Overcharged Maputo to Tofo

https://www.reddit.com/r/Mozambique/comments/1bzibv5/overcharged_maputo_to_tofo/

created by TagusIce on 09/04/2024 at 03:35 UTC

2 upvotes, 6 top-level comments (showing 6)

I got a taxi to Junta and as soon as I arrived, I realized etrago doesn't run on Tuesdays. This was not the info given at my hostel: I was actually told not to travel on Monday cos it was a holiday (women's day). A salesman to a van heading to Tofo (via Inhambane) quickly approached. Told me they'd be leaving at 6:30/7AM and the ticket cost would be 1200MTN. My táxi driver told me to trust the man cos prices were standard for everybody. Then I realized everyone else getting on the bus was paying 1000MTN. This is not okay. As a foreigner am I suppose to accept being charged more?

Still waiting on the bus. When I confronted this salesman, I was told he'd already explain to me and no refund would be given. Not a good first impression of Mozambique.

Comments

Comment by tatertotski at 09/04/2024 at 07:42 UTC

11 upvotes, 1 direct replies

You’re paying $18 to travel 480km and you’re complaining about being ripped off?

Comment by No_Kaleidoscope_1856 at 09/04/2024 at 09:27 UTC

5 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Dude you need to chill ! A 20% difference on a 18$ ticket is not that much as a foreigner, think of the locals for whom it represents much more. As a tourist, wherever you go, you’ll mostly end up spending more on taxis/transports than the locals. I’d agree with you if they were trying to overcharge a restaurant or hotel where prices are displayed, but the bus driver and his 3$ « tip » shouldn’t ruin your holiday. Mozambique is beautiful, enjoy it as much as you can and try to accept that these few dollars here and there will probably help people feed their kids and they’re not badly spent after all.

Comment by NewTruck4095 at 09/04/2024 at 12:44 UTC

5 upvotes, 0 direct replies

My friend, if you travel to most places in Africa, Asia, and South America, you will always be charged more as a foreigner.

Comment by GrondKop at 09/06/2024 at 07:30 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

In most African countries you *always* need to negotiate. It feels like you're being ripped off but actually negotiating the price is a cultural thing, the locals do it with each other too. There's never a fixed price

It can get tiring but it's just part of travelling in Africa

In Kenya we'd look for boat trips to go snorkelling and the salesmen would start at $100 and we eventually negotiated them down to like $20. I felt a bit bad like I am a wealthy person exploiting a poor local but hey, they chose to start the game so don't blame me for playing it

Comment by potatosquat at 09/04/2024 at 04:23 UTC

4 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I mean, that's how everyone in moz makes money off tourists/foreigners

Comment by Rabubi28 at 09/04/2024 at 09:03 UTC

1 upvotes, 2 direct replies

sorry to hear that happened to you, regardless of the context it is never a good feeling to be ripped off. having said that, I think you can realize that in Moz things are tough and given that you dont speak the local language, people will always see that as an advantage to rip off travellers that can be perceived as having more cash available (even if its just 3 or 4 dollars) - and that applies everywhere not just here.

To avoid being in the same position again, would suggest that you try getting some local person that you trust to negotiate prices when buying things in public.