money

How easy or hard is it to get money inside a bank (not using atm machines) on debit and credit cards and how much are you allowed. Fees for using atms high so I dont want to cash small amounts.

Almost impossible, even travelers checks are beginning to be difficult in some places- but are your best non-cash option. Because of this it is not uncommon to carry large amounts of cash with you. Watch your back and you'll be fine, it's a pretty safe country overall.

Hi Lenore,

#1 seems to have had bad luck - it isn't "almost impossible" to get cash advances on credit and debit cards at banks, in fact it's more or less routine - but it does tend to be boringly time-consuming - anything between half a day and 24 hours, depending on the connection your chosen bank has with its head office. Having said that, on my latest trip (I got back last week), I spoke to one guy who said he was in and out of the branch in half an hour, and the teller told him it was their new fast online connection that made that possible.

Things you need to know: Visa is still the card of choice for both counter and ATM transactions. Although Mastercard is beginning to make its presence felt, the acceptance level is still very low.

If you go to a place where the only bank available is the Bank of Africa, though, you will need Mastercard. In contrast to every other bank in the country, the BoA doesn't accept Visa. A major example is Maroantsetra for the Masoala National Park. However, getting an advance on your Mastercard there will take all day, as the town has no properly functioning terrestrial telecommunications system (that means no ATMs either!).

If you decide to use an ATM, the best bet is the BNI, as they still permit the highest withdrawals per transaction. Sometime in April, they abandoned the previous level of 400 000 Ar per transaction, but if the ATM is well-stocked, you can still get 385 000 Ar in one go (ignore the security guard who will tell you the maximum is 350 000). The BNI machines now accept Mastercard as well, which is new.

Like #1, I usually carry a substantial amount in cash (euros) to cover all eventualities, and I don't see this as a security problem - just keep it properly concealed beneath your clothes where the belt or pouch or whatever can't be slashed open. Carrying great wads of ariary in cash on the other hand presents big concealment problems, and when I'm travelling round, I tend to cover my immediate needs from ATMs - my UK bank charges only 2 pounds per transaction on a debit card.

As far as traveller's cheques are concerned, my experience again differs from #1's, and I really would be reluctant to make my financial survival dependent on a given bank being willing to cash them.

Hope that helps.