We often get asked about all kinds of various tourist info so ....... we decided to do a bit of a FAQ page for people thinking about visiting or even for people whilst they're already here in Viet Nam.

This will be a continuing project so check back from time to time. Some of the info here will also appear on our Scams page but most of it will be what we hope is current, useful, honest & reliable tourist information.

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Airport taxis & mini buses. The airport taxi ($10 - 12 USD including tolls) & mini bus scam is still the most frequent & the one where they'll only take you to hotels that give the drivers a "drink".  The airport taxi service is $10 - $12 & that’s for the car NOT per person & includes all tolls etc.  Not all of them are crooks but it really is starting to look like there’s more bad drivers than good !!! Next thing to be on the look out for is the “phone call” along the way to town.  Just after you get into Ha Noi city someone alleging to be from your hotel will jump into the taxi & apologise that the hotel is full but don’t worry they’ve got plenty of room at their sister hotel.  The hotels are so crook that the only way to get anyone in the door at all is to pay some ugly tout to drag them in there.  Wait till you see the dump you’re headed to next !  It’ll be like a Vietnamese version of the Bates hotel & the staff will appear to be friendly at first, but see what they're like if you don't do what they tell you to !  The only way you can get away is to tough it out. 

If you're having trouble with one (and sadly there's plenty of them) of the cute taxi drivers, please feel free to get them to drop you over to the REAL Kangaroo Café.  Tell them that you don’t have any money.  Tell them that you’re meeting your Mum, Dad, Uncle etc, & they’ve got all your money, tell them whatever ...... scam artists never were very bright ! 

When you get to the REAL Kangaroo Café, Max will explain the error of their crooked ways to them in no uncertain terms on your behalf.

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Credit Cards in Viet Nam ?  If you intend using them please BE VERY CAREFUL.  One of the most stupid things about the fake Kangaroo Café mobs & most of the other scammers, lurk merchants & dodgy buggers in Viet Nam is that they almost all accept credit cards.  If you've been caught out by any of them & paid by way of your credit card, please notify your bank ASAP, cancel your transaction with the phoney mob & next thing is, you'll be getting a full refund from your bank. 

Another real danger anywhere in Sth East Asia is the theft of your credit card number & the illegal use of it & it happens every day & to just so many people too.  Again, BE VERY CAREFUL whenever you use your credit card ! 

Banks don't like their customers being cheated & the sooner these would be pimps & con artists have their credit card merchant authorisations cancelled the better.  You reporting a fraudster to your bank really will help stop it happening to the next Bloke or Sheila.

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Ha Long Bay Most of the leading guide books warn against buying a tour from a hotel receptionist. Why is it so ?  The main reason is because the hotel has no idea of who they are selling you to !  They'll buy the cheapest tour voucher they can, add on between 50 & 200 % & then that's that !  They haven't the slightest idea about who you'll end up with & sadly it appears they don't very much care either.

What a huge crock this is !!! 

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Laos Border Crossings &/or Visas.  For some years now the border crossing from Viet Nam to Laos, near Dien Bien Phu, has been the cause of much discussion, difficulty & disappointment.

One of the guide books has persistently intimated that it would be opening soon, in the near future or as in the latest edition, "in the lifetime of this book".  Many people, on the basis that it had been reported to be opening soon, ended up being forced to return to Ha Noi & lots of them came over to our shop & complained to us about it. 

"Why couldn't the various authors have just told the truth", they said ?  Good question ?  The latest attempt to be accurate involves a push for a tour operator & says we should all email them about the decisions that the Foreign Affairs Depts. of 2 countries are possibly in discussions about ???? 

Here's the answer to any & all visa questions, border crossings &/or other related matters.

Go & ask at the relevant embassy !  They've all got a tourist advisory section that are staffed with very nice folks whose job is assist & encourage you to visit their country. 

There you go !  That wasn't so hard was it ???

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Money Changers (either at the Hotel or on the street).  The old "changing money on the street" or “changing money at the hotel reception” thing is still the most common trick so please don't do it.  The most common way to rip you off is that for example you change $100 USD.  Instead of getting 1,600,000 VND you get 1,060,000 & it’s been a long flight, or it’s late, or you’re tired ......... it’s an easy one to fall for & especially when they use a variety of denominations, for your benefit of course ! People still ask us (???) about changing money on the "black market" as if there's free money to be had ????  When you see pigs flying, that'll be the time when there's lots of free money up for grabs !

