In some countries, the price charged to tourists is often higher than the one for locals.
Is it legal for a restaurant, for example, to have a "price for locals" and a "price for foreigners"? Do they have the right to do that? (Because it really annoys me—you can’t imagine how much money I’ve lost to this scam.)
Aren’t there any local organizations that could call out this scam?
At the same time, since this kind of scam happens often in poorer countries, the money I lose ultimately goes to those countries, so it’s like I’m donating to a humanitarian organization. So in the end, it doesn’t bother me *that* much—when I get scammed, I just tell myself I’m doing a generous act to help the poor in that country.
A restaurant on Île Saint-Louis was called out last year, with the court ruling (at their expense) published in the press. Even without going that far, tourists regularly complain about this kind of thing
In Nepal, for example, domestic flight prices are 3 to 4 times cheaper for Nepalis than for tourists... but for *all* tourists. It’s not a scam—it’s just the "rules of the game" because it’s transparent.
The same goes for museum or site admissions...
I remember that in Egypt (this was 15 years ago!), access to monuments was free for Egyptians and paid for tourists.
I don’t think these situations are scams.
On the other hand, there are always a few clever folks who take advantage of tourists by charging them more, but luckily, not everyone does that! The key is being able to let them know we’re not fooled!
Well, it’s true that it’s annoying in the moment, but you’ve got to tell yourself it’s just a matter of the difference in purchasing power and cost of living. A local who only earns $300 a month couldn’t afford the same services and leisure activities in their own country as a tourist who earns 10 times more if it weren’t for this—admittedly unfair—adjustment. It’s understandable in that sense ;)
Hi,
I don’t think this is right. The last time was in Dakar, at the African fabric wholesaler. They added a certain amount to the price. Since I know the actual price, I didn’t understand. One of the salespeople, who was really arrogant, told me it was the "tourist price." On top of that, I didn’t even want to pay extra for the type of fabric we were looking for.
I don’t consider myself to be doing humanitarian work, but I don’t appreciate being charged extra for these reasons.
I don’t think it’s a scam—I’ve seen this a lot. Plus, prices are usually displayed for both locals and non-locals.
I’m not saying I love it, but it’s understandable since our purchasing power is nowhere near the same.
it's true that it's annoying, but it's normal almost everywhere in the world.
what you find in tourist spots is always more expensive than elsewhere. sometimes even for locals, life is pricier than in non-touristy cities or areas. 🏴☠️
It seems obvious to me that if French people travel to poorer countries, it's often because it costs them less than taking a vacation in France, where there aren’t many cheap, beautiful hotels with beaches and sunshine. But when we do the math at the end of the trip...
Tourist traps are everywhere. We have to admit we bring a lot of foreign currency to these countries, and that works for us too. But when it comes to scams, I don’t agree—even if some say there are scams in France, it’s still in these poorer countries that locals see prices skyrocket because of tourists, and they end up paying more themselves. So no, I don’t agree. If I go to a poor country, I pay the same price as the locals.
Or I just don’t buy it. And if everyone did the same, prices would reflect their actual salaries, and they could live a little more decently. Maybe they’d even have more respect for tourists because, most of the time, we’re seen as nothing more than walking wallets, which gets disappointing after a while.
And it fuels their temptation to scam us. Maybe we should put a stop to these soaring prices... soon, we won’t be able to afford to go to these countries at all. (lol)
It does seem obvious to me, though, that if French people travel to poorer countries, it’s often because it costs them less than taking a vacation in France, where there aren’t any cheap, nice hotels with beaches and sunshine for us.
No, it’s not "obvious." There are also—and above all—people on this forum who go elsewhere simply because they have a few major flaws: curiosity, the desire to meet different people, experience other cultures, or just the will to "step out of the herd." And beaches, sunshine, and "nice hotels" aren’t their motivation.
Yeah, of course, I was generalizing, but anyway, tourists always *have* to eat, sleep, etc....
But I think this discussion is important because it’s getting out of hand pretty much everywhere. Sadly, though, I’m afraid there aren’t many solutions.
I’ve seen double pricing at the entrance of a music festival in Ségou (Mali):
15,000 CFA francs for a Malian (or African?)
35,000 CFA francs for a foreigner (that’s a bit much). Even though it’s for 3 days, you’ve still got to add on the hotel and restaurants, which also hike up their prices.
And desert festivals (Tuareg) – free for locals, 55,000 CFA francs for tourists... They’re definitely not filling up with those prices!
But no surprises, it’s all clearly displayed!!
For other services like markets (outside tourist areas), there aren’t any major issues. Prices aren’t displayed, but everyone sells the same item or kilo of veggies for the same price. The problem comes when the seller (or saleswoman) charges 500 CFA francs for 5 papayas, and you only want one! It’s not easy to pay 100 CFA francs for it – they want 150 CFA francs... (why??). You’ve got to negotiate, and you’ll end up with a little crowd gathering and a good laugh for everyone.
The best veggie markets, in my opinion, are in Morocco. You grab a basin, fill it with your veggies (or fruit), and the seller weighs it all. Of course, it never comes to an exact weight! They’ll throw in an extra one or two items to make up the total. I love all that – it’s part of honest commerce.
In tourist zones, everything changes. The lack of displayed prices lets sellers inflate prices for tourists who aren’t too fussy (or are a bit gullible). If you walk in after them, it’s almost impossible to get the price back to something fair, let alone normal.
Sorry, I don’t have any photos, but the most recent example was in Cuba this March, at a museum.
It was clearly posted at the entrance: “national” or “foreigner.”
Otherwise, I’d seen this before a while back in the Aeolian Islands and in South America (Colombia, if I remember right)...
Yes, that’s actually common almost everywhere—it’s completely legal and normal (in my opinion), and it doesn’t belong in a "scam" category. Some countries even officially require hotels, for example, to offer discounts to residents, whether they’re locals or foreigners.
I thought you’d seen restaurants or market stalls with dual pricing, since that’s the practice being called out in this thread!
Grampaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, how’ve you been? It’s been ages!
Far be it from me to contradict you—you know I usually agree with you—but let’s put things into context here...
We’re talking about different prices for tourists. When it comes to the Desert Festival or the Niger (Essakane and Ségou), I’ll chime in. I’ve been working on these events and others in Mali for a few years now.
For Ségou, prices have changed in the last two years... IT’S MORE EXPENSIVE!!!
White = 100 € or 65,000 CFA for three days.
One day: 20,000 CFA or 30 €, and Saturday is either 30,000 CFA or 45 €.
For Malians: 5,000 CFA for 3 days.
For non-Malian Africans: 15,000 CFA.
For white expats: between 20,000 and 35,000 CFA, depending on how you look.
In short, if you spend four days and three nights in Ségou during the festival, you’re looking at around 300–500 € all-in (water, food, alcohol for those who’re into it, the lovely ladies who come from Bamako, hotels, transport).
The economic discrimination is on full display, no shame, and that’s why when I started working for them in 2007, there were about 3,000 Europeans, and now it’s dropped to fewer than 500 *toubabs*... by 2009.
It’s a choice, and they own it because they’re backed by Europe, the Netherlands, Bavaria, Orange, etc.
For Essakane, you’re living right in the middle of the desert, 2 hours of super fine, soft sand from Timbuktu... There are also 12,000 to 15,000 people, and it costs white folks about 150 €, which includes a Tuareg tent, three meals, two bottles of water, and a mattress.
You experience a three-day, non-stop festival in the middle of nowhere.
Essakane is far from Ségou’s budget, and part of what you pay goes toward developing Timbuktu—bringing in water, fixing roads, repairing school roofs, and more.
