GOT ripped off by a Kalesa.

by kh yew
(brunei)

We (3 of us) boarded a yellow Kalesa at Manila Diamond Hotel yesterday around 12noon.

We agreed the fee to be 30 pesos per person, to Rizal park and back. We thought that was cheap.

When we got there, he said pay half 30 hundred per person = 4500 (total 9000).

We only had 7000 and we settle for 6000 and he took us back, a block before Diamond hotel.

We told our Manila friends much later and they asked us to complain ..... but who do we complained to ??

Richard (the Kalesa guide) did not give a receipt and we did not know the reg no.

Me, my wife and daughter, were worried that he and the driver, might extort us or do harm, so we just paid up.

This is our first trip to Manila, as a family and will be our last.

WE stayed at Diamond Hotel from 23 to 26 March.....

mr kim hwee

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Aug 19, 2022
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Scammers are everywhere NEW
by: Mel the Smart Pinay

So I toured my American boyfriend around Fort Santiago last month and there was these two guys approached us asking if we could give a little comments about his stay here in the Philippines. They told us that they’re doing research and survey about foreign tourists whatsoever. So beware coz they will try to convince you that they’re really students and were just doing some research. The next thing they did was asking if they could take a photo of my boyfriend’s identification card for reference???? I was like what?? I did feasibility study in college to but we never ask for ID 😆. I said oh no smells like scammers so we hurried out of the conversation. Not today scammers.

I feel sorry for the scammed foreign tourist. Be smart everywhere.
Feb 12, 2019
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Scammers everywhere
by: Anonymous

On my first day to manila a kalesa driver tried to rip me off. He called me over and offered to take me to intramuros for 50 peso. Not really knowing the value of peso yet as i had just arrived I agreed.
About 20 minutes in he asks me to pay and says it's 1500 peso. His kid sits at the door way so I can't get out.
He angrily yells and swears at me but I refuse to budge. The price goes from 1500 to 800 to 200 in the end I give him 50 peso and get off.
Similarly today someone in a motorised bike carriage tried this on me, initially he asked for 60 peso (for around 10 min ride to my hotel) which suddenly became 260 halfway through my trip. Again I gave the guy 60 peso and got off half way.

I swear, if you're a tourist, stick to grab, train or jeepneys. Everyone else is crook.
This will be my last visit to manila and I will be warning my friends to not visit manila too.
Sep 09, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Record it
by: Superstaarr

Before you guys get on, secretly record the conversation from your phone. Make sure all the details of the deal is recorded and ask them to show the policy fiirst. Once all that is done and you get on, show or tell them that you recorded everything so hindi kayo ma loloko. Good luck!!!
Aug 13, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		scam
by: Anonymous

thank you all for sharing your horror stories. i was planning to take a kalesa ride next year but no thank you for all these mukhang pera scammers!
Jul 29, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Bicycle guide Rip off
by: Frank

Today we were offered by travel guide from Rizal park to Intramuros and back. Bicycle sidecar. He said 350PHP for the trip. After 5 hours it came the shock coz he charged us 5*700PHP=3500!!! He just most of time only waited for us when we go to Santiago and back. We argued and he showed the laminated paper stated for 30 minutes. He cleverly parked at his other "gang" station so we rather pay. Very disappointed from Manila as there is waiting a lot of scam for tourists. Goverment should definitely stop this robbery. My first and last visit Manila.
May 25, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Leo- crook calesa driver.
by: Balikbayan

Got ripped off by calesa driver who told us that 350 cost of ride to Moa from the National museum. When we got to our desti nation, he said it was 1050 for 1.5 hours. I swear it was only an hour. We argued with him and he was angry, so we paid up. Im going to take this to the Tourism. This seem to happen all the time as per otherreviews. This guy name is Leo if that is his real name. I have a photo of him. Im not going to let this go.

Dec 12, 2017
Rating
star 		BAD KALESA EXPERIENCE
by: Anonymous

Me, my wife and our 2 kids were walking at the Manila Baywalk, when a Kalesa driver approached us and said "Try niyo po magkalesa para ma-experience" Tanong ko sa kanya "Magkano ba?" SAbi niya "100 lang." Sabi namin ng asawa ko, maya maya na konti, maglalakad-lakad muna kami. Then he insisted that we take a tour. This time he said, it's only 350pesos for 30 minutes. It being our first time, we agreed. He showed us a "pamphlet" of the places we want to go. I decided to just go around Intramuros and then drop us at the back of Luneta Park. We rode at 12:56PM. Now, I made sure we only had a 30-minute ride, so when we stopped at 1:34PM I was surprised when the "kutsero" said, ISANG ORAS AT KALAHATI po tayo Sir. I told him NO! I have proof we only spent 30-minutes! I showed him the picture which he took, with the timestamp at exactly 12:56PM. How does that compute to 1 HOUR and 30 MINUTES? And then he said, "Dagdagan mo na lang sir, gawin mo na lang 600"... I said "NO! I'll give you 400, and that's it! Porke't hindi kami taga Maynila lolokohin niyo kami? Ayusin niyo ginagawa niyo!"

