Security in Vietnam

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General information

Vietnam is one of the ten safest places in Eurasia. By and large, this is due to the rather strict administrative and police regime (remember the USSR), as well as the traditional hospitality and goodwill of the inhabitants of Vietnam. There is practically no religious fanaticism, racial prejudice, inadequate aggression. Serious crimes are very rare and are a real emergency for the local population.

Nevertheless, there are typical non-serious crimes that should be feared. These are usually thefts. They mostly originate in malls, markets, hotel rooms, or luggage. Thieves target cell phones, cameras, wallets or money. Violent crimes-robberies or robberies-are extremely rare.

Police car in Vietnam

In case of theft of valuables, money or documents, you must contact the police. In case of loss of documents, you also, first of all, need to contact the police for a certificate that you will need to restore documents when contacting the embassy. The location of the nearest police station can be found at the hotel or from passers-by, or simply contact a policeman on the street.

The main problem is always and everywhere petty theft and importunity of local residents. Private traders and ordinary citizens are always trying to sell something at a "speculative price", and they do it with amazing persistence, and in the most unexpected places. Getting rid of their attention is not easy, while even buying something, it is not easy to achieve change. Cases of outright fraud are not uncommon, when, for example, they begin to demand money from you for services or goods that you did not ask for, or fraud in currency exchange. For the safety of personal property, the usual security measures should be taken.

Rickshaw rides after dark should be avoided. In no case should you carry large amounts of money and documents, especially when visiting crowded places or markets. Try to keep money and documents in the hotel safe. Just in case, you can have a copy of your passport with you. For greater reliability, you can place a scanned passport and a Russian passport on the internet, for example, in your mailbox. So you can access them at any time, the Internet in Vietnam is almost on every corner.

Also keep in mind that the Vietnamese language is quite complex, many words, even the names of some specific places or streets, are pronounced in two or three variants, so even an "English-speaking" local resident is completely incomprehensible to a foreigner (and vice versa). Russian, which used to be highly respected here, is now almost not used (however, the same story with French). When moving around the city, it is recommended to write down the names of the necessary points in Vietnamese and show this "guide" to local residents, no one usually refuses to help.

Commercialization in Vietnam has reached literally incredible heights. For everything and everywhere they demand a fee, and often illegally (parking, driving on bridges and roads). In many tourist places, the importunity of "sellers" simply exceeds all imaginable norms, while if you satisfy the requests of one, 20-30 new petitioners immediately come to his place. Some Vietnamese are even ready to break something or sprinkle mud on a gaping tourist in order to immediately offer their "help" in repairing or cleaning. Therefore, nowhere and never should you succumb to even the most innocent at first glance proposals. In large resort areas, it has come to the point that local traditions and Customs give way to the previously hated Western culture, including the unprecedented American one.

But do not be afraid to spend money in Vietnam, you just need to adapt a little and follow a few simple rules that will help you save it:

• Everywhere and always bargain and compare prices. "Simpletons tourists" prices are called two to three times higher than for locals. The price on the market for souvenirs is really knocked down 2-3 times.
• Do not agree to all sorts of unnecessary services and assistance, as they can then suddenly ask for money.
• Always when buying, exchanging money, paying for services, bargaining with a taxi driver about the price of a trip, ask the exact final price several times, and ideally write it on paper or a piece of paper and get confirmation that everything is correct. Otherwise, an additional commission or extra zeros may be added to the amount you verbally negotiated.
• Try to pay for services without delivery, as sometimes you can not get change.

Read also information about ways safety of money and documents during travel and about wiring and fraud in Vietnam.

Health / vaccinations

According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, mandatory vaccinations are not required to travel to Vietnam. But it is recommended to follow a number of important rules:

• Never drink raw water. Water from the minibar can also be diluted from the tap. Always buy water in plastic bottles – it is sold almost everywhere. Before buying, carefully inspect the bottle-check the safety of the plastic stopper and the protective shell around it.
• Do not eat unwashed vegetables and fruits. Wash them with boiled or disinfected water.
• Do not drink beverages and fresh fruit juices with ICE – ICE can contain disease-causing bacteria.
• Do not buy food on street stalls, try to dine in restaurants and cafes, obviously popular with locals and other tourists.
• Avoid excessive exposure to the sun, take sunscreen and glasses that absorb ultraviolet radiation.
• To enter the country, medical insurance is not required, but it is better to purchase it. Infectious diseases such as malaria and tropical fever must be included in the insurance. Despite the fact that in large cities and resorts of the coast these diseases are not common, in the tropical forest zone (rural areas) the probability of their occurrence is very high.
• If you are going to travel through the jungle in the Mekong Delta, you should take preventive measures against malaria. The safest tool is "Lariam". Another good tool - "doxycycline". Take one tablet a day one week before the trip, during the trip and for four weeks after returning (read the instructions carefully and consult your doctor before use).

