Reasons Why I Hate the Vietnamese - Vietnam is Awful
Note: The views expressed in this article are purely anecdotal, and should be taken as such. They are not meant to offend anyone, nor should they be regarded as a definitive guide when deciding whether to visit this destination.
I rarely hate a place. Sure, there have been destinations that didn’t quite live up to my expectation, such as Paris and the Maldives, and others that left me shaken and deeply unsafe, like Surabaya after a disturbing encounter with a bus driver. But even then, I wouldn’t go so far as to say I hated them.
Vietnam, however, was the first and only country that I could honestly say I hated.
I visited twice: first to Hanoi in 2011, and then to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in 2015. I went back the second time hoping it would change my opinion, but unfortunately, it only confirmed it. Whatever redeeming qualities the country had were, for me, far outweighed by the constant annoyances.
As it turned out, I wasn’t alone.
The well-known travel blogger Nomadic Matt has said he wouldn’t return to Vietnam. Alex from Alex in Wanderland wrote about her mixed feelings, Patrick Gaveau listed 22 reasons why he hated Vietnam, and even Hunter the Traveling Panda shared his less-than-stellar experience in Saigon.
If you google “why tourists hate Vietnam”, you’ll find no shortage of similar stories. While most of the complaints — including pollution, bad weather, bad smells, and tourist rip-offs — are common across Southeast Asia, there are a few issues that seem particularly pronounced in Vietnam.
1. Crazy motorbike traffic
Traffic chaos isn’t unusual in Asia.
But after traveling extensively around the region, and even to parts of Africa, I had never seen anything quite like Vietnam’s motorbike traffic.
According to Wikipedia, Vietnam has around 45 million registered motorbikes in a country of roughly 92 million people, making it one of the highest motorbike ownership rates in the world. That statistic alone wouldn’t be a problem, if there were any semblance of order on the roads.
There isn’t.
Those tiny slick vehicles seem to always have the right of way and stop for no one. Traffic lights, if they exist at all, are largely ignored. Vehicles move in every direction at once, weaving in and out, narrowly avoiding collision.
And if you’re trying to cross the road? Well, good luck.
I didn’t take any videos of the traffic myself, but here are two clips I found on YouTube that give a good idea of what it’s like:
Yes, people say you get used to it over time. Maybe. But it gave me so much anxiety that I started dreading leaving my hostel. And sidewalks don’t necessarily make you safer either.
2. Scams
I know scams exist everywhere in the world, but this one deserves a special mention because it was the first time it happened to me, and I didn’t see it coming at all.
I expected scammers to come in the form of a dodgy-looking person — a fake travel agent, a dishonest money changer, or a taxi driver trying to rip people off. This one, however, caught me completely off guard.
I was walking down a street in Hanoi when all of a sudden, an elderly lady seller blocked my path and placed her traditional fruit baskets on my shoulder, saying something I couldn’t understand.
Note that this was my first time in Vietnam and my first day there to boot. I was still a novice traveler then — having only been on 5 or 6 weekend trips abroad — so I wasn’t too good at detecting scams.
I genuinely thought the lady needed help carrying her stuff or something. She looked old and frail, so I awkwardly but willingly obliged.
Instead, she put her conical hat on my head and asked for my camera. Still confused, I slowly handed it over. She took a few photos of me (which, to be fair, actually turned out quite nice, so at least there was one good thing that came out of this).
Then she retrieved her baskets and demanded, very forcefully, that I buy her pineapples at an absurdly inflated price.
I smiled and declined. She started yelling.
Not wanting to cause a scene, I paid.
True, this was a minor incident in the grand scheme of things, but it left a terrible first impression. What does it say about a place when you can’t even trust the old ladies there?
And unfortunately, this is just one of many common scams in Vietnam that target tourists. Culture Trip has listed at least 10 more.
