Destinations › Laos › Luang Prabang › Scams
Luang Prabang, Laos
8 reported scam patterns travellers run into in Luang Prabang, what they look like, and how to sidestep them.
Laos–China Railway tickets resold by street agents at a markup, or sold for trains that are already full.
Rice sold to visitors at the dawn alms procession at inflated prices and of poor quality, in an offering that is a religious act rather than a transaction.
Bicycle and scooter hire with damage claimed on return and passports retained as deposit.
Change given in a mixture of kip, baht and dollars at rates well below the market.
Slow-boat and minibus tickets sold through guesthouses for services that are overbooked, downgraded, or leave from a different point.
Machine-printed textiles sold as hand-embroidered Hmong work at the night market.
Tuk-tuk trips to the waterfalls where a per-vehicle price agreed at the start becomes per person on arrival.
Undisclosed charges added to bills on the main tourist street.
