ATM's and money matters

Picking which atm to use initially doesn't seem like a big deal,  after all a few thousand dong extra in fees doesn't seem that bad.  But when you remember that your bank will also be charging you (even if you are using a travel card often they have atm fees). Plus over a couple of weeks it adds up!

 

VIETNAM

Best pick
MB
White buildings with blue writing
NO ATM'S FEES- and this atm allowed me to withdraw 5 million dong in each transaction. 
Gives 1 million of withdrawal as small notes
In hoi an most ATM's only allow 2 million per transaction,  MB stills allows 5

 

ACB
30k fee on atm
Varies between ATM's how much you can withdraw.  2 or 3 million per withdrawal.  In hoi an they only allow 2 million. 

 

Agribank ATMs

Maroon and white.

Allows withdrawals of 2 Million (I have never been able to take more than that). The best thing about Agribank is that they give you at least 1 mill in small denominations, 20K -> 100K. This is super useful if you are getting spending money out. Most shops will get angry if you give them 500K and market stalls or small businesses just wont even accept it.

 

Cambodia

100% the most useful ATM is Canadabank. They won't charge you fees (as long as  the money is in USD. If it is a different currency you will get conversion fees). The problem is that you get most $20 or $50 bills, but if you go in branch they will actually change the money to lower denominations for you for free, so that was pretty awesome!

 

Once I discovered these ATMs, I didn't use any others!

 

The currency advice is that if you do take a chunk of money in local currency, and ask people at markets the price in riel, they will either work out the price in USD and then convert it, or sometimes they can't do that maths in their head and will quote you a closer to cambodian price.... so you end up paying less.

For hotels, tours, and big purchases you will be quoted in USD. You may as well use these as at least if you have money left over you can spend it in other countries and it's free to get from ATMs. But keep that small change for buying water, snacks etc. Don't stress too much about changing money, often if you pay a hotel in USD, your change will be in Riel - just watch that exchange rate for any weirdness!

popular traveler scams to avoid

So this guide to tourist scams is doing the rounds, and I thought I would add it here for your information.... and comment on a few that I have been privy to first hand!
Nothing is as bad as realizing later that you got scammed by someone - so read up before you go and avoid the hassle!

Be aware of the scams - but try not to be too defensive, or scared, or worried. Most people I come across (particularly outside tourist areas) are genuinely excited and interested to meet westerners. Lots want to practice their English and do just want to talk to you. Sure - be aware of what's going on... but be friendly, interact with people, learn a few words in Vietnamese and everyone will be VERY impressed and friendly. If you get too caught up in will-I-be-scammed fear you just wont be able to enjoy your holiday at all!

The friendship bracelet:
This is massive in Cambodia. Particularly the waterfront / street 172 in Phnom Penh. Mostly children trying to sell the bracelets while you are walking or eating. DO NOT BUY THESE! the poverty line in Cambodia is about $1 a day. So if people are paying kids 1 - 2 dollars for a bracelet - and I am sure more than one person would be..... why would that child ever give up the trade to go to school. The problem is the kids eventually get bigger, and are no longer cute. People stop buying the bracelets. The kids cant return to school even if they realise they should as they are too far behind. So instead they usually turn to crime.
DO NOT BUY STUFF FROM KIDS! either they are being trafficked specifically to sell things for a central person (because people pity kids and buy stuff they wouldn't buy from an adult), so in this case buying from them encourages this form of child trafficking and slavery. Or they keep the money and do not go to school.

Give your money to a REPUTABLE charity, or spend the extra dollars eating somewhere like friends, or purchasing gifts at a not for profit.



