Good morning, Hanoi

[extras]

^ have done quite a research (when i remembered i had bought plane tickets), but still not enough i suppose. those bastards are cheekier than i thought.

[unkleblacky]

exceleent report, was thinking of going there myself.

[cujo]

Saigon (Ho Chi Minh)'s much more fun. Those Vietnamese taxi drivers are the worst.

[Ping]

Great story and pics Extras. I did a similar one to Ho Chi Minh (sp?) anyway, Saigon, around ten years ago. Same things tried on us down there (aside from the tollgate thing) and also with the cyclo pests. We were supposed to stay a week, but gave it the flick after three days; at that time, there was feck-all tourist infrastructure in Saigon, although I'm aware that it has improved a lot since then. No ambition of ever returning. But at least you seem to have enjoyed yourself inspite of those pricks' best efforts.

[terry57]

I done that exact same trip but we stayed on cat ba island for 2 nights and it was well worth it as its a long day trying to do all that in the one day.

Did'nt fancy staying on the boat though after being on them for hours as its enough for me.

Regards those taxi drivers and the airport scam. These guys are experts at this game, pull it on to every round eye who enters and make a bloody killing out of it especially with young female backpackers as they intimidate them into paying the money.

I was very pissed off as ive been around and thought i knew every scam going but they got me on that exact senerio you explaned.

Friggin hotel was full and they took us to another where we booked a halong tour and got ripped off so you are no orphan mate.

Great photos and trip report.

cheers.

PS Next time you go back jump on the train and head up to sapa.

[extras]

cheers all

Originally Posted by Ping

But at least you seem to have enjoyed yourself inspite of those pricks' best efforts.

yeah, i mean, it's not nice to be scammed but i wasn't going to argue for a bloody hour over, what, 150 bht. all of us was of the same opinion that, if the price was acceptable to us at the time, it's not a big deal if it turned out to be slightly overpriced. no happy with price, no pay. simple. the only exception being the taxi twat!

Originally Posted by terry57

I was very pissed off as ive been around and thought i knew every scam going but they got me on that exact senerio you explaned.

that shit did annoy me for a few hours, but i ain't gonna let it ruin my holiday.

[Ban Saray]

Great strory and pics.
Ho Chi Mihn 2006 same story, but I refused to pay as the deal was $12, he tried for 1200,000 dong.
Anyway I stood my ground outside the hotel, and told him to go and get a cop if he didn't want the $12. He took it and left.
My Thai wife was very embarrassed at the commotion it caused, but after so many years in Thailand being ripped off I was dammed if I'd let it happen again.
I never did any tourist trips there, my family and I preferred to walk around and shop. My misses bought a skirt for the daughter for some stupid price that later worked out at 500 baht, but she refused to haggle.
As with other posters, will not be returning in a hurry.

[terry57]

I must say that its disapointing that many tourists get turned off by the blatant scams of the vietamese and they leave the thais for dead in this department.

I think i got really bent and twisted because i've travalled a shit load of miles and to many countries and they where better than i was.

I mean', i never rip people of but im always on my game watching for the scams but i even got ripped off by a 10 year old girl selling food in sapa and i must say that im a very cool character on the road but vietnam pushed my buttons when i first went there in 1993. and then again in 05.

My last trip was in 2005 and they still managed to rip me off so all i can say is i salute you vietnam and ill kick your arse next time.

cheers " ho che min " even though he's dead.

Ok punters i realise my spelling is foked but ive had a few changs, im in mukdahan on the thai lao border and its all good except i have to go pee pee.

cheers, from your top mate clarence.

[English Noodles]

Originally Posted by daveboy

nice report well done

Agreed, spot on Extras, realy enjoyed it.

Cheers for that.

Noodles.

5 stars

[extras]

cheers

Originally Posted by Ban Saray

Anyway I stood my ground outside the hotel, and told him to go and get a cop if he didn't want the $12. He took it and left.

good on you, mate. would of loved to do the same, but problem was we didn't know where we were, and didn't think we could trust the hotel either. so better play safe. one of us reckon some twat made an attempt to open their locked luggages when we were out and about too.

Originally Posted by terry57

all i can say is i salute you vietnam and ill kick your arse next time.

i'll try to go back too. just to tell some taxi driver to fuck off.

[sabang]

The Viet's are master scammers. Fortunately the Thai are lazier and nowhere near as creative, so the scams are basic and easier avoided here.

Good report.

[stroller]

Originally Posted by Ban Saray

My misses bought a skirt for the daughter for some stupid price that later worked out at 500 baht, but she refused to haggle.

This sounds awefully familiar, except is was some silly scarf and she couldn't work out it was the equivalent of 30$. Too embarrassed to negotiate after all the fuzz the farang made before.
Our birds must be related...

[Bruce]

Good stuff. Lots of tips I'll keep in mind for a trip there I'm planning. Well done.

[gos]

great story and pictures ,thanks we now all know what to exspect when we go to vietnam and they want to encourage tourists

[Marmite the Dog]

I'm prolly of to Hanoi in March for a rugger trip. I wonder in Milky fancies going out on the piss with a bunch of brainless alkies?

[EmperorTud]

The same taxi drive scam happens frequently in Thailand too, most notably on Phuket from the airport.

No difference.

It was tried on with me first time I was in Hanoi but I had prior knowledge of this kind of scam (from Phuket) and was prepared. The Viet guy at the hotel (same one as the OP I think) was very persistent and became aggressive and almost turned violent when I refused to get out of the taxi. The driver eventually and reluctantly drove me to my hotel.

[Happyman]

Been to Ho Chi Min many times but as I was working on a JV with the HCM city council had a "Minder" to hand to sort out any scam problems during the day. For my spare time I was given a few buisness cards from the Head Honcho and told to wave them about whenever I had a problem.
From the number of times I used them I can just imagine what problems I could have had without them !!!

[babygirl]

Great pics, and story. Besides the obvious charging more for things, what other scams did you encounter? I've had friends that have been robbed there, and didn't like it because of that experience. Don't blame him.

Originally Posted by cujo

Saigon (Ho Chi Minh)'s much more fun. Those Vietnamese taxi drivers are the worst.

Why is Ho Chi Minh more fun? If I had to choose between one or the other to visit.

[hillbilly]

I love these kinds of reports! Thanks and where are you going to next?

[William]

extras, thank for the memories. It brought so many back, I hope you don't mind:

Gooooooood, morning - where





That famous and fab puppet show






the, now famous, HB





never did work out what this was...





and the lovely fishy people..





and then there's the temple itself



followed by the house



and the 'granny' annex





communist live well, but the darlings are always the people