Euros not exchanged in Bocas del Toro

Bocas del Toro is the main tourist attraction in Panama but don't expect to exchange any foreign curriencies there, not even euros.

There is not only one bank in Bocas del Toro - it does not have money exchange.
There are no private exchange offices in Bocas del Toro.
Hostal Hansi exchanges euros - but only for its clients.
(the German lady showed me the door out when I went to beg for help - unexceptionally cold person.)

If you have run out of dollars (like I did after traveling more than five months) and you have a new European credit card with a security chip you are in trouble. An ATM will not give money to you and on a bank counter cash withdrawl is not possible.

The only thing you can do is to go to the farmacy (the only one). Sometimes they give dollars on your card. In the case that the owner is present and they have enough cash. They gave me dollars once but not for the second time.

I also heard of some Dutch girl living in Bocas del Toro that exchanges euros to dolars (one for one).

What I did is that I walk from hostel to hostel looking for tourists from euro zone. One German guy helped me out, forever grateful to him.

In Panama City you can get dollars on a bank counter in one bank (only one) and one branch: HBSC
on the main bank street,

In Panama City you can also exchange euros in many private exchange offices but the exchange rate is probably the worst in the world. Mexican pesos are also exchanged for as bad rate. In the end I got better rate for pesos back in Europe in my small and unimportant home country than would have got in Panama City.

I would not expect to exchange euros on a remote island in Panama anymore than Pesos in the alps of Germany.

Swing on by Chitre and we will exchange your Euros ,Pesos,Colones,etc...

And don't count on travelers checks either. The Chinese in Bocas would probably change the euros as they are fairly business focused but I'm sure they know that tomorrow those euros may be worth as much as those pesos

All you had to do was go to Almirante or Changuinola, Come on. Wasn't like you were on Bora Bora.

Your real problem is not being able to change euros, it's your bank card refusing to give money anywhere besides Europe. That is where your complaints should be aimed at. Also I am almost positive if there is only one bank in PC that will change euros, there is NOWHERE is changuinola or Almirante that will.

Best leave your euros in Europe and bring Yankee dollars to Panama (and other destinations in the Americas & Caribbean).

Make sure before you travel that your debit/ credit card has access to ATM' s worldwide AND that it' s switched 'on' (ask your bank about this anti-skimming measure).

Water under the bridge now, that you' ve found it out the hard way...

I use a European card with the chip and never had a problem withdrawing money anywhere between Panama and Guatemala. Well no problems until the card was skimmed and the bank blocked it in Guatemala ;)

Did you tell your bank where you would be travelling before you went? I know here in CZ there is a 'cheaper' card that doesn't have raised numbers, and can't be used online - but we know you can't use that outside of Europe.

#1: "I would not expect to exchange euros on a remote island in Panama anymore than Pesos in the alps of Germany. "

Bocas del Toro is not just a remote island but the only tourist destination in Panama.

#6: "Best leave your euros in Europe and bring Yankee dollars to Panama (and other destinations in the Americas & Caribbean)."

Euros are exchanged for a good rate everywhere in Mexico and in Antigua (Guatemala) and in major cities in Nicaragua. At least. In Belize, Costa Rica and El Salvador I didn't try exchanging euros. My conclusion is that the countries that rely on their own curriency exchange euros while the countries that have adopted USD don't exchange euros.