Congo

Money & costs

Money

CFA can be used in all countries within the Central African franc zone. These include Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Mali and Senegal. There are no ATMs in the country, and few places accept credit cards or travellers cheques, so hard cash it is. If you need some money wired in, Western Union (81 4293; Rue Felix Eboue; 8am-4pm Mon-Sat) is reliable but takes a whopping percentage and uses ridiculous exchange rates. When shopping, always bargain – it’s Congolese theatre.