Is Ho Chi Minh City Safe for Tourists in 2026?

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

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

Scammers create professional-looking Facebook pages and websites impersonating well-known Ho Chi Minh City tour operators offering Mekong Delta day trips, Cu Chi Tunnels tours, and Halong Bay packages at 30–40% below standard market rates. They request full payment or a non-refundable deposit to a personal bank account before any booking confirmation is issued. On the day of the tour, no vehicle arrives and the page is deleted.

How to avoid: Book tours directly with licensed operators whose physical office address you can verify — reputable agencies on Pham Ngu Lao Street and De Tham Street have storefronts you can visit. Never pay to a personal account; legitimate agencies accept payment in person or via official merchant accounts. Check that the operator holds a government-issued tourism business licence.

Where: Fake Facebook pages and clone websites targeting tourists researching Mekong Delta day trips, Cu Chi Tunnels, and overnight Halong Bay packages; original legitimate tour operators are based on De Tham Street and Pham Ngu Lao Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City