Crime in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Shut up Gabby, and quit blaming the victims. Asia is the most racist place in the world. It's funny that people say USA, Canada and UK have an issue with racism...NO, these are the most tolerant and accepting places in the entire world.

If you want to experience REAL racism, go to Africa (especially South Africa), Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, China, and some parts of Brazil.

Come from a small country girl who went with her school, I will say there were several times I felt rather unsafe. I went out at night sure, but I always went with a group of four or more. I've travelled before, I'm not new to this. Were there many times I was touched or talked to and pulled? Absolutely!! Is government corruption a HUGE issue in Vietnam? ABSOLUTELY AND DO NOT TRY AND TELL ME OTHERWISE.
Is this any different from other places? Not really. Worse happened to me in Thailand, and similar situations have happened to me right here in Canada. Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I don't see murder every day, does that mean it doesn't happen every day here? Not in the slightest, because it does.

To the person who asks where this information is coming from: me, and my ten trips to Vietnam in the past three years. Overall, the risk of any life-threatening crime is minimal, and most people are very nice and helpful. That being said, on one trip with eight colleagues, all but one (me) had their phones snatched right from their hands on the streets. I also had a friend dragged down the street when a bag-snatcher on a scooter didn't manage to cut through her strap properly. These are EXTREMELY common crimes. I've also been blocked by aggressive men from leaving a massage parlor until I gave them all my cash, I've been taken to the middle of nowhere in fake cabs made-up like real ones, and had someone jump in front of me at night, and grab my privates while their friend took my phone. These are serious concerns that can and do happen all the time. For the rest, is pretty safe. Just be very careful not to burn your leg on a motorbike exhaust pipe (the biggest danger outside of crime). Tips? One : Download the Grab app. Free, and prices for car and motorbike cabs are preset. It's scam free. Two: don't walk around at night alone, and keep your guard up for anything sudden or unsolicited. Three: don't take anything out along a street, and use backpacks, double shoulder gym bags, or fanny packs to hold valuables. If you need to use your phone, hold it firmly covering all edges, and try to stay as far from the traffic as possible. Four: for any service like massage, nails, and beauty, use TripAdvisor to select a reputable establishment. Do not just walk in somewhere random off the street, no matter how friendly or innocent it seems. Five: learn to cross the street calmly, slowly, and surely. Never run or panick.

Acid attacks are the most disturbing because you will never recover. Yep, it happens pretty much everyday in Vietnam.

Vietnamese are hard wired to hate foreigners, dont let the smiles fool you. One night this 16 year old schoolgirl selling roses at night told me to get out of her country just because i didnt want her flowers. I merely told her no in a nice tone but she became hostile.

Dont walk around holding your girlfriends hand if you are a foreigner and she is vietnamese. This provokes viet males to anger. And dont kiss in public either.