money changer in Cebu City, uptown

You're right. The rates at Mactan Airport are terrible unlike at the Manila airports.

Uptown the best rates are at the smaller moneychangers around the Fuente Osmena traffic circle.

Downtown it's in Colon. Look around and check the prices of a few of them before you buy.

Thank you for your fast answer. I will go to Fuente Osmena as we have a hotel in uptown.

I changed 2000 GBP pounds in Fuente a few weeks ago - about 10 weeks worth of money. I knew it would be tthe best rates I would find for weeks and weeks ahead. And I've changed quite large amounts there before. Whoever is giving the best rates varies, and you have to check each of them out every time. There's never more than about 30-50 centavos between them, but if you are changing 2000 pounds it's definitely worth walking round for 20 minutes.

be on your toes for robbery as the level of security is not all that great. When you go out to change the money, don't do anything else. Just go out to change the money and then go back to the hotel. Don't change the money, and then go and buy a slice of pizza and a mango shake. Somebody might have spotted you and be following you. It's unlikely the moneychanger themselves will try to rip you off, but watch carefully as they count the money out in front of you. Watch carefully, and as they count it, you count it too. Don't waste time counting it out again after they hand over the money - you ought to have counted it already at the same time they did. Slip an elastic band round the wad just in case they have tried to slip a fake bill or two in there (also unlikely), slip it into a moneybelt concealed in your pants, and get out of there into the crowd quickly.

I get so many tips, it is great, I will shop around for good rates.

Hi callipo. Thank you for taking your time. I wasn't aware of the problem 'robbery' but it is good to know. Counting money, there was even a problem in Switzerland, the guy just missed the number 8, he counted 7, 9, 10.

Look carefully but also LISTEN. You should be able to hear the motion of their thumb and also when one bill cracks against the next one. So ask them to count it up close if need be. You need to be less than one meter away from where they are counting it. Usually the booths are behind glass, but there is this small opening through which the money is transferred. Although the aperture is not usually big enough to stick your head through, I would if I could, and I get as close to it as possible.

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