Backpacking in Vietnam
Vietnam left me a jaded traveler. I spent 6 weeks in Vietnam, and on almost a daily basis, I knew I was being scammed, taken advantage of, or not getting my money’s worth, and there was very little I could do about it. When a common way of starting a conversation with fellow travelers is to swap “how I got scammed in Vietnam” stories, there is definitely a trend.
In truth, these 6 weeks were the lowest of my travels so far. Constant illness plagued my friend, Leo, and I, and colored my vision of this country. On top of being sick and tired of constantly defending ourselves against scams, we were literally sick and tired. It made the sting of the scam hurt even more. If I only think about Vietnam, it is a gray blur and my memories are vague and foggy. But when I go through my (+1,200) pictures of my time there, my face is constantly alight with a smile or a laugh. My memories become defined, bold, and full of life. I had the best and the worst time in Vietnam, and that is the honest truth.
Would I go back? YES! 100%. There are places I want to return to and new places I want to explore. The food, the coffee, and the locals are some of the best from my travels so far.
Would I ever travel as a backpacker there again? NO! 100% never again. As a backpacker, the transportation, accommodation, tours, and restaurants that I visit are all run by locals. That means a trend of being scammed highly affects me. I am not a stingy traveler. I am fine paying a little extra. But paying twice as much is not cool. Paying for and being guaranteed a seat on the bus but then having to sit on the floor for hours because the bus was overbooked (by about 10 people) is frustrating. Being lied to constantly about the price or quality and then finding out I did not get what I had paid for is crossing a line. It happened so often that I ended up mistrusting any local that was involved in a money transaction with me. Unless there was a printed price, I was most likely paying more than I should have been paying. It was exhausting and disappointing.
A brief side note: Fellow travelers have told me it is racism, but 1) I am very hesitant to use that label in general, 2) I had way too many interactions with locals who were extremely kind and generous to me, and 3) I saw locals paying too much as well. From my experience, I believe that it is an accepted business practice in Vietnam. If an opportunity to get more money is available (for example, a person does not know the correct price, the price is not formally printed, or a person has no choice but to use a certain service), this opportunity is taken advantage of; firmly and without repentance.
Therefore, In Vietnam, you HAVE to travel smart. You have to do your research and know exactly which taxi company/travel agency/tourist attractions/experiences to partake in. Fellow backpackers are your best resource – they will tell you what is not worth your money or effort as they are on similar budgets and are being treated similarly. You have to pick your battles and know when arguing will get you a fairer price or get you purposely left kilometers from your intended bus stop. You have to accept that sometimes you can do everything within your power and you will still buy pants that rip after two wears, take a tour where you spend way more time on the bus than actually touring, and get in a taxi whose meter miraculously jumps up 50,000 dong all on its own. You have to take a breath and accept these moments (because they will happen).
And then let the breath out and remember the AirBNB hosts that welcomed you to join in their family’s Chinese New Year feast. Also the guides on the free bicycle tour who were enthusiastic and friendly and wanted to practice their English. Or the girl behind the hostel desk who personally took Leo on her moped to the local doctor, translated for him, and helped him get medicine when he was painfully ill in bed. That stranger who saw me looking at a map and stopped to ask how she could help me find my way. Those are the memories that are clearest in my mind, with or without the pictures.
Though Vietnam has been the most trying country that I have traveled thus far, it also made me a smarter and more seasoned traveler. Hence, this is where I leave my negative comments. Vietnam may have made me temporarily jaded, but there is so much beauty and culture and adventure to experience in this country. It is possible to enjoy it all, but you have to travel with awareness. That is what I focus on and want to share with you. So stay tuned – the good stuff is yet to come!