I am traveling to China next month. Is it recommended to take travelers checks, exchange money once there, use credit cards for everything or a little of each? Any recommendations?

Where will you be heading to in China.

For big cities (ie: Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou).. Credit card works in Restaurants & hotels. In smaller cities but if you are staying in 4-5 star international chain hotels (ie: Intercontinental, Holiday Inn, Accor group, Starwood group etc).. Credit card works well as well. Other than accomodation, credit card is not widely used for dining/shopping (as most restaurants would accept card, albeit those issued by local Chinese banks.. not foreign cards)

Travelers Checks can be exchanged in Hotels, but at a rather disappointing rate. Your safest bet is to bring Cash (USD/Euro.. though USD is the most widely exchanged). If you are staying in the 3 big cities above or 4-5 star hotels, the cash is only needed mainly for food & shopping.

There are also ATMs that accept foreign cards in all the big cities.

srianda;

Kathy has the right idea. The best way is to use your atm card, we are currently in Shanghai for 1 more day and every smaller city we visited either had a atm or we took the atm before we left for the smallest of cities. Don't waste your time with the travelers cheques.

I would take travellers cheques, ATM card and US$, cover your bets.

If you are going to spend long periods outside of larger cities you are just going to have to cash up. If there is a Bank of China in town you can usually cash TCs and use the ATM otherwise you generally have to cash US dollars.

http://www.travelsinasia.com/China/China.htm