Tour & Activity Scams in Koh Phangan, Thailand
Unlicensed guides, fake tickets, bait-and-switch excursions, and ticket scalping. Below are the tour & activities scams reported in Koh Phangan — how they work and how to avoid them.
For broader context, compare this scam type with nearby destinations like Lombok, Palawan, and Mandalay.
Last updated: April 2, 2026
1
Tour & Activities Scams
11
Total in Koh Phangan
How it works
Street touts near main piers and beaches sell counterfeit tickets to "official" island tours (Angthong, Similan Islands) at deeply discounted rates. Tourists show up at meeting points to find overcrowded speedboats with no safety equipment, no guide, or boats that never depart. Some tours operate without permits and abandon tourists mid-journey.
See all scams in Koh Phangan
11 total warnings across all categories