Tourist Scams in Vietnam

Women from Hmong and Red Dao villages position themselves near the Sapa market and along the main trekking routes, befriending tourists and walking alongside them for hours while appearing to guide them for free. At the end of the walk — often after reaching a remote village — they produce handicrafts and demand payment for both the items and the guiding service, citing the time they invested. Refusal leads to persistent pressure and shaming, and the situation can become confrontational in isolated locations.

How to avoid: Hire a licensed local guide through a reputable agency before setting out, so your guide arrangement is clear from the start. If approached by an unofficial walker-guide, state early and clearly that you have not agreed to any paid arrangement. Do not accept gifts of bracelets or items during the walk, as these are later used as leverage.

Restaurants in the blocks immediately surrounding Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City are notorious for handing tourists inflated bills that include items never ordered, or quantities far above what was consumed. The menus shown outside often have no prices listed. Staff may also present a bill in a leather folder and hover expectantly, making it psychologically difficult for tourists to dispute charges.

How to avoid: Only eat at restaurants that display prices clearly on the menu. Photograph your order or write it down. Check every line of the bill and do not hand over payment until you have verified the total is correct.

The rowing boat tours along the Ngo Dong River at Tam Coc are operated by local rowers, many of whom paddle using their feet while carrying passengers through cave tunnels. Midway through the approximately 2-hour tour, rowers stop the boat inside or at the exit of a cave and refuse to continue until the passenger buys drinks, snacks, or embroidery items at grossly inflated prices. Rowers also demand tips far exceeding normal rates at the end, and claim their official wage is very low to elicit sympathy.

How to avoid: Book your boat tour through the official Tam Coc Bich Dong ticketing office at the dock entrance, not through guesthouses that add commissions. Bring your own water and snacks so you are not reliant on rowers. A tip of 20,000 to 50,000 VND per person is reasonable — you are not obligated to buy anything mid-river. Agree the tip upfront if possible.

On Bui Vien Walking Street, some bars and clubs employ local or Vietnamese women to befriend foreign tourists, encourage rounds of drinks, and then disappear before the bill arrives. The bill presented includes drinks the tourist did not order, inflated prices not matching the menu, and charges for the companions' drinks. Tourists who refuse to pay face intimidation from staff or associates.

How to avoid: Track your own drinks and keep the menu visible throughout the evening. Pay per round rather than running a tab. Leave any bar immediately if the atmosphere changes or the bill differs from what you ordered. Stick to bars reviewed on international platforms with transparent pricing.

Unofficial xe om (motorbike taxi) drivers outside Ben Thanh Market and tourist hotels quote foreigners flat rates 3–5x higher than fair. If you try to negotiate or leave, some drivers become aggressive. Drivers sometimes change the agreed price upon arrival.

How to avoid: Use Grab Bike for all motorbike journeys — the fare is calculated automatically and displayed before you accept the ride. If you must use a street xe om, agree firmly on the total price before mounting. Ask your hotel what a fair price is for your specific journey.

When tourists hand over a 500,000 VND note to pay at market stalls, street food vendors, or souvenir shops, the vendor palms the note and substitutes a 20,000 VND note — which is visually similar in colour — then claims the tourist gave the wrong denomination. The difference represents roughly USD 20, which is significant for a single transaction.

How to avoid: Familiarise yourself with Vietnamese banknotes before arriving — the 500,000 VND and 20,000 VND notes are the most commonly confused. Count out notes deliberately and state the denomination aloud when handing money over. Keep small denominations separate.

Scammers create cloned Facebook pages and websites that impersonate well-known District 1 hotels such as the Majestic Saigon on Dong Khoi Street or the Rex Hotel on Nguyen Hue Boulevard, using stolen photos and near-identical names. They advertise heavily discounted rooms and request a 30–50% deposit transferred to a personal bank account. Once payment is made, the booking confirmation is fake and the hotel has no record of the reservation.

How to avoid: Book exclusively through the hotel's official website or established platforms such as Booking.com or Agoda. Never transfer a deposit to a personal account — legitimate hotels accept payment at check-in or through secure payment gateways. Cross-check the page's creation date and follower history before trusting it.

The Old Quarter is full of travel agencies selling "budget" Halong Bay cruises that bear no resemblance to what was advertised. Boats are dirty, food is poor quality, and hidden fees appear throughout the trip.

How to avoid: Book Halong Bay tours only through well-reviewed agencies with TripAdvisor certificates and clear cancellation policies. Visit the agency in person, inspect sample itineraries, and read recent reviews dated within 3 months.