Medical Advice.  People often ask us about vaccinations &/or other medical stuff & we always tell tem the same thing, ask a doctor !  We're not qualified to, authorised to or interested in offering Medical advice at any time.  We have however put some links to some very good Travellers Clinics on our Links page.  They'll be able to assist you in a most professional fashion.

Motor Cycle Tours in Viet Nam.  We're often asked if we do this kind of thing & the answer is a very firm NO. 

To be a legitimate tour operator in Viet Nam the company, must by law, be licensed by the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (more about the VNAT further down this page).  If it's a foreign mob then they must be licensed in their home country too, the place where their head office is located.  There's a few mobs pushed hard by some of the guide books but there are very serious questions that come from recommendations &/or endorsements of this kind. 

Is the company a licensed tour operator & if not why not ?

What steps has the operator gone taken to display their bona fides ?  Name of owner, shop front &/or business address, license number, phone contacts etc. 

Have you checked with your embassy as to the legalities of riding M/cycles in Viet Nam ?

Have you checked with your insurance company if they're willing to cover you riding M/cycles in Viet Nam ? 

Try saying "oh I forgot to mention that" to your insurance company when you need emergency medical treatment or emergency evacuation & see what they say to you !!!

And honestly, who could blame them.  Playing with a straight bat is always the best option.  The list goes on & on but the horror stories are just endless.  It doesn't matter if you've been riding for years, the conditions here are quite unbelievable.  Some of the motorists are reckless beyond belief.  

Motor cycle riding (in any capacity) is strongly advised against on the American & Australian (and many other) embassy web sites & it's for very good reason too.  It really is the most dangerous thing you can do in Viet Nam.  Here's some stuff from both the Australian & American Embassy websites that MUST be read & considered very carefully before even thinking about riding around Viet Nam on a Motorcycle. 

From the American Embassy Website.

www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1060.html

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:  While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.  The information below concerning Vietnam is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.  Traffic in Vietnam is chaotic.  Traffic accidents, mostly involving motorcycles and often resulting in traumatic head injury, are an increasingly serious hazard.  At least 30 people die each day from transportation-related injuries. 

Traffic accident injuries are the leading cause of death, severe injury and emergency evacuation of foreigners in Vietnam, and are the single greatest health risk that U.S. citizens will face in Vietnam. 

Traffic moves on the right, although drivers frequently cross to the left to pass or turn, and motorcycles and bicycles often travel (illegally) against the flow of traffic.  Horns are used constantly, often for no apparent reason.  Streets in major cities are choked with motorcycles, cars, buses, trucks, bicycles, pedestrians and cyclos.  Outside the cities, livestock compete with vehicles for road space.  Sudden stops by motorcycles and bicycles make driving a particular hazard.  Nationwide, drivers do not follow basic traffic principles, vehicles do not yield right of way, and there is little adherence to traffic laws or enforcement by traffic police.  The number of traffic lights in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is increasing, but red lights are often not obeyed.  Most Vietnamese ride motorcycles; often an entire family rides on one motorcycle. 

U.S. citizens involved in traffic accidents have been barred from leaving Vietnam before paying compensation (often determined arbitrarily) for property damage or injuries.  

Road conditions are poor nationwide.  Numerous tragic accidents have occurred due to poor road conditions that resulted in landslides, and American travellers have lost their lives in this way.  Travellers should exercise extra caution in the countryside, as road conditions are particularly poor in rural areas.

Driving at night is especially dangerous and drivers should exercise extreme caution.  Roads are poorly lit, and there are few road signs.  Buses and trucks often travel at high speed with bright lights that are rarely dimmed.  Some motor vehicles may not use lights at all, vehicles of all types often stop in the road without any illumination, and livestock are likely to be encountered.

International driving permits and U.S. drivers' licenses are not valid in Vietnam.  Foreigners renting vehicles risk prosecution and/or imprisonment for driving without a Vietnamese license endorsed for the appropriate vehicle.  Americans who wish to drive in Vietnam should contact any office of the Provincial Public Transportation Service of the Vietnamese Department of Communications and Transport to obtain a Vietnamese driver's license.  The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City cannot assist U.S. citizens in obtaining Vietnamese driver's permits or notarize U.S. drivers' licenses for use in Vietnam. 

