Just landed - wondering what gives the better rate in Palau: ATM withdrawal or airport exchange counter?
My take: always use ATMs in Palau, unless you hit the airport super late and everything’s closed! The airport desk is open but the rate is never as good as the local banks. Just remember - sometimes ATMs run low on cash late at night, so grab what you need early.
Last month, I checked both the ATM and the airport counter after arriving - bank ATMs won easily, even after the $2-3 withdrawal fee. Airport exchange counters here really pad their margin. If you’ve got a Visa or Mastercard, hit the Bank of Guam ATM in Koror.
For Palau, I’d say skip the airport money changer unless you need a tiny amount for a taxi. Bank ATMs in town offer way more bang for your buck. The exchange counter looks convenient but you lose a lot on the spread. ATMs nearly matched the actual USD exchange.
Just landed in Koror and the ATMs - especially at Bank of Guam or Bank of Hawaii branches - gave me a much better rate than the airport exchange desk. The desk had a marked-up rate and extra fees. Even with a standard ATM withdrawal fee, I ended up with more dollars in hand.