BootsnAll Travel Community

We are planing a trip to S.E.Asia, and I've read a lot of reports how the high number of beggars, touts, street kids etc, basically people hassling you in one way or another.

I've only really been to Egypt where this is an issue, you end up saying 'no thank-you' 'no thank-you' repeatedly the minute you leave your accommodation. It is a real pain.

I was just wondering how other people deal with it.

Cheers

Dante

Well for me it depends on the level of hassling...

If there are just one or two people I just say "no thank you" without looking them in the eyes, and just carry on walking.

If I was somewhere like Egypt, where the hawkers can be en masse, I tend to just look straight ahead and carry on walking and refuse to acknowledge them in any way...it sounds harsh but sometimes that's the only way to deal with people who won't take no for an answer...

I agree with DreamerHelen. If there are only a few beggars here and there then I tend to say no thank you but in places like Morocco and Ethiopia you have more beggars and more hawkers and more of everything so you have to just ignore it or get it down to a simple hand gesture of "no money, not hungry, don't want it"

I became so immune to it in Africa, and my travels, that if you try hard enough, you begin to not notice it. It becomes second nature, almost a zen-like state where you unconciously choose who to accept into your space - and mental reality.

In my experience, touts and trickers and general hassle are a million times worse in Egypt than in the parts of SE Asia I've been to (I can't speak of Cambodia or Vietnam). So if you were able to deal with it in Egypt, you should be fine. Apart from some persistent child beggars in Burma, it seemed a friendly "no thanks" followed by a firm "no thanks", if they're too aggressive, does the job.

One little trick that my wife and I used for avoiding hassle in a new town is for one of us to stay with the bags at the bus/train station or sit in a cafe or restaurant while the other looks for a hotel. Hotel touts tend to be drawn to tired looking people in giant backpacks. But if you're looking around without your backpack, they'll generally leave you alone.

Having heard about the hassles of Egypt from so many sources (from the Thorntree to Mark Twain), I permanently crossed Egypt off my list. (My list now goes from Djibouti right to Equatorial Guinea)

Not having experienced the degree of hawking thus far, but about to head to many of these places, has anyone ever given money to any of the beggars or is it just an absolute no-no. I know my 'rich American' guilt will tear at me at some point.

Static it's not that bad. Although I did learn to handle touts long before I hit Egypt. They can be ignored and that helps a lot if you can do it. I tend to have agreat time in Egypt the touts I ignore. Actually the one that were worse for me were in Haiti.

The first few days in Egypt were a bit of a nightmare, every time you left the hotel you would get constant hassle. There were several people who just didn't leave the hotel complex at all, other than on organised trips.

Which if you did go on a trip, they stopped off somewhere first where you were pushed into buying something.

I did however like Egypt, though I have to say that of all the places I've been Egypt is the only place I've actually feared for my life.

Three times in fact, (well two scary moments and the last full on fear), the first when we were just walking around, and you get used to the tourism police being everywhere. And when you realise you're on the edge of town and the police are nowhere in sight it can get a be scary.

The second was on the night train between Luxor and Cairo, which was full of soldiers, who were not impressed when it turned out we'd lost our ticket and the ticket inspector began to scream at us - not good.

We then went through the desert to the red sea, you have to go by police escort, in small camper vans. Keeping the curtains shut at all times - snipers.

The worst was a stop off in Hurghada, we were in a hotel near by, diving, and they ran a trip to the town. They dropped us off at 10am and were coming back at 2pm.

The places looks like a war zone, and after five minutes of walking round people began to scream capitalist at us.

Which was an odd moment when we had never considered ourselves any more than working class. I think it's easy to forget that you can have ten times the wealth of the people you're visiting.

So after five minutes, and realising that a group had formed and was following us, we rushed back to the bus stop and just stood with a few other British folks till the bus came back for us.

Sorry for the ramble.

So in short, Egypt's cool.

Dante

Interesting question.

You'll soon notice that a good way to show non-interest is by saying 'no' and nothing else. If you add 'thank you' there is a large chance of them trying again.

Eventually you'll develop something of a tick in your neck every time you hear 'dolla' (is it zen-like? uh, no). It's like a slight tick to the right and a swift look past their face. Once you've got that tick right, they almost always know that you're not interested. This takes some time to develop, though. (I am serious about this.)