Annoying as these petty scams are, they are only one part of the picture. There are also more serious crimes that have been reported over the years, including snatch thefts (which can cause serious injuries or deaths), and cases where tourists were allegedly kidnapped or driven around by taxi drivers and forced to withdraw money.
I want to be clear that I never personally witnessed or experienced anything like this, and I was fortunate enough to stay physically safe during my time in Vietnam. Still, knowing these things happen added to the underlying sense of unease I felt, especially as a solo female traveler.
3. Rude & aggressive sellers
I don’t usually shop much when I travel, but a friend had asked me to buy her a backpack from Vietnam.
In Southeast Asia, Vietnam is known for cheap (often counterfeit) goods of fairly decent quality, backpacks being one of them.
So, I went into a shop in Hanoi.
Buying for yourself is one thing, buying for someone else is another — you want to make sure that everything is just right, as per their request.
And so, I might have spent a little too long trying to make up my mind when the shopkeeper suddenly snatched the backpack out of my hands, and shouted, “NO SELL!”, before practically shooing me out of the shop.
In Saigon a few years later, it wasn’t much better.
My travel partner wanted to visit Ben Thanh market but didn’t want to go alone, so I had to tag along. We spent most of our time at the fabric section, and that was an experience in itself.
The fabric sellers in Ben Thanh market were really something else. They would literally grab onto you and not let go until you buy something. And God forbid you ever touch anything on display. They’d force you to buy it. You touch, you buy.
There was one seller who, when asked the price of something, snapped at us, “You want to buy?! If you don’t want to buy, don’t ask!”
It wasn’t like we had lingered too long at her shop — we had literally just arrived.
That rude, unfriendly, and sometimes outright aggressive attituded pretty much summed up most of my interactions with locals in both Hanoi and Saigon.
As mentioned previously, I have since traveled quite a bit in Asia, so believe me when I say I’ve seen some persistent sellers. But never have I ever visited a place that made me feel so consistently unwelcome as I did in Hanoi and Saigon.
What finally changed my mind
Despite everything, I knew it wasn’t fair to write off an entire country based on two visits.
Still, it took me another four years before I returned to Vietnam. This time, I went to Da Nang, Hoi An, Da Lat, and Nha Trang, all in central Vietnam. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a little apprehensive.
But I was in for a big surprise.
The motorbikes were still there ruling the streets, but what surprised me were the people. They were all so welcoming and friendly, including the sellers! I’m not talking about isolated incidents here. In all four cities I visited, I experienced the same warmth.
People actually smiled and greeted me. Nobody grabbed my arm or tried to extort money from me or chased me out of shops.
What was going on?! It felt like a different country altogether.
Was it because central Vietnam is more accustomed to tourists? Was it because the cities are less hectic than Hanoi and Saigon, therefore people are more laid back?
I didn’t know the answer, but I truly enjoyed my two weeks spent there. I went to the beach, learned to make lanterns, tried stand-up paddleboarding, cycled through rice fields, visited the ‘Crazy House’, rode an alpine coaster, and bathed in a tub of mud.
Whereas on my previous trips to Vietnam I couldn’t wait to go home, this time it was over too soon.
Final thoughts
Vietnam is often described as a country you either love or hate. I’ve met many travelers who rave about it, calling it their favorite country in Southeast Asia. When I shared my earlier experiences, many were shocked and almost didn’t believe me.
I still have no idea why there’s a world of difference between central Vietnam and the other regions I went to. Maybe it really was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and meeting the wrong people.
I’m glad I gave Vietnam a third chance. Now I can say that I no longer hate it. In fact, once the resentment faded, I began noticing more and more things I genuinely loved about the country.
Would I go back?
Yes. There are still many places in Vietnam I haven’t explored. I might even revisit Hanoi and Saigon, just to see if I feel differently about them, though I think I’ll skip the markets this time.
Have you been to Vietnam? Did you love it or hate it? And if you’re Vietnamese, I’d love to hear your perspective. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
You may also like:
Pingback: 10 Things I Love About Vietnam – From Banh Mi to Bia Ha Noi – Ummi Goes Where?