WORST DAY EVER! DECEMBER 10, 2017
Jul 29, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		No to kalesa anymore!!!
by: Anonymous

Grabe kapwa pilipino niloloko pa.. im from CDO and i have a foreign friend from USA.. when on his last night in manila we went to luneta park.. and heres the kalesa driver approach us. So my foreign friend got amazed in kalesa esp the hirse.. the driver approach us to get a ride tour for 350 for both of us.. he said the price by digits not by word.. he said package tour for "three fifty" so yun pumayag kami kasi mura lang.. "three fifty" nga daw.. we went from luneta park to intramuros.. magaling siya sa tpur guide alam niya halos ng stroy at pangalan ng mga building.. from intramuros to china town.. yun nga natutuwa naman kami sa mga paligid. Lalo na yung friend ko nga taga US. From china town tumungo kami ng quiapo tapos sa malacañang tapos pabalik na kami sa rizal park. Mga haloas dalawang oras kami nun..Nung malapit na kaming bumaba at nagpeprepare nako ng bayad 500 sana ibibigay ko kasama na ang tip.. nung hindi ko pa nabibigay ang bayad sabi niya ..boss 3350 lang po lahat package tour na yan.. nagtaka ako.. kasi 350 yung deal namin.. sabi niya hindi po "three- three fifty po ang package tour..
Sabi ko sa sarili ko nun. Putang ina naloko ako nito ha.. hindi na ako makapagreklamo pa..yung kasama kong foreigner nagtataka na kasi nakikita niyang parang nakikipagtalo na ako sa kalesa driver.. 2500 lang yung cash ko nun. At humingi pa ako ng isang libo sa kaibigan ko.. nagtaka siya bakit 3500 yung binigay ko.. at ibinigay ko nalang at binayad kung magkano ang presyo.. hindi na ako nakipagtalo ng husto kasi hindi ako taga dito at may kasama pa akong foreigner.. at nasa liblib pa kami na lugar nun binaba.. so para sa safety nalang namin nagbayad nalang ako ng 3500.. pera lang naman yun kesa buhay pa namin ang kapalit.. haaay what a lesson.. grabe.. pasalamat siya may kasama akong foreigner.. at inexplain ko sa kaibigan ko ang nangyari.. . Yun we got ripped off by thiss bluffer kalesa driver.. i have his photos in my cp.. gusto kog ipost sa fb kaya lang mas gusto kung mas matahimik na buhay.. karma nalang ang makikita niya sa ginawa niyang panloloko.. tsk!
Dec 03, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		"Robbed" by cochero
by: Anonymous

I thought kami langyung naloko but when I checked this tonight, I realized issue pala talaga yung overpricing. We have the same story. We visited intramuros last week. We started from National Museum where was found a cochero. As far as I remember, the price we agreed upon was only 300, nakatawad kasi kami ng 50. I asked him how long would be the tour and does ot come with the same price, and he said yes. He also showed us only the laminated picture without the price and time. Since we thought it was so cheap, we endes up touring for 3 hours and we were shocked when he asked 1800 from us at the end. We realky felt we were robbed! We couldnt argue anymore because he showrd us the other laminated picture. O hope the City could address this issue. Very sad, frustrating, and provoking.
Nov 19, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Shameless robbers!!!
by: Anonymous

Just this afternoon me and my hubby got ripped off. Sabi ng kutsero samin 350 round trip from baywalk to intramuros and back. Pinakita niya samin pictures kung San pwede puntahan pero intamuros lang kami. Pagbalik namin sa baywalk siningil kami ng 2hours whereas 1 and half lang kami at sinabi 350 per 30 minutes and we spent 2hours raw. I complained to him that he never said that thing and he showed me another laminated photos with 350 per 30 minutes on it. Sabi ko Hindi yan ang pinakita mo samin kinuha ko yung isang pinakita niya na walang presyong nakalagay at ibinigay ko sa kanya. Bastos pa kung umasta sa Una ang bait para lang magka customer pagbayaran na ang bastos ang he grab the money from me sabay sabi sakin ang dami mong sinasabi magbibigay ka rin pala! Ang bastos!!! Mapayat siya na kutsero 19yrs old at nakalagay sa loob ng kalesa niya Senyorito yun ang pangalan ng kabayo. Kalesa niya blue/white combi at ang kabayo niya mataba na medyo gray white na may magandang harness. This will be our first and last here in Manila, what a bad impression to our country first time pa nman ng hubby ko dito sa Pinas at sa Manila pa dalawang beses na kami naloko and never again...
Nov 11, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Go to Fort Santiago instead
by: Anonymous

