{"id":196253,"date":"2014-07-09T11:29:09","date_gmt":"2014-07-09T10:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.swoop-patagonia.co.uk\/?p=196253"},"modified":"2016-07-29T11:16:59","modified_gmt":"2016-07-29T10:16:59","slug":"swoops-tips-currency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swoop-patagonia.com\/blog\/swoops-tips-currency\/","title":{"rendered":"Swoop’s Tips on Currency"},"content":{"rendered":"

Customers often ask us about what currency to take with them to Patagonia, and how much to budget for their trip. Here are Swoop’s tip’s on how to take and spend your money…<\/p>\n

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1. How to Take your Money – Crebit\/Dedit Cards & USD$ Cash<\/span><\/h1>\n

ATMs<\/strong> are widely available in most major towns in Chile and Argentina (with one notable exception – see below) so withdrawing local currency with a credit\/debit card is not a problem; additionally most restaurants even in the darkest depths of Patagonia take credit\/debit cards as well. However, please don\u2019t just rely on one credit\/debit card, cards can be blocked, sometimes refused and lost so a backup card and\/or cash is essential.<\/p>\n

USD$ cash<\/strong> – it is always a good idea to take Dollars cash.<\/p>\n

In Chile<\/strong> this is very much as a back up and can be exchanged for local currency if you don\u2019t use a credit\/debit card. It isn\u2019t common to actually pay in dollars in Chile but in an emergency it would always be accepted over any other foreign currency. In fact, if you pay in dollars in restaurants you are likely to get a much worse rate than even the official rate.<\/p>\n

In Argentina,\u00a0<\/strong>up\u00a0until very recently, there was a black market so travelling with and spending USD$ cash was an absolute must. Since the arrival of the new government, the black market no longer exists, so in theory it makes no difference if you spend USD cash, use an ATM or use a credit card, the exchange rate should be the same.\u00a0<\/span>We think it is still a good idea to travel with USD cash although it will be much easier to exchange them at an official rate now that the black market no longer exists. Please bear in mind that this is all very new and so some parts of Patagonia might still be cheaper if spending USD$ cash.\u00a0Here is an interesting BBC article about the lifting of the Black Market:<\/span> https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/business-35123478<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Travellers cheques<\/strong> – not advised as they are hard to change and are given a very low rate.<\/p>\n

2. Getting Money Whilst in Patagonia<\/h1>\n

Argentina<\/strong><\/p>\n