Mù Cang Chải Homestay Responds After Dispute Over Motorbike Surcharge

A dispute over 100,000 dong per motorbike has turned into a wider argument about price transparency at tourist destinations in Mù Cang Chải, where a guest publicly criticized a homestay for adding a late-return surcharge.

The guest said they asked the homestay to arrange two motorbikes for 600,000 dong. After visiting Móng Ngựa and a bamboo forest, eating hotpot in central Mù Cang Chải and returning the bikes at 7:35 p.m., the guests were told to pay another 100,000 dong for each vehicle. The drivers had waited while they ate, the homestay explained. The guests rejected the charge and said they would pay only 50,000 dong per motorbike. One driver replied that they did not need to pay the surcharge under those terms.

Thào A Su, owner of A Su homestay, confirmed the incident occurred on September 3. He said the agreed rate was 300,000 dong per motorbike for an afternoon. The service normally ends around 5:30 to 6 p.m., when it begins to get dark and the day’s sightseeing ends. The guests returned after 7:30 p.m., and the drivers waited for about an hour during the meal.

The next morning, the owner charged only the remaining room balance because the guests had already paid a 1 million dong deposit. The guests then voluntarily transferred 100,000 dong for both motorbikes. A Su said the homestay had failed to confirm the service period in writing. It will now add the operating hours and overtime surcharge to its posted price list.

The incident divided online commenters. Some said 100,000 dong did not justify a public complaint. Others said service providers should disclose prices and usage periods in detail. One recent customer said she had tipped a driver 50,000 dong because he drove safely and was helpful. Another commenter said the route covered about 36 kilometers and that the original price was reasonable.