West Lake's Black Guides: Can't *Anyone* Shut These Scammers Down?!
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Sure, let me help you to polish this experience so that foreign friends can understand it easily while keeping the original feeling of being both exasperated and amused!
Guys, listen up! The West Lake in Hangzhou is simply breathtakingly beautiful. But... my parents were scammed by a "one-day tour" package, ruining their whole experience!
- I had already planned out our day, but once we arrived at West Lake, it was hard to find a parking space!
- Just as my mom and dad were struggling with this issue, an older woman approached us (these are older women who like to sell tour packages near scenic spots). She offered free parking if we signed up for their one-day tour.
- My parents went for it immediately upon hearing the term "free parking," despite my best efforts to persuade them against it because the cost and quality of playtime would remain about the same even if they opted to play on their own.
- My dad really refused to back down from paying the group fee so I did not argue anymore and helped pay the fee to avoid seeming cheap.
- Once aboard the boat, I noticed that everyone had paid different amounts! Some paid 150 RMB each, others only 80 or 100. It's all such chaos!
- Amidst the ride, several people realized themselves falling into the scam and got off the boat without waiting till the end -- our little group was made up of more than twenty tourists, mostly uncle and aunt people (seniors).
- Our local guide had a rather brash attitude, almost mocking his customers, as if he thought some of my travel companions were quite easy to fool.
- Moreover, he warned everyone that if he started his speech, nobody could fidget, talk, or sleep because, otherwise, he wouldn't respect us. Holy cow!
- While cruising around the lake with those other folks, my parents and I spent a good portion of the day shopping at roadside specialty shops and eating lunch, which was squeezed together onto a table seating eight people at a meal price of just 35 RMB each.
- Later on, we were led to buy Chinese tea, which costed over 1200 RMB per catty, and health supplements costing 900+ RMB each too. These sales pitches were like some brainwashing!
- Warning & Notes on Ripoffs Related to Lingyin Temple
- Lastly, visiting Lingyin Temple (one of the famous Buddhist temples in Hangzhou), our guide warned the folks aboard the bus that unless one spent money to purchase incense, one could not enter the temple -- it was not a playground to play around with but rather one must pay and take part in its rituals!
- Implicit Message: This serves an indirect exertion of pressure to make you feel as if you would lose your credibility or respectability by not spending any money on such offerings.
- For instance, everyone had to buy flowers, each of which costs 39 RMB and you can only stop by all five Buddha statues one at a time. Skipping this is not allowed.
- How To Handle This: If the tour guide's orders sound fake or too greedy, then do not partake without any reason -- these orders of Buddha worship are just made-up by the guide so that he can earn more from you!
- Lastly, visiting Lingyin Temple (one of the famous Buddhist temples in Hangzhou), our guide warned the folks aboard the bus that unless one spent money to purchase incense, one could not enter the temple -- it was not a playground to play around with but rather one must pay and take part in its rituals!
- Along the way, the guide kept recommending some specialty dishes from renowned cuisines such as "Louwailou" (a famous restaurant named Louwailou), perfumes, his own bracelets, and health supplements too!
- Between 10 AM and 5 PM, we were basically walking around to consume with the sole exception being our boat ride.
- A whole day had been wasted! It was really hilarious that the only serious attraction of this trip, West Lake, was actually accessible for free in many places!
- How lovely West Lake is! I wish there were regulations against misleading or dishonest tour guides. Thinking about how my parents had suffered this, I sincerely felt for them. They must have had similar bad experiences before with some shady characters when traveling abroad on their own.
- After reflecting upon our trip yesterday, my family expressed regret over having signed the package deal. We wrote and edited through those experiences to warn other travelers going to Hangzhou to avoid falling into such traps. Our advice extends to the elder generation as well.
Update
- The next day, I contacted the city government to report complaints by calling the 12345 hotline and reporting to them through one application on my mobile phone.
- Unexpectedly, on the third day, the travel agency reached out to me and returned the fees. This would at least compensate my parents' experience.
- I told my family as well that if someone or something upsets us, we should express our disagreement and opposition directly. Before taking some decisions, we need to make clear what we want instead of being attracted away by something cheap on its face value.
- My mom regretted not covering much around the area and I promised her that someday I would take her all around Hangzhou once again, having a good time together!
