General Information: The Gambian currency is the Dalasi = 100 Bututs. Banknotes come in denominations of D5, 10, 25, 50 and 100. Coins come in units of 25, 50 and a 1 Dalasi coins. The smallest unit is no longer in circulation. Travellers' Cheques: Generally speaking you get a better deal when you change cash into the local money than you would get with using travellers cheques at a bank or exchange bureau. However, if you are staying for a longer period it is more advisable to keep use the cheques for reasons of security, as they can normally be replaced within 24 hours from the time you report the loss or theft.  Hold a copy of the original receipt and note down their serial numbers. This is because a few banks will not honour your cheques without your original receipt. The most popular travellers cheques used in The Gambia are Thomas Cook (ABTA & IATA protected) & American Express (Amex) who have a widespread network and efficient replacement system in place. To minimise the chances of monetary loss do keep them in the resort's in-room safes or at the reception desk's safety deposit box. Other Cheques: Euro-Cheques are also accepted but must be paid into an account. You can also cash a cheque from your personal account originating from the UK when accompanied with a proof of identity which is nearly always your passport. Credit Cards Acceptability: In Gambia most of the major credit cards are accepted in many of the hotels and lodges. Some of the larger well established restaurants will also take them.  Do contact your hotel whether they will accept them before travelling. The majority of banks accept credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard & American Express. Charges for foreign exchange vary from each institution so it's worth shopping around. However, if you are changing a large amount they are prepared to improve their rates on-the-spot for you. ATM Cash Machines: Some cards can be used to withdraw money from most of the major Gambian banks which have ATM cash machines. Standard Chartered cash points will accept your Visa card at any of its local dispensing machines.  You sometimes have to make many withdrawals as the amount dispensed per withdrawal is often limited to a set maximum amount (often D2,000). Debit cards can sometimes be used however, you should note that fees are charged per transaction so it my prove quite costly if you need to make multiple withdrawals. If an ATM machine happens to have run out of cash after closing hours do try another branch & if it is the weekend roaming staff do often re-fill them a couple of times during the day, & sometimes in the early evenings. And finally, you may come across an "out-of-order message". This may not be the case. Be patient as it could be up and running a few minutes later! Black Market Rates: Tourists are advised to give a wide berth from local money changers who operate in the so called Parallel Market. Many locals used to change bills on the black market particularly at Serrekunda's Westfield Junction to get a better rate than they would have at the officially recognised exchange bureaus. Foreign Exchange Services: There are many foreign exchange services particularly around the Kololi area. They are often faster  and can often give you the best rates than you can get from a bank. Do be wary of signs that say zero commission as what you should look out for are the rates they have on offer offer. These are normally posted outside on the street on small signboards. For large amounts be prepared to haggle hard to get yourself the best deal and if they refuse to budge from their advertised rates then be prepared to move on to the next firm. An finally in order to avoid being short-changed don't assume you have been given the correct amount. Remember to count the bills given to you in front of the clerk and its also a good idea to also carry along a pocket calculator. Food Costs At Restaurants: (per person) Budget: £3-5 Middle-range: £6-17 Top-range: £18+ Your bill can vary wildly depending on where you eat. Basic cooked local food on a plate can be as little as £1.50 with fish and chips starting at around £2.00. If you are on a really tight budget and have a strong stomach you could try the local takeaways which are located to the east of the resorts where you can get what is in Gambia called a "plaate" which is basically the "dish of the day" for about .50 pence. Lodging Prices: (average per person) Budget: £10 or less Middle-range: £11-50 Top- range £51-£80 Deluxe class £81+ Note that the charges above do vary according to the season with lower prices being charged between May to September when demand for beds is much lower. The other factor to consider is he fluctuating exchange rate which can lead to an increase or decrease in the cost of boarding. However, the price level of a bed is usually set at the start of the season in mid-October and usually remains valid until April of the following year. Cost of Daily Goods: (Average 2013 street prices) Beer (300ml): D30 Bottle of soft drink D15 (returned bottle) Bottle of soft drink D20 (incl. deposit) Bread - Senfurr: D7 Mineral water: D30 Newspaper: D10 Petrol - litre D44 Diesel - litre D44 Tipping Advice: When you are staying in the major hotels it is expected that you are going to give a tip. This is an important source of income for the front desk / line staff in hotels and it has been estimated by the hoteliers that staff get about an equal amount of their monthly salaries from tips! Room service personnel also expect tips, but it is wiser to give them a small gratuity regularly, than waiting till your departure. Waiters & Waitresses:- You can tip around 5% of the total bill as a tip. When you consider that your restaurant meal may come to say £10 and that their daily wage is around £1.25. It is common to see tip boxes in many of the resort hotels as some staff do not get the chance to directly interact with tourist like waiters and reception staff. Touring:- When you go on an excursion it is normal to give a gratuity at the end of your tour of about D40 per person to be shared out by the guides. For longer trips running into a couple of days a tip of D100 should suffice. Taxis:- Never tip a driver unless of course they have gone out of their way to give you extra services like carry your luggage to your room or get you out of a problem then you can give them a moderate amount of money as a gift. Filthy Notes! Whenever you receive change, locally called "wechit", most likely than not it will be in a fairly tatty condition. One way to avoid this is to carry small change with you to minimise getting the ragged ones. Note: Later the Gambia is expected to adopt a new common currency called the ECO in line with the other West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) countries within the monetary union. If you are travelling to Dakar you may require CFA (pronounced "seffaa") Francs which is sometimes in use particularly in the portside shops in the capital, Banjul & Basse.