Another Route Taxi Question

[Marko]

ValueMaster and the NCB ATM beside it for J's......



Cool Runnings, Marko

[Sweetness]

Maybe someone could link to the Rob post that set out the taxi information.

bj - the taxis outside the front door of HiLo are not "route" taxis they are charter and the price varies and is agreed upon by driver and passenger. You can go out the front of HiLo plaza to the street and hail a taxi (make sure the route is listed on the side of the vehicle as these are insured licensed rides w/red plates) There is a taxi park next to Scotia where you can change to a West End cliffs route taxi (you may have to wait a few minutes for more people to join the ride before taking off). Cliffs to town $100J out to Out of Town pastry approx. - Town to beach $100J per person out to the big hotels apprx....(out to Half Moon Beach is 50-80J more). Rob and others can explain better the licensed charter scenario - I don't ever use them besides day tours - I am just a bit nervous on liability and usually have to budget because I stay longer and often use taxis daily. For a group, etc. maybe a charter ride makes more sense but....coming from cliffs many taxis will be going thru town to the BUS park by the police station but will drop you by Burger King and you can catch a beach taxi by hailing one there. I ask my driver if he is going to the park or can he take me on to the beach.

Melody I never heard of China mon store in the Burger King parking lot exchanging traveller's cheques & cash at a good rate but many here on the board know WAY more than me. There is a Cambio next to Scotia Bank with many services. Have always just called it the China Man store (lol).

Rock had a good suggestion - most hotels have a driver recommended by the property and you can make friends and agree on a fare price for your needs. Usually the answer is NO PROBLEM......

Getting around is easy peezy just make sure you are in licensed insured vehicles. [I hope I said all that right - don't want to give mis-information]

[Sweetness]

great photos Marko!!!! WOW they must have painted the store and built an entrance.....NICE NICE.......

[Melody]

wow, those photos are wonderful! I see on my map that there is a cambio inbetween the Scotiabank and the Coral Seas Plaza....or is it in the plaza? Is this the cambio you use Marko?

This is a dumb question, but the actual banks (NCB, Scotiabank) are not considered cambios? Are they not places to use to exchange cash, or cash traveller's cheques? Do they charge fees above what cambios do?

I did read elsewhere that the Kone store (China Mon - Thanks for giving the name Marko!) exchanges money at a very good rate - can anyone here confirm? Maybe it's just provided to customers for their purchases and change back. I would like to get my phone @ Digicel first before getting loaded down with supplies, so would prefer to get money & phone on the one side of the street and then cross the street to Value Master, and be done. Value Master has full size liquor bottles and beer? Does anyone know what time Digicel closes on Saturdays?

It looks like the Kone store has a pretty good variety of liquor, and I've read the prices are good, and it's also open on Sunday? But I would prefer to get a couple larger bottles and perhaps more variety as far as other items at Value Master, the day we arrive (Saturday).

BTW Marko, it was a post of yours regarding MegaMart that helped me know exactly what to do for my first trip in February. Thank you!!

[booger]

Last time I exchanged at the China mon store it was either $83J-$1us or $84J-$1us. Not bad, but not as good as you get at a Cambio. I prefer Banmarc up on the West End as I have yet to have much of a wait. Usually in and out.

[Melody]

Thanks Booger, good to know. When you exchanged at the China mon store, did you purchase something, or only exchange money? While on the Digicel lot, I'd like to get at least enough cash to purchase the phone, but as I plan to cross the street to Value Master right after, I would skip purchasing at China mon, unless I'd need to (to get the cash). I'll have to look into how much my bank at home will ding me for getting a small amount of JMD before leaving, for the phone & incidentals until hitting the cambio. I've read that I'd get a poor exchange rate for JMD at home (Canada). On say, only $100, either way shouldn't be too much of a hit, but I'd still like to determine which is the best way to go.

[Marko]

wow, those photos are wonderful! I see on my map that there is a cambio inbetween the Scotiabank and the Coral Seas Plaza....or is it in the plaza? Is this the cambio you use Marko?

The Cambio is a small self contained building that I have been using over 15 years...
and it right where I was standing when I took the pic of ValueMaster / NCB ATM photo above........

This is a dumb question, but the actual banks (NCB, Scotiabank) are not considered cambios? Are they not places to use to exchange cash, or cash traveller's cheques? Do they charge fees above what cambios do?

they are banks.........you can exchange cash or travelers checks at NCB or Scotia but the lines are usually longer than a Cambio

I did read elsewhere that the Kone store (China Mon - Thanks for giving the name Marko!) exchanges money at a very good rate - can anyone here confirm? Maybe it's just provided to customers for their purchases and change back. I would like to get my phone @ Digicel first before getting loaded down with supplies, so would prefer to get money & phone on the one side of the street and then cross the street to Value Master, and be done. Value Master has full size liquor bottles and beer? Does anyone know what time Digicel closes on Saturdays?

It looks like the Kone store has a pretty good variety of liquor, and I've read the prices are good, and it's also open on Sunday? But I would prefer to get a couple larger bottles and perhaps more variety as far as other items at Value Master, the day we arrive (Saturday).

BTW Marko, it was a post of yours regarding MegaMart that helped me know exactly what to do for my first trip in February. Thank you!!

Kone prices are very hard to beat on what they carry..........
it's not a very large store so they must be fairly limited on how much they can carry........
just think of Kones as your local conveince store without the high prices.........
personally I would shop Kone first and what you can't find at Kones I would purchase at ValueMaster as their selection is large and yes the carry larger bottles......

I wouldn't think Kone was in exchange business but they will give change in J's when you purchase something..........

glad mi was some help for you February reach...........mi always learning too........

Cool Runnings, Marko

[bjritz]

Melody, have your driver stop along the way to the hotel. Are you staying beach or cliffs? There is a cambio in front of Coral Seas Plaza. I used that one and the one next to the HiLo. Our driver was able to walk us past everyone in line at the HiLo one to a side room and we were quickly fixed up.

[Sam I Am]

I have used the China Man store strictly for exchange when the cambios were closed.

[Yvonne]

Exchange at the cambio in Coral Seas Plaza was $86.50J = $1US Saturday, up from $86.20 when I first arrived. I like using that cambio... nice staff, good location to other places I go in town, etc.