Thanks for linking my blog post. You’re a great writer. I felt the exact same way about my time in Saigon. There is something about big cities that brings out the worst in people.
I am so happy that you had a great experience in Central Vietnam. I currently live in Da Nang and I love it here.
I just finished a motorcycle tour of North Vietnam and there were some of the most incredible and magical places I had ever seen. In my opinion, Vietnam is an amazing country but I really dislike Saigon.
Good luck in your future travels.
Thank you so much, Hunter. I had fun reading your blog too. Glad to know that you’re enjoying life in Da Nang at the moment. That motorcycle tour sounds amazing, and I’m sure there are many more incredible things that I’ve yet to see and experience in Vietnam. Can’t wait to visit again and explore more. In the meantime, stay safe, and all the best for your travels and writing!
Interesting sharing! I’ve been to Ho Chi Minh and Ha Noi and just like you, there are certain things I didn’t like much but most of the time, I enjoyed my time there. Met some friendly locals too and they are so kind to offer help. Would love to discover other parts of Vietnam in the future!
Good for you, Hasif. I’d love to revisit Hanoi and HCMC and create new memories there. 🙂
I’ve been to Ho Chi Minh once. It wasn’t that bad for me. But it’s not my favorite either. There are some places we been to and we did not like. I also don’t like Itali especially Milan and Rome. I got rob RM2000.00 in Milan. Geez!
Oh gosh, that’s terrible, Fadima. I didn’t have any bad experience in Italy, fortunately, but I’ll be more careful next time. Thanks for the heads-up.
so rude la seller tu halau u macam tu. i always refuse if people mintak belikan apa2 when i travel hehe.
Hahah, kita geng, Bae. I pun memang malas betul kalau ada orang kirim suruh belikan apa2. Beli souvenir pun jarang.
Ahhh, the scam thing! At least she take good picture, right..haha..and the motorcycles memang menakutkan, bersimpang siur 😂
Hahaha, ya, Edahyu. At least ada la jugak gambar kenangan kena scam.
I have yet to visit Vietnam. Been hearing great shopping stories about Ben Thanh but your story will keep me prepare for the worst hehe
Ya, Rawlins, Ben Thanh seems to be very popular among Malaysian tourists. And I suppose it can be really cheap if you know how to haggle and handle the harassment.
Negara-negara Asia tenggara jer yang memang bandar dan kawasan mereka penuh dengan motorbike yeyeyeye untuk pengankutan senang dan cepat mudah dan murah sebab tu sesak tapi kita tak pernah sampai Vietnam lagi nak pergi lah…
Tak sama, Maha. Negara2 Asia Tenggara memang banyak motosikal/skuter, tapi rasanya tak boleh lawan dengan Vietnam.
I pernah kena scam tapi dekat Bali. Geram juga ms tu tapai boleh dijadikan pengalaman serta iktibar
Betul tu, Ayu. Walaupun kena scam ni memang menyakitkan hati, tapi sekurang-kurangnya kita dapat belajar sesuatu daripada pengalaman tersebut.
I pretty much agreed with you on the points you highlighted. Luckily they still have Da Nang, Hoi An and Hue that can changed our traveling experiences in Vietnam..I think only those famous cities having this issue.. the local community competition i guess..
Yes, I think so too, Kitkat. Perhaps it’s the cut-throat culture in big cities that make them behave that way. Luckily, there’s Central Vietnam.
Guess it all boils down to personal experience. After reading, it made me think twice if I should visit Vietnam one day too.
It does boil down to personal experience, Tekkaus. I hope this article won’t stop you from visiting. Just be prepared for these annoyances that you may possibly encounter.
interesting place.
I plan to go to Vietnam once this pendamic is over. Thanks for your sharing.
