Other Tourist Scams in Mahé

Overpriced "Authentic" Souvenir Shops

Small souvenir shops near the Victoria Clock Tower and Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market sell items labelled as handmade or locally produced at heavily inflated prices. Coconut shell carvings, vanilla pods, and cinnamon sticks are commonly passed off as premium handcrafted goods when they are mass-produced imports. Vendors resist giving itemised receipts and frequently add undisclosed "wrapping fees."