Hello, guys. How are you today? Hope you are good as ever. We are going to discuss about another thing regarding the most famous, exotic island in Indonesia, Bali.
Many foreigners that want to have a trip to Bali might be wondering, “are their country’s currency accepted in Bali?”. To be specific, US dollars, are they still accepted as a type of payment?
Well, to be clear, US dollar were actually accepted as a payment in Bali. But, since 2015, Indonesian National Bank (Bank Indonesia), forbids the use of currency other than Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) as a payment method in the state.
It was true that USD was accepted to pay any local transactions, but it is no longer allowed. Bank Indonesia strictly forbids with a rule that any transactions happen in Indonesia must be using Indonesian Rupiah.
Even though there are some exceptions those currencies other than Indonesian Rupiah are accepted, but this case is very rare. Only a few unregulated restaurants, tour/travel agencies, and freelancers are accepting foreign currency, in this case US Dollars. But, most of them will only accept the bills that are in perfect condition to ensure that the exchange rate is the best possible one.
So, what to do when you only have US Dollars when in Bali? There are some methods that you can do. You do not have to be panic.
Use the Money Changer Services
If you only have US Dollar or any currency other than Indonesian Rupiah, you can always change it in the money changer. There are numerous services that offer money changer.
. Only a few unregulated restaurants, tour/travel agencies, and freelancers are accepting foreign currency, in this case US Dollars.
But, be careful with the street money changers since they might be a bit tricky with the changing rates of the currency. So, be sure to know well about the current currency exchange rates every time you want to change your money.
Use Credit Card
If you cannot find any money changer, you can always use credit card as the payment method. Many restaurants and hotels in the main tourist areas are accepting credit cards with no strict requirements. So, having credit card in your pocket is a nice shortcut when you don’t have any Indonesian Rupiah left.
You can also use Visa or MasterCard since there are many ATMs that you can use to withdraw money. By using Visa or MasterCard, you can withdraw up to 10 million Indonesian Rupiah each day. So, having Visa or MasterCard is the best choice of making payments when you are traveling in Bali, Indonesia.
Even though US Dollars and any currencies other than Indonesian Rupiah are not acceptable in most transaction method, there are many way those foreigners can do. There are plenty of services around the cities in Bali that offer money changer.
Foreigners can also use Visa or MasterCard, either it is debit or credit, to withdraw money in many ATMs spread in the big cities. So, you don’t have to worry travelling in Bali. Have a good trip in Bali, fellas.