Je viens de lire ton message, vieux de plusieurs mois déjà ... Si tu vis au Vietnam, n'oublie jamais cette consigne : tu sors toujours du taxi avant de demander combien cà côute ! Tu sors côté droit et tu y restes, ce qui oblige le chauffeur à se pencher sur le côté pour te parler. En outre, toi tu es debout et lui est assis. Si il te vole manifestement tu lui donnes ce qui te semble juste, avec le sourire et tu t'en vas ! Si il a essayé de t'arnaquer, il ne te courra pas après ! Expérience vécue et validée de nombreuse fois ...
Message utile à tous ceux qui passent par ici.
Mais tu as raison, pas de parano...Il existe des truands partout.
Nhaqué
Un soir, je prend un taxi pour me rendre chez moi. En entrant dans la voiture, le chauffeur m'explique que son conteur à un défaut et qu'il indique le double (pas normal car les conteurs s'ont régis par le gouvernement et cellé, mais bon....). Habitué à ce trajet, je dis ok, je sais combien vas me coûté la course. Une fois rendu chez moi, il me demanda 3 fois le prix !!! je lui r'apelle que son compteur est défectueux, pour réponse, il me met un couteau sous la gorge!!! Gardant mon calme (en apparence), je lui demande si pour une poignée de dollars, il étais prêt à tuer? OUI!!, Je lui ai donner l'argents. Une fois a l'extérieur, j'ai pris 1) son numéro de taxi, 2) la compagnie, 3) la plaque, 4) L'heure exact.
J'ai appelé les policiers en leurs donnant toutes les coordonnées que je viens de mentionner. Leurs réponse: MANQUE D'INFORMATIONS!!! Trop tard (3 min. à peine)...
Non, ce nai pas arrivée dans un pays de corruption ni tiers-monde, mais au Québec...
Attention, les chauffeurs du Québec s'ont loin d'être malhonnête, c'est une fine portion. Environ .5%.
Un truc: En embarquant ( en arrière toujours), vérifier si leur photo et leur numéro de chauffeur y s'ont, sinon débarqué!!!
Benoît.
exuse moi mais je ne suis pas du tout d accord il faut faire attention comme de partout (surtout avec les taxis la moitie des taxis ontdes fausses plaques); mais le vietnam est franchement le pays le plus sure d asie du sud est je voyage dans cette partie du monde depuis une quinzaine d annee . et maintenantJe reside a ho chi minh ville (j ai meme fait construire une maison dont je suis proprietaire a100%).juste je pense que vous ne comprennez pas la mentalite vn ou ne la connaissez pas tout est dans la negociation et la nuance de plus surtout il ne faut pas s enerver, ne pas ce montrer autain ne pas oublie que vous etes dans un pays etranger au moeurs et coutumes differentes.
dans tout les pays du monde des mauvaises experiences sont possible mais il ne faut pas faire de generalite (pour moi ce fut en thailande pays que je connais egalement tres tres bien .)donc s il vous plait ne generalise pas a toute la population vietnamienne la stupidite de quelques uns.
salut
oui c est vrai j ai eu un accident de honda il y a quelques annees j ai appelle le numero d urgence 10 minutes apres la police etait la ;des policiers parlant courament anglais tout c est bien passe et pourtant je n avais pas encore le permis vietnamiens donc hors la loi normalement mais ils ont compris que j etais la pour les vacances (a l epoque)et tout a etait regle paisiblement sans heur .la meme chose en france je pense que j aurais fini en garde a vue parce que considere sans permis.
surtout toujours reste maitre de soit meme ne jamais s enerver les vietnamiens respectent beaucoup la maitrise de soi et non pas beaucoup d estime pour les gens faisant des scandales.
non surtout pas mais juste un bon apprentissage des us et coutumes vietnamiennes*
je lis toutes vos reponses et je vois une meconnaissance de ce merveilleux pays
juste un conseil primordiale pour vous et par repercussion pour les vietnamiens
TOUJOURS NEGOCIER c est la base du commerce au vietnam en toute situation dans les taxis vous negociez avant de monter ;si vous avez un doute un bout de papier et un stylo peuvent etre tres utile une fois le prix etabli entre vous et le taxi il n y auras plus de probleme car sinon le taxi risquera de grosse represaille(perte de son emploi)et probleme avec la policede plus il faut savoir que la moitie des taxis saigonnais sont faut ou prive donc ilfut prendre de gossse companie:VINASUN (CERTAINEMENT LA MEILLEUR COMPANIE RAPPORT QUALITE PRIX)faire attention car les plaques de cette companie sont souvent copie mais la vous voyez a l etat de la voiture vinasun n a que des 4/4 ou des voitures recentes si vous voyez une plaque vinasun sur une voiture pourrie continue votre chemin.
