What rides, lagoons, tubing and scooters should cost — and the scams to sidestep.
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What things should actually cost, and the few scams worth knowing — so you can agree a fair price before any money changes hands.
The railway station is about 3–4 km north of the centre — a 10 to 15 minute ride. A seat in a shared tuk-tuk is roughly 30,000–50,000 kip per person (about US$2). Private hire and pre-booked hotel pickups cost more. Whatever you take, agree the fare before you get in — every time.
Entry to the main staffed Blue Lagoons (1, 2 and 3) is about 20,000 kip per person. Renting a tube for the river is about 60,000–80,000 kip, plus a refundable deposit of roughly the same amount — you get the deposit back when you return the tube before about 6 pm. The little toll bridge out to the lagoons is around 10,000 kip return on a scooter. These are 2025–2026 traveller figures; the kip keeps moving, so treat them as a guide, not a fixed price.
That is the usual asking price to hire a tuk-tuk for the whole day to yourselves, with waiting time — a private charter, not a scam in itself. A shared round-trip to Blue Lagoon 1 is more like 40,000–60,000 kip per person (about US$5–7). Decide first whether you want a shared ride or a private day-hire, then agree the price and the waiting time before you leave.
It is popular, but there is a well-known scam: some shops claim you damaged the bike when you bring it back — pointing at scratches that were already there — and hold your passport until you pay. One traveller was asked for about 200,000 kip (US$35) over a tiny scratch. Protect yourself: photograph or film the whole bike before you ride off, and do not leave your passport as the deposit — offer a cash deposit or a photocopy, or use a shop that accepts a driving licence. A basic scooter rents for roughly US$7–25 a day.
Small extra fees appear — a checkpoint or parking charge near the tubing start, the toll on the bridge. None are large on their own, and the fix is the same everywhere here: ask the price first. Carry small kip notes too, because change has a way of being 'unavailable.'