Motorcyclists and bicyclists are strongly urged to wear helmets.  Passengers in cars or taxis should use seatbelts when available, but should be aware that Vietnamese vehicles often are not equipped with working seatbelts.  The Vietnamese government began mandating the use of motorcycle helmets on major roads leading to large urban centres in January 2001, but application and enforcement of this law have been slow and sporadic at best.  New laws have been promulgated concerning the use of motorcycle helmets in urban areas as well, but have not been enforced.  Child car seats are not available in Vietnam.

Penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or causing an accident resulting in injury or death can include fines, confiscation of driving permits or imprisonment. 

Emergency roadside help is theoretically available nationwide by dialling 113 for police, 114 for fire brigade and 115 for an ambulance.  Efficiency of these services is well below U.S. standards, however, and locating a public telephone is often difficult or impossible.  Trauma care is not widely available.

The urban speed limit ranges from 30 to 40 km/h.  The rural speed limit ranges from 40 to 60 km/h.  Both speed limits are routinely ignored.  Pedestrians should be careful, as sidewalks are extremely congested and uneven, and drivers of bicycles, motorcycles and other vehicles routinely ignore traffic signals and traffic flows, and even drive on sidewalks.  For safety, pedestrians should look carefully in both directions before crossing streets, even when using a marked crosswalk with a green "walk" light illuminated.

Most Vietnamese travel within Vietnam by long-distance bus or train.  Both are slow, and safety conditions do not approach U.S. standards.  Local buses and taxis are available in some areas, particularly in the larger cities.  Safety standards vary widely depending on the individual company operating the service, but are generally much lower than what would be found in the U.S.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.

From the Australian Embassy Website.

www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Vietnam   

"Drivers of motor vehicles and riders in charge of motorcycles of more than 50cc engine capacity are required to hold the appropriate Vietnamese motor vehicle driver's licence or motorcycle rider's licence.  It is compulsory to wear a helmet when riding on a motorcycle".

Yes it's all a bit doom & gloom & for sure we'll come in for some flack for telling the truth as usual, but what we're saying needed to be said.  The authors who work for some of the guide books & who simply couldn't be bothered mentioning this (it took only minutes to find the info above) are in our view leaving the particular guidebook open to litigation for failing in it's "duty of care".

The old "all care taken but no responsibility" won't work in a matter as serious as this & again, 1 particular author is quite fanatical about pushing various motor cycle tour mobs. 

To deliberately mislead people about the very real dangers, both physically & legally is just terrible.

Motor Cycle Helmet Laws in Viet Nam.  As of the 15th of December 2007 helmets are now compulsory (for both rider & pillion passenger) in Viet Nam & the penalties include not just a fine of 150,000 VND + but it can also lead to confiscation of the M/cycle as well.

By law, the necessary paperwork (motor cycle ownership &/or registration papers) must be carried by the rider & shown on request to the police.  If the riders isn't in possession of the paperwork, then the police can & often do, take the motor cycle to the police station & the rider must go home & get the paperwork & return to the station before being allowed to continue.

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Passports.  We're told by people that they've been forced to leave their passport with the hotel receptionist.  This is quite illegal & in Viet Nam the hotel receptionist is required to check your details & your passport is the best thing to check who you are.

The hotel staff is then required by law to enter the details in the hotel registry & then again, required by law, to immediately hand the passport back to you.  If there's any fuss about them wanting to keep it just say you'll have to think about staying there or you need it to change some money at the bank or something & start looking for a new hotel.

The dozens & dozens of people who told us how, when the much higher bill was presented to them by the hotel, it was their passport that was being used as a lever to force them to pay for all kinds of taxes, room charges, didn't book your tour with us penalties etc etc etc !!!!!

Even worse perhaps have been the dozens of other people that have come to us complaining that the hotel lost or who knows what, their passports.  To get a replacement passport is not the easiest thing to do & the expense of the replacement passport, visa/s, hotel etc while you wait for days on end is not cheap.  Getting your insurance company to pay up can be very difficult too because you, in fact, gave your passport away.  Be very tough when it comes to your passport, it's the most important document you have.

