How it works:
- Version 1: a boat tour tout claims that you need to pay the full fee upfront as they need to buy gasoline in advance of the trip. Once you pay, they may disappear.
- Version 2: a fee is agreed on a round trip and they take you out to an island. There however, they claim that the fee is for one way and you have to pay another fee or be abandoned.
- Version 3: many false claims will be made to make the tour seem better than it is. You will probably end up on old, unsafe boats, not do activities that were promised and eat in unsanitary conditions.
Places to beware:
- Cartagena: Playa De Punta Arena
What to do:
- Avoid paying in full upfront, unless it is a reputable operator. Engage licensed, reputable operators, as safety is another key concern:
- Offline operators: ask – is the operator licensed? Is there a website, office and working phone number? Are there real online reviews? What does the price cover – is it too cheap?
- Online operators: GetYourGuide (leading day tour platform globally) offers some popular boat tours.
