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Travel Forum / Destinations / Asia / July 2008Vietnam - 6 Reasons to Come
Most people think of Vietnam as a war. But the old history has all gone Now peace and safety resides. It's opening to the world as a friendl and exotic place on earth to be. So why don't you think of coming. I'll name some of the reasons why yo should: 1. She's a new place. It's not touristy like in Thailand and man places you go, people got stunned by your appearance. 2. She's safe and friendly. The majority of people in Vietnam ar farmers, pure farmers. Many of them have never learnt of much apar from the village they were born in. Naturally, they're almost al friendly and safe to be around. Moreover, the communist government doe a good job in ensuring securities all over the country. Nothing of crime has happened to tourists for the last decades. 3. She has lots to see: A thin country stretching for thousands of K from North to South. It has beautiful mountains with colorful and ric culture hill tribes. It has beaches and many of those are considere best in the world but still, they're not touristy. Sound cool enough Not end yet, she's home to 7 UNESCO World Heritages. Almost anywher you go, you're tumble on a World Heritage. 4. She's cheap. If you want to, then 1 dollar could buy you a basi lunch or dinner. Wandering around and you want to find somewhere to si and drink? Mostly you don't have to pay more than one dollar for it Cheap accommodations and services are everywhere around the Old Quarte in Hanoi and Pham Ngu Lao street or Bui Vien street – Sai Gon (if you'r traveling on a tight budget). If not a tight budget? Never mind. Yo have top hotels and resorts of the world in here. 5. Is travel here convenient? Sure, many companies operate the open bu (good quality in general) and they run almost to every capital cities i the country. Moving around is very easy. 6. After all, traveling is to experience the difference. And Vietna simply is from any place that you have been. So, Vietnam? Why not -- nightflowe ' Vietnam Tours ' (http://www.paradissa.com/) ' Vietnam Travel (http://www.paradissa.com/) ' Vietnam Travel Agents (http://www.paradissa.com/) >Most people think of Vietnam as a war. But the old history has all gone. >Now peace and safety resides. It's opening to the world as a friendly [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >1. She's a new place. It's not touristy like in Thailand and many >places you go, people got stunned by your appearance. So does my wife right hereat home. >2. She's safe and friendly. The majority of people in Vietnam are >farmers, pure farmers. Many of them have never learnt of much apart >from the village they were born in. Naturally, they're almost all >friendly and safe to be around. Moreover, the communist government does >a good job in ensuring securities all over the country. Nothing of a >crime has happened to tourists for the last decades. Baloney. Tourists get ripped off all the time. Cyclo drivers being a main enemy. >3. She has lots to see: A thin country stretching for thousands of Km >from North to South. It has beautiful mountains with colorful and rich >culture hill tribes. It has beaches and many of those are considered >best in the world but still, they're not touristy. Sound cool enough? >Not end yet, she's home to 7 UNESCO World Heritages. Almost anywhere >you go, you're tumble on a World Heritage. That's true. >4. She's cheap. If you want to, then 1 dollar could buy you a basic >lunch or dinner. Wandering around and you want to find somewhere to sit [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >traveling on a tight budget). If not a tight budget? Never mind. You >have top hotels and resorts of the world in here. Also true. >5. Is travel here convenient? Sure, many companies operate the open bus >(good quality in general) and they run almost to every capital cities in >the country. Moving around is very easy. True again. >6. After all, traveling is to experience the difference. And Vietnam >simply is from any place that you have been. Trus again. >So, Vietnam? Why not! Well, 4 out of 6 ain't bad. So go if you haven't been. "Baloney. Tourists get ripped off all the time. Cyclo drivers being a main enemy." Hi John, I feel concerned about what you say here. I agree with you that hi happens in Vietnam and all over Asia as well. What country do we trave to doesn't get us involved in being ripped off some times. Vietnam is a developing country and thus, can't get out of the trend The majority of people are not wealthy and taking avantage of touris development, they try to sell some stuffs, earn some money. Sometime we need to think that it's all for a living and what if they have som children to afford. "Friendly" in my word would be the majority of people. They would b those who live in the countrysides where you travel to...but not thos who are taxi drivers or cyclo drivers. Don't you get ripped of in N city with taxi drivers, John? Equip yourself with some bargain skill to deal with those smal services when arrive in here -- nightflowe ' Vietnam Tours ' (http://www.paradissa.com/) ' Vietnam Travel (http://www.paradissa.com/) ' Vietnam Travel Agents (http://www.paradissa.com/) >"Baloney. Tourists get ripped off all the time. Cyclo drivers being a >main enemy." [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >happens in Vietnam and all over