The concepts are completely different: at Essakane, three Tuareg tribes meet, along with the Songhai and people from all over the planet (250 journalists), all staying on the same site, including ambassadors and international delegations from all walks of life.
Peace is also discussed there, as all legal (or not) and recognized (or not) entities come together around this festival to talk about peace.
Essakane benefits from this argument, and everyone who comes returns because it’s *well* worth the money—you get showers, toilets, fresh water, electricity... and only two super well-designed trucks make it through the sand while fully loaded.
The price includes logistics handled by over 500 people...
The Tuaregs make their season in three days... and 150 € is honestly a steal for such an event in such an extraordinary setting.
For Ségou, though, I agree with you—it’s in the city, with drinking water, TV, and ADSL... Nothing justifies those prices, especially considering the funding they receive.
But like I said, it’s their choice, and they stand by it.
As for the rest, regarding tourist prices, I tend to agree with some: I accept paying more knowing my money goes toward real needs. I choose my vendors, and in Ségou, for example, there’s an old lady who sells right in front of the Auberge hotel... Only Mama among all the sharks around her. She supports her four kids, is a widow, and obviously eats one meal a day (on average) outside the tourist season.
Anyway, everyone’s got their take—me too, lol.
See you soon, on the road again,
At the same time, since this kind of scam happens often in poor countries, the money I lose ultimately goes to those poor countries, so it’s like I’m donating to a humanitarian organization. In the end, it doesn’t bother me that much—when I get scammed, I just tell myself I’m doing a generous act to help the poor in that country.
🤪 Did you put a lot of thought into writing that nonsense?
Imagine the difference between a restaurant owner who makes kids work in the back and an organization trying to help those same kids escape that mess... for example.........😮
I’d really like to know which “poor countries” you’ve traveled to so far! And I’m absolutely shocked by your comments, especially considering your age (I initially thought I was dealing with some naive, uneducated kid).
the money I lose ultimately goes to poor countries, so it’s like donating to a humanitarian organization
I think humanitarian organizations would be thrilled to learn their work is pointless since a bunch of suckers are just fattening up shady local tourism operations—which then distribute their funds to the population!
when I get scammed, I tell myself I’m doing a generous act to help the poor in the country in question
First of all, a generous act requires giving voluntarily, which isn’t the case when you’re being scammed. And based on your other posts on this forum, that seems pretty far from your usual mindset.
Plus, imagining that the money collected by a few scammers actually helps the poor is a seriously oversimplified idea. Sure, tourists *might* contribute to a country’s economic development (though even that’s debatable), but you’d still need to prove it benefits the poorest. As for theft and scams...
Anyway, I just have to read this fascinating conversation to feel reassured: your bursts of generosity and your contribution to eradicating poverty clearly have their limits...
Money discussions are often a "sensitive" topic on vf... the word SCAM is often mentioned... for nothing.
I sometimes get the impression that many people don’t distinguish between a real scam—e.g., gullible Mr. X on vacation in Tataouine on the Ganges gets mixed up in a shady jewelry deal that’ll give him a heart attack when he realizes back in his "home sweet home" that his bank account is at -3000 €—and a simple "fee" charged to tourists or backpackers passing through (same difference), like paying 50 baht for a tuk-tuk ride that’s worth 30.
Paying a fair price is good... but how do you determine it? And what’s the "fair" price we think we’re paying in a country where currency and purchasing power are the complete opposite of what we experience daily at home?
Wanting to pay the "local" price is a bit pretentious... knowing how to negotiate to get as close as possible and then "letting go" with awareness and pleasure of a few extra cents or euros... that’s what makes the art and fun of haggling.
...Annoying, these money stories... in India (and elsewhere), farmers commit suicide over debts of 200 or 300 €... does that mean anything to you?
thanks for bringing this "fascinating conversation" to my attention.... I nearly swallowed my tongue reading it........................................................................................(I’d rather not finish that sentence....)
Thanks for the link, and I’ll keep this in mind:
"Anyway, there are plenty of richer people who pay the sherpas more than the actual price, so in the end, it balances out."
In my opinion, it’s the people who try to exploit those in "poorer" countries who are the real issue—not the locals scamming them.
And it’s especially contradictory to what they wrote in their first message:
"When I get scammed, I tell myself it’s a generous act to help the poor in the country in question."
+1, I had the same reaction as you when I read their opening line.
On the other hand, thinking that the money collected by a few scammers can help the poor is an overly simplistic idea: sure, tourists contribute to a country's economic development (maybe...), but you’d still need to prove that it benefits the poorest. As for theft and scams...
In many countries, the price fluctuates based on the real or perceived wealth of the buyer.
The problem is that Westerners no longer know how to haggle and have no reference point for setting a price.
A kilo of tomatoes costs about 2 € at my local greengrocer. What’s the price for that kilo in Morocco, Indonesia, or the middle of nowhere in Mali????
You should try to find out the prices by visiting supermarkets. I always find checking out a supermarket in a foreign country interesting, even though I rarely set foot in one back in France.
You really see the differences in food, the clientele, and most importantly, you get an idea of the prices! (Though in Mali, finding a supermarket might be a bit tricky—but otherwise, the *gangrène carrouf* is spreading to the most unexpected places :(
You just have to tell yourself that no matter what, the price you pay will always be a bargain compared to France, and if you don’t feel like haggling, you’re not obligated to buy ;)
Otherwise, there are also fixed prices that differ for foreigners and locals: monument visits, transportation, etc.
If the sale involves a state-owned good, don’t haggle, but always demand your receipt so the money doesn’t end up in the cashier’s pocket :angry:
If the sale is in the private sector, negotiation is always possible :cool:
The most annoying part is when a local pays, say, 50 rupees to enter the Taj Mahal, while a foreigner pays 500 rupees—even though that local earns 10 times more than the foreigner....
A thought-provoking example for all kinds of merchants:
I remember a shop in Aswan that decided to display its prices. The store was always packed with foreigners happy to skip the haggling!
Plus, the prices were very fair for the country :)
hey, it’s worth pointing out that some people who go with certain orgs—especially for volunteering—end up getting scammed right from the start! Take the case of the association Grain d'espoir: they take money from volunteers, and not only do they not transfer it on time to their local contacts, but they only send part of it. Then the volunteers have to pay even more once they’re on the ground. Even worse, before the volunteers leave, they’re not put in touch with the people who’ll be hosting them! That means you can’t communicate your needs properly or get details about the stay—like the welcome, accommodation, food, transport, etc. More often than not, you end up facing realities you weren’t prepared for: tensions, and so on. You’ve got to talk directly with the people waiting for you on the ground. Better to deal with God than his saints… let’s avoid the worst!
Aren't you a bit obsessed with money?????? Because no matter how much you say it's just provocation to test us (reminds me of kindergarten, but whatever)... it always comes back to the same topic.
This subject has already been discussed at length on VF, and if it *is* provocation, it's lame!!! Do you take us for "idiots"???? 🤪
As often happens on VF, the discussion goes off track.
In some countries, prices vary widely depending on whether you're a "local" or a "foreigner," especially at markets. Having lived nearly 40 years in West Equatorial Africa, I got used to bargaining, all while knowing full well that the price I ended up paying was still much higher than what a "local" would be charged. This became even clearer when I had an African partner who’d ask me to stay out of sight while she negotiated the price of fish or a bunch of plantains: the sight of a white person is synonymous with a potential good deal—it’s obvious. Can we call this theft or a scam in this particular case? I don’t think so. It’s certain that this practice in a restaurant in France would be fraud, but I’ve never seen anything like that. The closest thing in my experience was what happened to me at a roadside restaurant in Lunel, where after asking if service was included, the owner replied that it was, but I could leave something extra for the waitress! That was a long time ago... before tourism really took off in the South of France!
