Page 45 - Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam

How to Exchange Money

DZ` NLY NSLYRP XZYPd bSPY dZ` L]]TaP L_ MLYV^ XZ^_ SZ_PW^ LYO XZYPd PcNSLYRP ZʯNP^ 4Y
some countries you do not even need to exchange money at all—you can use U.S. dollars. For
information on what type of currency can be used on this trip, see the “Currency” section.

You can also obtain local currency from an ATM. Using a local ATM on an international
network will allow you to withdraw money from your U.S. account in local currency; your
bank at home will calculate the conversion rate and charge you in U.S. dollars. Keep in mind,
that ATM availability on this trip may be limited in Burma, so you should plan to bring a cash
reserve to cover your basic expenses and only use the ATM as a backup or supplement.

Throughout the trip, your Trip Leader can advise you of ATM availability and warn you before
you enter areas where there are no ATMs, but will not be able to guarantee which ATM will
take your card.

ATMs

When using the ATM, keep in mind that it may only accept cards from local banks, and may
not allow cash advances on credit cards; you might need to try more than one ATM or more
than one card.

Many banks charge a fee of $1-$5 each time you use a foreign ATM. Others may charge you a
percentage of the amount you withdraw. We recommend that you check with your bank before
you depart.

Lastly, don’t forget to memorize the actual digits of your card’s PIN number (many keypads at
foreign ATMs do not include letters on their keys—they only display numbers.)

Thailand: ATMs are fairly common.
Laos: ,?8^ NLY MP SL]O _Z ʭYO TY 7LZ^ LYO _SP ZYP^ _SL_ L]P LaLTWLMWP XLd YZ_ _LVP
American cards.

Cambodia: ,?8^ L]P ZYWd ^ZXPbSL_ LaLTWLMWP TY .LXMZOTL DZ`ɪWW ʭYO _SPX TY WL]RP NT_TP^
but not out in rural areas or at archeological sites.

Vietnam: ATMs are fairly common in Vietnam.

Burma: Do not rely on ATMs alone in Burma. In the past few years, the number of ATMs has
increased in Burma, especially in major cities and towns. However, these ATMs have some
important limitations:

• They typically accept Visa, MasterCard, China’s Union Pay, and Japan’s JCB only.

• There is usually a fee of about $5 per transaction, and there may be a cap of $200-$250
per withdrawal.

• Connectivity is unreliable. And if the ATM cannot connect to your bank, then it won’t
work for you.

45