MAI LINH: certainement la plus grosse compagnie au vietnam; un petit peu plus cher que vinasun mais bon tres resonnable quand meme.
SAIGONTOURIST TAXI:compagnie de l office de tourisme du sud vietnam.
voila deja de quoi ce deplacer sans crainte a saigon.mais il faut savoir que la negociation est la base du commerce au vietnam de plus en negociant vous aiderais les vietnamiens eux meme qui depuis l arrive des touristes on vue le cout de la vie s envoler;et pour eux de plus en plus de mal a negocier car les commercant voient les etrangers qui eux ne negocient pas des prix modiques pour des devises etrangeres mais tres eleves pour les vietnamiens. (smic vietnamien 50 euros par mois environ)
ne perdez jamais de vue que c est vous qui etes en terre etrangere et non pas le contraire donc un petit apprentissage des coutumes vietnamiennes de base et fortement apprecie par les vietnamiens.regardez en france ce que l on demande aux etrangers .et sinon le monde est vaste et peut etre que d autre pays seraient plus adaptes
CHUC MUNG NAM MOI
pour faire suite a ton post, je souhaiterais faire partager quand meme ma propre experience, et notamment des taxis, sous forme aussi de temoignage de l'environnement, en rappelant ce qui a ete dit precedemment : il existe une possibilite d'arnaque partout, y compris en FRANCE !
Il faut simplement en connaitre le codes.
Je vis au Vietnam deja depuis longtemps, je suis vietnamien mais de naturalisation francaise, etant ne et ayant grandi sur le sol francais, de parents vietnamiens, avec une epouse viet, et travaillant dans une entreprise institutionnelle vietnamienne. Je prends le taxi presque tous les jours, j'ai donc un tres tres solide experience a ce niveau la.
Une petite anecdocte parmi tellement d'autres, je pourrais ecrire un livre du reste sur les taxis a saigon, un jour me prend la sugrenue idee de faire la remarque au taxi qu'il aurait pu prendre une autre route, il me repond que si je veux un itineraire, je dois le dire avant, lui repondant persuade de mon bon droit (grave erreur, j'ai tort puisque je mets mon inerlocteur viet devant le fait accompli) que la question n'est pas la, mais plutot que pour se rendre de mon point de depart vers mon point d'arrive qui est extremement connu, il n'y a qu'un vrai chemin et qu'il fait tout de meme un beau et joli detour, voila que le sieur s'arrete pile, et me somme de partir ! (l'aurai je blesse dans son amour propre d'integre et parfait taxi de race ?) bref, je vous passe les details ou j'ai du perdre la matinee car j'avais un rendez vous d'affaires tres important. ce jour la, j'etais furieux et jaurais literalement tue mon chauffeur de taxi si la foule ne s'en etait pas mele, depuis j'ai appris du reste a penser et a agir comme un viet, advienne ce qui pourra, et apres tout, rien n'est grave, meme pas la mort de toute facon...
Bref, la lecon est que :
comme partout, il y a une logique a la situation, non pas que tout evenement est normal et rationnel, mais plutot que chaque situation decoule d'evenements qui ont ete provoques, et au vietnam, ces evenements sont tres souvent provoques par la difference de culture entre les etrangers et les asiatiques, en l'occurence les viets que je connais tres bien meme si je ne les comprend qu'a moitie et encore ! (et pourtant, je suis moi meme viet !).
La regle d'or est que le viet ne doit en aucun cas se sentir rabaisse, inferieur, ou floude. dans le cas de personnes qui vont prendre le taxi a plusieurs, et que le chauffeur viet qui a pas 2 yeux ! mais au vietnam on dit que les viet ont 4 yeux ! deux devant, deux derriere, et croyez moi, vous, a cote, vous etes des enfants !, les viets disais je sauront tres bien ce qui se passe de la situation. A patir du moment ou le taxi voit qu'il y a tentative d'economies et de plus a son depend, il risque fort de sortir les crocs !!!!!!!!
et la, je vous plains !
