HaLong Bay, Vietnam

In Vietnam, the middleman is king, which means that the pricing on most tour packages varies on how much the vendor thinks you can pay.

For example, we were quoted $87 for a one-day tour to the Mekong delta, from our upscale hotel on Dong Khoi Street.  The same tour cost $7 (not a mis-print!) when we walked ten minutes down to the backpacker area on Pham Ngu Lao Street in Saigon.  Naturally, the tours go in separate buses and boats, so travelers can’t compare prices.  This experience was replicated on a trip to Halong Bay from Hanoi, so caveat emptor!  If you insist on buying tour packages from upscale hotels, be prepared to pay an often unnecessary premium.