In some countries, the price charged to tourists is often more expensive than the one for locals
A lot has already been said about this here, no need to go over it again. After reading your other post mentioned by someone, a very simple question comes to mind...
Have you ever wondered if sometimes YOU might be charged a lot more because you were being rude or disrespectful to people?
you told the truth! Here, I sometimes haggle with vendors, and sometimes they tell me: "Don’t you see that we’re very poor here? And in your country, it’s all nice because you have a little more than we do?" Scam or fraud... I don’t know what to call it! I’ve been to Bolivia and Chile, and foreigners weren’t treated the same as locals at all!
In my opinion, it’s neither a scam nor fraud: for locals, white people are necessarily rich, and it’s perfectly normal to "tax" them... openly and in front of everyone. When I crossed the Ogooué Delta from Port-Gentil to Omboué by *pinasse*, I paid a sum that didn’t even spare me from sleeping at the bottom of the boat, with a passenger’s feet tickling my nose! An unforgettable crossing that was well worth the price asked.
I’m still a bit shocked by this kind of thinking.
In France, I live on very little, but I save up so I can travel. Right now, I’ve been staying with a family I know in Nicaragua for a few weeks, and I realize I’m wealthy compared to here—when I spend 15 € to help with food costs, it feeds the family for several weeks. A teacher’s salary here is about 150 € per month.
So I think it’s completely normal, when prices are official and posted, that a foreigner who can afford a flight ticket costing more than a year’s salary here pays more, in line with their means (whatever they say about it).
Otherwise, it would mean shutting out locals who can’t afford those visits or limiting income for places like natural parks or museums that wouldn’t survive without it.
I’m not saying that in some touristy countries, they don’t try to rip you off as a tourist, but regarding this specific practice, I don’t feel like it’s treating me like a walking wallet—unlike other situations that have really gotten on my nerves, which I’d call scams.
I’m jumping into the discussion! Even without going as far as Mali or India and the famous Taj Mahal, I’ve seen tourist prices vs. local prices in Russia. I really don’t like the idea of being charged more just because we’re tourists. It’s a bit annoying to be treated like a walking wallet, even if we have to accept that we are—because even when haggling, we never pay the local price. And sure, we can afford to pay a little extra. But I still think we should negotiate and try to pay less (I’m talking about taxis and shops, not places where prices are clearly displayed). For example, if tourists always pay the higher price for a taxi, won’t that driver start prioritizing tourists over locals, since it’s more profitable? I don’t think it’s helping a country to contribute to driving up prices. Look at the real estate prices in the southeast of France—it’s becoming unaffordable for young French workers, all because wealthy Brits (and others) can pay twice as much for a second home they don’t even live in year-round. It’s not on the same scale as a taxi ride, but still. It’s not exactly humanitarian.
I'm in Cameroon and I just finished with a health caravan in the Minta district—it was amazing, I have to say it's really nice! As for prices... people here live on less than 2 € a day, it's really sad!
Just a clarification that really gets under my skin when people write: I understand that tourists pay more than locals because they’re richer (or don’t have the same purchasing power!!!, etc., etc.).
In that case, why does an 18-year-old backpacker with 100 euros for the week pay the same price as a "5-star" tourist who drops 100 euros at every meal or every night at the hotel?!
2. Let me tell you a story that’s a bit old but really representative of this.
Once in Sri Lanka, we arrived at a site (Sigiriya, if I remember correctly).
Tourists: $15
Locals: $0.15
That’s 100 times cheaper for locals!!
We were cycling around the world and didn’t have the budget for that kind of visit!!
Anyway, we haggled, and the guy explained it was so that "poor" Sri Lankans could visit the site.
And at that moment, a Mercedes pulled up.
Four Sri Lankans with high-tech camcorders and cameras got out, paid......$0.60, and went in!!!
The guy’s whole argument collapsed right then and there!!
la vie est comme un livre, celui qui n'a pas voyagé n'en connais que la 1ere page.
It’s a logic that holds up, but it’s not necessarily everyone’s—starting with the "locals."
Let me explain... For my part, in Africa, based on what I’ve observed several times, it’s unthinkable for a local, even a well-off one, to pay the tourist price. It would be a bit like making them pay to enter their own home. Instead, they’ll give a good tip to the guide and park chief—but purely for selfish reasons: to ensure they have a good time and to show they’re the boss (since they have the money... it’s normal). If this local visitor is a civil servant, this kind of reasoning applies even more. Even if the price were the same as for tourists, they’d pay with their "slush fund," meaning money that wasn’t meant for that purpose, so... And I’ve rarely seen "poor" people visit these places. The only non-wealthy people I’ve seen in the parks are locals with customary access, who don’t pay—but they’re not there to visit; they live there. Plus, if people come to these places from very far away, most "locals" assume they have the means, even if they’re traveling by bike. That can seem surprising to populations who see Western tourists as rich—if *they* had money, they wouldn’t bother exerting themselves; they’d drive around in a big air-conditioned 4x4.
So, the same price for everyone isn’t happening anytime soon in many countries, and even if it were, I doubt it would be properly enforced everywhere...
The argument: "It’s so that poor Sri Lankans can visit the site" isn’t really valid—I agree with that.
For Africa, I also agree with Mboloani’s opinion.
Great summary, choucarde!!
It’s clear that the "locals" find the sight of tourists traveling by bike really funny.
During my 6-year trip, how many times did I hear:
"What you’re doing is really tough—I hope your government pays you a fortune!!!!"
"I hope one day you’ll have enough money to take the bus!!"
Or:
"Where are you from?"
Me: "From France, we’ve done 12,000 km."
Them: "Okay! Where are you going?"
Me: "To X (300 km away)."
Them: "Are you crazy?! That’s way too far! No one’s ever gone that far by bike!!"
Anyway, back to the original post!
Imagine one day, to go up the Eiffel Tower, you see:
French: 8 €
Gulf countries: 75 €!!!!!!
Imagine the story!!! It’s not even thinkable, especially since tourists from the Gulf are way richer than "poor" French people!
la vie est comme un livre, celui qui n'a pas voyagé n'en connais que la 1ere page.
Yes, I completely agree. I was specifically talking about the clearly displayed prices for some natural park or museum entries.
For everything else (taxi rides, markets), I totally agree that bargaining is necessary—if only to avoid driving up the cost of living in the country. And it’s exhausting and really annoying to be seen as nothing more than a walking wallet the moment you step onto the street... I’m familiar with the issue of country houses in the south of France, and I think it’s a well-chosen example...
"It’s really tough what you’re doing, I hope your government pays you a ton!!!!"
"I hope one day you’ll have enough money to take the bus!!"
"Imagine one day, to go up the Eiffel Tower, you see:
French: 8 €
Gulf countries: 75 €!!!!!!"
So maybe we’d be a little less vocal about this topic elsewhere.
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My mom received an invitation for a free stay (though of course it comes with visits to carpet shops, jewelry stores, and other boutiques). She bought a carpet in Turkey about 10 years ago, and it was that carpet shop in Istanbul that sent this invitation. The whole thing is organized by a travel agency called "Habitat VIP Travel." Has anyone here heard of this agency and their "commercial tourism" practices? I’m not against the idea in principle—I just want to make sure it’s legit and not dangerous (I really don’t want to get kidnapped with my nearly 90-year-old mom!).
Thanks for your feedback
Hello everyone,
A message to warn potential customers of "Go Voyages" about my recent experience.