Une regle, d'or :
NE JAMAIS FROISSER UN VIET !
cete regle d'or est tellement vrai, qu'entre eux, les viets depensent une somme d'energie faramineuse pour eviter que l'un ou l'autres des parties en presence se retrouve dans une situation d'inferiorite, (il faut voir la ceremonie de mariage et comment les parties s'invitent reciproquement, c'est a mourrir de rire, sauf que quand on est le marie, on rit pas, meme pas du tout quand on voit le prix que ce coute comme precautions de faire manger les quelques centaines d'invites, que diable, il ne s'agit pas d'oublier quiconque, si untel n'etait pas invite, que dirait la famille, c'est le drame et surtout cela serait perdre la face devant untel et untel, quand au voisins, que dirait ils ?) d'ou une langue tres particuliere semee de rythmes, souvent due aux formules de politesse aussi nombreuses, complexes et incomprehensibles que nos formes de conjugaisons de notre belle langue francaise !
le precedent forumeur nous souhaitait la bonne annee en viet, jamais au grand jamais on ne souhaite la bonne annee de cette maniere ! la moindre des choses est de rajouter nha a la fin ! pourquoi ? par marque de sollicitude, de deference, et surtout pour ne pas mettre l'autre partie en inferiorite. souhaitez la bonne anne de cette facon, c'est mal traite son interlocuteur car c'est souhaiter la bonne annee de maniere tres brutale, trop courte et sans formes, la forme nha se retrouvant partout !
un parent disant a son enfant qu'il faut manger, va l'inviter ! et dira con an com nha ! ce qui ne l'empechera pa du tout de lui foutre une scre torniolle quelques instants apres, c'est bizarre, c'ets viet !
un passager negociant le prix et le trajet dira aussi nha a la fin ! quand je force le prix, je dois rajouter nha a la fin, qui veux dire :
je vous prie s'il vous plait d'acceder a ma demande de rabais.
si je ne fais pas ca, c'est l'insulte et je traite mon interlocteur par la jambe en voulant lui imposer un prix, innacceptable comme disent les vietnamiens, surtout si vous etes physiquement viet comme moi parlant a un de me compatriotes ! Pour les etrangers ils sont pardonnes, de toute facon ce sont des brutes sns aucune subtilite asiatique a qui on va bien soutirer des dollars vu qu'ils sont riches et nous pauvres!
oui, je sais, on ne peux pas savoir, surtout lorsque l'on debarque d'europe ou les gens sont quand meme brutaux verbalement faut bien le dire, meme si il sont plus "civilises".
Apres bien des deboires, j'ai appris a rajouter cette formule, et lors d'un conflit, j'invite mon interlocuteur a acceder a ma demande pour trouver une solution equitable pour les deux parties, et la je peux vous dire que dans 99% des cas, le conflit comme par enchantement disparait.
Pour un etranger, ne connaissant aucune subtilite des rouages et des mecanismes de pensees d'un viet, et dieu sait qu'ils sont complexes, les viet disent ici que seuls les saigonnais peuvent se comprendre entre eux, et meme dieu ne le peut pas, un hanoien mais alors encore moins ! (c'est tout dire !), une seule arme : le sourire.
ce n'est pas sans raisons suptilement profondes que dans tous les guides il vous est fortement recommande de sourire, car dans ce contexte, vous n'agresserez pas votre interlocteur, meme en lui disant que c'est le dernier et le plus parfait des cretins ! le vietnamien est un etre, sous ses dehors de rude paysan, tres sensible et ultra mais alors ultra ultra ultra susceptible (comme moi du reste, et moi je suis encore un enfant de coeur a cote d'un viet ne et qui a grandi ici !).
dans ton cas, ne pas etre sur tes gardes est deja une erreur de ta part, perso, et sans etre mechant, c'est de ta faute ! car tu vis au vietnam, pas a paris ni meme a new york ! quoique tu temps ou je prenais aussi le taxi toutes les semaines a paris, combien de fois je me suis engueule avec le chauffeur ?? je les compte meme plus, mais bon, peu etre n'avais pas le cerveau formate pour cela....
ici, quand on n'est pas d'accord, on dit oui avec une mou. quand on est d'accord on dit oui avec une grande affirmation.
car un asiatique, et particulierement un viet n'acceptera jamais de perdre la face, surtout devant un etranger qui est riche, qui vient d'un pays riche, qui est "cultive", et qui ne se bat pas de la meme facon tous les jours pour se nourrir....