Women with rosemary:
This isn't limited to Madrid. All of Spain has these women! My brother and I were walking in Granada and were accosted by these women. They took us separately aside and told our fortunes (in rapid Spanish). We don't really look alike and it seems they assumed we were a couple... the fortune telling was awkward! And our sister in law is Spanish so we could understand enough to understand that we are apparently having 2 babies. Unlikely!
My brothers method was to learn the Spanish for "Get away devil woman."... and "witch" and yell that when they tried to grab him.
I learn how to say "but you said no money!"  (they always start by saying no money.... then after the fortune demand money) and let them go through the entire shabang - and when they start asking for money calmly say, but you said no money and give them back the rosemary. Our different methods entertained us and meant we almost hoped people came up and tried to scam us :P

The overnight bus
If you are going on ANY bus you should really not leave anything valuable in your luggage ever, and have padlocks on your bag. People are able to undo zips and then redo them up if the zips move around. So try to buy a bag that has the lock built in so the zips wont slide around when locked. Or sew a key ring into the bag, and put the padlock through this as well. But mostly, keep your valuables on your person and tuck them into bed with you!

Charity petition
We were accosted outside the Louvre in Paris and asked to donate money for the deaf mute society. They had a list of names, emails, and amounts donated. I have no idea if the people already listed were made up to make it look more real (and make you feel like you should donate 10-40 Euros like the people before you) or if other people were getting suckered. Just look a little closely, they had lanyards..... but the "ID cards" were just bits of paper. The thing you signed to get your receipt (they would send it later apparently) was very very badly photocopied, and the clip boards were pieces of cardboard.
Also, because they were deaf mute you couldn't question them!
Interestingly.... none knew sign language (I do!)

Milk scams
A woman with a tiny, thin, dirty baby (I swear, one I saw was actually a dirty doll!) will either be on the street and follow you / grab your arm. Or be sitting on the ground with the child on her lap. She will tell you she doesn't want money, just milk for her baby. She will point you to a shop where you can buy powdered or bottled milk (the powdered milk can be $20+) and once you are gone she will return the milk to the store and split the money with the shop keeper.
This scam also encourages women to keep their children dirty, thin and sick.

Taxi Scams 
be very wary of taxi's, particularly in Hanoi. ALWAYS ask your hotel how much it should cost for a taxi to where ever you are going. Use the meter and if it seems to high (usually the rigged meters will make it WAY high, like 2 or even 5 times higher than it should be) refuse to pay unless they phone your hotel to explain. The train station is the worst. We knew it cost 30 000 to get a taxi from the hotel, to the train station. On the return trip taxi drivers were quoting us 100 000 or more.
Some who saw us refusing and asking for meters were way to insistent that we get into their metered taxi (even though he was dirty, not in a uniform, and following us around shouting at us). We refused and kept walking until we found a calm, not shouty guy, with a meter.  It ended up costing us less than 30 000. Be patient, and don't get into the shouty man taxi!

The Green Taxi from "Mai Linh" and the white from "Vinasun" are good to use

The - I don't want to beg
In Cambodia I did become quite cynical. Particularly around people who would say (or have a sign that said) "I don't want to beg, please buy my book/bag/bracelet/whatever". Often they were disabled or old people. I also found that these were often outrageously expensive compared to any other person or place selling the same thing. Sometimes when you said, no I don't want that. they would rely with, well how about $1.
And I constantly saw people giving these people money without purchasing anything (the same 2 were always on the street I lived on for a month). One would even say his bags were made by a local orphanage and he sold them for the orphanage and the orphanage fixed the price at $5 (they were like, a change bag size, and really bad quality). When we didn't want it he told us that it costs him $5 for a bed for the night and he has nowhere to sleep can we buy one so he can sleep. The stories kept going on and on. So yeah, I am very suspicious of the I don't want to beg.... but if you don't something i sure will people!

The take my fruit ladies
Hanoi is full of women walking around selling fruit from baskets attached to a pole that goes over their shoulders. They will often walk up to you and shove the pole onto you, offer to take a photo - then demand money, or that you buy the fruit at a very high price.
Now - I often buy fruit from these women (because I like fruit)... but it is a good idea to ask someone how much it should cost. And, like always.... I personally refuse to buy anything from the ones who try to force me. Instead finding someone calm and respectful.
Of course - other tourists love the chance to have photos of themselves carrying the baskets - and that's fine if you want to. But do be aware you will probably be made to pay (or purchase) so ask how much a pineapple should cost first :P

Sapa followers 
Many women in traditional dress simply follow you around in Sapa. Personally, I don't really care if someone follows me for 4 hours - I am not going to then pity them and buy stuff. Especially seeing as I didn't engage during those four hours. But it must work to wear some people down or surely they wouldn't bother!
most of what they have to sell is cheap imports from China, not things made in their village. And once you buy one time.... you are marked to all the other women as someone who will buy. So maybe wait until the end of the trip if you really really want that scarf or whatever!