I left from Geneva for Colombo on December 18, 2025, with a round-trip business-class ticket purchased on Go Voyages, with Etihad Airways, and a layover in Abu Dhabi. Access to the business lounge was denied (I have a 7-hour layover both ways), and I had to pay $160 to get in, despite having a business-class boarding pass.
I’m currently in Sri Lanka, and for a month now, I’ve been trying to get an explanation for this refusal and to find out if I’ll be denied access again on my return on March 12, 2026.
After two calls to the priority line of the "Prime" service I subscribed to (a paid subscription, of course), which is supposed to assist me 24/7 during my trip, after about ten emails that only led to being redirected to links like Opodo, then eDreams (an inaccessible site), and then other links that just sent me in circles... it’s absolutely insane, all this just to answer a fairly simple question: why wasn’t I informed about this potential refusal by Etihad when I made my purchase? All Go Voyages would need to do is contact the airline to resolve this quickly... but no!!! After a month, ten emails, the last response was: contact the airline directly!!! Which, of course, redirected me back to Go Voyages!!
Completely unacceptable! The "Prime" service from Go Voyages is a total scam—completely ineffective, with customer service nowhere to be found. My issue isn’t life-or-death, but imagine a more serious situation where you’d need quick assistance... don’t count on "Go Voyages" to help you at all!! You’d likely be pretty disappointed!! My advice: RUN from this agency, which is headquartered in Spain and owns Opodo, eDreams, and Go Voyages.
Eight months after our vacation in Croatia, Europcar took 1,611.25 € from us... yes, you read that right—1,611.25 €!! At first, we thought it was a credit card scam, but after a little investigation and the documents sent by the rental company (which had the wrong email address), it turned out the city of Dubrovnik had hit us with this huge fine. Following the GPS on June 9, 2025, we were simply heading to our accommodation with parking on Zagrebačka Street. This one-way, busy street has been off-limits to vehicles without a pass issued by local authorities since June 2, 2025. There’s a checkpoint at the entrance with license plate scanning, but the signs announcing the zone are in Croatian! Our landlord didn’t warn us and hadn’t registered our plate with the authorities, as recommended on the city’s website. The result? A prohibitive fine for both the vehicle and the driver. On top of that, the rules say you only have 8 days to appeal... super convenient when you’re on a road trip abroad and no one flags the issue when you return the car a few days later. This is a real blow for us, but more importantly, it’s a massive tourist scam set up by the city of Dubrovnik. 🙁
Hi,
Back from South Africa since 24/10/25, we’re having trouble getting our deposit back after renting a car at Cape Town Airport with Pace Car Rental through Carwiz! It’s still a sum over 1000 €!!
Lots of email exchanges via WhatsApp where they send me the refund proof dated 25/11, but my bank can’t find any trace of it!! Just to clarify, the car was returned without a scratch, as they confirmed!
Has anyone else run into this issue with this rental company, or others for that matter? And if it’s a scam, what are the possible courses of action? I’m hoping there are some… I was thinking of contacting our Consulate in Cape Town to see if they can help with the next steps or even intervene with this rental company!
This kind of practice isn’t going to help boost tourism relations with South Africa!!
Thanks for your feedback,
Dan
hi everyone.
I usually exchange money at a bank in the city in every country, but this time I was being picked up by my guide, so I did it as quickly as possible and didn’t check my receipt.
I don’t remember the exact amount the cashier scammed me out of, but it was significant when I recounted everything later.
Two hours later, when my guide still hadn’t shown up, I ran into the police—a kind woman I explained the situation to—but it was too late because the cashier had already been replaced.
Be careful and don’t do what I did.
Check everything in front of them because afterward, it’s too late 😅
A disastrous experience with Lastminute.com – Family left outside with no assistance
I booked a stay at the Akgun Istanbul Hotel via for a total of 3 884 €. Despite receiving a booking confirmation, the hotel refused to accommodate us. My wife was sick, we had two children with us, and we literally found ourselves outside with no help at all. We had to book another hotel at our own expense, and even with the evidence we provided (medical documents, receipts, exchanges with customer service), only refunded 717 €. Customer service refused to reopen the case, completely ignoring the exceptional circumstances. No gesture, no assistance, no respect.
I strongly advise against using this platform for anyone traveling with family or in sensitive situations. If something goes wrong, you’ll be on your own.
Among other things, they don’t just mention fake taxis that rob you or express kidnappings (especially in Arequipa), but also drugs that can be slipped into your drink if left unattended, "with the risk of scopolamine being added."
They’ve marked the Cuzco region as a red zone (formally avoid!!) and central Lima as an orange zone, "to avoid after dark."
Zou! is the public transport service for the Région Sud Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. We're Canadian and our plan was to hike the Mercantour Great Crossing (GR52). After landing in Nice, we needed to find transport to the trailhead in the village of Entraunes. It took us two months to figure out that the only service available was Zou!'s shuttle, and—after countless calls (not easy from Canada)—to actually speak to someone at the company. Even though they confirmed our reservation, on the day of the trip, they weren’t waiting for us. We ended up stranded in Guillaumes because the driver hadn’t been "informed" that he was supposed to go all the way to the terminus that day. In 40 years of traveling the world, I’ve never encountered a situation where customer service was this nonexistent and access to a region this difficult. I just wanted to share this experience to warn you if you’re planning to rely on public transport to reach the GR52...
I want to share an experience that really knocked the wind out of me and I hope it won’t ruin my long-awaited trip to Japan.
I recently used the services of a travel planner, Hima Voyage, which I found on social media, to organize my family vacation in Japan.
Unfortunately, my experience was extremely disappointing and frustrating, marked by a blatant lack of professionalism.
The major problems appeared when I received the itinerary: the proposed route was completely illogical in relation to the accommodation locations, forcing us to make much longer daily trips than necessary, with duplicate days suggesting a poorly done copy-paste sent to others.
She didn’t take into account the high-traffic days for the places we wanted to visit at all.
No personalized or concrete tips or advice were provided. Most of her “recommendations” were generic copy-pastes you can find anywhere on social media.
Faced with such a lack of optimization and logic, I’m forced—with less than 4 months until the trip—to start from scratch and completely reorganize my trip myself. This service, sold as an organizational aid, turned into a huge waste of time and money (825 euros down the drain).
I feel scammed and deeply disappointed by this service. I strongly recommend being extremely cautious before entrusting your travel plans to any “travel planner” found on social media.
I’m posting this as a not-so-pleasant experience, but one I think is important to share.
We stayed at MMV Arêches-Beaufort at the end of June 2025 (from the 21st to the 28th), in room 317, as a family with our young daughter.
Everything was fine until the night of June 25th to 26th, when we discovered a bed bug infestation right next to our bedhead.
We’d already slept 4 nights in that infested room without noticing anything. Needless to say, the shock was huge, especially with a little one.
MMV offered to relocate us, but by that point, trust was completely broken. The rest of the stay was spent in constant stress: disinfecting, isolating our belongings, and worrying about bringing these pests home with us.
They refunded our stay (which was the least they could do), but they’d also promised compensation of 150 €, which was never paid. Since then, no news at all.
We felt erased, ignored, and not taken seriously.
I’m sharing this not to stir up controversy, but to warn other travelers.
We thought we were staying in a reliable residence with responsive customer service—it wasn’t the case.
I’m genuinely wondering:
Am I an isolated case with MMV?
Have others experienced similar situations (bed bugs or a lack of consideration when problems arise)?
Thanks to those who take the time to read this.
And above all, be wary when everything seems "too good on paper."
Avoid the car rental company "locationauto"
No one was there when we arrived at the airport—we waited 1 hour for someone to pick us up and take us outside the airport.