On est dans un pays pauvre, dans un pays rural qui cherche a grandir mais qui de toute facon ne pourra pas bruler les etapes, peronne ne le pourra de toute facon. Il faut donc bien le comprendre, et voyager hors de son contexte, dans uen zone du monde qui a tant de differences, c'ets forcement avec une certains dose de risques et d'incomprehensions, ce qui en suivra des situations difficiles, sans parler de malhonnete qui existe partout, est il besoin de le rappeler...
voila, apres avoir fini d'ecrire ce grand layus qui finalement ne va servir qu'a remplir mon compte de posts sur ce fourm (ne me dites pas que ce que je dis n'a rien a voir avec le sujet, parce que sinon je serai tres gravement offense !), tout cela pour dire, que une fois de plus, que l'on soit a Saigon, ou a Paris, perso, je suis toujours sur mes gardes, surtout quand je sens le vent venir, et quand je vois que le taxi est une brute epaisse qui risque de me jouer un sale tour, dans ces cas la, je mens, je mens tres bien et avec le sourire comme un viet, en disant que je dois changer mes projets, et trouve un adresse tout pret, pour vite partir et sortir de cette galere qui s'annonce sans fin, histoire de mettre un peu de baume dans ce monde de brutes qu'est le monde des taxis......
;)
dommage que tu confonde loral et l ecrit mais c est pas grave nha s emploi a loral mais rarement a l ecrit mais bon je ne sais pas comment vous faite pour vous faire arnaquer je vis entre la france et le vietnam depuis 1994 j ai voyage seul a travers tout le vietnam et je ne me suis jamais fait arnaquer bien au contraire . de plus d ou sort tu toute c est connerie ou il ne faut pas froisser un viet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! il ya juste qu il ne faut pas s ernerver ce qui est normale pour toutes bonne relations et etre maitre de ces nerf j aurais bien voulu voir comment tu as rembare le taxi pour qu il te jette de son taxi car cela mais deja arrive et le taxi c est excuse et a repris la route la plus directe . dommage pour un viet kieu qui reside depuis SI LONGTEMPS AU VIETNAM et qui ne comprend toujours rien a son pays d origine .pour ta gouverne ma femme est viet et c est elle qui me confirme ton erreur sur le nha qui s emploi a l oral . de plus tu donne l impression de te croire superieur au vietnamiens nayant pas eu t as chance de pouvoir quitter le pays a la chute de saigon ou plus tard mais bon j ai souvent trouve cette attitude chez les viet kieu . dire que les viet sont de rude paysans on ne me l avait jamais faite c est vraiment nimporte quoi. bien au contraire c est un peuple de poete de chanteur et d ecrivains de renomme mondiale et pour avoir passe beaucoup de temps dans la campagne viet hje n est jamais vu les rustes paysans d on tu parle bien au contraire
bien sur le travail dans les rizieres est harrassant mais le soir venu il y a touhjour une guitare pas loin pour entonner les chants du pays enfin juste avant d ecrire n importe quoi renseingne toi avant. TOI QUI VIE DEPUIS SI LONGTEMPS AU VIETNAM
Je viens de lire attentivement ton post et me permets de te demander de bien vouloir considerer mes remarques.
Lorsque tu dis qu'il ne faut jamais froisser un Viet(namien) si tu le veux bien (je n'aime pas du tout le terme Viet pris seul, je le trouve restrictif a une ethnie, meme si celle-ci est majoritairement representee dans le pays), je crois que tu pousses un peu loin. Personnellement, je pense qu'il ne faut jamais froisser PERSONNE, dans la mesure du possible. Que l'interlocuteur soit Vietnamien, Europeen, Americain ou peu importe, le fait de froisser quelqu'un est toujours une erreur.