Important: observe the above precautions. In case of illness, immediately contact the hospital, notify the representative of the embassy of the Russian Federation and the representative of the insurance company. All costs associated with possible treatment must be paid or reimbursed by the insurer (not a travel company), according to the terms of medical insurance.

Vietnam ambulance

Traffic / recommendations for pedestrians. Transport rental

Traffic in Vietnam, as in Russia-right-hand.

In large cities, traffic lights, signs and markings on the road are installed everywhere. Sometimes in tourist areas in the evening even close some sections for traffic, designating them with the sign "Walking street", and it is impossible to get there even by bicycle and even tourists. Despite this, the movement in Vietnam is quite chaotic and the rules are violated everywhere and by everyone. Especially dangerous is the traffic in big cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Nha Trang. Before you get behind the wheel yourself in such cities, think several times. The situation is much simpler in small towns and resort places, it is quite easy to cope with traffic, but you need to be more careful and attentive than when moving at home.

Traffic policeman in Vietnam

Here is how one experienced traveler described the movement in Vietnam:"the principle works "smaller skips larger". And I miss all the buses, even multi-ton trucks. ie if the bus flies into the oncoming lane-on the side of the pinched all! Motobikers in any case are obliged to change lanes if a car leaves the oncoming lane"

When crossing the road in Vietnam, you must adhere to the rule: never make sudden movements from side to side, do not rush in front of transport. Be prepared for the fact that no one will miss you anywhere, even at a pedestrian crossing or even a traffic light. To cross the road, you just need to slowly and calmly move perpendicular to the road and the flow of traffic, like water in a river, will simply go around you. Take a closer look at how the Vietnamese Cross the road and do the same. The main thing is not to panic and not to fuss.

Russian rights (even international) do not apply here, so renting a car and motorcycle with an engine capacity of more than 49 cubic centimeters by tourists who do not have a driver's license issued in Vietnam is excluded. You can rent a low-power moped or scooter, the engine capacity of which is less than 46 cubic meters.see, or a bicycle with an electric motor, for which rights are not required at all. The rights of foreigners here are almost not checked, but in case of violation of traffic rules or getting into an accident, a foreigner will definitely be found guilty. An alternative to renting a car would be to rent a car with a driver, which would cost almost the same as renting a car without a driver.

The best alternative to a motorcycle and even a car for advanced tourists is a bicycle. But here you should be especially careful-motorcycles and cars will pass within a centimeter of you, all of you will constantly honk in the back of your head (and not only you, here everyone honks to everyone). After a few hours of practice, you can quite join the flow and move around calmly, but do not lose your vigilance: it is better to transfer the bike across the road on foot or pass a dangerous area on the sidewalk than to be under the wheels.

When cycling on the road, it is also important to try not to make any sudden movements on the road and keep to the right side. Drivers in Vietnam are just simple and will calmly go around you if you do not interfere with them and shun right and left on the road.

Automobile fuel in Vietnam is sold everywhere (thanks to the wide distribution of motorcycles). Some problems may arise with AI-95 gasoline.

As for parking, even in large cities they are not numerous. Drivers leave cars along the roads. As a rule, the cost of parking within a few hours is 10000-2002 VND for a car and 2000-5000 for a motorcycle. Free parking is available in major shopping centers. In addition, almost all restaurants offer the service of free parking of visitors ' cars. Highways linking the provinces are toll-free. Payment is made at the entrance to the highway on special malls, but motorcycles do not pay anything.

Useful phone numbers, embassy contacts

Embassy in Hanoi

• Address: Hanoi, Lathan Street, 191 (191, La Thanh street, Hanoi)
• Phone number: (844) 3833-69-91, (844) 3833-69-92
• Fax: (844) 3833-69-95
• E-mail: kons_hanoi@inbox.ru
• Website: http://www.vietnam.mid.ru

Consulate General in Moscow Ho Chi Minh City

• Address: 40 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan street (40, Ba Huyen Thanh Quan street, Hochimin)
• Phone: (848) 930-39-36
• Fax: (848) 930-39-37
• E-mail: cgrushcm@fmail.vnn.vn

Consulate General in Moscow Danang

• Address: 22 Changfu Street (22, Tran Phu Street, Danang)
• Phone: (84511) 382-23-80, 381-85-28
• Fax: (84511)381-85-27
• E-mail: consdanang@dng.vnn.vn

Useful phones in Vietnam:

113-police;
114-fire service;
115-emergency medical care;
116-telephone directory.