The vehicle... 97,000 km!!!! Dirty inside and out, stained seats.
Return was the same—1.5-hour wait to drop off the car.
Sure, it’s cheap, but you get what you pay for!!!
With the $CAD/EUR exchange rate already worse than ever (thanks, Mr. Trump and his annexation threats), imagine my surprise when I found out that the EuroBank ATM (same for Alpha Bank) charged a 9% commission on the transaction. That pushed the exchange rate from the official 1.60$ to 1.77$ per euro. It’s better to buy euros in Canada or at a currency exchange office, or just pay by credit card, which I did (at a rate between 1.61$ and 1.63$).
If you take the bus from Bangkok Ekkamai to Pattaya, foreigners will be asked to pay an extra 20k for checked baggage, even though it’s already been paid for and listed on the ticket. They don’t even weigh it—a woman just demands you pay again, and if you refuse, she goes to get security colleagues who yell at you and threaten not to let you board. We later found out at the hotel that this is a well-known organized scam. The company is ROONG REUANG COACH, and we were about fifteen people—all foreign tourists—in the same situation. For Thai passengers, they didn’t ask for anything.
Then in Pattaya, violence and corruption rule. The next day, we learned the city is classified as "scarlet" (high-risk). A hotel guest was attacked with a knife by four Thais on a scooter—they stole his bag with his bank card and cash inside, luckily not his passport. A large hotel near ours was just shut down administratively for pedophilia. On Apple Maps, many reviews warn about how dangerous the city is. I’ve been coming to Thailand regularly for over 30 years, but I barely recognize the country since COVID. The "Land of Smiles" is turning into the "Land of Scowls," and a form of racism is emerging. For us, this will be the last time—next stop, Vietnam, and even China, which pleasantly surprised us.
Finally, China and the U.S. are advising their citizens against traveling to Thailand due to violence. Right now, most tourists here are Indians and Russians—together, they make up the majority—along with some from the Gulf (Qatar, Dubai, Oman).
If you're heading to Basse-Terre in Pointe-Noire, Guadeloupe, **do not** stay at Ara Wakam cabin. It looks tempting on Booking, but it’s a total **SCAM**. There aren’t two bedrooms as advertised—just a double bed in the living area and two single beds in the attic, where it’s **scorchingly hot** and the fan is **extremely noisy**. But the worst part? It’s **THE HOUSE OF MOSQUITOES**. No windows, shutters with gaps that don’t seal—nowhere to escape. The owner is dishonest, and the concierge is arrogant. We lost **800 €**.
! Never accept a flight waiver in exchange for financial compensation when flying with EasyJet—they don’t honor their commitments!
My family and I were among the victims of EasyJet flight EZY4481 on 28/12/2024 from Lyon to Marrakech. Instead of departing at 5 PM, the flight was canceled in the middle of the night and rescheduled for the next day on a smaller plane. We were doubly victimized: not only did we have to give up our trip, but we also chose to be among the 30 people who had to waive their seats at departure because the replacement plane was smaller. This was in exchange for compensation of 500 € per person, supposedly to be paid within 48 hours. It’s been over thirty days, and despite our complaints to EasyJet, we’ve heard nothing. They’re thieves—offering compensation and then not honoring it. What a disgrace!
We left the airport in tears on 28/12, just before midnight, having accepted their offer because we didn’t want our two young children to spend the night at the airport, with no idea of EasyJet’s level of .
Dear EasyJet employees, we won’t give up! !
Hi everyone : WARNING!!!! driver-guide in SENEGAL
I’m posting this just to warn you about this person: Jean Marie DIOUF
Here’s his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552651919372&sk=reviews
He advertises himself as a cheap driver-guide at first, then raises the price but asks you to send a deposit for a so-called reservation of your dates. To gain your trust, he puts his so-called French wife on the phone with you.
In the end, you won’t see your money again!!!!
Please share this 😡
After years of traveling, I finally settled down a few years ago in the Togean Islands, Indonesia (on the main island of Sulawesi).
For those planning to visit the Togeans via Wakai (arriving either by ferry from Gorontalo or speedboat from Ampana), watch out for a person who goes by the name Bagong, also known as Farid.
This gentleman is a teacher and supplements his income with tourism-related activities. He often hangs around Wakai port looking for tourists to sell things to (a charter boat transfer, a cabin on the ferry, etc.), using dishonest methods and lining his pockets.
More recently, he was hired by the authorities of Togean Islands National Park (TNKT) to sell entry tickets. And this is even worse: in the name of the National Park, he outright scams tourists, either by selling tickets at a higher price, asking them to pay again, or charging children who are supposed to enter for free.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Entry fee for the National Park: 150,000 IDR (ONLY FOR ADULTS, aged 18 and up)
2. This entry fee is only payable once, even if the ticket states it’s a daily price. These tickets were printed a long time ago, before tourists even had to pay anything, and since then the payment system has changed. So it’s indeed 150,000 IDR per person, payable once regardless of how long you stay in the Togeans.
3. Where to pay (depends on your entry point to the Togeans):
Ampana: entry fee payable when departing from Ampana port
Gorontalo: entry fee payable upon arrival at Wakai port
Bumbulan (Marisa): entry fee payable upon arrival at Dolong port
If you’re asked to pay these fees anywhere else or when leaving the Togeans, it’s a scam—don’t pay.
4. You should receive one receipt per person in exchange for the 150,000 IDR. If not, know that the money won’t go to the National Park but into the ticket seller’s pocket. If someone offers to charge you less (e.g., 100,000 IDR), you won’t get a receipt, so the money still won’t go to the National Park.
Please don’t accept these practices, even if you think it’s good for your wallet (seriously, a 50,000 IDR discount is only about 3 €). The National Park needs these funds to protect the Togean Islands’ ecosystem. By saving 3 €, you’re just lining the pockets of a dishonest guy.
Several resorts have already reported Bagong’s (or Farid’s) dishonest practices to the National Park. The authorities are still struggling to find a trustworthy person to sell tickets in Wakai (no scams have been reported in the other two ports so far). We all hope this person will be replaced soon.
5. Contribution for the Ministry of Tourism: Since early 2019, every tourist staying in the Togean Islands must, in addition to the National Park entry fee, pay a 50,000 IDR contribution (regardless of the length of stay). These fees are to be paid at the same time as the 150,000 IDR for the National Park.
6. Price for renting a cabin on the ferry Wakai - Gorontalo (and vice versa): 500,000 IDR. If someone offers you 600,000 IDR, it’s a scam, and those extra 100,000 IDR will go into the same dishonest guy’s pocket (or one of his accomplices). Note that the 500,000 IDR already includes the commission for the person acting as an intermediary to rent the cabin.
7. Going rates for charter boats from Wakai to the various resorts (approximate prices, just to give you an idea—it may vary slightly from one boat operator to another or from one resort to another):
Wakai - Kadidiri (Harmony Bay, Kadidiri Paradise, Black Marlin, Pondo Lestari): usually free if the transfer is arranged by the resort (if you have a confirmed booking and stay more than one night), otherwise between 100,000 and 150,000 IDR
Wakai - Una Una (Sanctum, Pristine Paradise): I’ll get back to you with the info, but you can also check with these two resorts.
Wakai - Katupat (Fadhila Cottages and Bolilanga): 400,000 IDR
Wakai - Bomba (Polyalisa, Poki-Poki, Araya Dive Resort, Island Retreat): 400,000 IDR
Wakai - Malenge (Malenge Indah, Bahia Tomini, Sera Beach, Sandy Bay, Lestari Cottages): 600,000 IDR
Wakai - Waleakodi (Lia Beach, Pulotiga Resort): 900,000 IDR
There you go, fellow travelers—my little contribution to help you avoid what’s known here as the "Wakai mafia."
