When you think of Indonesia, you imagine lush palm trees swaying in the breeze above you as you sip down a hefty cocktail on a secluded beach on one of these tropical islands. Well, you’d be correct, but there is one thing you missed out… Scammers! I recently spent around 3 weeks island hopping in Indonesia and was bombarded with scams and rip offs! They came at us left, right and centre! So I thought it was my duty to tell you about the ones we encountered, so you don’t fall for them!
#1: THE BIG BALI TAXI SCAM!
People may have told you about this one but I am going to just confirm it. If you plan on flying into Bali, then you will arrive at Denpassar airport, tired, achy and in need of some rest. However, this is not what awaits you. Instead, a humungous crowd of taxi drivers just waiting to rip you off! They are like a flock of hawks, and you are the tasty piece of meat! None of these taxi’s are metered, which means they can charge you whatever they want!
So, what you need to do is walk straight past them. Just say no, thank you. Be polite but firm. They will follow you out to the car park. Then you walk straight out the airport and keep going and keep going , you will come to the road which will have Blue Bird taxis on. They are metered and you can rest!
#2: Hiring a driver
Talking of transportation, you are able to hire yourself a driver, normally through your accommodation who will be there for you either just for a few hours, or your entire trip! It’s great, because they take you where you want, and wait till you get back and then take you to the next place! HOWEVER… Negotiate a HARD price before even stepping into the car! Tell them exactly what your plans are and set a price.
#3: “Porters”
If you are going to Indonesia then you will probably be doing a little island hopping! If you book a fast boats, which are bigger and waaaaay more comfortable, then your luggage will be checked on and off the boat. No drama. However, if you opt for the slow boat then you are required to put your luggage on and off the long narrow boat. Once you arrive at your destination, you may see people walk up to the boat and start grabbed bags. STOP THEM. Grab your own bag and say thank you, but no thank you. This is what happened to us. We had our bags taken to the shore (50metres away) and then they demanded $10! We refused and walked to meet our driver. They followed us. We got in the back of our drivers car. We had one guy on either side of us blocking us from shutting the door till we paid. We gave them the equivalent of $1 and slammed the doors.
#4: Beach hawkers!
Technically not a scam however they will want all your money! We have all seen people wandering the beaches selling sarongs and bracelets and we normally pretend to be asleep till they go away. Well, here, they have children as young as 4. I kid you not. 4 years old out at 11pm at night selling bracelets. DO NOT BUY THEM. You are facilitating a business which has children working the streets where the money goes straight to the parents. For adult sales people, it seems rude, but don’t make eye contact, unless you actually want to buy something. The moment you make eye contact they will never leave you alone!
#5: Service charges
Again, not a scam but just something to look out for. A meal may sound so cheap that it’s too good to be true, however the menu should state whether a service charge is included. If not, then that super cheap meal can increase by 20% by the time you get your bill!
#6: HIRING A SCOOTER!
Scooters are probably one of the best ways to get around the islands, so long as you feel confident in driving in manic traffic. If possible, hire one through your accommodation, if not and you want to hire one from a hut in the local village, this is something you really really really need to look out for! When hiring a scooter, check it all over. Any bumps, dents, scratches etc MUST BE PUT IN WRITING! If not, then when you return the scooter, they will claim that you are responsible for the damage and charge you for it. Not what you need when your travelling on a budget!
#7: “YOUR TRAIN HAS BEEN CANCELLED!”
This is one I have heard about a lot from fellow traveller but never experienced first hand. If a random person comes up to you and tells you that you bus/train has been cancelled and you need to buy another ticket, check for yourself at an information desk or ticket desk! They will want to take your money and run away! Your transport probably hasn’t been cancelled! So check yourself!
What scams have you come across in Indonesia? Let me know in a comment down below!
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