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Tailor Shop scams in Hoi An.  A word of warning about the tailor shops in Hoi An.  Our guides (& luckily for all of us that they're honest enough to say something) have complained that they come under unbelievable pressure from a number of the Tailor Shop owners.  They're being offered very substantial sums of money to recommend various tailor shops.  A number of the big group tour mobs, western & local have been turning a blind eye to the practise for some time now.  It came to our attention after a couple of tour guides we had to let go for various reasons, were bragging to some of our other staff about it.  “We're making a fortune, they claimed & the stupid tourists haven't got a clue” !  The commissions are of course being added to the price of  everything you buy & run between 50 & 200% !!!!  With the big tour mobs running at between 10 - 50 persons well ........ you do the maths. Highway robbery is right !  Unfortunately, this is an attitude that is all too prevalent in the tourism industry & not just in Viet Nam.  Please be very careful & we think it in everyone's best interest to go to the tailor shops on your own & with over 350 tailor shops in Hoi An you've plenty to choose from.

Tipping, compulsory ?  What's the story with assisted tipping ??  In Viet Nam tipping is not expected, is not the done thing & as is the case in any other civilised country, it’s something that you may or may not wish to do. A gratuity or tip is voluntary.  Look it up in the Oxford dictionary !  A tip is entirely up to us the consumers.  We tip because a tip is something that we give because we want to, because we want to show our thanks to a particular person but when the tip is compulsory it's either a tax or a scam, no more no less. 

Compulsory or forced tipping is when the greedy boss refuses to pay his workers a living wage & that's where our unions come in very handy indeed.  Compulsory or forced tipping is simply someone charging us extra but doing it on the sly & we never did or will support this kind of backdoor approach to upping the ante.  And so here they are, it’s the usual suspects, yet again !   The big tour mobs that force their customers to pay extra for tips at the start of a tour on the basis that they're going to dole out the tips for you, secretly, along the way is a joke ! 

It’s outrageous, that they treat us like we're too stupid to know how to hand someone some money !!!  Not just another cheap & nasty trick, this one’s quite rude too !  Reminds me of the Australian Govt saying if they add a 10% VAT tax to everything the price of everything will go down ???  Please feel free to tip our staff but only if you want to ! 

Rest assured that our staff all get a decent "living" wage & don't have to survive by constantly sucking up to the customer (how are ya'll doing over here ???), arranging not so secret commissions or other forms of dishonest &/or demeaning behaviour like begging customers not to criticise anything when they fill in those silly "customer comments forms". 

Speaking of which, aren't the way the questions posed on the usual customer comments forms a big joke.  Like, was our service sensational, excellent, stupendous, marvellous or better than sex ??? 

And what about the way the person who hands them out stands just next to you & watches every comment you make whilst looking like their next gig will be in some kind of "Silence of the Lambs" flick. 

Still that's the new way of doing things the McDickheads way, I 'spose. 

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Visas & visa extensions.  There's been just so many people who've asked us to take their passport away from them & arrange a via extension or a Laos, Thai, Cambodian etc visa for them.  They say that they've given it away to various people in the past etc etc ......... Ahhhhhhhhhh !!!!!

Would we trust just anyone with our passports ?  NO WAY !!!  If you need a visa, go to the relevant embassy & have it done.  There's a bona fide immigration agent that we usually recommend who's very good too, just ask our mate Tony !!

Under no circumstances should you trust a hotel receptionist, a tourist cafe or one of the over 150 Moe, Larry & Curley tour offices in Ha Noi.  Not only will the embassy charge you less, you're guaranteed to get your passport back too ! 

Again, your passport is the most important, personal document, you'll ever be issued with, so BE VERY CAREFUL WITH IT !

The Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism.  Don't forget that Viet Nam as a nation & the Vietnamese people in particular, take pride in their country, culture & tourism.  The Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (Ha Noi Dept) are most intolerant of people trying to harm Vietnamese tourism industry in any way. They're on the 2nd floor at No 3 Le Lai St, Ha Noi (844) 824 7652 & it's simple to lodge an official complaint & the VNAT people are very effective.

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