Cash or Card? Countries where you still need cash.

[DrGear]

Our trip to Japan this year was a marked difference to the last one pre covid. The acceptance of cards was WAY higher than it was and I could even use my Amex in a bunch of places.

Travelling out into rural nowhere like Niigata and Yamagata, it was still more old school and cash based but once again, a significant uptick in places that take card. I always had about 5万円 on me, but I only needed to withdraw cash from the 711 like, twice the whole trip.

We used a Wise card for cash withdrawals which wasn’t too bad, better than the forex places and using the card for payments rather than cash worked out better given the rates and no withdrawal charge.

I also used my Airwallex card for business expenses there but ended up closing that account this month when they brought in stupid plans. Don’t put enough through them a month to get the fee waived.

 

[Seat0B]

This year, we were mainly in the Kyushu region, and were often met with the Cash Only requirement in a range of settings.

We have had this same experience in many locations in Japan. Earlier this year in Nozawa Onsen, the number of young (mainly) Aussies who did not have the cash JPY1000 fare for the bus to IIyama to connect to the train system was just astonishing. And we also spoke on a lift with another young Aussie in Madarao who was annoyed that he had to pay cash for things - and as he did not have cash, he had to go to the nearest ATM to get cash, which was 30 mins by bus away in Iiyama, which in turn required a JPY500 yen bus trip. He only managed to get there because a fellow traveller took pity on him and paid his fare for him so he could go to the ATM.

So call me old fashioned, but I always want to have a bit of cash for every country I visit. If I don't use it, it can become a trip souvenir!

Edit: typos

 

[Seat0B]

I take cash, 3 credit cards, 3 ATM cards and then everything available to be used on my Google wallet as well.

Yes, this is how the Seat family does it too. And we make sure that we each have separate cards rather than runner cards so that if one card is lost, stolen, hacked, eaten by machine etc, the other person still has access to funds.

 

[ShelleyB]

We have had this same experience in many locations in Japan. Earlier this year in Nozawa Onsen, the number of young (mainly) Aussies who did not have the cash JPY1000 fare for the bus to IIyama to connect to the train system was just astonishing. And we also spoke on a lift with another young Aussie in Madarao who was annoyed that he had to pay cash for things - and as he did not have cash, he had to go to the nearest ATM to get cash, which was 30 mins by bus away in Iiyama, which in turn required a JPY500 yen bus trip. He only managed to get there because a fellow traveller took pity on him and paid his fare for him so he could go to the ATM.

So call be old fashioned, but I always want to have a bit of cash for every country I visit. If I don;t use it, it can become a trip souvenir!

The lack of preparation by some travellers is amazing isn't it? It's hardly a secret that cash is still required in many places in Japan, including sometimes in quite touristy areas. A quick google would surely forewarn people that it would be wise to at least get some cash out of an ATM upon arrival at the airport.

 

[Seat0B]

Arrived in Laos yesterday and the airport taxi service only accepts cash. Also needed cash to buy an intercity train ticket. From what I’ve seen so far, cards are not that widely accepted and cash payments are only allowed in kip.

I had the same experience in Laos in 2019. Cash was needed everywhere except my hotel and restaurants that specialised in serving tourists. Needed cash for convenience store, tuk tuk driver, entry fees, food stalls, local restaurants, most shops - pretty much everywhere. As kip was a controlled currency at that time (maybe still is), there were limited places to get it and I under-allowed when I got my initial supply at the airport and had to use the hotel for a float - at the usual poor hotel exchange rate, but it wasn't sheep stations (should have put this part in the travel mistakes thread!). At the end of my trip, I had a bit left over - about AUD100 by my reckoning, even after I had left tips all round. When I went to convert it on leaving the fees etc were so steep that (from memory) I was going to get back something like $27. So I declined, and looked for someone to give it to. Found an Aussie couple about my age or a bit older in the coffee shop and we got chatting. They were heading up to Luang Prabang for a Vietnam veterans reunion, so I gave it to them and said buy some beers. They were very grateful. Plus I warned them to spend or gift it all before leaving Laos.

 

[burmans]

I had the same experience in Laos in 2019. Cash was needed everywhere except my hotel and restaurants that specialised in serving tourists. Needed cash for convenience store, tuk tuk driver, entry fees, food stalls, local restaurants, most shops - pretty much everywhere. As kip was a controlled currency at that time (maybe still is), there were limited places to get it and I under-allowed when I got my initial supply at the airport and had to use the hotel for a float - at the usual poor hotel exchange rate, but it wasn't sheep stations (should have put this part in the travel mistakes thread!). At the end of my trip, I had a bit left over - about AUD100 by my reckoning, even after I had left tips all round. When I went to convert it on leaving the fees etc were so steep that (from memory) I was going to get back something like $27. So I declined, and looked for someone to give it to. Found an Aussie couple about my age or a bit older in the coffee shop and we got chatting. They were heading up to Luang Prabang for a Vietnam veterans reunion, so I gave it to them and said buy some beers. They were very grateful. Plus I warned them to spend or gift it all before leaving Laos.

$100 buys a lot of beers in Laos!

 

[Seat0B]

$100 buys a lot of beers in Laos!

Yes it does! I was pleased to give a bit of enjoyment to their group. I had also given a hefty tip at hotel and to taxi when I realised I had too much cash, but had kept a bit back in case of unexpected expenses that have surprised me on other trips before eg departure tax payable only in cash, super expensive airport coffee, food etc - on this trip I had limited lounge access as it was a work trip so BFOD and not OW, and the lounge I got had nothing except nescafe and 2 min noodles, so I went out for coffee....