Hanoi, Vietnam-How To Avoid Tourist Scams And Overcharging

I love Hanoi! It’s one of my favorite cities in Southeast Asia. The Old Quarter, French Quarter, and Hoan Kiem Lake hold some of the most charm, intrigue, and atmosphere in the whole region. But being overcharged or taken on a scam can taint your stay so I put this video together on my last visit in order to help you be prepared.
Actually many of these incidents don’t usually involve big dollars but no one wants to be taken no matter how little it is. Sometimes the baguette ladies will try to charge you double, which is usually only 5000VND more or 20 cents but it’s still double what you should be paying! As I said in the video most of these people are misguided or desperate and are often only trying to make some quick money to put food on the table. One other scam I did not include in the video are massage places that give you a price but then subsequently charge ridiculous fees for ad ons that feel like freebies, like water or tea. If you do a search on Trip Advisor or other platforms there are trustworthy places in Hanoi.
Mostly it’s just common sense and being very clear how much something costs and in what currency. I’ve been to Vietnam 4 times in the last two years and it’s just something I naturally do when I’m there. Most often hotels and tour companies will always quote you a price in US dollars so I automatically ask them to give me the price in VND. That way you can check the conversion rate before you agree to anything. 

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