We just got back from the holiday from hell … Newbies to Asia, having read-up a lot about scams we were not prepared for this.

We were taken by tuk-tuk to unseen travel in Pathumwan, Bangkok, where everything looked legit, we checked licensing etc. and everything seemed fine, they even checked us into a non-insect infested hotel for a reasonable price so everything started out great.

We paid 91,000 baht for three flights (two of us) and supposedly all of our hotels, food, tours etc. The s### hit the fan when she told us to come back and get the final details after we checked into our hotel.

We went back to get “details” of which there were none, scribbles (I mean this literally, un-readable!) on bits of paper, no addresses no matter how much we tried, not even the name of the hotel in some cases, not even flight reservation numbers or anything. She even started to get aggressive with us when I tried pushing for details. We were very VERY lucky we managed to find an English speaking person to help us even confirm we had flights booked!! We were so scared about the reservation I canceled my credit card thinking they would try and charge it again.

The first low-blow was our “English speaking tour guide” spoke NO English, not even enough for us to ask for the bathroom.

Then, amazingly, we were actually picked up for transfers to Siem Reap, not by the “luxury bus” we were told but a mini van that was full. The transfers were messy with no instructions of what to do, and running late (to the point others missed their next transfer).

We get to Siem reap, again with a shared car not the private car we were told and dropped at a backpacker hostel not the 4-star hotel we were promised. Our tour guide was fantastic though which was about the best part of Cambodia. Oh she also booked our flights so we would be in Cambodia four days and three nights, however she only booked accommodation for two nights, so we had to pay further.

Amazingly our flights went without a hitch (even had checked luggage which we thought would be forgotten considering how the rest of the trip had been going).

So we arrive in Ho Chi Minh and the hotel that had been booked didn’t exist, nor did the number she gave us for our “tour guide” so again, we had to pay more!

Next, flights to Hanoi. once again no tour guide to pick us up so we took a stab in the dark and went to the “Hanoi View,” turns our there are two and guess what, we were not at the right one, no we were to be staying at the disgusting “city gate” (a sister hotel and a downgrade so unbelievable you wouldnt think it would be the same chain) which had a hole in the shower so water peed everywhere, stained sheets with holes in them, a broken computer, oh and musn’t forget the cockroaches. Checked out of here ASAP and had to pay AGAIN.

SO, now that we are back in Australia I am going through my credit card company (EVERYONE make sure you get a gold card for amazing legal benefits etc.) to try and recoup some money as we estimate we were overcharged by at least $900+.

Word of advice for anyone looking to do Thailand-Cambodia-Vietnam … you DO NOT need a travel agent it can all be done easily, safely and most definitely cheaply online by yourself! Had we of known this we would have had a much easier, WAY cheaper and less stressful holiday.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8154497.stm

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=676476&page=6

Everywhere we went we met people trying to scam us.

This is the way they treat guests?

BangkokDan

Erawan Shrine Tourist mafia – photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/2776818028/

Silom Road tourist mafia – photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/2775978801/