Also, although you should be careful (not paranoid) of your things (pick-pockets), do not worry too much! The fact that you're asking about it on this forum is a sign that you might be worrying too much.

Dealing with beggars and hawkers is not something you should deal with by the book.

And finally, if you're asking for how you deal with it emotionally, yeah, it might sometimes be difficult, especially in countries like Cambodia. It's undeniably something that takes getting used to... and if you don't want to, maybe plan going to more developed countries. My opinion: it's only a small price to pay.

Usually what's worked for me is just shaking your head and looking in another direction, occasionally accompanied by a firm "no."

Slightly related, a friend has told me in Thailand often the stallholders will want to shake your hand in welcome, only to grab it tightly and pull you into their stall! She solved this by always having something in both hands - bag, umbrella, boyfriend's hand...so she could smile politely but still refuse the handshake.

There are no touts in Thailand! Not compared to Arab countries and India anyhow.

What I do is say one single and firm "No", probably shake my head and from then on it's 'ignore mode'. Don't snap out of it unless they touch you. I never really had a problem with touts. In India I often even found it highly entertaining. Nothing like a cab driver following you for 15 minutes, holding up all the traffic. A laugh riot.

Just stay cool, don't let it phaze you...that's the whole trick.

static, Egypt isn't worth crossing off your list just because of touts--it's an awesome country with so much going for it.

My rules for dealing with them: zero eye contact and don't break your stride.

When my friend and I were in Siem Riep we would often have to make mad dashes from the place we were visiting to the vehicle in an attempt to avoid the beggars and hawkers.

But, Donovan is right, after a while you get used to it. I just end up smiling a lot and saying no, no, no. If you stay in a place long enough, they also get to know who you are and don't bother you as much.

Trekker

One of my funniest travel moments was in the airport at Yangon, Myanmar. You enter the airport and walk past the government money change places (you must not use these) and then head into the main "lobby" where there are velvet ropes set up. Beyond these ropes are about a hundred Burmese women, many in traditional dress waving pieces of paper and trying to get you a taxi. Literally, me and my wife, and a hundred women all yelling at us.

Of course, all you have to do is walk right past all of them to the front door where there is a man in charge of the official taxis. Tell him where you're going and he flags someone over.

Myamnar has quite a few tout-types, but they a bit more interesting. Many are unofficial money changers and many other are offering tours and to be your driver. I'd actually encourage you to take advantage of their services. The kids selling postcards can be relentless though.

I just got back from 5 weeks in Egypt. I had been totally worried about the touts even though I've traveled in places like SE Asia. Really the only place it was bad was in Luxor. My boyfriend would try to engage people so as to not appear rude. I felt this only encouraged them. I'd simply say no thank you and keep walking. If they persisted I ignored them and eventually they went away. I felt horrible to have to act this way, but the touts don't take it personally. The place we had the fewest hassles was the Siwa Oasis . I loved it there!

-TB

I'm a sucker, I can't bear to see filthy children begging. I always give them money, I can't help it. I just try to keep the money in a place where they can't steal it out of my pocket first.....

The worst begging I saw was in St Petersburg (Granted this was in the Soviet Era when all things were supposedly worse), but gypsy children, by the hoard (and I do mean hoards of 10-20) would accost groups of travelers. They would start with the asking, then one or two would hold onto legs and arms. Hands would be rammed into every pockets. It was tough.

Egypt and China was trouble for bartering, not so much with the begging.

Africa was tough because of the abject poverty and sheer masses of people in need.

In the end, you can't give to everyone. If you did the first place you go to will most likely be your last. In Africa we brought pens to hand out. In Egypt/China we said "No". In fact we found the less 'shopping' we did the less problems we had. The only shopping we did was for food in the local markets. In St Petersburg we ran away.

Theres this old story in morocco about an old woman who used to live in Djem el Fna (the main square where the masses flock). Her name was OmJeniah and she walked crippled and bent over a cane with only her hand out. Story goes she used to rush behind unsuspecting people and shout "I am OmJeniah give me your money!" And the scared folks would hand it over just to make her go away.
Now days in Marrakech when a kid is misbehaving you tell them to be quiet or the spirit of OmJeniah will get them.
That kid of gives you an idea of how the locals there see touts and beggers.
My advice is always treat them like the locals do.
Then again if I see someone who is truly sick I usually hand out a bit of cash...stupid heart made of goo.