Paraguay — Shopping
Shopping
There are some modern shopping centers in the capital. A popular shopping street is the Calle Palma. Special purchases include ñandutílace, made by the women of Itagua, and aopoí sports shirts, made in a variety of colors and designs. Other items include leather goods, wood handicrafts, silver yerba maté cups and native jewelry.
Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1500-1900 and Sat 0730-1300.
Currency
Guaraní (PYG; symbol Gs). Notes are in denominations of Gs100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000 and 1,000. Coins are in denominations of Gs500, 100, 50, 10 and 5.
Currency Exchange
Paraguay maintains a free monetary exchange policy and the purchase and sale of foreign currencies is not subject to any controls or regulations. US Dollars, which are more easily negotiable than Pounds Sterling, are widely accepted throughout the country. Travelers are advised to use an official bureau de change and not deal with people offering services on the street as false banknotes are common.
Credit Cards, Debit Cards, and ATMs
American Express, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted (though not in smaller hotels), while Diners Club has more limited use. ID is required, such as a passport, when making a purchase with a credit card. ATMs are widespread; many accept Cirrus, Maestro and Visa cards.
Travelers Checks
US Dollar traveler's checks are not widely used in Paraguay.
Currency Restrictions
There are no restrictions on the import or export of local or foreign currency.
Banking Hours
Mon-Fri 0845-1500.
Exchange Rate
| 1.00 GBP = 6393.57 PYG |
| 1.00 USD = 3980 PYG |
| 1.00 EUR = 5618.29 PYG |
| Currency conversion rates as of 19 July 2011 |
