Save Over 1500+ on Your Next Purchase: Insider Tips to Maximize Savings

Planning a one-day island hopping adventure to Komodo in October with friends, we decided to do some research to ensure we got the best deal. My friend suggested checking prices online and reaching out to fellow travelers on XingHuoShou (XHS) for their experiences. We reached out to several people on XHS, and the quotes we received were mostly around 850 RMB; the highest was a staggering 1200 RMB, all for the same itinerary, group size, and speedboat comfort level.

When it comes to one-day tours of Komodo, the boats can be categorized as follows (using a typical six-attraction itinerary as an example):
1. Small groups of 24 people, led by bilingual (Chinese-English) guides.
2. Large groups of 35 people, also with bilingual guides.
3. Very small groups of 17 people, with English-only guides.

Here’s the crucial part: domestic XHS bloggers and agents sent us pictures of the speedboats. Initially, we thought the price difference might be due to the boat’s comfort level, but that wasn’t the case. The 850 RMB and 1200 RMB quotes were for the same type of boat, both accommodating large groups of over 24 people.

Curious about the discrepancy, I used a well-known search engine to find local ground handlers. To our surprise, they offered the same tour for just 699 RMB per person, and only in small, more comfortable speedboats. This means the agent who quoted us 1200 RMB per person was making a significant profit, amounting to over 1500 RMB for the three of us, with no added value in the experience.

For 1200 RMB per person, we could have even booked a liveaboard experience, which would have been far more luxurious and immersive. After weighing our options, we decided to go with the local ground handler, who not only provided a better deal but also offered Chinese customer service for smoother communication. It’s a stark reminder of the importance of comparing multiple options when planning a trip, as information asymmetry can lead to being overcharged without any real benefit.

Additionally, the local ground handler allowed us to cancel up to four days before departure, while many domestic agents only permitted rescheduling, with no refunds. This flexibility made our choice even more appealing.