Copy cat hotels
I got tricked into breakfasting at the copy cat Queen hotel in Ninh Binh. Instead of what is apparently the best banana pancakes in Vietnam... I probably had the worst!
Be very wary of people waiting at the train station to lead to you the hotel. Likely they will lead you somewhere else.
 And if you are going in a taxi, know the address, and double check when you arrive. If it is the wrong street - show them..... then if they insist. Simply refuse to pay. They will tell you the hotel has moved, or is full and this is the sister hotel, or has shut down. but I would much rather go to the actual address (besides - I have booked and the hotel is actually full.....  then that hotel can pay for the taxi to the new one!).


But please note
In Buddist countries giving to the poor or disadvantaged is very usual. As is purchasing things (at reasonable prices, and when they don't harass) from people with disabilities. Many will sell lottery tickets, which isn't much use for tourists. But also fans, cards and bottles of water. As long as you have an idea of what these items should cost. Or you feel like the person is genuinely making a living from selling things - please please do buy from them! Hoi An has many people selling cards and fans - I personally refuse to buy anything from children ever (please see above re: schooling), but I do but cards and fans from various people with disabilities.

Should I travel Solo in Vietnam?

I am spending 9 months living in Vietnam and Cambodia and volunteering.... most of it on my own. As a result when I meet other people and they realise that I am alone, they constantly go on about how brave I am... or how risky it is to travel alone etc. etc.

I really annoys me. Because if I was male, no one would care that I was travelling alone.  Now don't worry.... this isn't going to be a rant about how women can do anything men can do better....  I just want to make women who have been listening to those doubtful people know - IT IS FINE!

Travelling alone fear #1 walking alone

Yeah, it is true... I don't go out walking alone at night time in dodgy streets or alleyways. Not in Danang where I live, not when I am travelling to other towns. But here's a secret.... I don't go out walking alone late at night in Australia!
 

I don't walk around particularly poor areas any time of the day with my flashy expensive camera out, or waving my phone around either. But this is honestly just common sense! and anyone who is going to attack you if you happened to walk past them alone, is probably just as likely to attack you if you were with another person anyway. So just be sensible and don't walk around at 2am drunk as a skunk in dodgy suburbs. Easy..

If you are worried about being alone, stick with the busy parts of town. Don't stress too much though, people in Vietnam have a sleep in the middle of the day. Which means at 10 or 11pm there are often still plenty of people (even kids!) out on the streets. Many shops don't close until 9pm, so if you are worried about being able to go out for dinner... it will be fine!

If you are walking along late at night, you might have men come up to you offering all sorts of things. Usually to drive you to a party club, or drugs. Just say no and if they keep talking loudly say GET AWAY (say it calmly, don't scream it though!). This has always worked for me. If you half heartedly say no, worried about offending, they will think this means you actually want it - and keep harassing. In fact the only time in 9 months of solo travel that I felt slightly nervous was when I did go out at night, and stayed out until far later than I had intended. As my hotel was only at the end of the street and there were people close by I felt fine to walk alone. half way along the street four or five men were getting far too close to me, they were just trying to offer moto rides home, drugs and god knows what else. But when I firmly said no, get away from me, they left me alone.

Also, when walking along, smile at people and say hello (or xin chao). Don't avoid looking at anyone for fear they might attack.... just enjoy it. Plus, if you are being friendly and smiling and saying hello to people.... and anything bad does happen - from someone robbing you to falling down a hole. Someone is going to come help! They liked you, they want to help. If you avoid looking at them and try to be assertive and aggressive.... much less likely to come to your aid!