I’ve included some photos of Bagong/Farid (found on Facebook) so you can recognize him. Note that he sometimes wears glasses, sometimes not, sometimes has a mustache, sometimes not, and sometimes wears his teacher’s uniform to appear more official or legitimate. Heh, the habit doesn’t make the monk ;)
Other shady individuals in Wakai:
Lamin: sometimes sells ferry tickets to Gorontalo, but mostly acts as a taxi to resorts, with shady deals and unfair prices.
Uni: a seemingly charming woman, but not always honest. She offers cabin rentals on the ferry and arranges charter boat transfers to resorts.
And while I’m at it, if you meet "Miss Harbor" at Ampana port, run away like the plague. She doesn’t handle National Park ticket sales but will try to sell you a car rental for Toraja, Tentena, Luwuk, or Manado, a cabin rental on the ferry to Gorontalo, or other things. Her real name is Ulfa, and she’s a real scammer (on top of being an alcoholic and a bit unhinged). I’ll try to post something about her later.
Don’t worry, there are also plenty of great people in the Togean Islands :P :P
If, despite everything, you fall victim to these scammers’ schemes, be sure to report it to the resort where you’re staying. And of course, leave a comment here so I can report it to the National Park and the Ministry of Tourism (communications are difficult in the Togeans, and some resort owners don’t have many opportunities to contact the authorities).
Together, we can put an end to these dishonest practices and make the Togean Islands even more beautiful :)
Have a great summer, travel safely, and return with your heart filled with the beauty of our world!
Hotel La suerte loca in Sidi Ifni.
Move along quickly!
LIAR AND DISHONEST.
Not to mention the state of the rooms. That’ll come later.
I booked three nights on-site without a bathroom in room (No. 16). I had called the day before to check availability. The next day, they told me I couldn’t stay in that room on the third night but offered to move me to another room—even more run-down than this one—and without a bathroom. They claimed there had been a mistake and the room was already booked, which is completely false. I’ve been traveling for 20 years and can spot hoteliers’ tricks. The woman running the place checked all her online sites and her schedule before confirming the room was available. She was sure. Especially since they display the booking schedule in front of each room to avoid mistakes. So, a pure lie. For what reason?
For me, two options: either take the run-down room for cheaper without a bathroom or leave. Great customer service. I found another hotel, Safa, a bit further away, at the same price with breakfast—100 times more luxurious and comfortable than this place. Or just down on the beach, Hotel Aït Baamrane, same price or even negotiable, and still much more comfortable.
When I left in the morning, they barely said goodbye, not a word of apology, no gesture to make up for kicking me out. NOTHING, NADA!
The woman running the place, with her fake friendliness and hypocrisy, only cares about one thing: money.
Otherwise, the place could be great if it were properly maintained. Instead of repainting the balconies, they should replace the mattresses, which are completely wrecked. The only good thing about this hotel is its location above the sea.
Otherwise, Room No. 16 was recently repainted.
Every time someone uses the water, there’s a huge noise from the pipes and vibrations.
The walls are paper-thin (figuratively speaking)—when neighbors talked or coughed, it was like they were in the room with me.
I had to wait to check in because of cleaning, but once inside, the bedside tables and the table were filthy (see photo).
In the bathroom, there’s a stale smell of old urine and sewage due to the worn-out toilet pipes (see photo), with minimal lighting. The showerhead is disgustingly dirty.
The gray duvet is dirty and very old, as are the blankets, which are dusty and grimy.
The Wi-Fi worked in the room the first day but not the next.
And finally, the worst part: the mattress is completely wrecked and sagging. The springs dig into your body. Horrible!
Instead of repainting, they’d do better to change the mattresses.
As for meals, the prices are outrageous.
This hotel relies on its old popularity, but it’s not worth 190 dirhams for this room. I’d say it’s barely worth over 100 dirhams.
Since I’ve been in Morocco, I’ve stayed in palaces for 130 dirhams with breakfast.
So, my advice: don’t trust the reviews and avoid this place. You’ll find much better at the same price, as mentioned above.
Hello,
I’m currently in Japan, in Osaka, and we just avoided a scam I wasn’t familiar with.
We were in the tall tower in Tennoji when we were approached by two Japanese guys around 20 years old.
One, speaking broken English, asked us to make a video for his friend who’s in the hospital.
The scam involves distracting you to steal your phone or later asking for money for this so-called friend, while the other stays in the background and keeps an eye on our surroundings. We obviously refused, pretending we didn’t speak English, and they left. But after 10 minutes, they came back, this time translating with his phone. After looking it up online, they call this the "sick friend scam"—used to ask for money. I’ve been coming to Japan twice a year for 15 years and had never seen this before. Also, I’ve noticed some aggressive behavior from a few Japanese people toward tourists—shoving in stores, a 1000¥ fee for luggage when taking the train from the airport, and terrible service in some hotels.
Japan plans to require an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) in 2025 for entry, which will need to be applied for and paid for online, along with a surveillance app. The exact date isn’t known yet, and Europe is protesting, considering reciprocity if necessary. Let’s see if this gets canceled, as the new prime minister seems to be backtracking.
I’d like to share the misadventure I had a few days ago when returning from French Polynesia.
It’s 10:30 PM on October 29, 2024. My wife and I just had an incredible trip and are about to face the gray skies of Paris again. We decide to buy two bottles of Mana'O rum as a souvenir from the Tahiti Dutyfree shop. The staff is charming, the price attractive, everything goes smoothly. They give us our products in a special customs bag—all good. Then my wife has a doubt: we’re transiting through the US, will the bottles make it through customs?
That’s when the trouble starts. I go back to the counter to confirm everything is in order and the products will pass through. They reassure me, explaining that with the special bag, there won’t be any issues. My wife checks customer reviews that say otherwise, so I go back. Again, they tell me there won’t be a problem and that they’ve never received complaints or negative feedback. After half an hour, I return, thinking I’d rather not take the risk. This time, they insist there won’t be a problem and even tell me that if US customs confiscate the bottles, they’ll refund me in full upon presenting the receipt and proof of confiscation: “contact us on Facebook, we’ll refund you.”
Ten hours later, I’m standing in front of a customs officer who opens the hermetically sealed bag and runs my bottles through some kind of obscure machine. Each bottle is tested three times—each fails. I’m not the only one; many other travelers have their bottles confiscated too. Without hesitation, I grab my phone and document the scene with the officer’s permission.
A few days later, I contact Tahiti Dutyfree, and they refuse to refund the products, claiming responsibility lies with US customs. A misleading response, since it would mean absolving themselves of the responsibility of selling products banned from entering the US to customers who are *required* to bring these purchases into the country.
For the record, it’s impossible that the management of this shop isn’t aware of the issue. They continue selling these items to customers, fully knowing they’ll end up in a trash bin at Seattle or Los Angeles airports.
I’d like to warn Tahiti Dutyfree customers and travelers who might want to bring back this kind of souvenir from French Polynesia, so my experience can help others avoid getting scammed.
If you’ve also been a victim of this, don’t hesitate to reply to this post :)
My poor bottles that will end up alone
The official ICAO-STEB duty-free bag
The US customs officer who let me capture this sweet moment
Hello les voyageurs,
Je voulais savoir si certaines d'entre vous avaient déjà rencontré des soucis au Belize ?
Je ne suis pas du tout de nature méfiante, je voyage souvent sans d'ailleurs faire assez attention. Il ne m'est jamais rien arrivé de négatif en voyage, si ce n'est au Belize.
