LaPaz Blog

Paradise in La Paz

Exchanging dollars to pesos

Posted on September 20, 2009 Written by Lorenzo

Exchanging money in La Paz is more challenging these days. The banks I normally use will no longer exchange U.S. dollars for pesos. We have to use a cambio, or money changing service.

I am told this is a government regulation to stem the flow of drug money, but cannot confirm it. It seems to happen periodically. One time the banks can’t/won’t exchange my dollars, the next time they will.

Cambios collect a commission for their service, so you are not getting the best rate on your exchange. Today they are exchanging 12.5 pesos per U.S. dollar, while the bank rate is 13.28. If you exchange, say, $1000.00 U.S.,  the difference is over $60 US.

It may be worth your while to check with your local bank a few days before your trip to La Paz. Our banker at Chase said they need 48 hours to order pesos and will exchange at the bank rate.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: cambio, exchange money, exchange rate, La Paz, Mexico, money changing service, peso

Bus To Cabo, La Paz & Baja

Posted on May 9, 2009 Written by Lorenzo

It is difficult to locate the website for the aforementioned Aguila bus line that can transport you between Los Cabos, Todos Santos, La Paz, or most of the Baja peninsula for that matter. In fact, many posts on Answers.com and other blogs say they have no website and you must call for the schedule. This is not true but you’ll be hard pressed to reach the website even through a lengthy Google search.

We present the link for you here, and suggest you bookmark the website or save the link so you won’t have to search for it when you need it.

 www.peninsulaejecutivo.com

The website is in Spanish, but even if you don’t read the language, the schedule and fare sections are pretty straight-forward.

If you speak enough Spanish, you can also call the Aguila bus station in San Jose at 011-52 (624) 142-1100- for schedules, routes and prices. You probably won’t reach someone who speaks much English.

From La Paz, you will catch the Aguila bus from the station conveniently located right on the Malecon. You can also catch it in Todos Santos,  Cabos San Lucas, or near downtown San Jose del Cabo.

From the airport in San Jose, you’ll have to take the shuttle ($13 U.S. in February 2009) to the Aguila bus station.  You can pay the fare to San Lucas, Todos Santos or La Paz right on the bus, in pesos.

If money is no object, you can take one of the many cabs from the airport to the Aguila bus station on Valerio Gonzalez Boulevard in San Jose del Cabo. We were hustled by a driver who said he WAS the shuttle, which we believed until he quoted $50 U.S. for the 8 mile ride to the bus station.  The shuttle is a large bus which will park right outside the exit from Customs once it arrives.

The first stop may be the liquor store, where you can load up on cold beer or other refreshments at a better price than your hotel. Undoubtedly the driver gets a kickback, so it works for everybody.

Note that almost everything is quoted and demanded in U.S. dollars at the airport, but in town, either pesos or dollars are often accepted. You will often get a better rate if you pay in pesos. Some places, such as the bus system, accept only pesos.

Change a little U.S. into pesos at the airport if you need to, but save the bulk for a better exchange rate. The last time we changed money at the San Jose airport, we lost about 2 pesos per dollar.

Your trip will take between 2-1/2 and 3-1/2 hours, depending upon the route taken. Buses travel north from San Jose to La Paz, or south to Cabo San Lucas, around the tip of the peninsula, then north to La Paz.

Three years ago we rented a car in San Jose del Cabo and drove the east cape north to La Paz. Along the way we asked a lady waiting at a remote bus stop if she wanted a ride. She accepted and between her few words of English and our small selection of Spanish, we had a delightful drive to La Paz.

There are all kinds of ways to make the trip interesting :=)

Filed Under: Transportation Tagged With: Add new tag, Aguila, Baja, Baja peninsula, bcs, bus, bus to La Paz, East Cape, exchange rate, La Paz, Los Cabos, pesos, todos santos

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