Wire-Transfer or Traveller's Check?

I don’t know how well Traveller’s Checks are accepted in Taiwan. I live in the Kaohsiung area. Will it save a needless headache to simply pay the $35 dollars for the transaction fee, or can I rely on getting a traveller’s check sent to me for free?

Thanks

J_

You might want to see my comments on traveller’s cheques in this thread:

[url]Taiwan Banking compared to other places

Use cash and wireless transfers.

[quote=“DSN”]You might want to see my comments on traveller’s cheques in this thread:

[url]Taiwan Banking compared to other places

Use cash and wireless transfers.[/quote]

You talk about traveller’s cheques, issued in Taiwan and China, in your thread. Does that apply to Traveller’s Cheques issued from the US?

I didn’t mention getting traveller’s cheques in China at all, (Zhanghwa bank is the name of a Taiwanese bank, it’s not actually the zhong in China) - but that’s another issue.

It doesn’t matter where your traveller’s cheques are issued to begin with (US, Europe, China or Iraq). If they are on the VISA, Mastercard, Thomas Cook or American Express brand name, that’s who backs them, not the actual bank that issues them.

I have had negative experiences with a) VISA b) Thomas Cook c) American Express, and don’t know about Mastercard. This was with traveller’s cheques issued in Taiwan AND western countries.

I don’t recommend using them.

Was just making sure it was not a problem exclusive to those Traveler’s Cheques issued from Taiwan.

Thanks,

J_

Granted i’ve only had one experience, but I took quite a bit of money in American Express Travelers Checks issued from the US with me to Taiwan, cashed them in Kaohsiung without any problems.

I’ve used American Express traveller’s cheques throughout most of Asia and have never had a problem. Even the ones I bought in Taiwan were no problem. Cashing cheques in Taiwan has always been fairly easy for me with no problems. I usually used ICBC for cashing traveller’s cheques.

Right. If you’re needing to do anything “international”, use ICBC. They seem to be the only “real” local bank.