Currency advice

ALLI · 14 Mar 2008 at 21:29

Off to Tunisia on Sunday. Went to buy Dinar today and was told that Tunisia is a closed (economy) I think she said...

So is it better to take sterling there and exchange for dinar, or exchange for euros here and then swap those for dinar?

Just tried calling HSBC. First the lady came back and said that I would need Canadian dollars.... Then when I explained I was going to Tunisia, she came back and told me I need dinar. Great help from customer services eh? No actual help at all.

2blue4u · 14 Mar 2008 at 21:32

Currency Restrictions
The import and export of local currency is strictly prohibited. The import of foreign currency is unlimited. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount imported although re-exchange of local into foreign currency must be only up to 30 per cent of the total imported, up to a maximum of TND100. All currency documentation must be retained.

I'd take dollars.

ALLI · 14 Mar 2008 at 21:38

so sterling to usd, and exchange the usd for dinar when i get there?

how bout coming back? dinar to euro and then euro to sterling when i get back to uk?

Sudden · 14 Mar 2008 at 23:22

ALLI said:
so sterling to usd, and exchange the usd for dinar when i get there?

how bout coming back? dinar to euro and then euro to sterling when i get back to uk?

I'd say that's a good idea. USD is a very universal currency. Accepted pretty much everywhere.

And euro while coming back is also good, in case you want to buy something at airports etc. etc.

Coran · 14 Mar 2008 at 23:39

Would taking GBP not be best rather than exchanging multiple times, when taking into account you're likely to be paying commission each time? Exchanging pretty much any currency was fine in Morocco. I wouldn't expect Tunisia to be too different in terms of this.

Sudden · 15 Mar 2008 at 01:31

Coran said:
Would taking GBP not be best rather than exchanging multiple times, when taking into account you're likely to be paying commission each time? Exchanging pretty much any currency was fine in Morocco. I wouldn't expect Tunisia to be too different in terms of this.

Not def. on the commission since lots of places do it free of charge. Though you do lose a bit in the exchange rate. But that in my opinion is worth it. I haven't been to Tunnisia so can't say, but if a place doesn't accept GPB, then you're pretty much screwed. When I went to China last year, a friend took pounds with him and I took dollars. Mostly his pounds were converted, but he had about a 100 or so in the new 20 quid notes and they refused to accept those. Took him a long time to find a place that would. Dollars on the other hand, universal currency. Never had a problem exchanging them anywhere. Safer bet imo.