Getting cash in Hainan: ATMs, fees and how much to carry
Quick answer
Bring a few hundred yuan as a backup for when QR payments fail. In Hainan, most ATMs of big banks such as Bank of China and ICBC take foreign cards. At Bank of China ATMs, you can take out up to ¥3,000 per withdrawal. Always choose to be charged in CNY, not in your home currency.
Do you even need cash?
Most of Hainan runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay. But keep a few hundred yuan for when a personal QR code won't take your card, or a payment gets stuck.
Using an ATM
- In Hainan, most ATMs of China's national banks (Bank of China, ICBC, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank and others) take foreign cards. Look for your card network's logo (Visa, Mastercard and so on) on the machine.
- At Bank of China ATMs, foreign cards can take out ¥3,000 per withdrawal. Daily and yearly limits are set by your own bank.
- There may be a withdrawal fee, and your own bank usually charges too. Ask your bank before you go.
- When the ATM asks which currency to charge, choose CNY (yuan). Choosing your home currency (dollars, euros and so on) usually adds a hidden exchange markup of a few percent.
Exchanging money
You can change dollars at the airport, but the rate is usually poor. Change only a small amount for the first day.