Vietnam Tourist Traps

  Ben Thanh Market: pickpocketers...
by markythesparky1
 
  • Ben Thanh Market: pickpocketers paradise!
      Ben Thanh Market: pickpocketers...
    by markythesparky1
  • cheaper place right down the street !!!!
      cheaper place right down the street !!!!
    by jlanza29
  • These cyclo drivers await the next bus - Hoi An
      These cyclo drivers await the next bus -...
    by mtncorg
  • Hawker boat
      Hawker boat
    by kidfree
  • You buy from me ?
      You buy from me ?
    by kidfree
 

Most Viewed Tourist Traps in Vietnam

151.

The money-thing   Ho Chi Minh City

The money-thing, Ho Chi Minh City

 10 Reviews  Stall 626 in Ben Thanh offers d best Dong for your buck. As at Sept 20, 2011, airport moneychangers n Parkson Dong Khoi offering dong 20,810 per US$ (no comm to pay anywhere), but Ben Thanh was... 

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152.

Street sellers   Hanoi

Street sellers, Hanoi

 13 Reviews  If you stop and show interest in what the ladies carry they will talk you into buying there goods.Even if you dont really want it . If you dont want what they have dont show the slightest interest as... 

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153.

Over-pricing   Ho Chi Minh City

Over-pricing, Ho Chi Minh City

 25 Reviews  Be VERY careful of the cyclos. Negotiate the price before hand but be aware that when you get off, they may demand more money from you. Whilst in HCMC friends got bailed up against a wall and more... 

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154.

Transportation matters   Hanoi

Transportation matters, Hanoi

 15 Reviews  I felt into the traps 3 times, even I am extremely careful: 1. Took a taxi from one of the museum to the city, should cost around 40,000 Dong. The meter jumps so fast that I ended up paying about 5... 

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155.

Saigon River Cruise   Ho Chi Minh City

Saigon River Cruise, Ho Chi Minh City

 4 Reviews  The Saigon River isn't smelly anymore when i went unlike what has been described by the others. However there really isn't that much to see either. The banks are lined with industrial boats and... 

 See All 71 Tourist Traps in Ho Chi Minh City

156.

Touts   Hanoi

Touts, Hanoi

 2 Reviews  You may see women carrying loads of fruit and think great photo opportunity. So do they!! They will ask whether you want a photo or if you are with someone else give them the pole to carry and for... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Cha Ca - better choose another restaurant

by elbe

I’ve read about this restaurant in many books before I came to Vietnam. So we went there one evening. Okay, the food is good, it’s funny that only one dish is on the card and the atmosphere is quite nice. Great that one family offers that dish (fish) for five generations. I know that sounds hard but beside the food on the boat trip in Saigon this was the worst food we got in Vietnam. That doesn’t mean that it’s bad but I’ve never eaten that fat in Vietnam. Afterwards we all felt completely full and a bit sick – and we didn’t eat much. Reminded me to the feeling I sometimes have when I go to the Greek in Germany. And the price for the dish is a little about the average, probably because this restaurant is kind of famous in other countries. There are soo many possiblities you have, especially in bigger cities like Hanoi. Just try another restaurant.

Food on the boat in Saigon

by elbe

No question: It’s interesting to do a trip on a boat on the river in Saigon. But if possible don’t eat there. The food is too expensive (compared to the average prices in Saigon) and not good. You’ll be sorry that you missed a great meal and eat that stuff. But the boat tour is worth it’s money. Not incredible but good. Eat before or after you do the trip - or just bring your own food.

Motorbike Taxi Cheater

by mypriority

Across Vietnam, lots of people making money with tourists try to overcharge you in everyway they can. But big problems are in the South. I once hired a motorbike in Saigon to try it out for an hour. He promised to bring me around China town. In fact, he did, but drove like a snail, stopped at gas station while the tank was still half-full, parked the bike so far from the destination. All of these are to ensure that the time will be over an hour so he can charge me more. At the end, he asked for one hour and a half charge. I gave him just one hour worth and walked away. Walking and motorbike however are efficient ways to move around in Saigon. What you can do is just to get them to send you where you wanna be, and don't listen to other craps they'll throw on you. Short ride in the city should cost around 5-7000 Dong.

