Comments on: Meet an Expert: Saigon http://matadornetwork.com/trips/meet-an-expert-saigon/ travel culture worldwide Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:45:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lydia http://matadornetwork.com/trips/meet-an-expert-saigon/#comment-7464 Lydia Sun, 19 Sep 2010 18:56:06 +0000 http://matadortrips.com/?p=3010#comment-7464 I used to live and teach in Hanoi and after my contract was up I bussed it down south to HCMC aka Saigon. I agree partly with the people above that rip-offs are common. In fact it was so common it was hard for me to stay trusting of people. I found myself standing in lines labelled "Foreigners" to get into places and ended up paying twice the price! That being said... Travelling and living here changed me as a person in ways I can't express and probablly haven't realized yet. I've made lifelong friends and I've learned how to maintain a zen-like patience in almost any situation....intense heat, crazy traffic, noise pollution, scam artists. A smile and a no thanks (in Vietnemese) can do wonders to get the scammers to bugger off. And as mentioned above, travelling not through bus tours will most likely evade rip offs....if there arent many locals on your bus, you probablly paid too much! I used to live and teach in Hanoi and after my contract was up I bussed it down south to HCMC aka Saigon. I agree partly with the people above that rip-offs are common. In fact it was so common it was hard for me to stay trusting of people. I found myself standing in lines labelled “Foreigners” to get into places and ended up paying twice the price! That being said…

Travelling and living here changed me as a person in ways I can’t express and probablly haven’t realized yet. I’ve made lifelong friends and I’ve learned how to maintain a zen-like patience in almost any situation….intense heat, crazy traffic, noise pollution, scam artists. A smile and a no thanks (in Vietnemese) can do wonders to get the scammers to bugger off. And as mentioned above, travelling not through bus tours will most likely evade rip offs….if there arent many locals on your bus, you probablly paid too much!

]]> By: Nicole Louis http://matadornetwork.com/trips/meet-an-expert-saigon/#comment-7415 Nicole Louis Fri, 17 Sep 2010 05:24:22 +0000 http://matadortrips.com/?p=3010#comment-7415 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. 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.

]]> By: Hal Amen http://matadornetwork.com/trips/meet-an-expert-saigon/#comment-2894 Hal Amen Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:23:56 +0000 http://matadortrips.com/?p=3010#comment-2894 Wow Carlo, that sounds bad. My wife and I hit up Dalat and the coast from Saigon to Hue in 2006 and didn't encounter any of this. We were on bikes though--by definition more independent. Wow Carlo, that sounds bad. My wife and I hit up Dalat and the coast from Saigon to Hue in 2006 and didn’t encounter any of this. We were on bikes though–by definition more independent.

]]> By: Carlo http://matadornetwork.com/trips/meet-an-expert-saigon/#comment-2893 Carlo Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:44:38 +0000 http://matadortrips.com/?p=3010#comment-2893 To start it's not just my experience, I've talked to many, many travelers who've experienced the same thing. For an independent traveler it's tough. If you are happy going with the flow, then I'm sure it's a much more pleasurable experience. In a nutshell, it was near impossible to get off the tourist track. Trying to do things on your own is extremely difficult. We were constantly lied to and ripped off - which is nothing new I know, but the level of it was some something we never experienced before. We had just been through Russia and around China with no real issues. In Hanoi we were evicted from a hotel because we refused to buy package tours through them (after this, for each hotel we stayed in we made clear that we were not buying any tours through them). We were promised things in Sapa that were reneged. Local buses, even when they had signs clearly posted for price, were trying to charge us 5 times the price. Etc, etc. All the way to Saigon. Once we hit the Mekong Delta it was much different. We pretty much did everything independently and had a much easier and relaxed time. Until then it felt like we were fighting against the current. We eventually just succumbed and let ourselves be swept up in it, which apparently is the only way to keep your sanity there. To start it’s not just my experience, I’ve talked to many, many travelers who’ve experienced the same thing. For an independent traveler it’s tough. If you are happy going with the flow, then I’m sure it’s a much more pleasurable experience.

In a nutshell, it was near impossible to get off the tourist track. Trying to do things on your own is extremely difficult. We were constantly lied to and ripped off – which is nothing new I know, but the level of it was some something we never experienced before. We had just been through Russia and around China with no real issues.

In Hanoi we were evicted from a hotel because we refused to buy package tours through them (after this, for each hotel we stayed in we made clear that we were not buying any tours through them). We were promised things in Sapa that were reneged.

Local buses, even when they had signs clearly posted for price, were trying to charge us 5 times the price. Etc, etc. All the way to Saigon.

Once we hit the Mekong Delta it was much different. We pretty much did everything independently and had a much easier and relaxed time.

Until then it felt like we were fighting against the current. We eventually just succumbed and let ourselves be swept up in it, which apparently is the only way to keep your sanity there.

]]> By: joshywashington http://matadornetwork.com/trips/meet-an-expert-saigon/#comment-2892 joshywashington Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:17:32 +0000 http://matadortrips.com/?p=3010#comment-2892 I am interested to hear your take on Vietnam Carlo... what was your experience? I am interested to hear your take on Vietnam Carlo… what was your experience?

]]> By: Carlo Alcos http://matadornetwork.com/trips/meet-an-expert-saigon/#comment-2891 Carlo Alcos Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:05:45 +0000 http://matadortrips.com/?p=3010#comment-2891 I have a somewhat different take on Vietnam! But I think it must be different if you actually live there. I have a somewhat different take on Vietnam! But I think it must be different if you actually live there.

]]> By: joshywashington http://matadornetwork.com/trips/meet-an-expert-saigon/#comment-2890 joshywashington Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:43:09 +0000 http://matadortrips.com/?p=3010#comment-2890 Hal you make me blush you 'ol devil! Geez, reading this I can almost smell the Pho! Thanks for the blessed write up Hal. Vietnam has a way of seeping into your pores, it stays with you. I find myself thinking of my time in Saigon, the smells, chaotic streets, the friends and frantic days spent blogging. Anybody who expresses interest in teaching English I always say go for it. I just showed up, no plans and planted myself in Saigon for six months. Builds character ;) peace Hal you make me blush you ‘ol devil!
Geez, reading this I can almost smell the Pho!
Thanks for the blessed write up Hal.
Vietnam has a way of seeping into your pores, it stays with you. I find myself thinking of my time in Saigon, the smells, chaotic streets, the friends and frantic days spent blogging.

Anybody who expresses interest in teaching English I always say go for it.
I just showed up, no plans and planted myself in Saigon for six months.

Builds character ;)
peace

]]> By: Hal Amen http://matadornetwork.com/trips/meet-an-expert-saigon/#comment-2887 Hal Amen Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:22:21 +0000 http://matadortrips.com/?p=3010#comment-2887 Your recent piece on the Notebook was amazing, Josh. I hope you'll share more narratives from Southeast Asia soon. Your recent piece on the Notebook was amazing, Josh. I hope you’ll share more narratives from Southeast Asia soon.

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