Money

Both the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands use the U.S. dollar as the form of currency.

British and Canadian travelers will have to convert their currency into U.S. dollars. Banks on the islands are your only option if you need to exchange currency. These rates can be expensive, and additional charges are often tacked on; it is best to change money before you arrive. Conversions between the U.S. dollar and other currencies fluctuate, and the differences could affect the relative costs of your trip.

Frommer's lists exact prices in the local currency. The currency conversions quoted below were correct at press time. However, rates fluctuate, so before departing consult a currency exchange website such as www.oanda.com/convert/classic to check up-to-the-minute rates.

ATMs

There seems to be no shortage of ATMs in the Virgin Islands, all of which dispense U.S. dollars. They are everywhere -- on the downtown streets of Charlotte Amalie, within the large resorts, and in shopping arcades -- making it easy to get quick cash. ATMs are most prevalent in Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, and in Christiansted on St. Croix. They are also available in Cruz Bay on St. John and in the British Virgin Islands on Tortola and Virgin Gorda. The other islands do not have ATMs, so if you're planning a visit, be sure to visit an ATM to get some cash first.

Each machine charges around $2 to $3 for a transaction fee. Nearly all of the machines are operated by three banks: Scotiabank (www.scotiabank.com), FirstBank (www.firstbankvi.com), and Banco Popular (www.bancopopular.com/vi).

Credit Cards & Debit Cards

Many establishments in the Virgin Islands, including most of those recommended in this guide, accept credit cards, recognizing that visitors do not feel comfortable walking around with a wad of cash. However, visitors should be aware that a lot of establishments accept only cash. In recent years, though, local hotels, restaurants, and stores have begun accepting credit cards in order to survive. Some shop owners have said that they fear a great loss of business if they don't take plastic.

MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted on all the islands that cater to visitors, especially Virgin Gorda, Tortola, St. John, St. Croix, and, of course, St. Thomas. In the past few years, there has been a tendency to drop American Express because of the high percentage it takes from transactions with shopkeepers.

However, visitors should not rely solely on credit cards, since many establishments in the Virgin Islands accept only cash. Often, villas and condos or small inns will only accept cash or personal checks in advance. You will also want to arm yourself with cash while browsing the small boutiques and curio shops throughout the islands, as most do not take credit cards.