Asia as well. What country do we travel >to doesn't get us involved in being ripped off some times. None. I was just refuting the statement which is incorrect. >Vietnam is a developing country and thus, can't get out of the trend. >The majority of people are not wealthy and taking avantage of tourism >development, they try to sell some stuffs, earn some money. Sometimes >we need to think that it's all for a living and what if they have some >children to afford. I know all that. I served a tour there and have been back twice. It's not unique to developing countries btw. It also happens in developed ones all the time. >"Friendly" in my word would be the majority of people. They would be >those who live in the countrysides where you travel to...but not those >who are taxi drivers or cyclo drivers. Don't you get ripped of in NY >city with taxi drivers, John? Actually, I lived there for 26 years and never once got ripped off by any. It does happen, however, but in my experience and others I have talked to, you get ripped off 100% of the time by cyclo drivers, something tourists should be well aware of given the high incidence. >Equip yourself with some bargain skill to deal with those small >services when arrive in here. That's not the way it works. The cyclo driver always agrees to whatever price you agree and then always reneges at the end and loudly claim much more. So do taxi drivers. The defense is actually very easy. You just have them drive you at the end to some major hotel, throw what they should be paid at them, ignore the noise they generate and walk into the hotel. The hotel security will stop them every time. >>Equip yourself with some bargain skill to deal with those small >>services when arrive in here. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >and walk into the hotel. The hotel security will stop them every >time. Thanks for the tip, John. I plan to go to Vietnam in a few months and I would have been certainly disconcerted by this sort of rip-off. Weird to see that travel agents try to excuse such behaviour that can easily spoil the tourism reputation of the whole country. Regards, Mort >>>Equip yourself with some bargain skill to deal with those small >>>services when arrive in here. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >Weird to see that travel agents try to excuse such behaviour that can >easily spoil the tourism reputation of the whole country. You're welcome. Vietnam is actually a great experience and not hard to navigate. These cyclo types and some others that will hang out around tourist areas and also drive you somewhat mad, but most won't. I've been going to Asia for over 40 years and am used to it. Like water off a duck's back. But they are essentially harmless, if irritating, so just ignore them and they will go away. Whatever you pay them is much more than any Vietnamese would anyway. Travel agents have to excuse them because they have no control anyway. A lot, if not all, of the cyclo drivers btw are former ARVN troops who can't get other jobs thanks to having lost the war. Thanks for all of your comments in here. I think the debate would be everlasting if we continue to be like this We're doing, as a travel agent, a business for sure, but definitely no for that reason do we have to protect those cyclos, even they are poo people in one of the poorest countries in the world. I read somewhere above you said "throw at them what should be paid" Ok. I'm sure you are experienced, but a lot of those who read what yo wrote would not know "what should be paid". Why don't we just end up with a number? The common price for a tourist to have one hour cyclo ride is 4- USD/hour, tip included. Pay them (but, excuse me, not "throw at them", please be polite whe you travel, "throw at" can bring negative impact in a strange country that money after one hour enjoy their service and ignore them a whatever they say. Nothing's gonna happen, I promise. In the end, we all travel to enjoy, that's the highest goal. Enjoy your travel in Vietnam -- nightflowe ' Vietnam Tours ' (http://www.paradissa.com/) ' Vietnam Travel (http://www.paradissa.com/) ' Vietnam Travel Agents (http://www.paradissa.com/) >Thanks for all of your comments in here. > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >The common price for a tourist to have one hour cyclo ride is 4-5 >USD/hour, tip included. That's a reasonable number. And, of course, you negotiate that upfront. Then watch them carrying on asking for much more at the end, as usual. >Pay them (but, excuse me, not "throw at them", please be polite when >you travel, "throw at" can bring negative impact in a strange country) >that money after one hour enjoy their service and ignore them at >whatever they say. Nothing's gonna happen, I promise. Sure be polite, when they're trying to rip you off. That'll encourage them to stop. Why don't you give this advice to the cyclo drivers? Like accept graciously what you negotiated? Fat chance of that. Ripoff artists deserve the same treatment they mete out. >In the end, we all travel to enjoy, that's the highest goal. > >Enjoy your travel in Vietnam. some shots from this june: saigon http://tvc15.blogs.com/photos/saigon_2008/index.html mekong delta http://tvc15.blogs.com/photos/mekong_delta/index.html mui ne http://tvc15.blogs.com/photos/mui_ne/index.html bye frank http://tvc15.blogs.com/ |
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