Nous la commettons tous a un moment ou un autre de notre vie, et meme a plusieurs reprises, et la meilleure facon de desamorcer les bombes, c'est tout simplement de s'excuser. Les Asiatiques en general detestent perdre la face, peut-etre plus que nous, Occidentaux, et lorsque l'on vit ici, on se rend vite compte de ce fait, mais il ne faut pas en faire un drame, encore moins perdre son identite en "faisant tout le temps attention de ne pas froisser". Avec une pareille attitude, on se sentirait oblige de tout le temps accepter tout et n'importe quoi, sous pretexte de ne pas faire perdre la face. Deja, le fait de perdre la face, d'apres ce que j'ai pu constater, est surtout du au fait qu'il y a ou non des personnes alentours. Une discussion, meme ardue, faite entre deux personnes a l'ecart des autres n'a rien de honteux et, pour peu que l'on evite de s'enerver et de se mettre a hurler, l'interlocuteur, s'il est pris en defaut, fera amende honorable.
Je me souviens, il y a quelques mois, avoir du negocier lors d'un conflit entre un Vietnamien et un etranger. Le premier, tres enerve, a commence a s'enerver sur moi qui n'avais ete appelee qu'en qualite d'interprete. Calmement et a voix assez basse, je lui ai demande pourquoi il parlait si fort. Il a immediatement baisse le ton et m'a explique poliment et gentiment ce qui se passait et pourquoi il etait en colere. D'une certaine facon, on pourrait dire que je lui ai fait perdre la face, mais comme ce dialogue s'est passe a voix basse et en aparte, j'ai plutot gagne son respect, je l'ai constate en le revoyant souvent.
Tu me diras peut etre que c'est parce que je suis une etrangere, ce a quoi je te repondrai que "non", j'ai pu constater les memes faits entre Vietnamiens.
Pour un etranger, ne connaissant aucune subtilite des rouages et des mecanismes de pensees d'un viet, et dieu sait qu'ils sont complexes, les viet disent ici que seuls les saigonnais peuvent se comprendre entre eux, et meme dieu ne le peut pas, un hanoien mais alors encore moins ! (c'est tout dire !), une seule arme : le sourire.
Je te rejoins en ce qui concerne le sourire, par contre, permets-moi, en qualite d'etrangere, d'etre froisse par tes termes. "ne connaissant aucune subtilite des rouages et des mecanismes de pensees d'un viet" signifie pour moi que nous ne sommes que des rustres incapable de subtilite, ce dont je ne suis pas du tout persuadee.
car un asiatique, et particulierement un viet n'acceptera jamais de perdre la face, surtout devant un etranger qui est riche, qui vient d'un pays riche, qui est "cultive", et qui ne se bat pas de la meme facon tous les jours pour se nourrir....
Une fois encore, tes propos sont tres blessants pour l'etrangere que je suis. Tu insinues que nous, etrangers, ne devons pas nous battre tous les jours pour nous nourrir. Je puis t'assurer, et tu devrais le savoir puisque tu as vecu 40 ans en Europe, que la plus grande majorite des Occidentaux se battent quotidiennement pour gagner leur pain quotidien, que certains travaillent dur aux champs ou dans les mines, que d'autres cumulent deux emplois pour joindre les deux bouts et meme, pour certains, n'atteignent pas l'age de la retraite - pardonne-nous de nous etre battus pour en obtenir une - suite a des maladies professionnelles attrapees pendant des annees de dur labeur.
Je te remercie de m'avoir lue jusqu'au bout et te souhaite une excellente journee.
Effectivement dans c pays là il faut savoir rester le plus calme possible pour régler ce genre de probleme
g eu un probleme similaire g refusé de payer cette somme c t en pleine nuit dans un endroit au bout du monde mais j lui ai tenue tête, mais il est vrai q je suis un homme et que cela n 'est pas comparable.
