Are there any ATMs In El Nido?
Yes! There are many ATMs in El Nido,
However if none of them are working with your card, or you want to avoid using ATMs for whatever reason, check back here for our guide below. It explains how you can send yourself money online and pick it up at an authorized local cash pick up point.
It is a very similar process to buying something on the internet with your debit card and is probably the quickest way to send yourself money online to El Nido.
There’s also currently a promo code so you pay NO FEE on your first money transfer. What’s more, it’s convenient, safe and often cheaper than paying high ATM withdrawal fees allowing you to transfer more than the maximum ATM limit.
Unfortunately, ATM fraud in The Philippines is not uncommon….. Check out our Travel Money Tips for what to look out for and more general information covering pre-trip planning, fees, scams, and general safety.
It’s worth knowing that a Wise (formerly TransferWise) MasterCard can help reduce your home bank fees and gives a great exchange rate on purchases. With their borderless account / card you can hold your money in more than 40 currencies and use the debit card to get your cash out with low conversion fees and zero home transaction fees. Click here for more info.
*Top Tip: Euronet Branded ATMs in El Nido are known to be susceptible to skimming devices. These machines can also cost you up to 15% of your hard earned cash. Whilst the withdrawal fee only shows 200-250p, together with the hidden exchange rate bias, the cost can be up to 15% of your withdrawal!
See this link for an interesting article about this https://travellingclaus.com/not-use-euronet-atms-travel/
Getting Cash Without Using An ATM In El Nido:
– Send Money To El Nido & Pick It Up Locally
If you find an ATM in El Nido to be unreliable, you can simply use your ATM card (debit/credit) or bank details to quickly and securely send yourself funds online through a reputable International money transfer service that has a local partner in El Nido where you can pick up your money within a few hours.
Our guide below introduces such a service that has a partnership with the domestic money transfer service, Mlhuillier (open daily 8am-6:30pm) on Real Street opposite the big church in the center of El Nido town.
We actually live here and also access funds this way because, besides being more cost effective for us, it’s also nice to know that the ATM card won’t get stuck in a machine if the power goes out!
It’s also worth mentioning to avoid using Western Union or Moneygram as the Fees are high.
– Step By Step Guide… incl. fee free promo code
Note: The process is quicker than the detailed guide suggests. It is currently possible to send from 50 countries, however, Israel and a few others are not yet included due to local government policies
- To begin, click World Remit LTD
(IMPORTANT: If you don’t see ‘Philippines’ in the Choose a Country To Send To list, this is because you must first choose which overseas country to send money from. The “Send From” option can be found at the top of the page on PC/Laptop. On mobile it is the last option in the drop down menu at the top of the page represented by the 3 horizontal lines) - Once You have chosen ‘Philippines’ as the Country To Send To, click “Get Started”
- On the next page make sure the Cash Pickup tab is ticked and click “Continue”
- On the next page, where it says “Select a cash pickup payout network” choose Mlhuillier.
- Enter the amount to send in your currency or receive in Peso. The exchange rate & fee (which you can remove with a promo code later) will automatically show. Once you’re happy click “Continue”. You are then prompted to register / create an account.
There is no need for a referral code on this page as you will apply your fee-free promo code on the payment page as you process your money transfer. - Once registered you will input details of who you are sending the money to, so for the recipient, put yourself (as your name appears on your Passport) and use the address of your current accommodation. You will also be required to provide a local mobile number, however if you don’t have one, people have successfully used all zeros, or asked their accommodation to use their number.
- When it comes to payment details, it is important to make sure your name and address match the name on your Debit card and the billing address is used. Don’t forget to use the promotion code “FREE” (without quotes) on the payment page to get your first transfer FEE-FREE!
If your card payment fails for any reason, select the Sofort option and pay using your online banking log-in details. - Almost instantly you will receive a welcome email (don’t worry if this does not arrive) and a confirmation email of your transfer informing you to wait for a further email. In most cases this takes 10-30 minutes (longer if paying via bank details & not debit card or your financial situation is complicated). The final email will say whether identity / regulatory checks have been completed and inform you if your transfer is available to pick up. Note: Sometimes further information may be required from you before they can process the transfer, however this is unlikely in most cases.
- Once complete just go to Mlhuillier and collect your money. Show your Passport and quote reference “WorldRemit” with your 8-digit transaction reference number.
We update this guide every month or so, however, if you have any feedback to help keep this guide up-to-date or make it more comprehensive and easier for others to follow, please Message us on Facebook
Sending Money To A Bank Account Instead
You can also use the above method to quickly transfer money to an overseas bank account, perhaps to pay for your accommodation or an activity. The promo code above for NO FEES on your first money transfer also applies for these transactions.
Click HERE for this service.
IMPORTANT: If you don’t see ‘Philippines’ in the Choose a Country To Send To list, this is because you must first choose which overseas country to send money from. The “Send From” option can be found at the top of the page on PC/Laptop. On mobile it is the last option in the drop down menu at the top of the page represented by the 3 horizontal lines.
Once You have chosen ‘Philippines’ as the Country To Send To, click “Get Started”
On the next page make sure the ‘Bank Transfer’ tab is ticked, click “Continue” and proceed with your transfer.
For more information visit this FAQs section.
Wise, formerly TransferWise is another service that also offers bank transfers. If you are new to the service, and follow THIS LINK, you will automatically pay NO FEES on your first transfer of up to £500 (or the equivalent amount in any other currency).
Arguably the best thing about them is that they give you the mid-market rate on the currency exchange, so it’s much cheaper than a traditional bank to bank wire transfer. You won’t need any SWIFT or IBAN numbers, just the name of the account holder, their account number, the bank name and branch location.
Useful Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Nido,_Palawan
*** ATMs In El Nido ***