kidfriendly

Leaving for Cambodia and Vietnam in a week. How to best deal with money? Husband's guide book recommends taking US Traveller's checks, but I didn't think places used them anymore.

Currency tips please?

Kathie

The currency of choice in Cambodia is the US dollar. Indeed, there are ATMs in Siem Reap that dispense US dollars.

The currency of VN is the dong. ATMs are widely available in VN.

Make sure you know what your bank charges for foreign ATM transactions, and make sure your bank knows where you are going, so they don't turn off your access to ATM when they see a transaction from SE Asia.

I find Travelers checks more trouble then they are worth. Not every place will cash them, and there is usually a surcharge for cashing them. How old is your husband's guide book?

kidfriendly

Is the currency of choice in Cambodia really the US Dollar? If so, is it even worth exchanging that much money there? We are only there 3 days to visit Ankgor Wat.

Is it the same w/Vietnam - preference for US Dollars? I'm assuming the ATMs there will all dispense local currency.

Are there usually ATMs in the hotel lobbies? We are staying in local 4 star hotels, very much on the beaten path.

thanks!

Kathie

Really, the currency of choice in Cambodia is the US dollar. You'll be asked to pay for your hotel, your meals, your temples pass, purchases in markets in US dollars. You may occasionally get a little of the local currency in change. The local currency is worthless outside of Cambodia and, many would say, almost worthless inside the country.

In VN, you will use the local currency, the dong. While some merchants will accept US dollars, you mark yourself as a naive tourist, IMO, by offering dollars rather than the local currency, and will be overcharged as a result. And you will get dong out of ATMs.

In neither place have I seen ATMs in hotel lobbies. But ATMs are readily available.

I usually carry a few US$100 bills in case I need to exchange money and an ATM is unavailable or out of money. There are exchange windows at the VN airports as well as ATMs.

lcuy

As kathie said, Dollars are the regular currency in Cambodia, unless the amounts are under $1. 4000 Reil = $1. The ATMs in Cambodia dispense US Dollars..

When you go to an ATM machine in Vietnam, figure out how much money you need in advance. I remember the first time I went to a machine and the amounts to choose from ranged from 300,000 to about 5,000,000. It seemed like so much money that I ended up withdrawing only $50 worth!

ATMs are often outside the entrance to big stores or markets, or they will be in a little glass booth with a bank name over the entrance.

silverwool

However, when you go to an ATM in Vietnam you will become an instant millionaire/billionaire as your account balance will be in dong!

sf7307

The only part I disagree with is that you will be overcharged if you offer dollars instead of dong in stores in VN. We found that across the board we were given the same rate of exchange ( within a few cents upon conversion) in stores, restaurants, hotels, ATMS and banks.

rhkkmk

we saw very little use of dollars in VN

sf7307

You're right, rhkkmk, it was when they converted dong to dollars and charged our Visa in dollars that we got the same exchange rate as everywhere else.

gearsau

Another tip regarding Cambodia.

Make certain that your US dollars are in good condition, especially if you are using $20,$50 and $100 . If the note is dirty or has a mark on it, it wil not be accepted. I am speaking from experience here on two occasions. I had some US dollars which I got from a exchange counter at Bangkok airport, and no-one in Cambodia would accept the $100 note, not even a bank in Cambodia. Finally got rid of it back in Bangkok.

Make certain that you carry lots of $1 bills as these wil be handy for tipping or purchasing things from the sellers at the temples.

Plenty of ATM's in Siem Reap.