Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Better to get AUD TChecks or USD ones and convert

SHould I get USD traveller's checks (I have some already) and convert them or get AUD ones here?

I would suggest neither. I haven't used travellers cheques in years, as ATM withdrawls are now pretty simple worldwide.

If you'd rather use travellers cheques, and are going to one country, it will be a lot easier if they are in the local currency.

HTH

I would avoid travellers cheques in australian currency. Not widely used so a pain to change back (and big spread).

As long as you have a little cash on arrival, plus international-linked (ie Cirrus/Plus/Maestro/Mastercard/Visa/Amex) credit and debit cards you will be fine.

I agree with the other posters. I didn't get any travellers checks when I went there. Had to change a little bit of cash at the first hotel (at a horrible rate) to tip the bellman, but after that, everything was credit card or ATM. In fact, since I am with Bank of America, they have what they call the Global ATM Alliance (or soemthing like that) and you don't get hit with any ATM fees (except a 1% foreign curreny fee that Visa imposed I think). I basically got the rate that the currency was trading at on the markets. Can't get much better than that.

In fact, since I am with Bank of America, they have what they call the Global ATM Alliance (or soemthing like that) and you don't get hit with any ATM fees (except a 1% foreign curreny fee that Visa imposed I think). I basically got the rate that the currency was trading at on the markets. Can't get much better than that.

Just to be clear, you must use Westpac ATMs in Australia to take advantage of that - but I agree, the Global ATM Alliance is superb. I opened a Westpac account just so I can use Barclays ATMs for free in the UK - given the heinous fees other banks charge, it's totally worth the effort.

Just to be clear, you must use Westpac ATMs in Australia to take advantage of that - but I agree, the Global ATM Alliance is superb. I opened a Westpac account just so I can use Barclays ATMs for free in the UK - given the heinous fees other banks charge, it's totally worth the effort.

True, I forgot to (although meant to) mention that. Very convienent as Westpac was everywhere.

Wow, can't believe I didn't know about this Global ATM Alliance stuff until now (even though it's been around since 2002). Thanks for the info!

By the way, it seems the exchange rate is not uniform across the Global ATM Alliance. With Bank of America it seems to be +1%, and with Scotiabank, for example, it's +2.5%. That's a sneaky way of saying "no additional fees"...

Wow, can't believe I didn't know about this Global ATM Alliance stuff until now (even though it's been around since 2002). Thanks for the info!

By the way, it seems the exchange rate as of 2004 is not +1%, but rather +2.5%. Still not that bad of a deal ...

Well, all I can tell you is my experience. I withdrew 150 AUD and it hit my bank account as 113.19 USD (.7546 exchange rate) and a 1.13 USD "Intl currency fee" (1%). Another withdrawl for 200 AUD came out as 149.02 USD (0.7451 exchange rate) and a 1.49 USD "Intl currency fee", again, 1%. Those exchange rates seem right on for what currency was trading at in October, so....

Good point, I stand corrected. It seems that not all Global ATM Alliance banks offer the same exchange rate deal (even though there are ostensibly "no transaction fees") ... Bank of America being one of the better ones. Edited my post above.

My Visa debit card from Etrade USA gave me mid-market rates & no fees when I used it at ATMs in Eurozone & UK in March 2005 ^ :) !

Wow do they still MAKE traveller Cheques?

Like Aerograms and Telegrams and Telex machines I imagined they were a dinosaur in this day and age. :)

Why not just take $US100 (or wahtever) to a Forex place or bank when you need AUD if you have no credit card - and if anyone on FT is in that position I am amazed to hear it?