Canadian dollar or US Dollar

Here's a question for Canadians: as I hate getting dinged twice, should I bring Canadian dollars or exchange it to US dollars?

US.

Bring US$ -- it is accepted almost everywhere in Belize. When using it, the exchange rate is US$1 = BZ$2.

Canadian dollars are generally not accepted anywhere. They can be exchanged at only one bank, Belize Bank, and they will collect a small percentage -- not worth it.

And make sure you get rid of all your BZ dollars before leaving Belize -- very difficult to exchange outside Belize.

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Canadian dollars are generally not accepted anywhere. They can be exchanged at only one bank, Belize Bank, and they will collect a small percentage -- not worth it.

And the anywhere applies to the world in general. The Canadian loonie is the same as Crappy Tire money, fine for use in Canada but regarded as monopoly money in the rest of the world.

Here in El Salvador Canadian money can NOT be changed anywhere even at a bank.

When travelling always carry some US$ as backup.

Its settled then, Ill exchange half of my trip money to US currency and carry it on me,
Are ATM machines in San Ignacio and caye Caulker reliable?. Ill be withdrawing BZ currency using my Canadian debit card.

Banks with an ATM are located in every city and main town. ATMs use the Cirrus/Plus system (no Union Pays system ATMs in Belize), accept Visa, Mastercard and some other cards, and they dispense BZ currency. The maximum limits for withdrawals are: BZ$1500 at Atlantic Bank, BZ$600 or $800 at Scotiabank, and BZ$500 at Belize Bank. Scotiabank and Belize Bank also charge an ATM fee, BZ$4 and BZ$3 respectively.

I've never had any problems with the ATMs in Belize. I use the ATM at Atlantic Bank and have never been charged an ATM fee by Atlantic Bank. I was told the maximum withdrawal from an Atlantic Bank ATM is BZ$1500, but the most I've ever taken out at one time is BZ$1000.

I have read other posts where people have reported that ATMs sometimes run out of money on weekends.

you assume nothing is reliable in a country like belize and plan accordingly.

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Canadian dollars abroad? Stick with the almighty US Dollar, there is a reason is the defacto currency that you can spend just about anywhere, especially the developing world.

The Best option is to stick to using a debit or preloaded credit card in your countries currency!

As nine times out of 10 you will be ripped off on exchange charges changing US to the local currency.

Only keep a few US$ in case of emergency.

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The exchange rate at the Belize borders is usually a little better than the normal 2-1 for US Dollars. The money changers in Granada near the bank also gave me a slightly better rate and no lines. I think we can agree that changing Canadian Dollars to US Dollars before you leave home is the most beneficial for traveling with some cash but a low fee ATM card is the best all around for convenience and rates.

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You must not of changed money on the Cambodia/Laos border.

???????????????

What does changing Cambodian Riel to Lao Kip have to do with US/CAD currency?

No I haven't as I never crossed that border but I have changed Cambodian Riel to Thai Baht and Vietnamese Dong, Thai Baht to Lao Kip with the border money changers no problem.

As stated before, in case you missed it, I never during an 11 month RTW had the need to use my emergency US$.

So it's just plain ludicrous to advise a Canadian to waste money changing CAD to USD!

How can so many comments be removed when talking about changing bucks?

Yea Boomer, the old grouch is back...

Busman, You are the one that mentioned RTW travel and SE Asia, since you claim to be a well seasoned traveler, and Cambodia/Laos (and Thailand/Cambodia)border is probably as infamous as any for exchange rates not in the tourist favor, you should be well aware of that issue.

The US Dollar is the defacto currency, bottom-line, not the lowly Canadian Dollar, which is rarely listed on the top 5 currencies of any window in a airport exchanging money, well behind the Euro, Pounds, RMB, Yen etc etc...

Give it up.

The US Dollar is the defacto currency, bottom-line, not the lowly Canadian Dollar, which is rarely listed on the top 5 currencies of any window in a airport exchanging money, well behind the Euro, Pounds, RMB, Yen etc etc...

No one is disputing that well known fact but there is NO need for a Canadian to exchange money(especially to US$) when they can simply withdraw the local currency from an ATM with their Canadian bank debit card.