Ethiopia: Addis Ababa Bole International Airport
The Addis Ababa International Airport is kindda small so it is pretty straightforward and easy to navigate.
VISA
Lines for Visa on Arrival is shorter than all the other lines. You can also get a an e-visa here for 52USD but the line is longer since Ethiopian Citizens and holders of transit and e-visa's use just one line.
ATMs and MONEY EXCHANGE
There are three places with ATM machines:
- Before the Immigration. Withdraw here only if you need it to process your visa on arrival.
- After the Immigration. It is a bit crowded here.
- By the baggage carousel. There is hardly any lines.
The bank exchange rate is 28 Birr to 1 USD (June 2019). You can also exchange your money in banks that are found almost at every corner of the city and on the front desk of big hotels for about the same rate. If you want a higher rate, there is the black market but if you are a tourist, tapping into one is a bit dodgy. The black market rate in Addis Ababa is about 30 BIrr and 32 Birr in Lalibela.
The ATMs are not always reliable. I tried three of my cards in different ATMs littered around the city and I was unable to withdraw cash. Although the machine recognizes my name, it does not recognize my PIN. It is better to bring in cash with you.
SIM CARD
Right outside the Arrival area where the hotel kiosks are, you will find the booth for Ethio Telecom. Each sim card costs 30Birr. Once you have the sim card, you can top it up either weekly, biweekly or monthly.
GETTING TO YOUR ACCOMMODATION
Just right outside of the Customs Check, you can see a lot of hotel kiosks. Most of them offer a ride to their hotels. However, if you do not have a hotel pick up, walk out of the building and keep walking down until you see the parking lot. You might get approached by a helpful for person who will arrange a ride for you. Beeline them and head to the yellow taxis.These are the only ones allowed and has a standard fee of 30 Birr or 10USD.
