Treat a traditional medicine stop as a shop, not a clinic. A friendly talk by someone in a white coat is a sales presentation, and a purchase made in that room is easy to regret. You owe nobody a sale, and buying nothing is always the safe choice.
If your parents love traditional remedies, you may feel torn. You do not want to spoil their holiday, and you do not want them to overspend on a promise. This page helps with both.
What happens at a medicine stop?
The group is seated for a talk on health, usually with a free check such as a pulse reading or a foot soak. A staff member then introduces products and shows a price list. Some stops include a short massage.
The warm welcome is part of the format. Enjoy it, and keep the decision separate.
Which claims deserve questions?
Take extra care when a seller makes any of these claims.
- That a product can cure or prevent a serious illness.
- That a “doctor” can diagnose you in a few minutes.
- That a price is only valid today.
- That the product is made only from rare or imported ingredients.
- That other products you take at home should be stopped.
Ask who is saying it, what proof they can show, and who is responsible if the product does not work. If there is no answer, there is your answer.
What should families say at the time?
For a parent who understands the pitch, a calm family line works well: “We will discuss it at the hotel tonight.” Say it kindly and say it together.
If a parent is already tempted, hold the wallet decision until you have slept on it and spoken to the family doctor. A good product is still there the next morning, and a shop that refuses to wait is telling you something.
What about health on the trip itself?
If someone feels unwell, tell the guide and the hotel front desk, and ask for the nearest clinic or hospital. For a medical emergency, the ambulance number is 120[1].
A product sold at a tour stop is not a substitute for medical care. Our note on jade, tea and silk stops has short sentences you can use when you decline.
Can you avoid these stops?
Ask the agency about them before you pay. Our guide to shopping-stop questions lists the wording, and what a no-shopping label really covers explains the label. 12301 is a tourism complaint line, not an emergency number[2], if you need to raise a problem later.
What should you do next?
Put the stops on a list, ask the agency which can be optional, and keep medicine decisions for home. The costs topic page gathers the rest of this series.