These are the tourist scams Trzly has documented across Vietnam, grouped by destination. Each one is real, with a clear way to stay safe. Read before you land.
How it works: Touts at Da Nang airport approach arrivals claiming to be your booked ride-hailing car, or show an inflated 'VIP' price on a phone; a short trip that should cost around 50,000 dong is quoted at several times that.
How to avoid it: Book in the app, walk to the marked ride-hailing pickup point, and match the plate and driver name before getting in. Ignore anyone calling out 'taxi' or 'Grab' inside the terminal.
How it works: Some street taxis use a fast-running meter, take a longer route, or claim the meter is broken and name a high flat fare once they know you are a visitor.
How to avoid it: Use only well-known firms like Vinasun (white) or Mai Linh (green), watch the meter, and follow the route on your phone map. A ride-hailing app removes the problem by fixing the fare in advance.
How it works: Some seafood restaurants, especially along the beach, display no printed prices, then charge a very high 'market' rate by weight or slip extras onto the bill after you have eaten.
How to avoid it: Eat where per-kilo prices are clearly displayed, agree the exact weight and total before the food is cooked, and check the itemised bill. Busy places full of locals are usually safer.
How it works: Stalls and vendors without displayed prices, or those selling fruit, drinks and souvenirs near the sights, may quote foreigners several times the normal price.
How to avoid it: Ask the price before you buy, agree it clearly, and have small notes ready. A quick check at a nearby shop or convenience store shows you the fair rate.
How it works: Dong notes carry many zeros and the 20,000 and 500,000 notes look similar, so it is easy to hand over or be given the wrong note, sometimes to a vendor's advantage.
How to avoid it: Learn the note colours on arrival, count cash slowly, and keep large and small notes separate. Paying the stated amount and checking your change openly avoids almost all mistakes.
How it works: Some taxis use a meter that runs fast or take long detours, and unofficial drivers wait at the airport claiming to be your booked ride-hailing car, then charge far more.
How to avoid it: Book through a trusted app and match the car plate and driver name before getting in. In a street taxi use only well-known companies, watch the meter, and start a route on your phone.
How it works: A shoe shiner grabs your shoe or 'fixes' it unasked and then demands a high fee, or a street vendor lets you hold their carrying pole and photograph fruit, then charges a large sum for a small bag.
How to avoid it: Politely decline unrequested services and do not hand over your shoe or pose with a vendor's goods. If you want fruit, agree the price and see it weighed first.
How it works: A cyclo (pedal trishaw) driver quotes a low price, then claims it was per person, per minute or in a different currency at the end, sometimes with the help of others.
How to avoid it: Agree a clear total price and route in writing or on a calculator before you sit down, carry small notes, and pay only the agreed amount calmly.
How it works: Some venues add dishes you did not order, charge for 'free' snacks or wet towels placed on the table, or inflate the total, especially for groups after drinks.
How to avoid it: Check prices before ordering, refuse extras you did not ask for, and go through the itemised bill before paying. Choose places that print clear prices.
How it works: At Cam Thanh, touts flag you down claiming the official dock is closed or offering a 'VIP' ride, then lead you to a private spot and charge several times the real price. Rowers may also demand extra money to spin the basket or a large tip at the end.
How to avoid it: Book a fixed-price basket-boat ticket online or through your hotel in advance, walk past the hustlers and show your booking. Agree clearly that spinning and any tip are optional, and settle on the total before you get in.
How it works: A tailor quotes a low price, then substitutes cheaper fabric than the sample you chose, adds charges at pickup, or delivers a poor fit with no time left to fix it before you leave.
How to avoid it: Use an established shop with reviews, confirm the exact fabric and final price in writing, and pay a deposit rather than the full amount up front. Allow a day or two for fittings and alterations, and inspect the finished garment before paying the balance.
How it works: A cyclo driver offers a cheap-sounding tour of the old town, then at the end demands a far higher fare, claiming the quote was per person, per hour, or did not include certain streets.
How to avoid it: Agree the full price, the route and the duration before you set off, ideally writing the number on a phone screen so both sides see it. Hand over only the agreed amount and keep small notes ready to avoid change disputes.
How it works: Boat sellers along the river quote a per-person price to tourists that is several times the normal per-boat rate, or start the ride and then ask for more to go further or to include lanterns.
How to avoid it: Remember the boat is hired as a whole, not per head, and agree the price and length of the ride first. Buy floating lanterns separately at the stated small price, and do not pay extra once you are already on the water.
How it works: A freelance motorbike or car driver waiting near the old town or the beach quotes a vague price and then asks for much more on arrival, especially late at night or in the rain.
How to avoid it: Use the Grab app, which fixes the fare in advance, rather than flagging a driver on the street. If you do take a street ride, agree the exact price clearly before getting on and have the correct change ready.
How it works: Because Cam Ranh airport is about 35km from the city, some drivers quote a high flat fare, avoid the meter, or approach you inside the terminal with a 'special' price that turns out to be well above the normal rate.
How to avoid it: Use only the official taxi rank outside arrivals, agree the fare before setting off, or take the far cheaper Route 18 airport bus. A ride-hailing app fixes the price in advance and removes the argument entirely.
How it works: Island-hopping tours sold on the street or by touts can carry hidden extras, skip promised stops, or turn out to be a cramped party boat quite different from what was described, with snorkel gear or the 'seafood lunch' charged again on board.
How to avoid it: Book through a hotel or an established operator with clear reviews, get exactly what is included in writing, and confirm the boat, stops and any extra fees before you pay. Be wary of a price that looks far too cheap.
How it works: Some seafood restaurants, especially near the beach, do not display prices, then charge tourists a very high amount per kilo, inflate the weight, or add dishes and drinks nobody ordered to the bill.
How to avoid it: Eat where prices per kilo are clearly shown, confirm the weight and total for live seafood before it is cooked, and check the bill against what you ordered. Busy local places are usually both better value and more honest.
How it works: Walking beach vendors offer a cheap massage or manicure, then keep adding extras and quote a far higher total at the end, or a spa advertises a low price that balloons once you are inside.
How to avoid it: Agree the exact service and final price before anything starts, and say no clearly if you are not interested. Booking a fixed-price treatment at a reputable spa avoids the pressure altogether.
How it works: The dong runs into the hundreds of thousands and the notes look alike, so it is easy to confuse a 500,000 note with a 20,000 one or to be handed short change by a vendor counting on the mix-up.
How to avoid it: Learn the note colours on arrival, count your change before walking off, and keep small denominations handy. Paying the stated amount slowly and openly avoids almost all confusion.