You’re welcome. Do check out my other posts on Vietnam for more tips and ideas for your future trip 🙂
Well traffic in HCMC is really hectic and there are scams going on i detected a few, so usually i make payment using cash instead of card.
I rarely make payments with card when I’m abroad, but that’s a good tip, Kelly. I wouldn’t want to use it in HCMC either.
Seronok baca pengalaman ummi . Kagum k.sal sebab jiwa Ummi kental masa travel . Dapat tengok budaya dan cara hidup masyarakat lain selain di Negara sendiri . Teruskan dalam mengapai impianmu !!
Terima kasih, kak Sal kerana terus-terusan memberi sokongan kpd blog saya. Mudah-mudahan selepas pandemik ni reda, saya boleh teruskan pengembaraan saya di negara-negara lain pula. 🙂
Yup, got good and bad when we travelling, that’s life. Glad that you enjoy lantern making with your teacher in Vietnam. Mouse mommy has not been to Vietnam yet, hope will have chance to travel there to experience myself.
You’re right, mouse mommy! There’s good and bad in life. But Vietnam was one country where the bad outweighed the good, at least on my first two visits. Glad I finally learned to like it. I hope you’ll get to visit Vietnam too someday. 🙂
i feel the same too. just one of those countries that aren’t my favourite haha
I’m sorry you didn’t have a great time there, Grace. But at the same time, I’m also glad to know I’m not alone!
I’ve been to Ho Chi Minh once. Okay lah. Most of time, I enjoyed my time there. great shopping in Ben Than. Tudung murah murah seyhhh… Banyak shopping!
Ya, Nina. Memang ramai orang Malaysia datang Ho Chi Minh ni untuk shopping. Bagi sesiapa yang kaki shopping, pandai tawar-menawar, dan hati kental (tahan maki), memang best la datang sini. Haha. 😛
Salah satu negara yang I teringin nak pergi. Best tak if nak datang shopping sekali? Hahahah
I tak suka shopping so I can’t really comment. Dan disebabkan pengalaman yang tak best shopping kat Vietnam ni, confirm lepas ni tak nak dah. Tapi ramai orang Malaysia suka shopping kat sini sebab murah kalau pandai tawar.
Kalau l kena scammcm you tak taulah camner, lbh elok travel dgn kawan2, mana2 tempat pun kita travel kena berhati2 tapi kena tak tau dorang punya trick nak scam org luar
Ya, kak Halimah. Nak travel mana2 pun sama ada secara solo atau berkumpulan memang kena berhati2, sebab bahaya ada di mana2. Mungkin saya kurang bernasib baik dan kurang persediaan waktu tu.
Tak pernah pergi Vietnam lagi tapi sebenarnya itu normal kan. Mesti ada benda yang kita suka dan tak suka. Yang tak best tu kita jadikan pengajaran dan yang best tu kita sebarkan atau praktikkan.
Betul tu Saidila, di setiap destinasi yang saya lawati, semestinya ada yang baik dan yang buruk. Tapi Vietnam ni adalah satu-satunya negara yang saya tak suka (masa mula-mula la) sebab lebih banyak pengalaman yang tak best daripada yang best.
Khusyuk baca ,very details..and saya boleh faham keadaan awak masa di sana. tq for sharing, later when i nak travel there, i akan lebih hati hati memilih tempat..
Terima kasih, Adila. Saya harap, jangan disebabkan artikel ni Adila takut pulak nak ke Vietnam. Pengalaman orang berbeza-beza. Cuma berhati-hati je la dengan scammer dan peniaga2 yang agresif.
The same scam happened to my partner but with coconut for 50k dong, also in Saigon! Rookie mistake. Otherwise, we generally accept the fact that we might slightly overpay things, that’s how it is. Once you avoid D1, Bui Vien and Ben Thanh, it gets better and locals are friendlier 🙂
As you said, Central Vietnam feels more welcoming and authentic! We once went to a remote fishing village near Hoi An on our own at 5 am and it felt so great, then randomly stopped at someone’s house for banh mi and coffee and the people were so nice and excited to have us.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Marielle. You totally lucked out with the free banh mi and coffee at the fishing village! That’s really one of the best things about traveling independently, isn’t it? That you never know what you’re gonna get — sometimes you’re lucky, sometimes you’re not, but it’ll still make for a great story no matter what.
