Does anybody recommend this? Or do the vendors automatically take the axchange rate in question when they give their price?

Are there relaible cash exchange houses in MBJ?

If you have Jamaican dollars (called "J") you will automatically be on the same page as any vendor. There are reliable ATM machines in MBJ; this is your best way of getting J. Alternatively, every bank in MBJ will have a foreign exchange window; cambios are plentiful and are often open beyond banking hours.

I've found that Jamaican vendors (including national grocery stores) give HORRIBLE exchange rates. I think it's best to exchange a few dollars at a time (a few being relative to how much you think you're going to spend) to avoid being stuck with them when you get ready to leave. I pull money out of ATMs while there to avoid the hassle of Cambios. On the other hand, if you go to the wrong ATM the exchange rate will screw your daily limit up (thus freezing you account). I have this problem on a few different islands (Jamaica, Anguilla, St Martin, St Barths) but it's quickly fixed with a call to my bank stateside.

On the other hand, if you go to the wrong ATM the exchange rate will screw your daily limit up (thus freezing you account). I have this problem on a few different islands (Jamaica, Anguilla, St Martin, St Barths) but it's quickly fixed with a call to my bank stateside.
Since you are having this problem on so many different islands is it possible that it is an issue with your particular stateside bank? I ask only because I've never had a problem with an ATM on any of these islands--using mostly Scotia Bank on Jamaica, and the French post office ATMs on SXM and SBH, and I don't remember where on AXA. I certainly would not like to spend holiday time phoning my bank back home. :)

It might be officially illegal, but you get more funny looks when you pay with Jamaican $. Banks always give the best exchange rate, but it's wise to avoid ATMs because of the possibility of accidentally freezing your account.

This makes me want to check out the current exchange rate. I remember back in 1994 I got a Red Stripe and Diet Coke for $99 Jamaican.

WOW! $1 US gets $66 Jamaican today. It was about US $1 : JA$30 back then.

I might just change it at the hotel since BofA does not have any realatioships with any banks in Jaimace...or do they? Does anyone know?

I think being a AAA member gets you free exchange currency if I am not mistaken....

Since you are having this problem on so many different islands is it possible that it is an issue with your particular stateside bank? I ask only because I've never had a problem with an ATM on any of these islands--using mostly Scotia Bank on Jamaica, and the French post office ATMs on SXM and SBH, and I don't remember where on AXA. I certainly would not like to spend holiday time phoning my bank back home. :)
Last year I lived most of the time (3.5 weeks out of every month) on Anguilla so most of my experience from there. Two of their local banks (CCB & NBA) would issue a "hold" and then actually make a "withdrawal" from my accout for the same amounts. So if I wanted $200 US (the ATMs there dish out US $ or EC $, your choice) the ATM would give me $200 and tell my bank to hold $400. The holds would sit on there forever (until I called). I remember having my account being "short" by a couple thousand and I called my bank stateside and they said the local bank had all of these holds on my account from months ago. They were all cleared up and instantly I got all that money back. The way I stopped that was to open up an account in the local bank and just pull money from there.

In MBJ, I ran into a problem of one of the ATMs not converting the currency correctly so I maxed out my daily ATM limit with J$500 (that's not even US$10).

Unfortunately for the local island banks, I mostly use foreign banks (ScotiaBank and National Bank of Paris).

guess I will advise my bank before I go then....