Traveling to a new country is a pleasure but getting robbed in that new country will turn it to a total nightmare that no travelers want to have. We know that in some country it is so safe that you can leave your belongings at a public place and it is still there when you return after a few hours. It is not like that in Vietnam. In Vietnam, robbery happens and it happens to both locals and tourists. The easy targets that robbers always aim at, are alone ladies, who usually have no power to defend themselves. And there is little we can do to stop that crime as we are not the authorities. But we can still protect ourselves from robbery or in the worst event when it unfortunately happens, it will cause the least damage possible to us. Here are 5 ways to protect yourself from thieves and robbers in order to stay safe in Vietnam, especially in big cities like Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) and Hanoi, that we suggest:
1. Leave your passport at home if you don’t have to use it, is the first thing you can do to stay safe in Vietnam
As we all know, passport is such an important document for every traveler. Losing your passport will cause you a lot of troubles. So, to be safe, leave your passport at home if you don’t use it. Home here can be your hotel or home-stay. You can just leave it at the reception, and we think they won’t refuse to keep it for you.
We know many travelers bring the passports with them just in case if something bad (like an accident) happens, the police can identify who they are. If that is what you are actually worrying about, we suggest you make a copy of your passport and bring it with you instead of the real one.
2. Try not to wear precious items of jewelry, especially the hanging ones
Precious items of jewelry like diamonds and gold always draw a lot of people’s attention, especially criminals. Getting their jewelry snatched on the street and get injured has happened to many tourists and even the locals. Losing your favorite item of jewelry is already a bad thing and it’s far worse if you get injured.
So, leave your precious at somewhere safe if you are planning to walk out there to explore the city, is a clever idea to protect yourself from thieves and robbers.
3. Try to use your phone indoors
We know that filming, taking photos of a new place with your phone, for Instagram, Facebook or Snapchat is an enjoyable thing that most travelers love doing. But don’t forget to hold your phone very tight if you do it outside on the street. Phone snatching happens everyday at anywhere in Ho Chi Minh City/ Saigon. So, you have to be careful and cautious because if it gets snatched, 97.79% you will lose it forever. And it’s always a better idea to use your phone indoors if you are texting, emailing or playing games.
4. Always carry your handbags in the front
A handbag seems like one of the most important accessories of a lady. They wear handbags so often that sometimes I forget that they are wearing one. Our female drivers also love their handbags. But girls, don’t forget to always have your handbags in front of you, not on one side, or at the back. Because for only one second you forget about the existence of your handbag, you have increased the chance of it getting snatched, cut or pick-pocketed.
5. Don’t put all your cash in one place
We know this tip is like the most classic one but please trust us, because it will always work. Split your cash into smaller parts and put it in different places, can help you to have a backup if an unfortunate event of losing money occurs.
Those are tips that, we think, will be helpful for you to stay safe in Vietnam – protect yourself from thieves and robbers. Traveling is supposed to be an enjoyable experience. What all of us should do is just to be more careful, more cautious when we are in a new place that we know little about. We hope you like this article.
