There are no banks in Mahahual, only ATM machines in town and at the port. Most of the people who work in the restaurants, beach clubs, and at the port make their money off the tourists from cruise ships, so most people here get paid in cash. It is hard to cash in dollars for pesos here, because most stores in the surrounding villages and towns, where most people who work here live, prefer pesos over dollars. When the cruise ships are in town all the stores here take dollars and euros, or anything anybody has. Also I lot of Europeans travel through here and need to acquire pesos.
On the malecon here there is a moving, mobile bank on a bike. Every day when a cruise ship is in town Ricardo Tolosa works the malecon and the town here on his bike trading dollars for pesos. Tolosa also services a lot of the bars and beach restaurants on the malecon and in the area with change and money exchange. Every week when I get paid I look him up and change my USA dollars for pesos. His exchange rate is competitive and saves everyone a trip to Cancun or Chetumal to exchange money. Tolosa carries a calculator with him and a bag and goes door to door doing his thing. To me it is kind of funny to do my banking with a guy on a bike, but hey it is Mexico, what can I say. Just keeping it simple.
Tolosa also owns Cabanitas De Colores, (Cabins of Colors) here in Mahahual and rents these by the day, week, or month. I will put a picture of Tolosa and his cabins below.
Thanks, think I’ve seen him around but didn’t know he exchanged. We’ll have to look him up this winter. It sure would be nice to have a small bank in town, someday.
Not long ago the guys and I were discussing where you traded your dollars for pesos. Figured you sent Maggie to Chetumal. Up around Akumal everybody want our dollars not Pesos. But of course they have easy access to banks….. Mr. Burns says howdy! Ms. Burns
Reblogged this on Life at Mahahual, Mexico on the Costa Maya.