J'étais allée avec ma meilleure amie (depuis le Mexique car nous habitions là-bas). Nous avions une chambre d'hôtel basique. Durant la nuit, un homme (un voleur bien connu de la ville), est entré dans notre chambre et nous a volé toutes nos affaires de valeur. Nous l'avons vu mais au moment où il repartait. C'était trop tard.
Ce qui est dingue dans cette histoire, c'est que cet homme avait eu la clef de notre chambre par le responsable de l'hôtel
Encore plus dingue, ce sont des enfants qui étaient à côté de nous sur la plage, qui a renseigné que deux jeunes filles seules séjournaient dans tel endroit...
Il vous est déjà arrivé une histoire complètement dingue ? Avez-vous eu des soucis au Belize ou pas du tout ? Je connais pas mal de personnes qui ont eu des problèmes à la frontière (moi aussi, ils ne voulaient pas nous laissé quitter le pays car il y avait une taxe à payer et nous n'avions du coup plus la moindre carte de banque ni centime...).
Je vous raconte pas ça pour que vous soyez suspicieux des locaux lors d'un voyage. Simplement, le touriste est la proie facile par excellence (encore plus lorsqu'il s'agit de deux jeunes filles seules). Il faut juste rester sur ses gardes. Après, je ne sais pas trop comment j'aurais pu éviter cette arnaque ci ^^
Je voulais vous faire part d'une arnaque aux taxis prépayés à l'aéroport international de Delhi.
Il existe un comptoir de vente dédié à l'intérieur de l'aéroport pour se rendre dans le centre de la ville. Quand l'employé de ce comptoir est absent, les autres compagnies situées juste à côté sortent un panneau intitulé: "Taxi prepaid".
C'est une énorme arnaque ! Normalement, le prix de la course pour se rendre dans le centre est de 600 roupies. Ils vous comptent la course 4 fois plus cher, et surtout ils n'ont aucune autorisation à vendre des tickets "taxi prepaid".
Le mieux pour se rendre au centre-ville est d'emprunter la ligne express du métro, très rapide, climatisée, sécurisée et hyper propre.
Il faut sortir de l'aérogare et suivre les panneaux "Metro" pour descendre dans la station. Il y a des guichets de vente après le passage de la sécurité (c'est la norme en Inde de passer par des portiques de sécurité pour pénétrer dans le métro) et le prix varie en fonction de votre station de destination. Ce prix est dérisoire et cette solution est beaucoup plus rapide et bien plus confortable pour se rendre à Delhi.
vol reservé le 10/02/2020 sous le numéro de résa: 4949548960, date prévu le 28/03/2020
aucun message du service client pour m'informer de l'annulation, puis apres des heure a essayer de les contacter , par chat , numéro surtaxé...
jai enfin réussi a etre contacté par mail car j'ai mis un avis défavorable sur un site , le mail m'informais le 15/05/2020 (1.5 mois apres l'annulation)que j'allais etre remboursé mais pas de la totalité, ils enlève des frais de ''d'intermédiation'' , en fait c'est des frais de résa , c'est vraiement du vol!!! n'achetez pas chez eux !!! utilisez ce site govoyage juste pour comparer mais je vous aurez prévenu , aujourdhui le 4 juin je n'ai aucun remboursement alors que qatar airways m'a confirmé que si javais acheté mon billet direct chez eux c'etait sous 7 jours et ils m'ont confirmé qu'ils avaient remboursé govoyage le 12 mars , c'est abusé leur facon de faire !!! mon message et aussi pou edream et opodo , c'est la meme société , de gros voleur !!! je souhaite a personne ma desaventure qui gache un voyage
Bonjour,
Considérant qu'il y a de plus en plus de vol dans les bus de nuit en Thaïlande, je voulais faire le point en ce mois d'avril 2017 afin d'informer les voyageurs qui comme moi sont inquiets. Alors, je viens régulièrement en Thaïlande, et depuis quelques années, il y a de pkus en plus de vol dans les bus de nuit. Un ami policier m'a aidé à comprendre. Il y a belle et bien une mafia surtout concernant les agences de Khao San Road, à éviter à tout prix, même si c'est tentanpour sauver quelques baths. Si c'est moins cher qu'ailleur alors vaut mieux se méfier. Les groupes organisés vols dans la soute à bagages lors du trajet, ils ont tout le temps pour bien fouiller, voler et tout remettre en ordre sans se rendre compte, sauf en arrivant à l'hôtel. Ne rien laisser de valeurs dans les sacs en soute. Il y a une seconde mode plus efficace ou certain groupe organisé font entrer un léger gaz dans la climatisation pour endormir les gens et les dépouiller de l'argent, Iphone, appareil photo, etc., toujoyrs à partir des agences sur Khao San Road.
Nous avons fait beaucoup de recherche pour éviter d'avoir des ennuies et avons trouvé des solutions à transmettre.
1. Prendre les bus gouvernementaux à partir de la station Monchit.
2. Prendre le train, plus lent mais plus sûr car présence policière dans les wagons.
3. Prendre des compagnies plus éloignées de Khao San Road qui ont pignon sur rue.
4. Mettre passeport et argent dans une ceinture soys les pantalons lors des déplacements en bus de nuit.
5. Nous, afin de dissuader les voleurs en soute, nous avons utilisé le fameux duck tape pour mettre sur tout nos attaches de sac, et nous mettons une housse sur notre sac que nous mettons ensuite dans un sac de plastique que nous attachons à nouveau avec le duck tape. Arrivé à destination, il est facile de savour si quelqu'un a fouillé nos affaire puisqu'il est difficile de recoller parfaitement le sac de plastique sans laisser de trace. De plus, cela rend la tâche difficile pour les gros méchants.
Suggestion: Pour une compagnie près de Khao San Road, nous avons utilisé la compagnie de transport ( Thaisriram transport, 18, Chakrabongse Rd, 086-351-9290). Se sont des bus de couleur blanc, et le propriétaire est un ancien policier. Nous avons été assuré qu'il n'y aurait aucun problème avec cette compagnie, et de fait. Nous sommes partie à l'heure, avons reçu un service parfait, confort à bord, et surtout l'assurance de piuvoir dormir tranquille sans crainte. Nous svons été très satisfait.
Pour donner suite à la très abondante littérature concernant la location de voiture au Portugal et particulièrement à Faro voici le détail de l'expérience que je viens de vivre.
Alerté par tous les problèmes de location dans ce pays j'avais pris la précaution d'éviter soigneusement les offres du genre 4€ par jour et autres propositions douteuses.
J'avais opté pour Avis société internationale et bien connu. J'ai loué un petit véhicule Micra pour 7 jours à l'aéroport de Faro.
Voici comment ça se passe. A l'aéroport tous les loueurs sont regroupés du coté départ et on a le choix car toutes les grandes enseignes sont présentes. Au stand Avis (mais c'est pareil pour les autres) on commence par faire la queue et ça peut être long car la demande est très soutenue. Il y a 6 ou 7 guichets qui sont pris d'assaut à chaque arrivée des vols. Après avoir attendu votre tour le moment est venu de faire votre choix, si ce n'est déjà fait par internet. L'opératrice vous indique les conditions dans un flot de parole ininterrompu dans la langue de Shakespeare, en ce qui nous concerne. Après quelques minutes et selon les options choisies (par exemple le boitier autoroute) on vous demande une signature digitale (sur écran) d'acceptation des conditions. Ce contrat vous ne le voyez pas car il vous est instantanément envoyé sur votre mail. Donc , sauf à le récupérer immédiatement sur un Smartphone par exemple, et à en consulter la quinzaine de pages pendant que derrière vous la file d'attente piaffe d'impatiente, vous ne pourrez pas exactement en connaitre le contenu. Ceci n'est finalement qu'un détail, même si on ne découvre qu'après avoir signé que l'on s'engage à payer toutes les réparations qui seront constatées par le loueur. Précision qu'il convient de savoir mais comme on a d'autre choix de signer sauf à rester sur le carreau, on signe.
