Kolonia - Post Report Question and Answers
Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
They only work at Ace Office Supplies and Ace Hardware every time. A few other places accept cards, but the machines often don't work. This is a cash society. There are only two ATMs on the island and they often don't work. Bring the maximum $10k in cash with you on the plane. The banks' ATMs run out of money on a pretty regular basis. Also, the ATMs break and they have to fly someone in from Guam in order to fix them. The ATMs can be out of order for days at a time. It is a good idea to get an account at the Bank of Guam or the Bank of the FSM in order to access cash. - Jul 2021
You will need cash at most places. Ace Office and Ace Hardware are the only places that consistently have a working credit card machine. There are only four ATMs on the island and currently, all of them are broken. To get money you have to cash a check with the embassy cashier. - Apr 2021
Credit cards can be used at the Ace stores (Ace Office is likely where you'll go to buy groceries), restaurants, hotels. - Mar 2020
There are only a handful of ATMs in the country. Only two or three on Pohnpei, one each (maybe) on the other three islands. Almost no one accepts credit cards in the FSM. - Feb 2013
There is one ATM machine on the island - Bank of Guam. It's safe to use. Credit cards are only accepted at a few hotels and hotel restaurants and a handful of stores. - Apr 2008
