Meet an Expert: Saigon

17/09/2010 I have recently returned from a harrowing trip from Vietnam. Traveling solo and independently, it was the worst trip of my life. Except for Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon as the locals, and I prefer to call it), where I only had one threatening experience, it was a constant battle against lies, terrible service and constant rip-off artists. My compassion for the war-damaged Vietnamese quickly diminished after Da Lat, where I felt my life was going to end abruptly and in a similar way to the Russian tour group last year when their bus plunged down a cliff in the Highlands on the road to Ng Trang. Whatsmore, traveling towards North Vietnam from Nga Trang to Hanoi where the Communist influence is at it’s strongest, crime against tourists is increasing at a rapid rate. I along with thirty other tourists I encountered were mugged and robbed. Many of them had possessions stolen from hotel rooms or from the hotel safes (a plastic container precariously taped with masking tape). The police were rude and dismissive and protected their own as did the staff of hotels, who were like gangsters selling drugs attempting to sell everything from tours to visa extensions at a higher much price and frequently lesser value.
Going off the beaten track or acting spontaneously only compounded the dangers and so I decided to stick to tours, despite this not being my usual traveling style. Though I did meet and dine at local homes, made friendships with Vietnamese and discovered much about this diverse, resourceful and unpredictable culture, I would not travel here alone again. Vietnam is embracing all that capitalism has to offer but presently with a resentful eye and an aggression which makes a visit there for many unpleasant. As the Communist Party rules this country there is no democracy and the people’s voice is suppressed, however if more foreigners complain elsewhere and perhaps at the Vietnamese Embassies in their own country something might be done to improve impending and increasing crime towards travelers. I wish articles informing travelers of the changing face of Vietnam and it’s myriad of dangers could have a place to be published. As a country still in it’s infancy and needing the injection of capital provided by tourism the dangers of capitalism are still unknown there. I for one would write about it. My intention would only be to improve the overall experience between the Vietnamese and travelers, and perhaps make them a little aware that a friendly approach would be much more inviting. Perhaps capitalism at it’s best is win-win and a little service always brings back the customer. I hope this does not sound condescending, I don’t mean it to be.