Travelers
checks (cheques) are more
hassle and more expensive to use
when you travel to Turkey than
an ATM or credit
card because they must be exchanged
in banks, not currency echange offices.
Few banks welcome travelers
checks. They may send you to a particular
branch to cash them. Some banks charge
a fee of US$20 per check, or up to
20% of the amount of the check, to
cash them!
Currency
exchange offices(döviz
bürosu) may sometimes
cash them,
but may also charge a service
fee. Also, döviz are
only found in the largest cities
near where foreign currency transactions
occur.
Some merchants may
take travelers checks, but would
prefer cash.
All in all, I'd suggest that travelers
checks are not very useful in
Turkey, and that you should use them
only if you have some special circumstance
that requires them. Use your ATM or credit
card or cash instead.
