My rant about other people ranting about Vietnam.

I’m posting this message on this forum as generally it is one of the most positive areas to discuss Vietnam, a good sense of community, helpful people and information sharing.  It is going to be a bit of a rant, so please stop reading now if you don’t want to hear it.

I’m absolutely sick and tired of seeing all the negativity about this country that abounds on multiple other travel websites (Virtual Tourist, Tripadvisor etc).  If you believe the things that you read on some internet fora then coming to this country will involve you getting run over, shouted out, ripped off, violent illness from street food, lack of culture, be forced to eat a god and ultimately interned for life in the Cu Chi Tunnels.  (OK – the last one was a joke). 

General note to people – Yes Vietnam is different to your country! If you are from the US and expecting to walk into a shop or a restaurant and have someone greet you with a smile and a “How y’all doing, welcome to Phơ 24” then you are going to be severely disappointed. 

If you expect to have a perfect subway system, and calm and pleasant driving then you are going are disappointed. If you expect local businesses to be able to deal with you easily when you haven’t even bothered to write down or attempt to speak numbers in Vietnamese.  Europeans – this isn’t France, Germany or Italy where basic English (or fluency) can get you around without too much trouble. 

If you’ve come to Vietnam without doing the most basic of research that is open to everyone these days (google) and you get into a cab in Saigon that isn’t a MaLinh or VinaSun then frankly you deserve to be ripped off.  If you get in an illegal street cabs in London then you going to be ripped off in a similar way. 
I've lived here for six months now and I've had an overwhelmingly positive experience.  The Vietnamese are extremely friendly and helpful and I’ve had numerous situations where people have gone out of their way to help me.  My experience was the same from day one and is even more enriched now I can speak some of the language. 

I’ll agree that demeanour of some Viets can appear harsh and often the standard face can appear to moody – however this isn’t the case and if you even say Hello in Vietnamese then in the majority of situations the person you are interacting with respond positively.

I’ve ridden a motorbike round Saigon for the last six months without problem (touch wood) and sure there are some idiot drivers, just like every other country in the world) but there is a natural flow and rhythm to the traffic which takes a few days to get used to but then becomes easy to fit in with.  My commute is far superior to old train tube bus routine of last year. 

To my knowledge I’ve not been ripped off, which admittedly could be because the scam was so good I didn’t pick it up, but I’ve not even come closely to the feeling I’ve been screwed over.  NOTE TO PEOPLE – overpaying for goods because you are tourist in tourist areas is not being ripped off.  Overpaying because you are culturally uncomfortable or unskilled at negotiating is not being ripped off.  The old adage that something is as valuable as someone is willing to pay for it applies.  Here is a guarantee, if you buy something in Ben Thanh market then you will definitely see it somewhere else cheaper in Vietnam but Ben Thanh is fun! Enjoy it.  Smile laugh and walk away if you don’t think you are getting the best price.  There are multiple versions of each stall so shop around and get an idea of limits.

Most weekends I am in and around the central district and vendors and taxi’s have numerous options to rip me off, they don’t know I speak a bit of Viet, know exactly how much things should cost and know the routes too and from places.  NOTE TO PEOPLE – Saigon has a confusing system of one-way streets, so sometimes your cab will appear to be going a long way round, there is a very small chance it is, but in most cases I say that it isn’t.

When eating street food – go somewhere busy, go somewhere that appears clean.  Don’t order the cold river fish sorbet (I made that up) and be surprised when you get ill.  Most people on their first trip to Asia will get a dodgy stomach to some extent.  Bear in mind your stomach gets used to its country, when you travel EVERYTHING is different, the water, the beer, the coffee, the food.  It is hardly any doubt that you might get a bit sick. 

OK, I’m boring myself now by ranting.  This country is a wonderful, vibrant, energetic and rewarding place to live, I feel privileged to be a resident of Vietnam and to enjoy its people, culture, culinary joy. Come prepared and expecting something different and come with an open mind and positive attitude and you will be rewarded. 

P.S
One thing that does really annoy me is being beeped by motorbikes when I’m walking on the pavement and they are riding on the pavement.  (Nothing against riding on the pavement, I do it myself) but please don’t beep me!