Just landed - wondering what gives the better rate in Guinea: ATM withdrawal or airport exchange counter?
For Guinea, if you want to save, use Ecobank or Banque Internationale pour le Commerce ATMs in Conakry’s main districts. The airport exchange is okay for emergencies but you get much more for your money with ATM withdrawals.
Ecobank ATMs in Conakry worked great. I avoided the airport exchange counter because of the terrible rate. Banking hours can be limited, so I recommend withdrawing when you arrive and planning your cash needs because some towns don’t have many ATMs.
When I got to Guinea, ATM rates at Ecobank near Kaloum were way better than the airport exchange counters. The airport rates were marked down quite a bit and felt like an easy way for them to profit off tourists. Always check your withdrawal fees on the ATM.
I landed in Conakry and used Ecobank ATMs which gave me much better rates than the airport exchange counter. The counter had a high commission and a poor rate. Withdrawing cash from an ATM was smoother even with the minor fees involved.