- In conclusion, I appreciate the level of efficiency in complaint handling in Hangzhou. The citizens of Hangzhou truly lead a happy life! Hangzhou is still a great city, and I will visit again!
Advice for parents and fellow tourists:
- Be cautious of the trap of the phrase "free."
- Stay true to your personal plans and ignore tour companies or those with ulterior motives.
- Shop with caution. Products from shops set up by tour companies are often inflated and low-quality. Do not waste money buying stuff you don't need.
- Say “no” to forced spending. Especially at religious sites, be wary of forced donations or sacrifices.
- Keep records and report at any early signs of deception or scam. Save proof like receipts, tour guide info, etc., and use the official complaint channel available in China, one like 12345.
I hope that my experiences help someone out there! As a tourist, it’s most important to enjoy yourself and don’t let these unpleasant occurrences ruin your mood!
- I had already planned out our day, but once we arrived at West Lake, it was hard to find a parking space!
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My mom and I signed up for this tour. I used to study in Hangzhou and have been to West Lake many times, but my parents had this almost obsessive desire to see it, so I took my mom. It was a group tour, 100 RMB per person. We didn't even start until 10 AM. First, we had a boat tour of West Lake – we didn't get off, just a quick trip around the lake, and it was over pretty fast. Next, we briefly saw the scenery at the Impression West Lake show venue, and that was it before we were rushed off to lunch. Lunch was 35 RMB each, and the food seemed alright, actually quite a decent deal. Then, they took us for a tea tasting. They kept pushing how it could lower uric acid and all sorts of other health benefits. One elderly couple in our group ended up spending 10,000 RMB on a huge pile of tea! Though, of course, that's up to individual choice. After that, we went to Lingyin Temple, but we had to pay our own entrance fee, which didn't feel very worth it. Overall, it felt like we were constantly on the move or waiting to assemble. Plus, Hangzhou gets really congested on weekends, so it was just exhausting.
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Let me be clear: I wasn't the one who wanted to book this tour. My mom thought it was a good deal because it was cheap.
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It's no use. I used to volunteer at Lakeside, and even though I was holding a sign clearly warning people 'Don't trust one-day tours,' I still had to watch helplessly as a large family followed an unlicensed guide. The deals these guides verbally offer are just too enticing for out-of-town visitors.
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I didn't see any warnings either. If I had, my parents wouldn't have been so impulsive. I feel so bad for them – they'd hesitate over a milk tea costing a dozen or so RMB, but they splurged on tea at 1200 RMB per jin without batting an eye.
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Those unlicensed tour guides aren't even locals. I'm a local, and one day, because I was wearing a backpack, one of them—speaking with an Anhui accent—stopped me to ask if I wanted a West Lake one-day tour. My home is right beside West Lake, why would I need a tour? So I asked her if the tour included 'Golden Drum Cave' and 'Silver Drum Cave.' She'd obviously never heard of them. I told her I wouldn't join if those weren't on the itinerary, and she just slunk away.
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Let me tell you something: the woman who solicited us right after we got off the bus was local, the tour guide was local, and so was the person collecting the money. Both the guide and the woman said they were locals. Plus, I grew up and went to school in Zhejiang, so I know the accents. I could tell where everyone on our boat was from just by their accents.
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You should call 12345 to report this.
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Okay, I'll report it then.
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Currently on the 'getting scammed' leg of the tour, at the tea shop.
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Same place/company for me too!
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My complaint was successful!
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Congrats!
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That's why you should never just go for the cheapest option. Our official, customized guide services are 800 RMB a day for a pure sightseeing experience with no shopping stops.
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Seriously? Tell me, what at West Lake would even cost 800 RMB? If you exclude Songcheng Park, do the paid attractions even add up to more than 200 RMB?
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I've been to West Lake countless times, through spring, summer, autumn, and winter. You really don't need to join a tour at all...
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The ones who get ripped off are usually middle-aged and elderly tourists from out of town who are on short trips. They don't know how to plan their own itinerary, aren't familiar with the area, are scared of scams, and opt for these tours for convenience. Our entire bus was filled with such tourists, mostly aged 40-60; I was the only younger person.
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I just finished one of these tours today, and the whole routine was identical. I managed not to buy any tea, but when we went to 'pay respects at the temple,' I couldn't get out of buying a bouquet of flowers.
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Exactly, right?
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Getting scammed as we speak.