Is Ho Chi Minh City Safe for Tourists in 2026?

Riders on motorbikes target tourists walking near Ben Thanh Market, District 1, and Bui Vien Street, snatching bags, phones, and cameras from the shoulder or hand. The bikes move fast and victims are sometimes dragged.

How to avoid: Carry bags on the side away from the road and keep phone in a front pocket. Do not use your phone while walking on busy streets. Wear camera straps diagonally across your body.

Where: Ben Thanh Market area (Le Loi Boulevard and Ham Nghi Street), Bui Vien Street walking area in the backpacker district, and tourist-heavy streets in District 1 near Notre-Dame Cathedral on Han Thuyen Street, Ho Chi Minh City

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.

Where: Bars and clubs concentrated on Bui Vien Walking Street between De Tham Street and Bui Vien Street in the backpacker district of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, particularly in venues without clear menu pricing displayed at the entrance

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.

Where: Restaurants on Phan Boi Chau Street, Le Thanh Ton Street, and the immediate streets ringing Ben Thanh Market, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

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.

Where: Facebook pages and websites impersonating hotels on Dong Khoi Street, Nguyen Hue Boulevard, and Bui Vien Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City