Thinking realistically. Yes, there are probably men here who would, given the chance, rape or rob someone alone. Just like in any other country. But most of them are smart enough not to target tourists. That is going to cause a hellava stink. Police and international agencies sniffing around. Vietnam has only recently stopped the death penalty for rape of adults in Vietnam. But I am thinking a long stint in prison here is not going to be pleasant.... and death penalty as unreported to international organisations is always a potential. So any potential rapist is going to prefer to target someone less likely to have the means to hunt them down. Probably poor local women. I know that sounds harsh and terrible. But honestly, that's the truth. Most scams focus on getting you to part willingly with your money, or taking it with you never seeing them - these crimes are unlikely to be reported to police, and if so very hard to track. Anything more serious though will be taken very seriously, and is likely to end very poorly for the person in question.

Travelling alone fear #2, I'll get ripped off

Why? why are you more likely to get ripped off? You are just as able to research the average price of things as anyone else. Yes, maybe because you are alone (male or female), people will try to charge you more. But honestly I have heard more from big groups about all their problems with overcharging than from solo travellers. This fear is definitely not justified!

Travelling alone fear #4 - I'll get mugged

alright, if you are alone (man or woman) you are potentially more likely than a group to get robbed. Maybe.

But again - just use common sense. If you have a handbag, keep it tucked in close to you or under you jacket. Don't dangle it from you arm or leave it in your bike basket. 

Don't put things down on the table at a cafe without holding them. e.g. leaving you DSLR sitting on the table while you eat.... that's just asking for it to get stolen! 

Don't advertise all the great things you have. - Yes, use your good camera to take awesome photos... but instead of then walking around with it dangling from your neck.... just tuck it back in that bag. If you are going to use a phone... maybe leave the iphone at home and bring a old phone (ask around, I am sure someone you know has an old, phone with a cracked screen or something).

All these tips.... Are really the same things you would be doing in London, or Sydney or anywhere else to avoid having your holiday ruined. So don't stress about travelling to Asia.

Travelling alone fear #4 - actually, I don't even know?

Um, I am out of ideas.... comment any fears you might have??

Other tips

Clothes

Vietnam is a progressive country, it isn't somewhere that women are hidden away and made to wear covers in public. In fact at some of the more popular modern cities women do wear tight or revealing clothes or bikinis.

However, it is still conservative and if you walk around in a mini skirt or tiny pants.... people will see that as being provocative. you might get more comments or leers than you would if you dress modestly! Yes, in some places they have huge numbers of tourists and are used to bikinis and singlets. But in rural areas wear a t shirt and decent pants and you will be fine.

Please PLEASE if you go to a temple or pagoda. YOU MUST wear pants or a skirt longer than you knees (or fully long for men) and clothes that cover your shoulders. To bare excessive skin is so hugely rude and it really makes me cringe every time I see tourists walking around in mini skirts and singlets in a pagoda.

So please, don't be that douchebag! If you think you might go to a pagoda, just take a scarf to cover up.

Comments

Sometimes, while walking along I have groups of boys yell comments from the back of a bike. unlike the crude comments you might get in Australia though, these are usually more like: I love you, you are beautiful etc. So don't get yourself in a tiz about some kids having a laugh.... just laugh it off and keep going! Even better - learn how to respond in a not rude, but funny way in Vietnamese. This will give everyone a laugh and definitely ease the tension.

Tours
If you are unsure - you might find yourself constantly worrying and so not enjoying yourself as much as you should! in that case the whole trip could be ruined. So maybe do think about heading out with an organised tour. You won't have to stress about being alone, you will get to meet lots of new people (some you might even make lasting friendships with.... others I bet you will wish didn't exist). Or if groups tours are not your thing.... I know they are not my thing - I honestly can't think of a worse way to travel! Try the easy riders around Vietnam. They are motorbike riders who do private tours, you can go alone or in a group and because you are pillion passenger (or rider if you are able) on a bike there is no extra cost for being alone (unlike those group tours!). You get to pick where you want to go, and what you want to see, but they will be able to offer some great ideas and itinerary suggestions. It is just as safe as getting into any taxi or hotel - in all cases you need to trust the person. Check out my other post on here about the Easyrider tours, specifically Mr Uyen who I have travelled with on a number of occasions.

Also check out my post of common scams - this can offer some more information about what risks you might have in Vietnam and how to avoid!