Currency to use in Vietnam, Thailand and Hong Kong

In November we will be aboard Quest going from Singapore to Hong Kong via Thailand and Vietnam. I've just read in a 2010 review of a similar cruise that in Vietnam US dollars were often preferred to Vietnamese Dong. We are wondering how many Singapore and Hong Kong Dollars, Thai Baht and Vietnamese Dong to take with us. Has anyone got recent experience of travel in these countries, and if so can you provide us with some advice as to what we are likely to need.

Thanks

In November we will be aboard Quest going from Singapore to Hong Kong via Thailand and Vietnam. I've just read in a 2010 review of a similar cruise that in Vietnam US dollars were often preferred to Vietnamese Dong. We are wondering how many Singapore and Hong Kong Dollars, Thai Baht and Vietnamese Dong to take with us. Has anyone got recent experience of travel in these countries, and if so can you provide us with some advice as to what we are likely to need.

Thanks

I have been to all four countries. you need local money. i ate lunch out every day so I was using cash for lunch. also if i brought water or any little snacks or gifts. .i used more Thai money than Dong as i i had been before and just went out to lunch where i could use my credit card. Singapore took credit cards at lunch in most places but not at a hawker center. The ship has money as do airport.. since I like vendor markets for little things money talks... get small bills or get on ship.. i was finding the lunch places did not use cards.

We'll be on the same cruise and have done this itinerary before. If you're doing shore excursions, you won't need much money, other than for souvenirs and you'll be able to use credit cards in many places. You'll need some local cash if you intend shopping in markets, buying drinks, using public transport, etc. Depending on what you do onshore, you may need more local cash e.g. Entries to museums, palaces and the like but you should be able to get an idea of entry fees from the net. Singapore is expensive but very "westernised" in terms of finance; and so is Hong Kong. Most shopping can be done via credit card; including meals, so you again will only need local currency for public transport, taxis, entry fees and sundry drinks, etc. I've always taken the approach of using local currencies for all,these things I've mentioned and using credit cards if we purchase anything of larger cost e.g. Restaurant meals, shopping plaza purchases, art, etc. We intend doing our own thing in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh and Hoi An (from Danang), which is the most wonderful place to visit. So I expect we'll get maybe $150 worth of Thai Baht; $100 Vietnam Dong. Azamara also provide shuttle buses in Bangkok (to Central Plaza) and HCM (Rex Hotel); which potentially minimises transport costs. On our previous cruise, we caught a taxi at the Bangkok port to the Grand Palace complex for USD20 - we paid in Baht and I'm not sure whether he would have taken Usd. I suspect he would but keep in mind that in Asia they want Usd in crisp new notes. Later in the day, do not catch taxis - the traffic may well be the worst in the world (mind you, there are plenty of places we haven't been). In Bangkok, it's much better to use the overhead train and the river boats - cheap and removed from the cars and motorbikes.

Have a great trip - they're all interesting places. Hope all this helps.

Tony

Thanks very much, Tony, that's very helpful.

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U used taxi's in Bangkok and used trains in Singapore or taxi's. The shuttle bus did not due the Rex last year and went to another hotel. .i was going to go and walk around and then changed my mind. Tony and i both agree on most restaurants but not once in any country did i use a card for gifts. i paid in cash at a lot of markets. not one gift was paid by card in Asia and all my lunches was in cash.

i would now be very wary if using credit cards in that part of the world unless in a top end hotel etc.

For the last two years we have been cruising in the Far East, and each time we come back to credit card "cloning". We have no idea how this has happened, and neither has our bank, and we are very careful, but the first time was $200, and the next $600 a year later from a different country.

I don't mean to scare you, but cash is king. USD is accepted almost everywhere in the big cities. Local currency is used in more remote locations and everything is cheap by western standards.

David

I have done these itineraries several times.

Vietnam welcomes USA currency and there is no need to obtain local currency.

While some vendors in Singapore will take USA currency I would get Singapore currency.

Thailand. While some vendors also take USA currency local currency is required for entrance fees and it is just much easier to use the local currency.

Hong Kong. I've done it both ways but more recently I've used local currency.

In major locations feel free to use credit cards.

These are wonderful places and I hope you have a great time.

Keith

Can't help with Singapore.

You really need local currency in Bangkok & Hong Kong - few places, & no public transportation other than ho-ho's, accept other currencies.