Comme vous l'avez dit très justement les asiatiques ne sont pas tous comme cela bien heureusement
sinon je vous souhaite pleins de beaux voyages pour les années à venir
non justement chez vous en France les etrangers font trop souvent n importe quoi et ne respecte rien ,
En RFA les etrangers respectent nos lois respectent donc par la meme les institutions judiciaires en aval de la police , non en RFA certains etrangers ne se porterait pas en victime pour mettre le feux a vos autos etc etc
C est dommage de voir votre pays comme cela
Immaginer un instant etre etranger ou d origine etrangere et de mettre le bordel dans votre pays d accueil en allemagne par exemple ou Etats Unis sans parler du Maroc , Arabie Saoudite , Algerie ,
Cela se terminera tres tres mal pour vous
J ai quitté la France a 4 ans suite au decés de mon pere , mais je vais de temps a autre a Mulhouse c est l horreur de voir ce qui s y passe surtout pour feter soit le nouvel an , le Ramadan , et le moindre reproche policier et houps hop la on met le feux a 100 voir plus bagnoles
Bravo allons reveillez vous un peut ( un franco chleus comme vous dite qui c est vrai ne s exprime pas trop bien en orthographe °)
Ah apres ces mots je vois d ici les avocats du et des diables criant au racisme c est vrai tiens il y avait lomgtemps
Vous allez dire rien avec le Vietnam ou je suis allé pour ma Ste et ou je n ai pas eu le moindre soucis , certainement moins qu a Sevran ou a Aulnay en ZUp un peu le cartel de medehine
C est vrai ce que vous dites , j ai vu aussi , bien sur je suis d accord avec vous
Mais au moins si vous etes citoyens apparentés Allemand vous devez respecter la lois et les forces de l ordre qui sont la pour cela
Et meme si les Allemands sont des fetards ils ne tirent pas a balle reelle sur la police , et ne balance pas des pavés sur les pompiers
Imaginez ce qui se passerait si un Français ou un citoyen de votre pays agissait comme cela
Un point c est tout
A une certaine epoque les turcs ont essayés de foutre le bazard chez nous , on les as vite calmés croyez moi
Si Mr Sarkosy n a pas le courage de paper sur la gueule des saloparts , et voyoux c est son probleme
Mr Le Pen ne ferais pas de mal En FR pendant quelque temps , le probleme c est 1 fois au pouvoir il ne le lachera pas de sitot
nous sommes arrivés ma copine et moi hier à HCMV. Nous avons pris le taxi depuis l'aeroport international jusqu'à notre hotel (situé district 1). Nous avions donc environ 8 km a faire en taxi.
Le chauffeur avait l'air très agréable.
Au bout d'un petit moment, la voiture a calé plusieur fois. Il nous a dis je suis en panne. Il nous a ensuite dit que le prix maximum de la course serai de 2 000 000 de dong ca nous parressait beaucoup mais nous n'étions pas trop au courant du prix au moment venu.
Il nous a donc dit j'appel un autre taxi attendez. payez moi 2000 000 DVN et moi je paye l'autre taxi pour vous.
bonjour,
certain que c 'est de l 'arnaque
Mais avez vous consulté le vf sur ce problème ???
Pourtant pleins de gens y ont publié des mises en garde contre certains taxis et conseillent des compagnies sures ( ou quasi sures )
mailinh , vinasun par exple pour mailinh verifier bien le logo certains logos ressemblent à celui de mailinh , entout cas le chauffeurs sont cravatés , noter le n° matricule du taxi pour d éventuel réclamation .
encore une fois pour les voyageurs à destination du VN , ou ailleurs , consulter les messages de prévention
VZ
Oui, ces compagnies Vinasun, Mailinh, sont réputées "sérieuses", mais il y a des imitations! Le numéro de téléphone - c'est celui de la compagnie - est peint en gros caractères bien visibles sur le carrosserie! Il faut les retenir! De toute façon il n'y en a pas tant que çà! Une amie saïgonnaise me recommande toujours ceux qui se terminent par 262626, ou 272727 (ex 38 26 26 26, carosserie de couleur blanche, ou avec la partie basse en vert), ces compagnies (Vinasun, Mailinh) sont considérées comme sûres, plus que les autres, qu'il faut donc éviter.... Attention, des concurrents "peu sûrs" peignent leurs taxis avec ces mêmes couleurs que les compagnies pré-citées... Donc nom de la compagnie + numéro de tél. A la rigueur, me dit-elle, la cie (couleur verte) dont les numeros se terminent par 686868 serait possible... et aussi une autre compagnie "future' (...181818, de couleur verte...).
bonjour LDLvn,
je sais que ton post est très ancien, mais j'aimerais que toi ou quelqu'un qui parle le vietnamien me précise comment on prononce "nha"...histoire de ne pas être ridicule quand les vietnamiens me regarderont avec des yeux de merlan frits parce qu'ils ne comprendront pas ce que je jacte :-)
un grand merci!!!
When I arrived, the Europcar agent explained in English that, given my situation (delay at the airport, my reserved car had already left), he was making an "exception", that I’d be upgraded, and that I’d keep the same terms as my initial booking.