That scam thinggy memang macam ehhhh! HAHAHA sempat ye dia. Takpe Ummi jadikan yang pahit tu kenangan n pengajaran.
Hahaha tu la, sempat pulak makcik ni nak scam orang kan. Tapi memang jadi kenangan dan pengajaran la. Nak kata pahit pun tak jugak. More like, tak boleh blah 😆
This was such an interesting read as Vietnam is my most favourite country (and I’ve been too many). I like your honesty and am sorry that your experience was not good. I travelled Hanoi – Halong Bay – Hue – Hoi An and Da Nang and can honestly say the people were wonderful and I wasn’t subject to any scams however I am a mature traveller and had a 6 foot 5 man with me so maybe they didn’t want to try their luck. I felt like you about Kuala Lumpar and want to return to give it a second chance as I loved other parts of Malaysia just not KL. I’m glad your most recent trip to Vietnam was a good one
Thank you, Angela! And glad to know you enjoyed the article. I’m not sure if my experience would have been better had I been older. Perhaps so, as mature travelers are often perceived as wealthier and therefore make better customers, so they wouldn’t want to get on your wrong side. And having a 6’5″ man with you must have helped too. 😀
I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t have a good experience in my city. Granted, it’s not the most charming city in Southeast Asia, but I do hope you’ll give it another chance. Let me know if you have any question about Kuala Lumpur and I’ll try my best to answer. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your perspective on Vietnam, it was a very interesting read. I think for me the exceptional rudness and aggressivenss would also be a turnoff as well. I think there is some hope still for an enjoyable trip if the focus is on the central country, as with your second trip. It’s something I’ll definitely keep in mind if I choose to visit!
You’re welcome, Jamie. I hope this won’t stop you from visiting the country. The central part of Vietnam is wonderful, but I’m sure the other parts have some hidden charms too. I just have to visit again and find them 🙂
Thank you for your honesty! I had a connecting flight through Vietnam one time and wandering through the airport I just wanted to stay. When I make it there one day I’ll take your advice and visit central Vietnam! It reminds me of my time in Bangkok, I was not too keen on the city but visiting the outer parts of Thailand was incredible with the most friendly people. Maybe it’s just a little luck!
Yes, I agree with you, Chloe. I think it has a lot to do with luck. I’m tempted to visit Hanoi and Saigon again just to see if I’d be luckier this time. If you don’t like big cities, definitely avoid Saigon. But I hope you’ll make it to Vietnam again one day.
I am sorry you felt this way. Scams are popular and common in many countries, I understand even such things put me off, but Vietnam is not that bad. I loved the country because of its beauty. I am also glad that you did not give up and gave it a second chance and liked few other places. Next time, try Sapa and you will fall in love with the place. It’s in northern Vietnam.
Thank you, Shreya. Vietnam is beautiful but the annoyances totally spoiled my experience there. However, there are many more places in Vietnam that I haven’t visited and are on my list, Sapa being one of them. I might even repeat Hanoi and Saigon.
I haven’t been to Asia and have no desire to visit Vietnam. Every once in a while I see something that makes me curious but this seals the deal. I’m positive I would not respond well to the vendors and I would get arrested. Also, the traffic looks terrifying and I don’t want to have a heart attack because if the traffic looks like that, I can only imagine the health care. Thank you for being honest about Hanoi and Saigon
Oh no, Sherrianne, I hope I didn’t turn you off completely from visiting this country. The traffic was indeed horrible in Hanoi and Saigon. And I wouldn’t recommend the local markets to anyone. But perhaps you’d enjoy Central Vietnam, like I did.
