Cambodia & Laos - currency
 

Hi - I'm going to Cambodia and Laos for 3 weeks - any advice on what money to take? I've heard US dollars are definitely the thing for Cambodia, but don't really want to take stacks of cash. Are travellers cheques or bank cards of any use? What about local currency?

US $s def the best - u don't need piles of cash. U will be hard pressed to spend, including meals, guide and car/driver, in Cambodia more than US$100/day unless us shop heaps. In laos too US$s work well - u are likely to get change in Laotian Kip which is a bit like Monopoly money in how much you will acumulate. Are u going to Vientiane? Visit one of my fav spas - www.papayaspa.com

credit cards are taken in the top hotels and at some shops...there are no atm's i don't think....

us cash is the best and it is a pain...take small bills ....

trav. checks might work but not sure of the exchange rates you would receive...

Cash really is the best way to go. You will find places to cash travelers checks in large cities, but you'll pay a substantial commission. There are no ATMs in Laos, and in Cambodia there is reputed to be ONE (in PP) that takes foreign cards. I wouldn't count on it being in working order.

For Cambodia, you do need "stacks of cash" in that the US dollar is used as the currency of choice. You'll get very small change in iel, but spend it or give it away, as it's worthless outside of Cambodia (and many would say, even inside of Cambodia). So you'll want larger bills ($20's) to pay drivers/guides and you'll wants lots of 1s and 5s for everyday use. Larger hotels take credit cards, a few restaurants and a few shops. If you are staying at a guest house, check ahead of time to see whether they take credit cards.

In Laos, you will need to exchange your US dollars for Lao kip. Don't change more than US $20 at a time, as even that much produces quite a brick of kip (kip are also worthless outside the country, so use it all in Laos). The more upscale places in Luang Prabang and Vietienne will take credit cards, but outside of that you'll need cash. A few vendors will ask for US dollars, but most will want kip.

in LP i used a combo of $$ and kip...the drivers all quoted to you in $$'s but insisted in being paid in kip...some vendors took both...and a combo if you choose....10,000=$1. in june...talk about stacks of old crummy currency...in LP you could change money at the post office as you enter town and several other places including shops...i only had to do it twice in 4 1/2 days...small amounts like $20 or $30...a taxi ride is usually $1 or $2 EACH...all rides are per person...

Bob, when I was there, there actually weren't any banks in LP. The post office and some travel agencies are official currency exchanges. I don't know if there is now a bank in LP or not.

i believe i saw one bank on farang way, but i may be incorrect also...seems like it had limited hours...the PO was just fine and so was the hotel's exchange rate

Thanks for the info! Am still unsure though as if I'm going for 3 weeks and need to budget say $100 a day as suggested by Hobbes, I need to take approx $2000 in cash? Not meaning to be obtuse and I appreciate that some accommodation may take cards, surely its not safe to carry so much cash?

If you exercise basic caution, you will find yourself safer there than in any major city.

that's only 20 $100 bills....keep them in the hotel safe and don't take them to markets or on public transportation

Hey, Bob, if she keeps them in a hotel safe, how does she spend the money? Or is this a banker's trick to cut down on spending? lol

The problem is that you don't want US $100 bills for either Cambodia or Laos. In Laos, you won't want to exchange more than $20 at a time, and in Cambdoia, you'll need lots of 1s and 5s to buy things. $20s will be fine for paying a driver or guide or for dinner. I always carry a few US$100s "just in case" but I didn't use any in Cambodia or Laos.

sorry i did not mean to be misleading...my thinking is that after arrival in those countries she could break down the $100 bills to smaller denominations...you do of course need to take some 1, 5's etc with you...

bankers like you to spend kathie...and save as well...