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Taxi to Hanoi Airport Rort

by ScottForster

Taxi drivers will expect you to pay the toll on the way to the airport. You may have to pay as there could be a government tooking sticker on the windscreen stating that passengers are liable for any tolls incurred in their fare. The price 'to-get-to-the-airport' is 150000d, or $10US. Only have 150000dong on you as you leave or get into the taxi. pay the toll from the 150000d. Then once you have got your bags out of the cab at the airport. Pay the driver the remainder of the "get-to-the-airport' 150000dong. Smile wish him a pleasant day and walk away. Leave Hanoi a day earlier and walk the 40km to the airport.there appears to be little choice in getting to the airport as it is so far out of the way from anything.

When is a Taxi a taxi

by ScottForster

Taxis from Saigon airport travel to the old quarter. There are loads of taxis at the stands outside the airport terminal. Before getting into the taxis check that it ita govt taxi and it has a meter. We were caught on our second trip in and negotiated a taxi that turned out to be a beaten up old car. If you get to the taxi and it isn't a taxi. Get out and go back and get a real one. Geta real Taxi.

Cyclo Drivers are will rip you off

by ScottForster

It happened to us in Saigon and I saw it several times in Hanoi. The cyclos negotiate a price, then double it upon your arrival at your destination because the price was for one person. If you feel the need to catch a cyclo and especially if there are two of you. Always establish the price for 2 people, or both-of-us before you get on the cyclo. Otherwise the price will be for-each-person when you get to your destination. Hence it is twice as much. If all else fails hand over the agreed original price and walk away without looking back. Walk, it's not that far.

Beaches

by ak47uk

Not really a tourist trap but you do tend to get a little tired of the hassle on the beach when you would just like to relax. The best way to avoid being hassled I found was to just totally ignore the sellers and they will get bored and move on to the next victim. But be warned if you decide to buy something from one the word goes round and the next minute you will be surrounded by a whole army of them.

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Hanoi

by ak47uk

The whole of Hanoi could be a tourist trap if you let it. There are some good food cafe's and bars also a few internet cafe's and they are growing by the day. There are a lot of things to see in and around the city most of it interesting but I liked Saigon much more than Hanoi I found it much more friendly thats why we spent most of our time there but you may wish to differ. When it's raining and cold in Hanoi it's useualy warm and sunny in Saigon.

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Motorcycle rentals

by roadrunnerJAGA

Renting motorcyles (where you drive) is a fun way to explore the area and is quite easy to do. In fact, sometimes it is SO easy that I wondered if there was a catch to it, and some locals revealed there was:Make sure you get your own lock and chain or U-lock; some businesses have a scam operating where someone follows you with a duplicate key to "steal" the motorcycle when you leave it unattended...

Mini Buses

by ak47uk

We were staying in a hotel in QUANG NGAI and asked the guy who ran the hotel how to get to SON MY and he told us to catch a bus on the corner of the street and it would take about 40 mins to get to SON MY village, so we waited and waited and then a Vietnamese gentleman asked us where we where going so we told him so he said he had a friend who had a mini bus who could take us there so we arranged a price which was cheap and waited for the mini bus to come and after 5 mins it arrived, we gave the mini bus driver the money and got in the bus as we got in we saw the driver give the gentleman some of the money that we had given him, I didn't think much about it at the time, after a couple of miles down the road the mini bus picked up some Vietnamese people who paid some money and carried on, after a few more miles it picked up some more Vietnamese and this went on for about 5 miles and...

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Top 3 Hotels in Vietnam

Park Hyatt Saigon  Ho Chi Minh City

 5 Reviews and 438 Opinions  All rooms offer pool of City views with full luxury amenities. As true sense 5- Star hotel, it is... 

 Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City

Hanoi Elegance 2  Hanoi

 5 Reviews and 712 Opinions  I booked our family sized room for 2 adults and our teenage daughter direct with the hotel from... 

 Hotels in Hanoi

Victoria Hoi An Resort  Hoi An

 4 Reviews and 444 Opinions  It's worth the money to stay and enjoy the beach like in Victoria Hoi An. Price from 150$++ public... 

 Hotels in Hoi An

Questions and Answers

suzeb profile photo

Q:  could someone please help? where can i buy ao dai (preferably well made and silk) for my grand-daughters, they are only 2-3... 

pfsmalo profile photo

A: Loads of places in both cities to buy Ao Dai either already made or to measure. For the small extra cost, have them made to measure and take the mesurements before going... 

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