CREDIT & DEBIT CARDS ACCEPTABILITY:
 You
can use some of the major credit cards to withdraw money from various
bank counters in Gambia. Some hotels, restaurants,
airline flights from Banjul
Airport to Europe, car rentals
companies and ground tour operators will accept either American
Express, MasterCard, Visa, Diners Club or Discover if agreed before
your departure or at the beginning your stay.
Some local businesses, such as supermarkets, accept electronic payments
using Visa debit cards or Mastercard using a POS terminal. It is strongly
advised that you first contact your credit card company in your country
before travelling to inform them of your travel plans. Furthermore you
should contact your designated hotel and ask them whether they will
accept your payment card before travelling. The last thing you want
is for your credit or debit card to be automatically blocked while on
holiday due to unusual geographical use.
TRANSACTION CHARGES:
Credit card fees can be as much as 5% in some hotels. You are really
better off using your card for emergencies only and use travellers'
cheques and your own foreign currency instead. You can then change your
money as you need it when you get to The Gambia.
Visa Electron Debit Cards and the Visa
Classic Debit Cards are accepted by some banks to make ATM cash withdrawals.
As long as you have the funds available, you may have to make multiple
withdrawals as the maximum single amount dispensed at one time is often
limited to a maximum amount per day. Transaction charges will often
apply per withdrawal making it a costly way to obtain Dalasis.
Visa TravelMoney is a compromise between
travellers' cheques and plastic cards. It is a prepaid card which means
you can withdraw cash at an ATM. Each time a withdrawal is made the
amount is automatically deducted from the card.
MasterCard prepaid, credit and debit
cards can be used at GTBank Gambia ATMs and Point of Sale (POS) terminals
including hotels, retailers and restaurants located in the Greater Banjul
area. This allows you to make electronic payments and cash withdrawals
in the local currency, the Dalasi. For travellers there is an ATM that
is conveniently located on the Bertil Harding Highway, near the Senegambia
Strip junction in Kololi.
American Express (Amex) is accepted
by some of the major hotels and some of the more up-market restaurants.
Diners Club has a limited number of
establishments that accept them.
Maestro cards cannot be used so far
in The Gambia.
Discover card has only a few establishments
that accept them.
Solo and Switch cards are not accepted.
Do talk to your card company or designated accommodation about acceptability
before making any travel plans. Also Look at the back of your card to
see if there is a Cirrus or PLUS logo as they have the widest payment
network worldwide. |
Travel Advice | Money
Hotels
& Credit Card Acceptability 
You
can use some of the major credit cards to withdraw money from various
bank counters in Gambia. Some hotels, restaurants,
airline flights from Banjul
Airport to Europe, car rentals
companies and ground tour operators will accept either American
Express, MasterCard, Visa, Diners Club or Discover if agreed before
your departure or at the beginning your stay.
