11/2009 - Sosua Money Exchange (The Best Locations)

[balcoach]

i will say it again
know how much you want to exchange in US and how much you wish to receive, and tell the changer that, if he says no, go to the next guy

but remember when dealing is amounts less than $500 % points don't add up to alot, so consider the value of hassle for yourself.

The best rate, hands down in sosua is at WU, bring your passport, and if you choose to change a stack or more, ask them to call for a better rate.

thats just my 2 pesos worth, but what the hell do i know

[Dave Diaz]

i will say it again
know how much you want to exchange in US and how much you wish to receive, and tell the changer that, if he says no, go to the next guy

but remember when dealing is amounts less than $500 % points don't add up to alot, so consider the value of hassle for yourself.

The best rate, hands down in sosua is at WU, bring your passport, and if you choose to change a stack or more, ask them to call for a better rate.

thats just my 2 pesos worth, but what the hell do i know

Great post. That's bound to save members some money, goood to knoww I can just go to the wu that's pretty close by.

[JD426]

Just one correction, The Playero Super Mercado across from Texaco on Rt5, always give a great rate, they do not give you just 35:1 in change, like the smaller stores, they always give more ,like 37.8 if WU is 38.
Also ElBatey is very safe for changing money on the street, the daytime rate is almost the same at 37.7. I dont see what the danger is, has something changed very recently ,? no pun intended. those guys all have a little booth now anyway. They are legit & very controlled. Noone but recognized money changers will make change for you, its not like a Concho guy will offer it to you, they know better, for very obvious reasons.

[rushdog34]

i will say it again
know how much you want to exchange in US and how much you wish to receive, and tell the changer that, if he says no, go to the next guy

but remember when dealing is amounts less than $500 % points don't add up to alot, so consider the value of hassle for yourself.

The best rate, hands down in sosua is at WU, bring your passport, and if you choose to change a stack or more, ask them to call for a better rate.

thats just my 2 pesos worth, but what the hell do i know

remember on the first day the guys bringing out the calculator in rockys to see how much they were losing.

[TNT72]

remember on the first day the guys bringing out the calculator in rockys to see how much they were losing.

Frickin rediculous!!! They were fussing over pennies!

[el toro]

Frickin rediculous!!! They were fussing over pennies!

A few points doesn't make more than a $5-$10 difference unless exchanging at least $1,000. My time and the hastle is worth more than that. Do you drive 15 miles to "save" 2 cents a gallon on gas?

[Dave Diaz]

Just one correction, The Playero Super Mercado across from Texaco on Rt5, always give a great rate, they do not give you just 35:1 in change, like the smaller stores, they always give more ,like 37.8 if WU is 38.
Also ElBatey is very safe for changing money on the street, the daytime rate is almost the same at 37.7. I dont see what the danger is, has something changed very recently ,? no pun intended. those guys all have a little booth now anyway. They are legit & very controlled. Noone but recognized money changers will make change for you, its not like a Concho guy will offer it to you, they know better, for very obvious reasons.

I only saw the exchange at the supermarket a little higher up in the direction of cabarete and passed the lil car stop. Thanks for clearing that up about the smaller supermarkets and the bigger ones, its good to know.

On the street my experience is u won't get a good rate if no one else is open. That's the impression I got.

But again thanks for clearing that all up

[Irie]

A few points doesn't make more than a $5-$10 difference unless exchanging at least $1,000. My time and the hastle is worth more than that. Do you drive 15 miles to "save" 2 cents a gallon on gas?

sad but fucking true with some people. unfortunately i know a few. i've tried to drive the concept home, but to no avail. some will never "get it."

[b3k]

When I pull money in the US with my German Visa card, it's super cheap and better than anything else. My bank charges nothing, the ATM charges maybe 2 $.
I get let's say 500 USD. Then 502 USD are converted in EUR with the official exchange rate of the day or something very close. That's incredible!!!

Is there an ATM at Puerto Plata airport where I can do the same thing (Get RD$ with VISA Debit card)?

[el toro]

When I pull money in the US with my German Visa card, it's super cheap and better than anything else. My bank charges nothing, the ATM charges maybe 2 $.
I get let's say 500 USD. Then 502 USD are converted in EUR with the official exchange rate of the day or something very close. That's incredible!!!

Is there an ATM at Puerto Plata airport where I can do the same thing (Get RD$ with VISA Debit card)?

I learned early on it's best to take the cash with you that you plan to spend to avoid any sort of surcharges from DR banks and ATMs are not easy to get to near some places like Blackbeards.

I don't think there is an ATM in POP airport--remember it's a 3rd world country. ATMs are all over Sosua, but there are places in DR where they're not convenient when you get around other areas.

[No Worries]

Supermarket was giving 38 last weekend and the WU was 38.5. Most of the cambios were giving 37.50-37.75.

[blazaveli]

Supermarket was giving 38 last weekend and the WU was 38.5. Most of the cambios were giving 37.50-37.75.

That's a great look.

[deezl]

I learned early on it's best to take the cash with you that you plan to spend to avoid any sort of surcharges from DR banks and ATMs are not easy to get to near some places like Blackbeards.

I don't think there is an ATM in POP airport--remember it's a 3rd world country. ATMs are all over Sosua, but there are places in DR where they're not convenient when you get around other areas.

I may have been suffering from toto withdrawal, but I'd swear I've seen an ATM outside the airport by the departures area, right near all of the souvenir shops.

[blazaveli]

I may have been suffering from toto withdrawal, but I'd swear I've seen an ATM outside the airport by the departures area, right near all of the souvenir shops.

You're right. There is an ATM there. Right to the left when you come out of the airport. My brother used it back in May.

[DCIronman]

There are ATMs at every airport in the DR. That's where I get my pesos. You will get the best exchange rate. And I see the fees as a small cost for the safety and convenience of not having to carry around or store large amounts of cash in a developing country.

[blazaveli]

There are ATMs at every airport in the DR. That's where I get my pesos. You will get the best exchange rate. And I see the fees as a small cost for the safety and convenience of not having to carry around or store large amounts of cash in a developing country.

You recall how much the fees are?

[el_papi_chew_low]

Recently I was exchanging money in front of Happy Bar and a truck full of police rolled up and walked up behind me with riffles in hand. I didn't see them until they were right behind me because I was in the middle of the transaction. At first I looked at them like WTF cause I thought they were going to ask me to go with them but they just told me to finish my transaction quickly and I complied. They then took the guy that was exchanging my money and a couple of other guys away on the truck. When I saw the guy the next day I asked him what that was about and he told me just the normal police routine of rounding people up and interrogating them about what they are doing and what they've observed going on around town.

[Festy]

CHENGE!!!!!!

Click to see pic

This is the guy that I have used for exchange for the past few years. Unless things have changed he always offered me the better rate than the street or ATMs.

[Festy]

This is the guy that I have used for exchange for the past few years. Unless things have changed he always offered me the better rate than the street or ATMs.

I don't see an update since my last post here from 2011. Is that same guy still running his exchange? I arrive on th 19th and am curious as to his current rate.

[TNT72]

I don't see an update since my last post here from 2011. Is that same guy still running his exchange? I arrive on th 19th and am curious as to his current rate.

He's still there. This past trip, I used the guy that is right beside Rocky's. Never any hassle. He's opened up the smallest office I have ever seen!