I need to take out quite a bit of cash during my trip. Anyone know cheapest ATMs & daily withdrawal limits for foreign cards at Bonaire ATMs?
Bonaire’s ATM game is solid but expect to pay for convenience. MCB and Banco di Caribe ATMs are your best bets - MCB has 7.5$ and Cariba has 7.95 US dollars - both gave me 1,000 dollars in 1 transaction but i could not withdraw more in that one day. Overall, carrying fee-free travel cards helped me keep costs down.
On Bonaire, you'll mostly find Banco di Caribe and MCB bank ATMs. These don’t come cheap-fees i think MCB Bank had was $7 per withdrawal for foreigners. Daily limits are pretty generous though, I was able to get $1,000 USD, so it’s good if you want to avoid frequent small-withdrawal fees. Make sure to check your bank's daily limits too. I found the ATMs mostly working well around Kralendijk and near airport areas. Using fee-free cards helped save on local ATM charges. Definitely track your withdrawals as fees add up fast.
Used my Mastercard at an MCB ATM in Kralendijk and paid a $7.50 fee at MCB Bank, which felt high but expected for an island like Bonaire. Per transaction limit was around $1,000 USD, which works if you want to stock up on cash early. Banco di Caribe also has ATMs but fees are similar, i think a little more.. Carry back-up cash because sometimes the ATMs can be down or out of money on weekends.
In my experience, most foreign cards like Visa and Mastercard are accepted at key ATMs operated by Banco di Caribe and Maduro & Curiel’s Bank (MCB). Expect ATM fees around $5.30 to $7.95 per withdrawal. MCB charged me 7.5 US dollars and Caribe bank 7.95 US dollars - what a rip off. Daily withdrawal limits generally max out at about $1,000 USD at these ATMs. Pro tip: Always decline the currency conversion option at the ATM to avoid extra fees and opt to be charged in USD. ATMs are available 24/7, mostly in Kralendijk and near popular tourist spots.