My sister and her foreigner husband got ripped off with the same scam 6 years ago. The kalesa drivers scare passengers to pay up by bringing them to some dark, dinghy alley and shouting. It is appalling that this scheme still continues. Perhaps the best thing is not to ride these kalesas or just take a picture from afar. But if you really must ride, I suggest the kalesa inside Fort Santiago that goes around in circles. There's a standard fee (300-400) for 30 min, they cant bring you to dark alleys and there are always guards around if there is a problem.
Oct 30, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Naloko
by: Anonymousss

It was nearly 7 pm. My friend and me just done touring at Ocean Park. We were almost going home when a kutsero offered us like, " sengkwenta lang te". I wanted to be sure of his offered, so i replied him, "sengwenta lang kuya kaming dalawa? o tig-iisa?" He said, "kayong dalawa na te". It was cheap for a kalesa ride but i thought maybe it will be a short ride and since its evening already and will be his last ride too. The kutsero was fucking well conversant and very informative to each spot. In my mind i will give him P100. So there in the kalesa terminal, i asked him how much, and he said, " 1,050 lang te". I was calmed and smiling cuz i thought he mistakenly said 150 to 1,050". I asked him again and told me the same amount. And i was like, whaaaaaaatttt!!!??? Ano kuya??? and he said like, "diba nga 350 per 30 minutes" I was explaining too like, " Sabi mo kuya singkwenta, inulit ko pa nga diba kuya. iba ang pronunciation sa singkwenta sa three fifity kuya" And he started acting so weird, like hinahampas na nya ang upuan kasi dw lugi dw sya. explain ako ng explain and hinihingi ko na name nya at id nya. ayaw nya ipakita i.d nya kasi yung name nya dw ay enough na dw. Sabi ko, wla naman masama kuya ba makita i.d mo. Hanggang sa bumaba nako at tinawagan ko kuya ko. Sabi nya, sige 500 nlng. So ayun, binigyan nlng namin ng 500 kaht masakit sa kalooban namin. The place wasnt so safe also. Next time, ivideo ko nlng before sasakay para may ebidensya hehehe
Sep 17, 2016
Rating
star 		Kalesa ride rip off
by: Anonymous

We asked a kalesa guy in front of luneta how much the ride will be, he then handed us a picture with 5 different destinations and the guy said 350, my husband asked "350 lahat na?" The guy said YES! We just went to 3 places. He took us to a place where we should pay and he asked us for 2,100 pesos he then said 350 per person, per 30min. He insisted that he said it. If he specifically said that from the beginning we wouldn't have ridden the damn thing. Mga manloloko! We got it on video and we have a picture of the kalesa guy.
Dec 14, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Manlolokong Kalesa Driver sa Luneta Park
by: Anonymous

We were also a victim of Kalesa ride yesterday (December 13, 2015). The Kalesa driver said 350 pesos per 30 minutes. We just ride from Luneta to Fort Santiago (around 10 minutes) but when we get off, we were billed of 350 pesos per person. I wonder why the local government of Manila and the Department of Tourism allow this system. NAKAKASIRA SA PILIPINAS AT SA KAPWA PILIPINO!!!!
Sep 25, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		NEVER AGAIN I WILL RIDE THE KALESA IN MANILA...BEWARE OF THE OVER-PRICE SCAM
by: Anonymous

I will never ever trust those Kalesa riders in Manila. My husband and I was tried by this kalesa rider. I specifically asked how much is it to take us from Star City to Libertad and the driver said 250 pesos and so we took the ride.

