Checking travel companies, contracts and refunds before you book
Neighbouring countries
Cambodia and Laos: checking operators and guides
Cambodia and Laos often appear on the same itinerary as Vietnam, sometimes run by a Vietnamese company and sometimes handed to a local one at the border. Official registers were not available to us in English, so this page leans on what foreign ministry advice reports and on the questions that protect you anywhere.
Contents
What we could and could not verify
Both countries regulate tourism businesses through their tourism ministries. We could not open an official register of licensed tour companies for either country when we checked, so this page gives no lookup steps and no licence formats. Ask any company for its licence and business registration documents, and compare the company name on them with the name on your contract and on the account you pay.
What we could check is the UK Foreign Office advice for each country, last updated in 2026, which reports specific risks with operators, guides and boats.
Sources: UK Foreign Office — Cambodia safety and security; UK Foreign Office — Laos safety and security · last checked .
Cambodia: what the advice says
- Guides. Cambodia has no licensing system for tour guides, according to the advice, so ask your hotel and check reviews before hiring one. For jungle treks, use a reputable guide.
- Border fees. At land borders, officials and tour operators may ask for unofficial fees or inflate visa prices. Confirm visa requirements and fees before you travel.
- Boats. Accidents have happened on overloaded or poorly maintained boats, and tourist boats sometimes run despite weather warnings, particularly between Sihanoukville and nearby islands. Rivers and lakes run faster from June to October; from March to May sandbars can ground boats.
- Water activities and diving. Take extra care from May to October, rent equipment only from recommended operators, and check a dive operator's credentials and your insurance.
- Scams. Fake dollar notes given as change, and job scams by organised crime groups, often linked to compounds in Sihanoukville, border areas and Kandal.
Sources: UK Foreign Office — Cambodia safety and security · last checked .
Laos: what the advice says
- Adventure operators. Use reputable, properly insured operators, insist on training, check that safety precautions are in place, and read the contract to confirm who is responsible for each part of the activity.
- Tubing and river sports. Tubing, rafting, kayaking and swimming carry risks from strong currents and hidden obstacles; there have been drownings and serious injuries. Check that lifejackets are provided.
- The Mekong. Changing water levels, strong currents and hidden obstacles make boat travel dangerous at times. Make sure boats carry life jackets and avoid overcrowded ones.
- Motorbike hire. Do not leave your passport as a deposit; some rental firms reportedly arrange for bikes to be stolen or damaged and then demand high fees. Check your insurance covers motorcycle accidents.
- Reporting crime. Report to the Tourist Police in Vientiane. Local police response is often limited; ask your accommodation for help.
Sources: UK Foreign Office — Laos safety and security · last checked .
Questions to ask a Cambodian or Lao operator
- What is your company's registered name, and can you send your licence and registration documents?
- Who will guide us, in which language, and how did you choose them?
- Which boat or vehicle will we use, how many passengers does it carry, and what safety equipment is on board?
- Who is responsible for each part of an activity, and is that written in the contract?
- What happens to our money if weather or water levels stop part of the programme?
- Can we pay by card to the company, or to an account in the company's name?
A company that answers these in writing has given you most of what you need for a dispute later. A company that will not answer them has told you something too.
Itineraries that cross from Vietnam
When a Vietnamese company sells a programme that continues into Cambodia or Laos, the Vietnamese contract may be the only document you hold. Ask in writing which company runs each country's leg, whether the contract covers those legs, and whether the insurance clause applies outside Vietnam. The Vietnamese operator's legal insurance duty covers the programme it sells; confirm how far that goes before you cross a border.
Check that your own policy covers every country on the route, including transit countries. UK guidance says a policy should cover the full trip and every place you visit.
Sources: Law on Tourism 2017, Article 37 — duties of travel businesses; UK Foreign Office — foreign travel insurance · last checked .
When to change the plan
- A Mekong or island boat that is visibly overcrowded or has no life jackets.
- A tubing or rafting trip offered without a briefing or equipment check in high water.
- A rental shop that asks for your passport as a deposit.
- A seller that cannot name the company running the tour across the border.
Common questions
Questions readers ask
Do tour guides in Cambodia need a licence?
UK travel advice says Cambodia has no licensing system for tour guides and suggests asking your hotel and checking reviews before hiring one.
Is it normal to leave a passport when renting a motorbike in Laos?
UK travel advice says not to, because some rental firms have kept passports and demanded high fees after arranging for bikes to be stolen or damaged.
My Vietnamese tour continues into Cambodia. Who is responsible there?
Ask the seller in writing which company runs the Cambodian leg and whether your contract and insurance cover it. Keep the answer with your contract.
Where do I report a crime in Laos?
UK advice points to the Tourist Police in Vientiane and notes that local police response can be limited, so ask your accommodation to help you report.
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Paperwork
Contract and confirmation
The five items the Law on Tourism requires in a travel contract, plus what a good confirmation adds.
Independent guide for travellers
Home
Start here: the checks to run on a travel company in Vietnam, from licence to complaint.
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