Quote:
Originally Posted by drewboy12
You could say everything in Asia is a tourist trap... Traveling as a white man automatically symbolizes "I have money"... It is pretty easy to get around... I quickly picked up Vietnamese and could speak a few basic sentences. I got local prices in stores, and was shown great effection. If you are one of the people who won't learn to say "hello/goodbye/thank you/please/ how are you?" Then you will have a much rougher time, anywhere in the world.
My first experience in Vietnam, was being ripped off by a cab in Saigon... Oh well, S**t happens.
Different experiences and opinions when it comes to travel is all part of the fun.
It just bugs me when people say don't do this etc. It sucks there because "I had a bad experience"...
I am defiantly not the annoying traveler. I am always wrong. Being wrong, getting lost, putting your self into very awkward situations is what makes traveling exciting, no?
Not here to argue though, Vietnam is a beautiful country, beautiful friendly people, and such amazing cuisine. Just as stated about the cabs, give a quick read about which cabs to avoid, its not like Thailand, 50% of the cabbies in Vietnam will try to meter rape you or take you for drives.
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I had the exact opposite experience than you did in Vietnam. We were in Vietnam for 1 month. I learned the basics of Vietnamese, yet, from Hue north, I got the blank stare of "How dare the white man speak my language." I was ripped off at every moment possible. Someone attempted to rob us on the beach in Nha Trang. I found the people in the south noticeably more friendly and helpful than the north.
On two different occasions out of the blue, in Hue and Hanoi, my wife and I had people finger us and yell what I could assume were expletives at us for no apparent reason. Maybe they were drunk, maybe they thought we were Americans, who knows, but that gave me a sour taste. But I found Ho Chi Min really enjoyable. More diverse and open-minded to foreigners.
But as to my statement that the OP should spend more time in south Vietnam; he should because imo, the north really has nothing to offer besides Halong Bay. While beautiful, it's a touristy thing, which he wants to avoid. Hanoi is just a big ugly city.
Don't get me wrong, Vietnam is a beautiful scenic country, and I really enjoyed the scenery. But just be prepared that it's a bit rough around the edges when dealing with the locals.