Ooops, forgot to ask this: Most people saying Travellers Cheques are thing of the past with ATMs. We will be using ATMs and mostly in large cities.
Advice please: should we also take a few Travellers Cheques as a standby?
Tks
G

If you are using cards for ATM always have at least 2 cards ( or if there are 2 of you together I would have 3 or 4 between you ), leave 1 in hotel safe and one with you. Preferably from different issuers, although it is rare your card can get 'eaten' by a machine, or damaged so it can't be read etc, I would never soley rely on cards. I would always keep $500 in T/checks as a standy back-up just in case, they last for years and years and are just a good 'back up', I wouldn't use them if you can get cash from ATMs but as a back up, still worth having.

Another tip, 'do' write down those important phone numbers like the card issuers 24 hr number or their worldwide toll-free number, some cards have the numbers on them but that doesn't help if you loose the card(!) so take a note of the necessary phone numbers, it may seem a minor thing but I am sure many forget about writing gown those numbers.

I've personally been using traveler's checks for 3-plus decades and will continue to use them.Although there are those who swear by ATM use while abroad, I will not use them. I guess it has something to do with having gone through an identity theft situation some years back which I experienced while on a weekend in San Francisco actually.So, I'm cautious with ATMs and credit cards. I do travel with one credit card, though, AmExp, and pay large hotel bills with it.I've found AmExp to monitor its cards quite well. Once in Sao Paulo, Brazil, it took about 15 minutes for me to make a jewelry purchase because AmExp was on the phone and they wanted to be sure as to who I was.I was asked a lot of questions before the OK was given to make the purchase.Plus with them I don't have to worry about being at the limit. Remember that when you check in at a hotel, the hotel will put a monetary hold on your card until you pay your bill. Ask how much it is so that you don't end up surprised if you try to use the card somewhere else and it is declined...due to being at the limit.Happy Travels!

Oh, I forgot to add that I also take cash. Happy Travels!

I haven't used travelers checks for more than a decade. I use ATMs and cash, but always take a couple of credit cards to pay for hotels and large purchases. While I do carry an AmEx card, I find it much less useful than my Visa card. AmEx is accepted at fewer places than Visa, and even Mastercard is accepted at fewer places than Visa in Asia.

I don't know where you are traveling to, but some places in Asia do not have ATMs that are tied to international networks or no ATMs at all (Cambidoa, Laos, Burma) and for those countries you need cash - preferably US dollars.

Another thing about those ATM phone numbers. Before you go, call the bank to see if they have an INTERNATIONAL toll free number. If not, write down the non-800 number. Most 800 numbers will not accept calls from outside the US & Canada.

We had a bad ATM card in Thailand and learned this hard way. Ditto with the cell phone companies.

Instead of paying for traveller's cheques up front "just in case", I bring along my American Express card (as my back-up credit card) and my personal checkbook. Many people don't know that if you are an American Express cardholder, they will cash a personal check for you. Amex offices are usually in the larger European cities. Check to see if they are in the Asian cities you will be visiting. Obviously, keep you backup cards and checkbook separate from your other ATM card and credit card you carry around.

I agree Dori. I started to write that I also bring along a couple of personal checks since AmExp will cash a personal check overseas. I've done it before. As for using AmExp charge cards, I haven't had any problems.I personally got rid of Visa/MC years ago and kept my AmExp card which I've had for over 2 decades. I usually use cash a lot anyhow and use a credit card only for large purchases. As for the commission on traveler's checks, I go to my local AmExp office and I don't pay any commission at all.Plus AAA used to carry them, commission free, up until a few months ago. I don't know what brand traveler's checks they carry now. But, for as long as I can remember, they carried AmExp. Happy Travels!

One more thing about check cashing with Amex, it depends on the card you have what the check cashing privileges are. Whether, it's green, gold, corporate, etc. Check to see which one you have and you can go on Amex's website and see.