Travel TIPS for Vietnam: How to Avoid Getting Scammed in Vietnam

There are good people out there in Vietnam but just as much as there are good people in the world there are just as much as bad people too. Here are five ways to avoid getting scammed in Vietnam.

Taxis

The reality is once you step off the plane and you want to go to your destination you will need a taxi. There are only two taxi companies you should trust and that is Milan and Venus-Sun. Those are the two core taxi groups you should only vet because the reality is the government does not regulate taxi companies and there’s a high likelihood of them seeing you as a foreigner and charge you double the price. For example, instead of paying 100,000 Vietnam dong which is about $5, they could charge you up 200,000 to get to your destination. If you see them going around loops or taking longer destinations, then you might want to call them out on it or they will take advantage of you.

Foreign Price

In Vietnam, they have what they call “foreign price”. Once they see you in local markets or shopping places as a tourist they will charge you a ridiculously high amount. The good thing about being in Vietnam is that you can bargain. So you can keep lowering the price until you get to a reasonable price.

Coconut Scams

The coconuts scam is when a guy carrying a bamboo stick with two weight can coconuts approaches you to try to set you up in a trap. He will allow you to carry the bamboo stick with the coconuts and then suddenly you see him cut coconut and give it to you and now he’s pretty much forcing you to pay for it. So try as much as you can to avoid these people.

Beware of Eating Street Food

When in Vietnam you might want to try their cuisine but it is important to know that Vietnam doesn’t have things like FDA or like government regulation on food products. So the chances of you getting food poisoning or your stomach are very high when you take street food. So beware of eating street food especially. I recommend bringing lots of stomach pain medication and be aware of what you are eating because you might need to make trips a lot to the washroom.

Petty Theft

Petty theft is pretty high in Vietnam so be aware of your belongings don’t have your backpack behind you especially if you are in a crowded place. Put it in front of you or you can get an anti-theft backpack.

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