Pre Arranging a Airport Taxi pick up - Ho Chi Minh Airport

HCMC/SaiGon AIRPORT TAXI'S
Tan Son Nhut airport is a taxi honey trap except it is operated by the airport owners - a government agency.

With 11,000 taxis operating during the day ime and over 1,400 operating throughout the night there is NEVER a need to book a taxi, apart from the fact it's near impossible.

After you collect your baggage, GO TO THE EXCHANGE BUREAU, which is located near the exit doors on the arrivals level. $20 of VN Dong is quite adequatee.

You can take the luggage trolley outside the building. As you leave the terminal building you will see A MASS OF WHITE TAXIS. AVOID THESE AS THEY SUPER CHARGE YOU.

Instead turn to the LEFT, as you leave the building, and walk to the end of the terminal forecourt where you exchange trolleys (free) then walk gown the covered pathway to the DOMESTIC (old) terminal where you will find taxi greeters, who speak English, and they even give you a paper with your cab number on it in case you have a complaint.

VINA TAXI (yellow) are the safest and most honest (Singaporean owned) followed by MAI LINH (green or white taxis) or the WORST 0 VinaSun (white) - unsafe at any speed.

ALWAYS take TAXI PLATE NUMBERS, and company [b]NUMBERS, when in VietNam.[/b]

IF the cabby puts your baggage in the REAR when you arrive at your DESTINATION, DO NOT GET OUT UNTIL THE DRIVER DOES - avoids baggage theft.

Notes: 1. No part of DOWNTOWN costs more than VND100,000 (except using WHITE AIRPORT TAXI'S)l
2. NEVER use a taxi OTHER THAN THOSE NAMED because of pirates. ALWAYS check TAXI LOGO'S - (PIRATES use MAGNETIC SIGNS - which can be removed). Again - choices are VIBA (yellow) - MAI LINH (green or white) - VINASUN (white) - last resort.

There NO SURCHARGES on AIRPORT TAXI FARES - they used but no more. If asked, just check at the hotel and they will straighten the driver out.

BY VN LAW: Everyone HAVE TO ACCEPT DONG; Every VENDOR has to give CORRECT CHANGE.

If a taxi driver says NO CHANGE - just say MIEN PHI (free) and suddenly they will find change.

HA NOI (Noi Bai) AIRPORT
Ha Noi airport is worse than SaiGon. (So much for being a 'Communist' country - taxis in China obey the law) assume ALL airport taxis are crooks. If you MUST use a taxi use MAI LINH (green or white) OR DELUXE (white).

NEVER TELL ANYONE inside the airport WHERE YOU ARE GOING.

INSTEAD go outside and locate the VIETNAM AIRLINES SHUTTLE bus which will take you to HOAN KIEM LAKE and there you get a taxi to your hotel.

NEVER, EVER ask a taxi driver to FIND A HOTEL. ALWAYS DEMAND you get taken to YOUR HOTEL. WATCH OUT if a cabby uses his cell phone (he might be arranging for a white jacketed friend you meet you to say NO ROOM!) so ALWAYS GO to the RECEPTION DESK. If the hotel IS REALLY full, they will locate an equivalent room for you.

When you enter the hotel you might be followed by a VN person - he will ask for a COMMISSION from the hotel which you will get to pay, one way or another.

OTHER CITY AIRPORTS
Ban Me Thuot - taxi
Cam Ranh Bay - taxi to CRB BUT SHUTTLE to Nga Trang
Can Tho - taxi
Da Nang - taxi to city; SHUTTLE to Hoi An
Hue - SHUTTLE to city (15 kilometres) and it might take you to Pilgrim's Resort (en route) if you ask nicely
Hai Phong - taxi

Again: NEVER leave a cab until the driver gets out if you gave luggage; ALWAYS make a note of CAB PLATE and LOGO numbers ALWAYS demand change (if you want to tio, do so ONLY after you get change).

Please do not hit our taxi drivers. An Australian had an argument with a driver, so he grabbed his bag and got out. The cabby got out and grabbed his bag]; the Australian punched the driver who fell backwards and cracked his head on the sidewalk, Dead on the scene. Australian arrested and charged with murder.

If you have a dispute with a cabby take his badge number.plate.logo number and complain to his office OR just remain in the cab holding open - he will not move.

Most cabbies are 'hit and run' artists, one even tried to drive away with a traffic cop on his hood!

If this is a 'Communist' country consider that when SaiGon companies first invaded Ha Noi, the Ha Noi cab companies used to jam radio frequencies and they even had transmitters giving false passenger pick-up info on SaiGon company frequencies! Wouldn't happen in China.

P.S. Most cabbies are ordinary working stiffs but there is a higher than usual number of crooks.

(Not all this is for you, Mr. Google will pick it up!)