So bummed you hated Vietnam. It’s one of my favorite countries. Incredible that you don’t hate Surabaya despite what happened. And so glad you gave it a third chance, DaNang is different than Saignon.
Yes, Debra. Da Nang and the rest of Central Vietnam are very different from Saigon. It’s amazing how one country can have totally different vibes in its different regions. I’m glad I didn’t give up on Vietnam. 🙂
I’m glad that you gave your perspective and change of opinion. It is a shame that the elderly lady scammed you. I probably would have fallen for that too, in fact it reminds me of a time someone tried to scam us in Zanzibar. Anyway, I am glad that you were able to visit other regions of the country and eventually had a change of heart!
I’m glad of that too, Cecilia. It would have been a shame if I just gave up on it too soon, as Vietnam has so much to offer. Speaking of Zanzibar, I’ve heard some negative stories from solo female travelers. I didn’t have a chance to visit when I was in Tanzania two years ago, but I’d really love to see it for myself someday. Hope everything went well for you there, aside from the attempted scam.
I haven’t been to Vietnam yet. Your stories are exciting. When I was traveling in India or Morocco, I also met pushy salesmen, chaotic traffic on the streets. I was scammed a few times, even robbed once. But it’s good that Vietnam also has places that charmed you. Each country has white and dark side.
Sorry to hear about your experiences in India and Morocco, Agnes, although I’m glad that you were safe in the end. I hope that hasn’t turned you off completely from visiting those countries again. I have been wanting to go to Morocco for a while now, but the stories I hear scare me sometimes. But like you said, every country has its own white and dark sides. We just have to be prepared and hope for the best.
Thanks for sharing your story! I’m glad I did my trip in reverse, first visiting Hue then Hoi An and finally Ho Chi Minh (coincidentally in increasing degree of tourism development). Had I visited HCMC first, I would probably not have enjoyed and appreciated Vietnam as much as I did.
You’re welcome, Eunice, and thanks for sharing your experience too. Glad that you were able to enjoy your trip in Vietnam. Perhaps other readers will take their cue from you and try the same route too. 😀
What a change in tune from your last post, sometimes it takes a while for a place to grow on your.
You’re totally right, Susanna. I’m glad I didn’t give up on it so soon. But then again, they’re totally different places. I wonder if I’d still feel the same way if I visit Hanoi and Saigon again.
Pingback: Cycling Tour and Riding a Basket Boat in Hoi An, Vietnam – Ummi Goes Where?
I hated Vietnam more than anywhere I’ve ever been. Unfriendly, rude people, pickpockets everywhere and an atmosphere that’s just flat-lined. From hostile locals to the million stone faced Russians that make it their second home..I didn’t find any redeeming qualities. With Thailand being so great and amazing adventures to be had in India and Nepal there’s not a hope in hell I’d go back to Vietnam.
I totally understand what you mean, Sinéad. That was exactly how I felt the first two times I visited Vietnam. My third time was actually pretty good, but I don’t know if that was just a one-off thing. I’d love to visit again and see if it’s any better. But ya, between Vietnam and Thailand, I much prefer the latter.
I am now in Vietnam for the second time, first visit was 6 years ago. Other than hotel staff and vendors, I find locals to be very rude and impatient when dealing with tourists. I detest the horrendous noise between traffic and locals/tourists yelling and the constant exposure to cigarette smoke. I will never return. I have been to 18 other countries and have disliked only 2 other countries at this level.
I totally get what you mean. My first two trips to Vietnam felt the same. The traffic, the chaos and yelling, and the aggressive sellers… it all added up and left me feeling like the country just “wasn’t for me.” But funnily enough, going back a few more times after that changed a lot of my first impressions.
Everyone’s experience is valid, of course, and not every destination clicks for every traveler. But I appreciate you sharing yours; comments like this help people understand what Vietnam travel can really feel like, especially for first-timers.
