Ho Chi Minh City Warnings Or Dangers Tips by ValbyDK

Vendors outside the Sri Mariamman Hindu Temple

The Sri Mariamman Hindu Temple is located at Truong Dinh Street - close to the Ben Thanh Market. Outside the temple where are vendors selling oil, incense, candles, flowers etc. When you enter the temple they will handle out incense sticks and candles for offering to the gods – and then demand a ridiculous amount of money when you leave the temple.

My friend and I visited the temple without a guide – and we were the only tourists around. We got a few offering gifts in our hands when we arrived and were charged 25 USD at the exit!!! I have no problems paying for the offering gifts – but charging 25 USD was way out of line… We refused and gave them 5 USD (which was still too much!), but the vendors were not happy and we were followed for a while and shouted at when we left. Not a happy experience… Later we spoke with a couple of Canadians who visited the temple with an official guide – and they were only changed 1USD!!!

Hustling cyclo-drivers Thieves & Beggers Review

My friend and I were approached by a couple of cyclo drivers just outside the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, and we agreed on paying them around 3 USD for a short trip to the Reunification Palace.

I have always thought that tuk-tuks and cyclos were a great form of transportation in the bigger Asian cities, and have never had any problems at all – but not this time…

The cyclo drivers didn’t take the direct route to the Palace, but they explained they wanted to show us the People Committee and an Indian Hindu Temple (read other warning). But when we were getting closer to the Reunification Palace the cyclo drivers took us into a back alley and now wanted around 75 USD for the half hour trip!!! The atmosphere was bad and we felt a little threatened - and ended up paying them 20 USD each to get away!!!

Before the trip, one of the drivers showed us a book with recommendations from other tourists – I now assume it was fake – or stolen…

Traffic Traffic Review

The traffic in Ho Chi Minh City is amazing but also very scaring. Cars and motorcycles everywhere and it looks like there are no rules, but somehow it works and the traffic seems to flow.

Scary the first few times you need to cross a road in Ho Chi Minh City, but just walk across in a slow and steady tempo. The best way to cross a road is to follow the lead of a local crossing… But, be very careful…