I repeated several times that I did NOT understand the language of the contract he was making me sign. He reassured me, saying everything was OK, that the amount requested was just a deposit, that I wouldn’t be charged, and that it matched the rental I’d already booked.
Result: nearly 650 € debited on top of the initial 124 € contract!
As if I’d rent a car for nearly 800 € for 6 days!
To me, this agent clearly lied and manipulated me to get my signature on a contract I’d specifically said I didn’t understand.
And as if that weren’t enough, the car I was given was defective. I reported it during the rental and have the emails to prove it. Even today, no one can tell me if the vehicle was actually checked and repaired after I returned it. I even strongly suspect it was put back into circulation without the reported issues being properly addressed.
Scandalous practices. Be extremely careful about what you’re told verbally at Europcar and don’t sign anything without having everything translated.
Booked a hotel in Hong Kong for 3 nights - displayed price with a good non-refundable Agoda deal at 401 €, listed as the last room. After payment, the same room was still available for 5% cheaper. Agoda refuses to refund the difference. You end up feeling scammed.
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.
Outrageous and completely unacceptable experience with SIXT Funchal! JUNE 2026
During our trip to Madeira, we had pre-booked and prepaid a deposit online for a vehicle to pick up at the SIXT agency in Funchal via the "discovercar.com" website.
Upon arrival, we were faced with an employee whose behavior was unacceptable, aggressive, disdainful, and completely contrary to what you’d expect from a hospitality professional. She outright refused to hand over the vehicle, claiming that my husband’s paper driving license wasn’t allowed under SIXT’s rules.
The most shocking part is that the explanations given on the spot seemed dishonest and in bad faith. We’ve rented vehicles in several European Union countries with this same license without ever encountering any issues.
If SIXT doesn’t accept paper licenses, this condition should have been clearly stated before booking—and especially before taking our money. We only discovered this so-called condition once we were there, after traveling and having already paid part of the rental.
What followed was particularly painful: we had to return to the agency to get a refusal certificate. Fortunately, we had recorded the conversation, which allowed us to keep proof of the exchanges and push forward with our complaints. After many back-and-forths and three months of waiting, we finally got our money back thanks to discover.com’s customer service, who supported us in our efforts—otherwise, the SIXT agency would have continued to deny our visit, and we would have considered legal action.
This situation is simply scandalous. When you arrive in Madeira for a vacation, you certainly don’t expect to be greeted with such aggression, disdain, and bad faith.
We sincerely hope this person will no longer be in contact with customers, as her behavior was particularly shocking and seriously ruined our experience.
We strongly advise against using the SIXT agency in Funchal. If you want to avoid bad surprises, conflicts, and a terrible customer experience, steer clear.
For our part, SIXT Funchal:
NEVER AGAIN!
Hi everyone, although I’m still in love with Madagascar, I feel I must report the unacceptable behavior of some guides in Antalaha.
I know I’m responsible—I obviously shouldn’t have paid in advance for a service at this price. As someone who usually travels on a budget, I treated myself to a fully guided experience for once.
I was charged 1,500,000 ariary for a 4-day trek between Antalaha and Maroantsetra.
In reality, it was a total scam: terrible logistics, a motorbike taxi that abandoned us along the way (I’m not sure if the guide arranged this just to squeeze out a bit more money), basic Malagasy bush meals—which I expected since I know the country well—but the hotels were absolutely disgusting: mouse droppings in the bed, no way to get a blanket, cigarette butts on the floor, and of course, no water. I had warned them that at 73 years old, I needed a bit of comfort and some consideration—that’s why I paid this price.
In the end, to arrive a day early and get home faster, on the second day we walked from 5:30 AM to 4:30 PM with just a long siesta break at 1 PM. The park visit was nonexistent—I would’ve liked to see a lemur!
Anyway, be especially wary of Sylvano.
He’s apparently the head of the guides in Antalaha and organized this "charming" trip for me. He canceled the day before and sent his replacement, Théophile.
This poor guy kept complaining that tourists were scarce. I didn’t tell him everything I was thinking when we parted ways—it would’ve taken too long.
So, remember these two names: Sylvano and Théophile. The official rate is 800,000 ariary, and even that is way too much given the quality of the accommodations and food.
I’ve marked the guides’ office location on Google Maps to deal with them directly, but it seems the mafia is well-organized here…
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
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