Stay safe
How to Book Safely in Vang Vieng (and Spot Fake Ticket Sites)
Simple checks to make sure you are booking the real Dragon's Glow and other tours in Vang Vieng, and what to do if you have paid a fake website.
Fake booking websites copy the names and photos of real attractions, take payment and disappear. It happens to famous sights all over the world, and it has happened to Dragon’s Glow. A few simple checks will keep your money safe.
Use the official website
You are on the official Dragon’s Glow website. Every real way to reach us, including WhatsApp, WeChat, phone and Facebook, is listed on our official channels page.
dragonsglow.site is not ours. We have no connection to it, and money paid there does not reach us.
Check before you pay
- Read the account name. Lao QR and banking apps show who you are paying before you confirm. Make sure the name matches the business, not a private person.
- Be wary of personal accounts. A real business gives you a business account name.
- Treat big discounts as a warning sign. Unusually cheap tickets from unknown sellers are a common trick.
- Buy from official sellers. Book on this website, through our official channels, or with one of our authorised sellers.
Signs of a fake website
- Pressure to pay immediately, or “only two seats left” messages that never change.
- Payment only by transfer to a personal account, or in cryptocurrency.
- No real address, phone number or company name.
- A web address that is slightly different from the official one.
- Photos copied from the real attraction, with prices far below the real ones.
If you have already paid
- Contact your bank or payment app straight away. The sooner you report it, the better the chance of stopping or reversing the payment.
- Keep the evidence: screenshots, the website address, receipts and the account name you paid.
- Report it to the local police.
- Report the website to Google Safe Browsing, so browsers can warn other people.
- Message us. We will help where we can, and your report helps us warn other travellers.
Booking other tours in Vang Vieng
The same rules apply to kayaking, caves, balloons and day trips. Book through your hotel, an established local agency or the operator directly. Read recent reviews, and always ask for a receipt.
Ready to book the real thing? Reserve your table on the official website.