In Vietnam you'll get away with USD, though you'll do better with VND. The only reason that locals might prefer USD is so they can charge you more ;)

There are an awful lot of noughts on Vietnamese dong. You get over 20,000 to the dollar.

The upside is that by changing just $50 you'll be a millionaire :cool:

The downside is that you can accidentally rob yourselves ten-fold, even a hundred-fold. So keep a note of the exchange rate, and pay great attention to the denomination of bills when you pay and in your change.

There's a great currency exchange bureau & tourist information desk in Saigon's post office - an historic building in its own right, and opposite Notre Dame cathedral.

Can't advise how much to take of each currency, it depends on your time in the ports, whether you'll be taking organised tours, buying souvenirs etc.

But broadly prices are way lower than in the US, especially transportation & eats.

Just my own experience.

JB :)

I found that USA worked great in Vietnam all the times we visited.

The private tours we booked all wanted USA currency.

Also, we didn't have to worry about getting too much of local currency and either having to keep it when we left or converting it to another currency.

Some of your best buys for items can come from Vietnam.

You will see items in Vietnam that are 25% to 33% the cost of the same item sold in Singapore.

If you want prescription glasses you can get them at a very low price and they will take around 24 hours to make.

Keith

i would now be very wary if using credit cards in that part of the world unless in a top end hotel etc.

 

For the last two years we have been cruising in the Far East, and each time we come back to credit card "cloning". We have no idea how this has happened, and neither has our bank, and we are very careful, but the first time was $200, and the next $600 a year later from a different country.

 

I don't mean to scare you, but cash is king. USD is accepted almost everywhere in the big cities. Local currency is used in more remote locations and everything is cheap by western standards.

So far as Hong Kong is concerned, this is alarmist nonsense. Credit card acceptance and use - by locals as well as visitors - is almost indistinguishable from other first world countries. (Just imagine if every one of the millions who do this every day got their card cloned each time! Of course it doesn't happen like that.) It means that I can just turn up without having to think about money issues, and even if I've forgotten to bring my HKD float on a particular trip it really makes no difference. Of course, the downside is that little in Hong Kong is truly cheap by western standards.

Just wanted to add that I have had three credit cards compromised over the years and it only happened in the good old USA.

I have used Credit Cards in Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore without any problems whatsoever.

Keith

We just came back from our 2 weeks land-based vacation - escorted tours of Taiwan & South Korea, and, spoke with fellow members of our group that visited these places mentioned, with some discussions over meals about using currency vs. credit cards. It basically comes down to due diligence on our part as smart consumers, to alert our bank & credit card issuers of our travel plans so that notes are in our profile & for early fruad detection.

Many of the countries have begun adopting smart-chip technologies integrated into the credit/debit card for "better" protection (nothing is foolproof) against devices like skimmers and duplicators. Some of the unauthorized charges cannot be done without the "passive" cooperation of merchants & vendors, eager to do business & make their sales quota.

For small purchases, it's always good to use local currency & there's no guessing with conversion rates, transaction fees & alike. For larger purchases, we used our CC and it's widely welcomed without question, and in some instances, passports were requested and it's eligible for VAT refunds upon our exits at the airport. Can't advise as to whether VAT refunds are available for cruise ship passengers at these facilities, which also take extra time (anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes ... extra walking, finding the counters & converting the currency obtained, etc.)

One important note - for Vietnam & also for Taiwan, it's important to bring new & crispy clean US currency, larger face value preferred over small $5 or $10 bills, unmarked with anything on it when presenting it for exchange into local currency in cities & towns.

KL has always been notorious for credit card id theft and that includes the airport. Not sure if this is still the case.

I've never had a problem in other SE Asia countries.

U used taxi's in Bangkok and used trains in Singapore or taxi's. The shuttle bus did not due the Rex last year and went to another hotel. .i was going to go and walk around and then changed my mind. Tony and i both agree on most restaurants but not once in any country did i use a card for gifts. i paid in cash at a lot of markets. not one gift was paid by card in Asia and all my lunches was in cash.

The Skytrain in Bangkok will take you to many of the interesting sights, avoids the heavy traffic too.

KL has always been notorious for credit card id theft and that includes the airport. Not sure if this is still the case.

 

I've never had a problem in other SE Asia countries.

What is KL?

Keith

What is KL?

 

Keith

I think he was referring to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia which is not one of the cities the original poster asked about.

I think he was referring to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia which is not one of the cities the original poster asked about.

Thank you.

I would never have guessed this.

Keith