When we got to our destination and handed him 250 pesos he then said, it's 500 because it's 250 for each of us...Damn, I got mad and to the point of getting hysterical because he saw that I am with a foreigner and tried to cheat us. I really challenged him for to call a police because he doesn't agree to the price he gave us. I was so pissed off because in just 1 day in Manila we have to battle to 3 cheaters, one was a pedicab driver, a taxi driver and a Kalesa driver...going to Manila leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I am a Filipina and I am so saddened how my Kapwa Filipino will try to cheat us and most especially foreigners who are here in our country and help us to boost our tourism...I hope the higher officials will look into this and clean up this scam going on in the street. Beware when you take those rides...make sure that you get the price right and let them know right away that they will get paid for the exact amount they quoted and nothing else.
Aug 16, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		ripped of by a kutsero.
by: Anonymous

kutsero is the one who drives the kalesa. Anyways, since you were a tourist you should've taped the trip (and wouldn't that be great you have something to keep over the years) so you could've got his face and the kalesa in photograph or in video and it makes them realize that just anyone could've seen that video and they would behaved and all that. And if you actually had the footage, the locals of that country would've been able to help you with that situation and all that. You should've also explained better because you weren't being specific and it's sort of hard to understand what you're talking about because he may have refered to three hundred instead of thirty hundred..and you should've researched about your destination before making reservations and althsht.
Aug 16, 2015
Rating
starstar 		Reply to: horse and carriage
by: Anonymous

Hey anonymous just wanted to tell you that it's really like that, the guide probably doesn't know how to properly introduce himself/herself and to be honest I think you were able to ride the kalesa for a cheap price, but next time you should clarify the price and what would happen during the trip. Same went to my experience, you thought that the guy may have been some sort of a hitchhiker but he's really just the guide who'll explain the place you are going to, but if you felt threatened you could've asked about him.
Oct 30, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Corrupt Kalesa
by: Anonymous

Im copying this comment, cause this is exactly what happened to us.. Maybe it's the same driver? ----> I also had the same experience! Exactly the same, and me and two foreign guests were shouted at and demanded 3x the agreed upon payment, and the route was NOT INSIDE INTRAMUROS area. I will actually file a complaint now at the Police station and will not stop until this gang is arrested! Shame on them!
Jun 09, 2013
Rating
starstarstar 		Ripped off
by: Anonymous

I went on kalesa around rizal park then opted go on longer tour went over an hour. The driver told me and my Filipino friend was 1600 php at finished 700% increase. Luckily I had my friend we bargained back to 600php. The driver had good sales pitch saying horse needed day off next day and a beer lol. But I warned my friend as mentioned in Lonley planet guide be careful of these kalesa drivers.... Hehe. I didn't mind the 600php though bring back good holidays to phils.... Hehe
Mar 12, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Kalesa BAD EXPERIENCE
by: Anonymous

I also had the same experience! Exactly the same, and me and two foreign guests were shouted at and demanded 3x the agreed upon payment, and the route was NOT INSIDE INTRAMUROS area. I will actually file a complaint now at the Police station and will not stop until this gang is arrested! Shame on them!
Feb 20, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Ripped off by a horse and carriage!
by: Anonymous

Me and my girlfriend went to Intramuros one day for an outing and came across a Kalesa rider trying to get us to go with him.

Eventually we decided that would be nice so I asked him how much it would cost, he told me just P20 for us both so we climbed on happy with that but half way up the road someone else jumped on the front with the rider which we didn't question at all as it seemed he knew them.

So... we are going round the streets and looking at the sites as the rider describes everything to us, after around 20 mins we got a little suspicious as it seemed a little long for the bargain price of just p20 so we told him to end the ride.

He then stopped and asked us for P500.. I was like what I already paid u the P20 u quoted, he said it was for the guide who got on, he never even spoke to us or said anything!

Me being a foreigner and new to the city, just paid it cause I didn't want trouble.. but people be warned of these people!
Nov 21, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Even I...
by: GR69

Even I, a Filipino, am afraid to go home to the Philippines this December. To be honest, I'm more at-ease traveling around Indonesia and Singapore, where nothing of this sort has happened so far (hope this continuous).

When I arrive in the Philippines next month, I'm afraid of making any sort of deals with taxi drivers, kalesa drivers, side-car drivers, porters, etc. Kakatakot yung napapanood natin sa TV mga taxi driver who kidnap passengers, mga nambubunggo
ng sasakyan tapos hoholdapin. Now, add this one - Kalesa drivers who are like this. There must be something wrong with us, Filipinos...
Nov 08, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Taking advantage
by: bea

Sorry to hear that. Sad to say that there are those people who are taking advantage of people especially tourist like you.

Maybe if you took even the plate number of their calesa or report to your hotel customer service things that happen, maybe they can help stop this things that also affect the tourist from coming. There are people who doesn't think of having Job for lifetime, what they do will return to them as what they say is KARMA.
Apr 13, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		RIPPED OFF BY A KALESA
by: Anonymous

YEAH u got ripped. They knew you were a tourist.
You should've clarified before you got on.

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