hoda, I had to bailout a gringo in BQ whose only credit card he took with him got shutoff while away. He did not have the pesos to pay the country's exit fee (or extortion i might add) or get his car out of hock with the airport in miami. he gave me a check - it was good. that is the second gringo i have had to rescue in my recent travels