Riga Out There are working with the British Embassy in Latvia on a Responsible Tourism initiative....the British Embassy has created a list of do's and don'ts to follow to ensure your visit to Latvia is a safe and enjoyable one. These are stated below. For more info check out the British Embassy website.

• Be streetwise

As you stroll round the old town you will be handed countless number of fliers for the many striptease bars that are emerging in Riga. Representatives will endeavor to entice you in to the glowing neon lights and glamorous hot spots. But be warned entertainment of these sorts does not come cheap – you are expected to pay about Ls 30 for a drink and a chat with one of the establishment’s personnel.
A report in a local paper during the hockey period highlights this issue: one group of Finnish fans were unpleasantly surprised when they were about to leave a bar in old town, which presented them with a bill of Ls 2,500! Naturally the Finns refused to pay and were held at knifepoint by the security guard till police officers arrived. The patrons of the bar claimed the Finns had been drinking several bottles of champagne worth Ls 300 each, This is probably the first time in history Finnish hockey fans have been reported drinking champagne during  a world cup!’  **

• Leave your passports and all valuable documents (e.g. driver’s licenses, credit cards, traveler’s cheques and flight tickets) in your hotel, preferably in a safe. Do not take them out with you if you do not need them as you may lose them to pickpockets.

• Always carry the name, address and telephone number of your accommodation with you.

• Respect others, do not use abusive language (many people speak or understand English in Latvia) and avoid confrontations.

• Stay in a group if staying out late at night. Do not wander the city or go into nightclubs on your own.

• Most visitors enjoy a trouble-free drink in the city centre pubs, but you should exercise caution over some of the nightclubs on offer. There have been reports of people being planted with illegal substances by door staff and then promptly being accosted. If this happens, do not pay bribe money, but insist on calling the police or the British Embassy.

• As a safety precaution, do not leave drinks unattended. There have been reported cases of drinks being spiked with illegal substances.

• Be wary of strangers asking you to buy them a drink in some bars or nightclubs, no matter how attractive the proposition might seem. You may get a very expensive drinks tab afterwards. If in doubt, establish the price of a drink before you hand over your money and pay for each round as you order it!

• Do not buy, carry or use illegal drugs. The Latvian authorities are serious about combating illegal drugs and the penalties are high. Unlike the United Kingdom, there are no distinctions between the classes of different types of drugs, so the punishment for carrying any type of illegal substance is the same.

• Only use official taxis.

• Do not drop litter. Please keep Riga clean and tidy.

• Stay the right side of the law and enjoy your stay.

Estonian currency scam
When exchanging Sterling or getting change from vendors, clubs or taxis, please check that you are given Latvian Lats and not any other currency. On few instances our guest were given 10 Estonian Krone notes instead of 10 Latvian Lats note. 10 Latvian Lats are roughly 10GBP, but 10 Estonian Krones are about 30pence. See the difference between the notes: 

September 2007 update: Please note that some Riga barmen are also passing off Czech Crowns as 1 Lat coins

Estonian note (on the left) is slightly larger. Just avoid the notes with words "EESTI PANK" and "KROONI". You can see all Latvian notes here http://www.bank.lv/eng/main/lvnaud/papnaud/index.php?32634 and all Estonian here http://www.eestipank.info/pub/en/yldine/pangatahed/pangatahed/_10.html