Why Vietnam is NOT Revisited

and why you should give it another chance.

Roughly, Vietnam has a 95% non-return rate from foreign visitors. This is incredibly low compared to neighbouring Thailand, which is a tourist powerhouse in the region. Both countries bring in their fair share of tourists, but why does one retain their visitors and the other not?

‘Unfriendly’ Locals

Throughout my time in Vietnam, I was often met with negative opinions of the Vietnamese. With many fellow travellers claiming them to be rude, sly and generally unfriendly, I was confused by the sheer amount of negative experiences, especially as I got along with many Vietnamese people during my trip.

I witnessed some incredible acts of kindness within the country.

For example, in Hue (a particularly friendly city) a Danish backpacker’s flip-flops broke at a restaurant, leaving him shoeless for his walk back to his accommodation. To the shock of many, a Vietnamese waiter immediately removed his shoes and presented them to a confused, but thoroughly grateful traveller.

The Dane was about a whole foot taller, so watching him tip-toe out of the restaurant was quite amusing.

Overall, I would say in general the Vietnamese are much more reserved than their Southeast Asian neighbours. This can lead to them appearing unfriendly or cold, but I never really took it to heart.

Tourist vs Non-Tourist Areas: Most of our negative experiences were within the confines of the ‘tourist zones’. Apart from the hotel staff being friendly, there was a feeling of distrust in these areas, with scams and aggressive sales tactics being commonplace.

Once you step out of these areas, people are much warmer and more genuine. Often, they even seem happy to see foreigners, so it’s not uncommon to have people welcome you, rather than fleece you for a profit.

Anti-Western: ‘How do the Vietnamese view Westerners?’, this was a question that often popped up in my mind before we embarked on our trip. Vietnam, like many non-European countries, has had a complex, tumultuous relationship with Western powers throughout the last two centuries.

Older generations were indoctrinated with anti-Western beliefs, with many being directly involved in conflict with Western powers. Therefore, it is easy to see why they may not be the most trusting of foreigners. This looks to be changing fast, with the youth of Vietnam having a very positive view of internationalism and they are much more likely to welcome visitors to their country.

Shady Business Owners

Aggressive sales tactics targeting foreigners are commonplace in Vietnam. Prepare to be cheated, laughed at and generally bullied into buying overpriced goods.

This was by far the worst part about Vietnam (a country that I love). It is common practice for sellers to harass you into purchasing their items/experiences (I’m looking at you boat ride lady in Hoi An) at a ridiculous price only to hike up that price when the deal is nearly done.

See, in Vietnam, price tags are rare due to their preference for bartering. This allows the merchants to charge whatever they please. That coconut a local paid 20,000 VND for will potentially cost a foreigner about 100,000 VND. The worst part is, if you have the gall to suggest bringing it down to say 40,000 VND (still double the standard price) you will likely be laughed at and shooed away.

Look, I accept paying ‘tourist prices’ when abroad, but not when that price eclipses the price I would pay in the UK.

In the worst-case scenario, merchants may physically hold you in place until you either pay for an unwanted gift or kick up a fuss. These instances are very rare but not unheard of, unfortunately.

Scams

Scams are rife in Vietnam, with some being quite inventive! Unfortunately, we were scammed about three times on the first day…

Common sense and a healthy amount of scepticism (neither of which we had apparently) will go a long way to help you avoid these tricky scams.

Pro-tip: Watch out for the money switch scam. The Vietnamese Dong isn’t worth a lot, so dealing with such large figures is quite confusing at first. The 20,000 VND bill looks a lot like the 500,000 VND bill, so vendors with good sleight of hand and dubious morality will gladly take advantage of this. Get familiar with the notes and break bigger notes at a convenience store.

If anything appears too good to be true, it often is. Here is a list of the most common scams in Vietnam.

These frequent attempts to siphon money from your pockets can be quite draining and may lead to a plethora of unpleasant experiences. The abundance of scams combined with the reserved nature of the Vietnamese may give a bad impression of the country overall.

Mistakes

Roll with the punches, that’s all I can say. Vietnam is very relaxed, almost a little too relaxed at times. Prepare to be messed around and not get everything the way you wanted it.

We were subjected to this laid-back attitude plenty of times in Vietnam, with the most common issue being accommodation. Booking a place to stay in Vietnam is easy, with a large variety of places on offer all available at the click of a button. Whether you get what you booked is a different matter…

On four occasions we were bounced from hotel to hotel, in an aid to ease their mistakes. We weren’t the only ones either, with many other travellers sharing similar stories. I don’t know if it was poor booking systems or a general lack of respect for honouring agreements, but it happened an awful lot.

Will Vietnam Change?

Despite Vietnam becoming a major traveller hotspot, it is a fairly challenging country. You WILL be mistreated, you WILL be overcharged and you WILL feel uncomfortable.

While this may be a huge put-off, Vietnam is my favourite country that I have visited so far. For every scammer, there is a friendly smile, for every rude salesperson, someone is working hard to feed their family. Sometimes, we (myself included) tend to get too wrapped up in being treated well, that when we are met with something challenging it automatically ruins the experience.

Vietnam is a complicated country, its past has largely influenced its present. Many Vietnamese have a very complex relationship with the West, with many people from the war era harbouring resentment.

However, my conversations with younger Vietnamese people have been incredibly enlightening. They want to move forward as a country, they want to welcome foreigners and they want to forge a new path for Vietnam. I believe big changes are to come and the more positive interactions between the Vietnamese and foreigners, the more bridges will be built rather than repeatedly destroyed.

Will I be Back?

Visiting Vietnam requires patience and a change in mindset.

Whilst admittedly this article doesn’t sing the country’s praises, Vietnam is an incredible country, stuffed to the brim with fascinating cultures, jaw-dropping landscapes and fantastic food. Take things slowly, get to know how to spot the scams and step outside the tourist areas for a more balanced view of the country.

My positive experiences with the Vietnamese far outweighed any of the negative experiences. I found them to be very proud, hard-working and welcoming people, despite the bad rep they get.

I for one will be part of that 5% that will be back to Vietnam.