This is my first post to the Asia side of the Fodors world.... Most of my time has been spent over in Europe...

I will be leaving for Seoul in two weeks, and pretty excited, its my first trip to Asia. But now I need to learn more of those new things that keep life so interesting!

I would like to know if I should plan to use my ATM card to get the money (won) that I will need while I am in Seoul (and travelling) for three weeks, or if I should take travelers checks with me. At this point I have received some conflicting advice regarding this banking situation.

I checked a Fodors "thread" for the information, and found a posting from four years ago which said that ATMs are everywhere, and easy to obtain money through them. BUT one of the people going with us on our trip just sent us an email that noted, "It is not common to use "international debt" cards in Korea: there are only two or three places available in Seoul where you can use the debt card."

What is the correct answer here? (I am really hoping that there is a misunderstanding regarding the difference between ATMs and debt cards). I have traveled to Europe quite a few times, never taking travelers checks as they are a pain (and costly) to cash in for local currency. I MUCH prefer to use ATMs to make the withdrawls that I need.

Carrying around travelers checks when I could just make a withdrawl when I need the money doesn't make much sense to me. Could anyone with experience help me on this one!

Thanks!!!

Oh yes, any suggestions for nice items for me to spend my "won" on? I have a wife and daughter, and so jewelry is a possibility. What about other local Korean items that you just can't get anywhere else?

Hi Ken:

I've been to Seoul twice (from Canada) and only needed my AMEX card & ATM card. Skip the travelers cheques. BTW - ATM's are so prevelant now worldwide that 2 years ago I used Barcley's ones in some fairly remote areas of Kenya.

Hope this helps,

Z

Thanks TravelMaster!

I was hoping that I could make the trip without buying (and then trying to cash) travelers checks, it sounds like I can relax now and spend my time getting ready for the trip.

I figured that the ATMs must be about as standard in the Orient as they are in Europe. I think that the folks in our group just had a miscommunication regarding the concept of a debt card vs. ATM cards.

Thanks again for the info!

Ken:

Try the ATM locator from the VISA web site -(http://visaatm.infonow.net/bin/findNow?CLIENT_ID=VISA)

Good description of their location at the Incheon airport & entering the address of your hotel will identify nearby ones & both hotels I sayed at had ATMs just off the lobby (the web site for you hotel may indicate if it has one).

Later,

Z

Wow, Thanks Z.....


Guess that answers my questions, and now I know that all will work fine with the ATMs in South Korea.

Thanks for the heads up on the Visa site - in all the time I have spent on Fodors boards, that is the first reference I can recall - and what a find! Bookmarked that site for future travels!

Thanks again!

PS any thoughts on good "local flavored" shopping in Seoul? And any ideas on great places to eat (again, local flavor)?

Ken:

Sorry I can't help with the food/shopping as my 2 trips to Seoul were work related & the company I was working with took me to dinner every evening. And the 2 hotels I stayed at (Intercontental & JW Marriott) were attached/near non-descript shopping malls.

Z