How backpackers carry money in SE Asia?

I'm planning to backpack all over SE Asia (Thai, Laos, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Malaysia) until my money runs out. I have a US$5,000 budget.
What's the smartest way to carry money around? I don't want to simply
hide the entire amount under my shoes, backpack, and whatever, bad
people seem to know tourists do this a lot. Is it better to leave it
in the bank and use my ATM card (electronic mastercard) instead? My
ATM card can access Maestro and Cirrus.

Is it better to carry just $2,000 with me and then have someone wire me
money when I need it?

Leave it in the bank and use your ATM card, definitely, and take out only a
little at a time. In some places in Thailand you have to be careful about
leaving money and credit cards in hotel security boxes. When I'm out around
town I rarely carry more than $10 on me for the pickpockets.

Cheers,


Pete Loud
Maps of Indonesia etc. etc.
www.peteloud.co.uk/





"Eskimator" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm planning to backpack all over SE Asia (Thai, Laos, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Malaysia) until my money runs out. I have a US$5,000 budget.
What's the smartest way to carry money around? I don't want to simply
hide the entire amount under my shoes, backpack, and whatever, bad
people seem to know tourists do this a lot. Is it better to leave it
in the bank and use my ATM card (electronic mastercard) instead? My
ATM card can access Maestro and Cirrus.

Is it better to carry just $2,000 with me and then have someone wire me
money when I need it?

"Eskimator" wrote in message
ups.com...

Is it better to leave it
in the bank and use my ATM card (electronic mastercard) instead?


Yes.

Take a few hundred $US in Travellers Cheques as security, and access the
rest from ATMs, getting two or three days' worth at a time. Get a second
card on a different account and keep it separate from the first one. Link
the two accounts electronically so that if one card gets swallowed or
stolen, you can access both accounts.

Thailand has ATMs everywhere. So does Malaysia, I would imagine, although I
haven't been there. Vietnam has them in the major cities. Cambodia has one
or two in Phnom Penh and maybe Siem Reap. Laos could be a problem, but you
won't need as much money there, anyway.

If you have Visa or Mastercard you can get a cash advance in banks.

Open a Hotmail account and email the Travellers Cheque details to yourself,
so that if you lose them you can get the numbers from any Internet Cafe in
the world. And while you're at it, scan your passport and send that to the
same account, along with the electronic versions of your plane tickets and
other vital documents, including an address book of the people back home who
can send money if necessary. Help should never be further than the nearest
computer.

"Adam Grinter" wrote in message
...

"Eskimator" wrote in message
ups.com...

Is it better to leave it
in the bank and use my ATM card (electronic mastercard) instead?


Yes.

Take a few hundred $US in Travellers Cheques as security, and access the
rest from ATMs, getting two or three days' worth at a time. Get a second
card on a different account and keep it separate from the first one. Link
the two accounts electronically so that if one card gets swallowed or
stolen, you can access both accounts.


I agree with all of this post, except I wouldn't link the accounts - use the
internet to transfer money between them as needed, and keep them
independent. That way losing one card can't possibly hit both accounts.


Thailand has ATMs everywhere. So does Malaysia, I would imagine, although
I haven't been there. Vietnam has them in the major cities. Cambodia has
one or two in Phnom Penh and maybe Siem Reap. Laos could be a problem,
but you won't need as much money there, anyway.

If you have Visa or Mastercard you can get a cash advance in banks.

Open a Hotmail account and email the Travellers Cheque details to
yourself, so that if you lose them you can get the numbers from any
Internet Cafe in the world. And while you're at it, scan your passport
and send that to the same account, along with the electronic versions of
your plane tickets and other vital documents, including an address book of
the people back home who can send money if necessary. Help should never
be further than the nearest computer.

"Eskimator" wrote:
I'm planning to backpack all over SE Asia (Thai, Laos, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Malaysia) until my money runs out. I have a US$5,000 budget.
What's the smartest way to carry money around? I don't want to simply
hide the entire amount under my shoes, backpack, and whatever, bad
people seem to know tourists do this a lot. Is it better to leave it
in the bank and use my ATM card (electronic mastercard) instead? My
ATM card can access Maestro and Cirrus.

Is it better to carry just $2,000 with me and then have someone wire me
money when I need it?

The ATM would be by far the cheapest and most convenient plan, unless
you live in a country where it's not possible to get a fee-free ATM
card. Even then it's still the most convenient.

In Thailand and Malaysia there are ATMs under every rock. Unless you are
from Spain, which has more ATMs than people, you will be amazed at how
many ATMs there are around here.

