This one’s for people visiting Cambodia. ANZ, an Aussie/Kiwi bank, is by far the most pervasive here. There are more ATMs belonging to them, and they’re in more convenient locations, than any other bank. Thing is, of the ones which accept foreign cash cards they’re also the only ones that charge a fee on them.
$2 may not seem a lot. but think of the number of tourists going through here. ANZ are targetting YOU, the backpacker. My advice is simple – don’t use them.
I swear they’ve even taken over a few hole-in-the-wall locations that were home to other machines last time I visited. If at all possible, walk a little further and find a different bank. The vast majority of you will be paying your bank back home each time you withdraw. If you’re an ANZ customer you’ll be paying the greedy buggers TWICE. Save your cash, use someone else.
If every other bank in Cambodia can give you money without charging, what makes ANZ so special? Maybe they’re profiteering, maybe they’re teetering on the brink and need all the income they can get? If it’s the latter then ANZ customers may want to think about moving their accounts elsewhere for safety – or in protest.
There weren’t any ATMs when I was in Laos you had to bring enough cash in with you. Same with Cambodia but you could get a cash advance if they called it in. Hanoi had an ANZ ATM that was the only one too. Ho Chi Minh City had at least one I recall. My how times change. Oh yeah no KFCs for you either:P
Laos has ATMs in Vientiane and at least one in Luang Prabang – at least they did when I was there 2 or so years ago. All of them charge for withdrawals.
As do all machines in Vietnam. My issue with ANZ is that they’re the *only* one that charges as far as I’ve found.
As for KFC, never did get one in Laos! But had my 1st (2nd and 3rd) in Cambodia on this trip.