Bahamian Dollars
Get ready for your trip to the Bahamas. Order your Bahamian Dollars at Manor FX today. Our great exchange rates mean you'll have more BSD cash to spend. Have your Bahamian Dollar banknotes delivered securely to your home or office, or pick them up from the Manor FX bureau near Heathrow.
Manor FX offers fast delivery times and a fuss-free online ordering process for your Bahamian dollar travel money.
Travel advise: payments in the Bahamas
Jet off well-informed to the Bahamas. Here are some handy facts about cash and card payments in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
Credit and debit card payments are accepted by most vendors in the Bahamas. Chip and pin card terminals are being rolled out in the Bahamas. Vendors that still have the old style 'Swipe and Sign' card terminal won't be able to accept British credit or debit cards, unless the swipe-and-sign feature has been enabled. By default, British cards don't have swipe and sign payments enabled.
If you are going to pay by card in the Bahamas, be aware of currency conversion fees: British banks may charge for payments abroad. In addition the exchange rate offered on international payments may be not so competitive.
The Bahamas is included on HMRC's list of high risk jurisdictions for tax evasion. Check with your bank before you travel if they can accept payments made in the Bahamas. Before using your bank card for payments in the Bahamas or anywhere in the Caribbean, it's always a good idea to contact your bank. This will avoid your card becoming blocked due to international transactions that your bank may find suspicious.
It's a good idea to take cash with you on your trip to the Bahamas. This can either be US Dollars or Bahamas Dollars. All vendors accept both currencies at the same rate: The Bahamian Dollar is at par with the US dollar, meaning the US dollar and Bahamian dollar have a 1:1 exchange rate. Both currencies are interchangeable and circulate alongside each other.
The money situation in the Bahamas is comparable to the local banknotes issued by banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland: Bahamian dollar banknotes are accepted for domestic payments at par, but they are difficult to exchange abroad.
Vendors only accepting cash include market traders and taxi drivers. Taking a mix of Bahamas dollars and US dollars on your trip to the Bahamas is a good idea. Vendors may not accept US dollar banknotes unless they are crisp, clean and from the latest series. When paying by US dollars, vendors prefer $20 notes and up. Having Bahamas dollars available, especially in lower denominations, will ensure that you have an accepted means of payment at all times during your stay in the Bahamas.
The Bahamas are not a cheap destination: Prices are on average 23% higher than prices in the UK.
For a coffee in a cafe in Freeport you can expect to pay around $4.50 BSD. A three-course meal in a mid-range restaurant will cost around $40 BSD per person.
Tipping in the Bahamas is similar to tipping at home, and is also similar to tipping etiquette in Northern America and the European mainland.
When table service is involved, you are expected to leave a tip. A 10% to 15% tip is normal and you can tip more if you are very happy about the service.
Banknotes in the Bahamas
HM Queen Elizabeth II used to be on all Bahamian dollar banknotes. While this is no longer the case, the Queen is still on the banknotes of $10 and $100 Bahamian Dollars. In addition, new banknotes of $3 and 50c were issued in 2019 and these banknotes also feature Queen Elizabeth II.
The banknotes in circulation in the Bahamas are dated 2005 and later. The following denominations are in use: 50 cents, $1, $3, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 BSD.
Coins in the Bahamas
Bahamian coins range from 1 cent to 25 cents. An unusual denomination of 15 cents is in use: the square 15 cents coin is often brought back by tourists as a novelty or souvenir.
the Bahamas' currency import and export regulations
Travellers can take an unlimited amount of foreign currency into and out of the Bahamas.
Ordering Bahamian Dollars online
Order Bahamian Dollars online and have them delivered fast and securely to your home or office, with Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed®. Or pick them up from our travel money shop near Heathrow. Click here to buy Bahamian Dollars online.
Selling back Bahamian Dollars
If you have Bahamian Dollars to sell, follow this link to exchange Bahamian Dollars to Pounds, click on 'sell currency' and select 'BSD Bahamian Dollar'. We'll pay good rates for your leftover Bahamian Dollars.
