Mali Info
Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Posts: 14
Home Country: mali
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 Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 9:13 am Post subject: SHOPPING IN MALI / MALI SHOPPING GUIDE |
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SHOPPING IN MALI
Traditional crafts range from the striking masks of the Bambara, Dogon and Malinko peoples, to woodcarvings, original designs in ebony and bronze, woven cloth, and mats, gold and silver jewellery and copperware. Excellent pottery is made in the Ségou region, while Timbuktu is a good centre for iron and copper articles, including swords, daggers and traditional household utensils.
Banking hours
Mon-Thurs 0730-1200 and 1315-1500, Fri 0730-1230.
Currency
CFA (Communauté Financiaire Africaine) Franc (XOF) = 100 centimes. Notes are in denominations of XOF10,000, 5000, 2000 and 1000. Coins are in denominations of XOF500, 200, 250, 100, 50, 25, 10 and 5. Mali is part of the French Monetary Area. Only currency issued by the Banque des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (Bank of West African States) is valid; currency issued by the Banque des Etats de l’Afrique Centrale (Bank of Central African States) is not. The CFA Franc is tied to the Euro.
Currency exchange
Possible at main banks in Bamako, but this can be a slow process and exchange rates are often out of date.
Credit & debit cards
Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted in two hotels in Bamako. Cash advances on credit cards are available at only one bank in Mali, the BMCD Bank in Bamako, and only with a Visa credit card. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.
Traveller's cheques
Can be exchanged at banks. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in US Dollars or Euros.
Currency restrictions
The import and export of local currency is unlimited. The import and export of foreign currency is unlimited provided amounts exceeding XOF25,000 are declared. |
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