In Laos and Cambodia you won't have much luck, so bring enough to tide
you over through those countries. They're cheap though so it shouldn't
be much.

miguel
--
Photos from 40 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu
Latest photos: Malaysia; Thailand; Singapore; Spain; Morocco
Airports of the world: http://airport.u.nu

In article . com,
Eskimator says...
I'm planning to backpack all over SE Asia (Thai, Laos, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Malaysia) until my money runs out. I have a US$5,000 budget.
What's the smartest way to carry money around? I don't want to simply
hide the entire amount under my shoes, backpack, and whatever, bad
people seem to know tourists do this a lot. Is it better to leave it
in the bank and use my ATM card (electronic mastercard) instead? My
ATM card can access Maestro and Cirrus.

As the others have written, use the ATM card. Regarding Laos, last
December the only ATM I found there was one in Vientiane, so while in
Laos I carried cash with me.

No big risk in carrying even large amounts of money with you, because
people in SE Asia are on average very honest. It's only in heavily
touristed places like Koh Samui for instance, that there is more
criminality, but places like Laos are very safe. Myanmar is probably the
safest country in the whole of SE Asia, because they are relatively
untouched by mass tourism.
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe

Alfred Molon wrote:
In article . com,
Eskimator says...
I'm planning to backpack all over SE Asia (Thai, Laos, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Malaysia) until my money runs out. I have a US$5,000 budget.
What's the smartest way to carry money around? I don't want to simply
hide the entire amount under my shoes, backpack, and whatever, bad
people seem to know tourists do this a lot. Is it better to leave it
in the bank and use my ATM card (electronic mastercard) instead? My
ATM card can access Maestro and Cirrus.

As the others have written, use the ATM card. Regarding Laos, last
December the only ATM I found there was one in Vientiane, so while in
Laos I carried cash with me.

No big risk in carrying even large amounts of money with you, because
people in SE Asia are on average very honest. It's only in heavily
touristed places like Koh Samui for instance, that there is more
criminality, but places like Laos are very safe. Myanmar is probably the
safest country in the whole of SE Asia, because they are relatively
untouched by mass tourism.
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe

Alfred: I'd agree that the bulk of people in SE Asia are very honest
people, but there's always a couple rotten apples here and there and if
you've got a backpack on (or in most cases, just aren't Asian!), those
few rotten apples will spot you a mile away. I was in Vietnam and my
Wife spotted a couple guys when we were staying in Halong Bay (Vietnam)
and walking around. At first I didn't believe it, but sure enough,
they were UNQUESTIONABLY shadowing us outside of the hotel.

I'd use the ATMs. Yea, maybe there aren't very many in certain areas,
but where you have 'em, I'd use 'em.

Have fun!

Charles R. Whealton
Charles Whealton @ pleasedontspam.com

you must be the life and soul of the party, a whole $ 10 (379 THB) to go out
on the town, now that's what I call living


"Pete Loud" wrote in message
...
Leave it in the bank and use your ATM card, definitely, and take out only
a
little at a time. In some places in Thailand you have to be careful about
leaving money and credit cards in hotel security boxes. When I'm out
around
town I rarely carry more than $10 on me for the pickpockets.
whatever, bad

"Alfred Molon" kirjoitti
s.com...

No big risk in carrying even large amounts of money with you, because
people in SE Asia are on average very honest. It's only in heavily

However, in the case the improbable happens, little it consoles that the
incident was just of bad luck. Moreover, I don't find people in South East
Asia more honest than people elsewhere. I know that credit card companies
share my opinion. Typically there is little need to carry large quantities
of cash.

Alfred Molon wrote:
In article . com,
Eskimator says...
I'm planning to backpack all over SE Asia (Thai, Laos, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Malaysia) until my money runs out. I have a US$5,000 budget.
What's the smartest way to carry money around? I don't want to simply
hide the entire amount under my shoes, backpack, and whatever, bad
people seem to know tourists do this a lot. Is it better to leave it
in the bank and use my ATM card (electronic mastercard) instead? My
ATM card can access Maestro and Cirrus.

As the others have written, use the ATM card. Regarding Laos, last
December the only ATM I found there was one in Vientiane, so while in
Laos I carried cash with me.

No big risk in carrying even large amounts of money with you, because
people in SE Asia are on average very honest. It's only in heavily
touristed places like Koh Samui for instance, that there is more
criminality, but places like Laos are very safe. Myanmar is probably the
safest country in the whole of SE Asia, because they are relatively
untouched by mass tourism.

Myanmar is also the worst place for getting money. In Laos and Cambodia
there's no need to worry too much about money - even in the absence of
ATMs, just walk down to the bank with your credit card, and you can get
extra money. Some Asian banks do free cash advances to a credit card
(e.g., Bank Lippo in Indonesia), although many will charge a fee, and
you will pay a fee to your home bank.