General Information:
 1 Dalasi
= 100 Bututs.
Notes come in denominations of D5,
10, 25, 50 and 100.
 Coins come
in units of b5, 10, 25, 50 and a 1 Dalasi coin. The smallest
unit is now no longer in use and has been phased out.
In 2009 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 and
Basse.
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 traveller's 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 and 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. This has become less common
now (though some still operate under cover) since the activity of
these people was at first regulated then officially outlawed.
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.
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Exchange Rates  |
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 October and usually remains valid until April
of the following year.
Cost of Daily Goods:
(street
prices)
Beer (300ml): D25
Bottle of soft drink D8
(returned bottle)
Bottle of soft drink D11 (incl. deposit)
Bread
- Senfurr: D3
Mineral water:
D30
Newspaper: D10
Petrol - litre D32
Diesel - litre D30
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 in Gambia 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.
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