Thank you for sharing your experiences in Vietnam 🙂 As a Vietnamese who lived in Saigon for about 10 years , I did not like it at all because of the pollution, terrible traffic and bad smells from the river. Moreover, Saigon is a melting pot. People from all over the country go there to make a living. So they don’t really care about being nice to anyone as long as they can make money. In a small city with 9 million people like that the chance you meet bad people is much higher than other places in the country. The reason why you feel people from other part of the country more friendly because they are local people so they always try to be nice to tourists so they can come back. And their living style are more laid back. Unlike in Saigon, most of people there are immigrants so they don’t really care that if the tourists come back or not, because they would go back to their hometown if their bussiness are not going well in Saigon. Ha Noi is a different story. People are just unfriendly to anyone who are not local. I went there one time and never came back. I would just stay away from that city. Nothing good about it anyway, unless you want to see one of the last Comunist mummy in the world.
Thank you for your insight, Kevin. I was a little worried that this post might offend my Vietnamese readers, so I’m relieved to know that there are some locals who share my opinion on this matter. I see what you mean — sometimes big cities make people less friendly because they’re always in a hurry, life is tougher, and they have to work harder to make a living. Nevertheless, I would still love to revisit the places I disliked to see if I feel differently towards them. 🙂
Well, about what you said, it’s not 100% true. I mean, I can’t deny that ill-behaved people exist too, but I also live in Ho Chi Minh and I find it nice. I’ve made plenty of good friends here too.
I’m glad you shared this, because it really shows how different Vietnam can feel from person to person. My first visits were honestly rough, but later trips helped me see another side, especially when I skipped the bigger cities and went to the countryside and more laid-back areas.
It’s nice to hear that you’ve had a positive experience living in Ho Chi Minh City and that you’ve built friendships there.
I found your article by googling “I’m a Vietnamese American and I hate vietnam” because I wanted to see how else felt the same. I had a similar experience there. Aside from the family drama that resulted in me being alone for almost the entirety of my trip, it was a horrible experience. Lots of pushy sellers, but I always pushed back and I didn’t like that. Had one guy chase me around the market screaming at me after refusing to buy his coffee at the price we agreed on, which equaled 1500000dong, he tried to tell me it was 6500000. I might be American, but I’m not stupid. I am not going to spend nearly $300 on 4 small bags of coffee. He was out of his damn mind.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Emmy! I was a little hesitant to write this article initially, because we are often told to always be positive, look on the bright side of everything, see the good in people, yadda yadda yadda, but I don’t think it’s fair to my readers if I only write about the good while glossing over the bad and the ugly.
I’m sorry you had to experience all that — it sounds horrible! But now you know you’re not alone. I hope it didn’t put you off from visiting Vietnam again. I actually quite enjoyed it the third and fourth time I was there.
THis is an old thread. But after just 7 hours in Da Nang, most of that in the airport and in my hotel, it only took one 5 minute walk down the street from my hotel to write off the rest of my stay and book a flight out the next day.
I loathe all the things mentioned in this article and the behavior of the people of Da Nang where I visited. As for looking for the positive in things, I say the the people of Vietnam have one, and only one chance to present a good first impression, if they even care to, which from what I’ve experienced, and was confirmed by others that I read after my initial confusion, and asking the question, “Is it just me, or does Vietnams suck?” I’m not going to look for the positives from a people who purposely and with mal intent put out the negative.
Viva el Comnismo!
Thanks for sharing your experience, even if it was a tough one. I think a lot of travelers can relate to that feeling of landing somewhere, stepping outside, and instantly thinking, “Nope, this isn’t for me.” My first two trips to Vietnam genuinely made me feel the same way, but later visits taught me that Vietnam can feel completely different (Hoi An, Nha Trang, and Dalat felt very welcoming).
I appreciate you sharing your perspective though, because it helps others get a realistic sense of how intense Vietnam can be on a first visit. My own story ended up changing over time, but every traveler’s experience is shaped differently.