Staying Safe

An old Asia hand I know says this: "Your best insurance policy for any trip in Vietnam is to stay off motorbikes. Don't ride one yourself. Don't ride on the back. And watch out for them on the streets."

He's right, but the sad fact is that motorbikes and motorbike taxis are the best and most common way to get around most Vietnamese towns. In some cases a ride on a bike is the only choice for covering short city hops or getting to the bus station, for example. The decision is yours, of course, but be careful: Tuck your knees in, wear a helmet, and ask the driver to slow down (say "dii cham" or give a thumbs down gesture) if he gets going too fast.

The greatest danger to your safety when traveling Vietnam is, in fact, road travel: Getting around by car or bus means throwing your lot into a system where might is right, and the fastest vehicles or the ones that look and sound most like the apocalypse have the right of way. Even major highways are narrow and require a bit of "chicken" -- or "forced giving way" -- when opposing vehicles meet. An estimated 30 people die every day on roads in Ho Chi Minh alone.

The good news is that anonymous violent crime is almost nonexistent in Vietnam. Petty thievery and pickpocketing is an issue, but you'll have no problems if you practice some vigilance with valuables (keep passport and cash in a concealed travel wallet or in a hotel safe). Also, try to stick more to the well-traveled roads, especially at night -- walking down dark alleys is never safe in any country. In general, foreign visitors have no problems with crime in Vietnam unless they're doing something wrong themselves.

Vietnam is politically very stable, so don't worry about getting caught up in any insurgency, though tensions and mistrust do continue between Vietnam's ethnic hilltribe communities and the central Vietnam administration. Terrorism is nonexistent because the visa restrictions are so tight, and because anyone doing anything funny under the watchful eye of the Party -- and that means you -- just gets the boot. There have been a number of cases of journalists and members of evangelical religious denominations being detained and having materials confiscated. Whatever you're doing in Vietnam, just make it look like tourism and you should be okay.

Corruption in government on all levels is rife, and, if you find yourself talking with the local constabulary, know that you won't be "protected and served" in Vietnam, but "harassed and collected from." Road violations are usually handled with an expected small bribe at curbside, for example, and you can typically bribe your way out of -- or into -- any situation. In general, however, local law agents don't want anything to do with foreigners unless there is a clear road to a quick profit. If in doubt in any circumstance, contact your country's embassy or consulate.

Marijuana may appear legal in Vietnam considering its widespread availability -- especially in beach towns like Nha Trang -- but don't be fooled. The same guy who sold it to you collects a few dong for informing a crooked cop, who then collects his dong bounty and a few dollars from you -- or worse, jail time if you can't produce the requisite bribe. Not worth it.

Dealing with Discrimination

Western visitors of all races are treated as a collective oddity in Vietnam; no one gets particular attention, really. In certain rural parts, the arrival of a Westerner draws a crowd. Foreign visitors are greeted everywhere with spastic shouts of "Hello" -- often genuine, but for local kids, especially, it's usually something like shouting "punch buggy" when you see a Volkswagen. Say "Hi" back and you've made someone's day, but responding to everyone -- especially when it's not too genuine -- is a bit much. Vietnamese are motivated by a friendly curiosity with foreigners, and that often translates to pushing boundaries of physical space: tugging at arm hair (unusual for Vietnamese) or grabbing at your personal items (not to steal, just to see). It's okay to push people away, but know that Vietnamese are motivated by curiosity and operate under different definitions of personal space.

Women alone rarely run into any special problems in Vietnam, but all should take caution when alone at night. If unmarried, or traveling sans spouse, the pity is laid on pretty thick.

Gay travelers should note that there are laws against homosexuality in Vietnam, but the laws are more or less institutionalized prejudice -- and the impetus for harassment and police blackmailing scams. Raids on homosexual establishments are not uncommon. Beware of homosexual touts and escorts, many of whom act in cahoots with police on scams. A large gay culture does exist in the big cities, but it's kept well under the table.

Responsible Tourism

Tourists in Vietnam are a relatively new species, and it's important to respect local culture and try to minimize our impact on the country. In Vietnam, try to keep personal ideologies and political debate quiet. Vietnamese are proud of their triumph over outside threats, autonomy that came at a great cost in lives and suffering, and the doors are just opening after a long period of isolation (both because of external sanctions and internal policies). The common sentiment among Vietnamese, more than half of whom were born after the end of conflict with the United States, is to forget the past and push on into an ever brighter future, economically and socially. There are, however, many monuments to Vietnam's years of struggle. When visiting monuments to war -- or one of the many sights that depict or revisit the years of struggle against the Chinese, French, or Americans -- it's important to practice restraint. Refrain from jokes, try to go in smaller groups, and engage in debates or personal feelings in discreet tones or at a later time. In places like Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum in Hanoi, the monument to the My Lai Massacre in central Vietnam, at the tunnels of Cu Chi and Vinh Moch, in the Hanoi Hilton, or in the War Remnants Museum, discretion is not only requested, it's often enforced (visitors have been known to receive actual hand slaps and barked orders at Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, for example).

Our strongest impact as visitors is through our money and how we spend it. Giving gifts in Vietnam, particularly to young people or the many who approach foreign visitors with calls of help, is a double-edged sword. Where it might gratify in the short-term to help someone and fill a few outstretched hands with sweets or school supplies, it sets up a harmful precedent, and props up the image of foreign visitors as walking ATMs -- to be bilked, begged, and bamboozled at every turn. You will be followed and harried in Vietnam quite a bit, and in some areas, particularly Hanoi, the young book-and-postcard salesmen and touts are part of organized gangs and very persistent (although the hard-sell has lessened with the increased number of tourists). Saying a polite but firm "No" to persistent hawkers goes a long way to alleviating the problem.

Among Vietnam's ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands and the far north, be most careful about your impact. These are communities that are on the fringes of Vietnamese culture, distinct enclaves where ancient practices of animistic faiths still hold sway. Photographers should be sure to ask before snapping portraits or images of ceremonial sights; increasingly, asking for permission to photograph is met with pleas for money, but say "No" and move on. It's important not to assault locals with a camera, however uniquely attired and exotic they may be. Gifts of clothes or medicines might seem helpful but only diminish already-eroding ancient cultures and customs of clothing manufacture, where in fact one's clothing is an integral part of status in the community, and traditional medicines, erasing ancient traditions passed on from the time of migration from China. Learn about these people and their traditions as much as you can before traveling among them -- in fact, your knowledge about any place that you travel makes you less likely to make uncomfortable blunders. Keep an open mind, and be ready to learn, not teach. Below are a few good guidelines for environmental and cultural stewardship.

Don't litter: Sounds simple, but in a country where you will rarely find a public trash receptacle (most things are discarded on the street and swept up en-masse), it is difficult. As unimportant as it might feel to drop a gum wrapper, more important is your example of not dropping a gum wrapper. On rural hiking trails or in national parks, tie a garbage bag to the outside of your pack and pick up wrappers along the way. Don't preach, but if locals ask what you are doing -- and they certainly will -- explain that you are keeping the park clean and that it is something that anyone can do.

Wherever possible, try to support the local economy -- eat at local joints, buy essentials like bottled water and soap at small mom-and-pop shops instead of big air-conditioned department stores, even try public transport (if you are a hearty soul). Don't buy any animal products, even the likes of snake wines or lizard-skin bags, and try to find out if souvenirs are produced locally.

Your behavior as a tourist also reflects on the many tourists who will come after you. Set a good precedent, even when if doesn't feel important.