Il était 18h quand l'hôtesse m'a donné les clefs du véhicule que je devais récupérer su le parking attenant. Le véhicule en question était en parfait état, une Nissan Micra dernier cri avec 3000 Km au compteur. Mais, première observation il n'y a personne de la société pour faire un constat de l'état du véhicule. J'ai fait un tour du véhicule sans rien y percevoir d'anormal.
J'ai utilisé le véhicule normalement sans problème le temps de la location. J'ai remis les clef du véhicule chez Avis dans la boxe prévue à cet effet, le jour convenu du retour, car notre avion partant à 6h du matin personne de chez le loueur n'était en mesure de réceptionner la voiture.
Rentré chez moi le soir je consulte mes mails et trouve un message de chez Avis me facturant 187€ pour une tache sur une aile du véhicule. A l'appuie une vague photo prise au Smartphone où l'on ne détecte que des reflets ?
Je conteste tout de suite par un mail chez Avis qui est toujours sans réponse à ce jour. 3 jours plus tard je suis débité de 231€ en plus de la location que j'avais déjà payé sans que je puisse m'y opposer d'une quelconque façon.
C'est ce qui me mets le plus en colère. En signant le contrat vous autorisez le loueur à prélever sur votre compte à peu prés n'importe quelle somme. Il faut le savoir. Avis Portugal vous enverra simplement une vague facture en Portugais comme justificatif, une fois que vous aurez regagné vos pénates.
J'ai payé ma location avec une carte Gold qui rembourse ce genre de dégâts et je me demande si le loueur n'en profite pas pour faire passer ces surplus, qui au final seront payés par Visa ???
En tout cas c'est une question que l'on peut se poser.
Je tenais à faire part de cette expérience pour tous ceux qui s'apprêtent à louer au Portugal en particulier à Faro. Je ne dis pas que mon cas est une généralité, je dis simplement qu'il se rajoute à la liste très longues de tous les problèmes déjà rencontrés dans ce pays et particulièrement à Faro, région très touristique ou la location de voiture est une véritable manne.
Conseil: au départ et à l'arrivée photographiez le véhicule sous toute les coutures, ça ne sera certes pas suffisant mais sa sera bien utile avant de se lancer dans de longues et pénibles réclamations.
A bon entendeur.
Bonjour,
je suis propriétaire de 3 gîtes , 2 à Amiens l'autre au tréport.
Je suis solliciter pour proposer mes locations par un club de vacances privé qui m'assure "12 semaines de réservations par an".
Les responsables sont établis à Vancouver et l'organisme se nomme : SIOCORLENTER
Quelqu'un aurait -t-il entendu parler de cette société ?
D'avance merci de vos réponses
Chamaigre
Je vous fais ce message pour vous prévenir sur la visite du Stade Vélodrome...
En effet, sur cette semaine, je me suis rendu deux fois au Vélodrome, une fois seul et une fois accompagné.
La première fois, un homme court vers moi en criant "supporter supporter", je me retourne, j'avais l'air du touriste avec mon sac à dos et appareil photo... Je m'arrête, il m'accoste et me demande si je suis fan de l'OM, après quelques baratinages, il propose de me prendre en photos, enfin "proposer" est un grand mot, il oblige. Ensuite, il te dit des trucs du style "Je te fais à 6 4 ou 4 8", puis il continue ses photos. C'est limite s'il menace, après il m'oblige à payer en scandant : "Donne moi 50, j'te rend la monnaie." A plusieurs fois, il me crie Allez l'OM et indique qu'il propose des visites gratuites du Vélodrome (or c'est l'office du tourisme qui le fait pour 6€ sur le parking voisin). Il m'agresse limite, je lui donne donc son billet et il me rend 22€, il m'a donc volé 28€ pour 2 photos polaroid...
Je reste quelques temps à l'intérieur de la boutique et surveille la sortie, je le vois occupé avec d'autres personnes, des touristes bien évidemment. Je passe discrètement derrière et bien évidemment ces pauvres gens sont dépouillés de 2 billets de 50€ également...
Je quitte en métro au plus vite sans prêter attention.
Quelques jours plus tard, je retourne au stade, accompagné, sans sac et avec des lunettes de soleil pour éviter qu'il me reconnaisse. Evidemment, je le vois occupé avec une troupe de personnes asiatiques, ils étaient 4-5 et rebelotte, il refrotte ses polaroids et plusieurs billets de 20 et 50€ redéfillent. J'ai également pu voir quelques dizaines de secondes après qu'il traine avec deux-trois autres personnes, ces copains, qui je suppose le protège en cas de récidive d'un touriste.
Voici donc la description des mecs :
Celui qui prend les photos était présent une fois à 14h et une autre fois à 10h, donc il doit rester souvent là, il porte une veste Adidas noire, des lunettes noires et il est vêtu d'un jogging (il me semble), cet homme est de type "arabe".
Une autre personne, jeune (+/- 18 ans) vêtu d'un jogging, également de type "arabe" attend devant les grilles, avec un air agressif.
Une autre personne était présente mais je n'ai pu la voir car elle se cachait derrière leur voiture, une FIAT Punto (des années 2000) bordeaux-rouge.
Dois-je avertir les autorités ? Étant donné que j'ai vu ce même type d'arnaque sur un autre topic de forum ?
Je vous écris concernant certaines pratiques frauduleuses rencontrées chez AVIS - BUDGET.
J'ai réservé et payé en ligne une location de voiture en Afrique du sud (Cap Town).
Le Tarif de 790 euros pour 15 jours comprenait :
- le kilométrage illimité
- les frais de retours dans une autre agence
- les assurances
- le rachat de franchise en cas d'accident
- les taxes locales
- la participation aux couts d'immatriculation
- le rachat de franchise.
Je ne devais payer sur place que les services optionnels, à savoir : la location du GPS et le conducteur supplémentaire, le tout pour 1900 Zar
La prise en charge du véhicule a été très rapide. On m'a juste demandé de présenter mon permis de conduire et ma carte bleue et de signer sur un petit écran IPAD pour confirmer ma location et de renseigner mon email. Et que j'allais recevoir le contrat plus tard (que je n'ai jamais reçu).
Un mois après le retour du véhicule, j'ai découvert que j'allais être débité de 615 euros supplémentaires pour des assurances que je n'avaispas demandé. Ce qui veut dire que je paye plus d'assurance que de location de voiture. Cela n'a pas de sens !!!
Mais jamais, la personne du guichet m'a proposé une souscription d'assurance complémentaire. On ne m'a rien remis en échange et on ne m'a parlé de rien, surtout pas d'assurances supplémentaires ou de frais supplémentaires.
A aucun moment on nous a informé et montré que nous étions en train de signer pour des assurances complémentaires.
Nous considérons que c'est de la vente déguisée, forcée, de la malhonnêteté, une arnaque à l'assurance et j'ai constaté tristement que nous sommes loin d’être les seules et que cette arnaque semble être érigée en système chez Avis-Budget dans TOUS LES PAYS comme je viens de le découvrir sur différents forum !!!
Donc éviter absolument cette société.
My poor bottles that will end up alone
The official ICAO-STEB duty-free bag
The US customs officer who let me capture this sweet moment
