Cash or Card? Countries where you still need cash.

[Catweazle]

An update re Samoa: all fuel stations only take cash. Card is widely available in upscale restaurants and major resorts and larger supermarkets like, say, Frankie’s, but some smaller shops don’t take card either. Visiting the hospital or the doctor? Take cash too. Unsure about taxis, but I gave him cash too.

 

[CaptJCool]

Cash is still prevalent in the Pacific

A flat tyre on the hotel bike saw me at a local bike shop and cash only

 

[L2.]

The Maluku Islands of Indonesia are cash only except bigger hotels in Ambon and a few Indomaret shops I found. Jakarta is fine for cards.

I found whilst travelling around Java recently that Indomaret stores would invariably accept cards, however all had a minimum of 50k IDR for card transactions, which is roughly equivalent to $5 AUD.

That might not sound like a big deal, except that with the low prices of most items in Indonesia, you'd often need to be buying a few things to reach the minimum!

 

[pagingjoan]

A week into a roaming trip around Tunisia - and have needed cash every day, at some point.
Even where cards are accepted, processing is unpredictable, and we have had to revert to cash several times, after trying multiple cards.
Our current hotel accepts cash only - but that can be in Dinar, US $, or Euros. First time we have seen that set of options. Our accommodation was prepaid, so for us, this is for extras, only.

 

[spud60]

A lot of the alpine huts in the German/Austrian and Italian alps only take cash. It certainly brings back good memories. But it's maybe because the is no connection up there except at the bigger alpine restaurants.

 

[CaptJCool]

I found whilst travelling around Java recently that Indomaret stores would invariably accept cards, however all had a minimum of 50k IDR for card transactions, which is roughly equivalent to $5 AUD.

That might not sound like a big deal, except that with the low prices of most items in Indonesia, you'd often need to be buying a few things to reach the minimum!

Yeah and then there’s the local QR codes to bank transfer via WISE

 

[AuSammy]

Five cities in Switzerland so far and I don’t know what a CHF looks like yet.

Didn’t get any local currency before or after arrival.

Just found out I will need to get a small amount as the laundromat i intend using tomorrow night only accepts cash.

 

[VPS]

Five cities in Switzerland so far and I don’t know what a CHF looks like yet.

Didn’t get any local currency before or after arrival.

Just found out I will need to get a small amount as the laundromat i intend using tomorrow night only accepts cash.

and I suspect because you're in Switzerland you will need a lot of cash for the laundromat (I am speaking from experience)

 

[CaptJCool]

and I suspect because you're in Switzerland you will need a lot of cash for the laundromat (I am speaking from experience)

View attachment 473411

Laundering money into those secret Swiss bank accounts aka “wash and dry laundromat”

 

[Warks]

Five cities in Switzerland so far and I don’t know what a CHF looks like yet.

Didn’t get any local currency before or after arrival.

Just found out I will need to get a small amount as the laundromat i intend using tomorrow night only accepts cash.

We were in CH last year and didn't get any cash out. I think the only place on our trip that said cash only was a restaurant in Pula, Croatia and we were in Slovenia, Italy and Switzerland as well. We had some euros cash on us in case so we did spend that on gelati occasionally.
Two years ago we did a trip to Iceland via Singapore and Copenhagen and didn't use cash (or get any cash) on the whole trip.

 

[SYD]

Seeing an annoying increase in US restaurants now passing on card fees for both CC and DC - typically 3.5%… Doubly annoying in a country where it’s difficult to get cash cheaply….

PSA - anyone passing thru SFO area, the Redwood CU is your friend.

 

[CaptJCool]

Tahiti

Cash places
Bike shops
Excursions from hotel front desks
Roadside stalls
Souvenirs
When the item is Below minimum spend - some cafes had this “rule”
Taxis for which Tariff rates are higher than Australia (like 6-7 kms for A$45!)
They will ignore giving you change and roundup so you need press them on that

Seemed to be issues with a max tap & go of 50 Euros (approx A$90)

Solutions to this CC challenge

One bill around A $180 did NOT work on 2 CCs the joint debit card eventually worked

Had trouble paying the 10,000 XPF bond and refused to pay it. The hotel eventually conceded

Split up the transaction and do multiple tap and gos

Pay Part cash part credit card

Spend less


I took A$500 With me converted to 32,000 XPF yeah not great but would have said I needed double that in cash if not more

I coulda used twice as much in 12 days

Credit cards accepted

Plenty of cafes
Like
Coffee Tahiti
Dream Big

Carmelline on Moorea
Bobcat on Bora Bora

Brassiere Remparts with its
Great swag of art !
And a divine Pistachio crème brûlée mmmm



Overall

No savings here
Priced equal or higher than Australia

And Pre-book accommodation

 

[Scarlett]

In Turkmenistan last month I had both USD to pay the tour company and larger places, but also needed Manat for coffee, smaller shops and the bazaar.

On leaving I still had a bunch of Manat notes left that may have been worth $10-20 if I’d tried to exchange them at the airport. Thought about putting it in one of those charity type boxes but decided that I’d leave it for the boarding gate agents.

It was a bit of a scrum at the gate and there was a bit of shouting by the agents plus some shouting back from pax. The two young ladies staffing the boarding gate didn’t look to be having the best morning. After having my boarding pass scanned I just took one step left and dropped the cash on the desk and walked toward the jet bridge. The young lady who did the scanning saw me move in the different direction, saw the cash and then gave me a strange look. I just shrugged and smiled and said ‘I can’t use it’ then kept walking.

 

[pagingjoan]

I did mean to report on our experience in Butami, Adjara (Georgia).
Wandering about on my own, I happened by a Carrefour Express and decided to pick up some nibbles to go with the pre-dinner Georgian wine on our balcony. (Great hotel, by the way.)

Alas, I had only a 20 note on me (about $10), so that was the limit. From the uninspiring offerings, I managed to find some acceptable potato chips and a block of chocolate for afters that came in at around $8 in total. All good.

At the register, with a queue behind me, my proffered cash was peremptorily and curtly dismissed.
"Oh, no cash? May I use a card?"
Curt nod. Without enthusiasm.

Okay. Crisis averted. But I could have spent up if I had 1) remembered that I had a CC in another pocket, and 2) knew that a card would be accepted.

Transaction completed and I resumed my walk, musing on it being strange that Carrefour would not accept local cash.
Hmmm.
Inspected more closely.
Left over Tunisian Dinar.
Not Georgian Gel.

Should have posted this in the Travel Mistakes thread but too embarrassing.

I actually went back to attempt to explain and apologise.
But didn't raise much of a smile.