Travelling soon and looking for best ATMs in Cook Islands that work well with foreign debit/credit cards and dont charge crazy fees. Any recos will be highly appreciated.
On my Cook Islands trip, I used BSP ATMs almost exclusively. With my Wise Visa, I could withdraw NZD 1,000 at a time, paying a NZD 5.5 fee. ANZ worked with my HSBC debit, but limits were smaller. I usually withdrew once every three days for food, transport, and markets. Credit cards were accepted in resorts and some restaurants, but for daily life cash was the only option. Overall, ATMs were okay, but you need to plan carefully and take out enough while in Rarotonga.
Cook Islands can be tricky for ATMs if you rely only on foreign cards. My Revolut Mastercard was declined twice at an ANZ ATM in Rarotonga. When it finally worked, the limit was just NZD 650 with a NZD 7 fee. BSP was more reliable, but still capped at NZD 1,000 with a 5.5 fee. Machines sometimes ran out of cash on weekends. My advice: withdraw at the airport upon arrival and carry enough NZD, because outside Rarotonga, options are very limited.
I had a decent experience with ATMs in the Cook Islands. BSP ATMs at the airport accepted my Wise Visa, and I could take out NZD 500 per transaction. The fee was NZD 5, which isn’t too bad for an island destination. ANZ ATMs in downtown Avarua also worked fine with my Monzo card. I only withdrew twice during my stay since most accommodation accepted credit cards, but having cash was essential for scooters, local cafés, and fruit markets.
In the Cook Islands, BSP (Bank South Pacific) and ANZ are the two main ATM providers. I used my HSBC debit at BSP in Rarotonga, with a withdrawal limit of NZD 1,000 and a local fee of NZD 5.5. ANZ ATMs had similar limits but sometimes rejected my Mastercard. It did have a much higher fee of 7 NZD. BCI ATMs also charged me 7.5 NZD for 1000 dollar withdrawal. ATMs are limited mainly to Rarotonga and Aitutaki, so plan your withdrawals in advance. Cash is essential as many small shops and markets don’t take cards.