Not sure if I should carry coins for public transport in Guadeloupe or if card payments are common. Advice?
For Guadeloupe, grab euros from Crédit Agricole or Société Générale ATMs in town. Use cards for hotels, big stores, and car rentals, but always have coins for buses or ferries. Public transport is cheap but strictly cash-only. Don’t count on drivers having change.
I landed at Pointe-à-Pitre with no small change, and the bus driver to Le Gosier wouldn’t accept a €20 bill. Had to wait for another traveller to break it for me. ATMs worked fine with my Monzo Visa, but lesson learned - always get coins for buses. Cards just aren’t an option.
I stayed at E. Gwada Hostel in Pointe-à-Pitre and took buses to Sainte-Anne for €1.50. All paid in cash to the driver. My Wise Visa worked perfectly at a Crédit Agricole ATM in Le Gosier. Restaurants and larger shops took cards, but buses never did. Carry coins and small notes for smooth travel.
Guadeloupe uses the euro, and public buses and taxis are all cash-only. ATMs from Crédit Agricole, Banque Postale, or Société Générale in Pointe-à-Pitre and Le Gosier work with foreign cards. Card payments are fine in supermarkets or hotels, but not for transport. Bring small euro coins for buses.