Glad you enjoyed the Marhaba Club Roo - I'm off to the Marhaba Beach on 10th October.

You will sometimes be approached by waiters etc. in your hotel asking if you can change sterling or euro coins for dinars, as they have been given them as tips. I always tell them to see me on my last day as it can be a useful way of changing money back. If you print off a copy of the Oanda Cheat Sheet and take it with you it will show the exchange rate so neither side will feel they are being ripped off.
http://www.oanda.com/convert/cheatsheet

When we came home in November from Tunisia the bleep went off as I walked through security,I was asked to show what was in my pockets,I showed about 5 dinar coins,the man just laughed,then the other man on security opened my purse,I thought o no Im for it now!!,I had about 30 dinars,he just pointed out that I couldnt use them in Dutyfree,I just said I would use euros or sterling instead and closed my purse and walked off,no problem with me taking them home,Ill use them next time I go.

I've always taken dinars in and out of Tunisia and never even been questioned. I've got about 45 dinars in my 'foreign money' purse now as I like to have enough for a taxi or train from the airport on arrival, as well as odd dinars for tips. A local told me that they are only interested in 'large' sums, though what they consider large is obviously open to interpretation, the most I've had is about 100 dinars. The TTT bureau de change at Stansted will actually give you dinars, though it isn't the best rate so it's only worth changing about £20. The first time I asked for dinars at Stansted the lady just asked me which ones I wanted and did I know the regulations. Obviously I said I did and she handed them over with no problem.

When i walked through and the alarm sounded the security guy actually took all my money i had and laughed!!! It was not much but i learn't my lesson!!!


Curlylocksm

It seems you were exceptionally unlucky Curlylocksm as I, and I'm sure many other regular visitors, do it every time without a problem. Much as I love Tunisia and its people, I have a feeling that the money taken off you did not go back to the government but into the pocket of the laughing security guy. I know there is always a risk, which is why I admit on here that I take money in and out but would never actually recommend anyone else to do it. People ask questions on these forums and others respond giving their personal experience but everyone has to make up their own mind on whether to do things or not.

Coming back from Monastir a couple of weeks ago I was able to pay for coffee in dinars at the cafe in the departure lounge. I'd heard somebody else paying in dinars so simply asked which they they preferred and was told either were OK.

Came back from Monatir airport this Wednesday and my jacket went through the scanner. The coins must have been shown on the scanner and I was then asked if I had Tunisian coins with me, so I said yes for the coffeeshop and he let me go through.
The leftover dinars in papermoney I had put in my suitcase. It's always handy to have some Dinars for the next trip.

I understand that most times people who happen to get queried about coins is when they depart Tunisia. I'm bringing quite a few IN to the country but as long as they don't check...
I hate to see them confiscated to line the pockets of some customs official!

But that's the risk you'll run! And make too much of a fuss and you could find that they'll arrest you instead. Given what you are planning to do, if there's one thing worse than a corrupt official who tries to 'confiscate' your stash for his own use, it will be the corrupt official who decides to make you pay for the insult of believing and behaving as if he is corrupt by then enforcing the letter of the law!

SM

Hi all, May sound like a silly question but, as we are going to an all inclusive hotel and intend spending the full week chilling out round the pool, will sterling and euro coins be acceptable for tips? Any advice gratefully accepted. Thanks

In an absolute emergency but they aren't very popular as locals have difficulty in changing them up. You will often find hotel staff asking guests if they can change the coins they have been given for tips into dinars. I am sure you will also want to do at least a little shopping so it would be worth getting some money changed.

would it not be better giving these to the cleaning staff who maybe more in need of them, possibly having children to bring up and working all hours to make ends meat.
fiona

You seem to have rather missed the point of the Alan's original query Fiona, which was about needing to change money into dinars in Tunisia rather than using sterling or euros for tips. These currencies would be as hard or even harder to change for the cleaning staff than for others I can assure you.

With reference to changing coins;

Before the Euro, where ever you went on holiday it was accepted that you could only change unspent notes, not coins, on your return to the UK, this is not something specific to Tunisia. This being the case, if in the UK we find it hard to change coins from other countries then would we not assume it would be the same in the countries that we visit.

Stop being so mean with the Dinars, if you tip most people that you expect to tip with 1 Dinar they'll be happy, it'll cost you about 45p, ie 25% of what you spend on a pint at home.