How to protect yourself from crime in Ho Chi Minh City? Pickpocketing, snatch-and-grab robbery, and petty theft are the most frequent types of crime in Saigon these days. Pickpocketing is to steal things out of people’s pockets or bags. Snatch-and-grab robbery, also called snatch theft is a criminal act of forcefully stealing a personal property by employing rob-and-run tactics. Petty theft is the crime of stealing something that does not have a high value. Travelers should know how to protect themselves from crime on their trip in Ho Chi Minh City.
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How to protect yourself from pickpocketing?
Pickpocketing is rather frequent and thieves usually focus on purses, wallets and cash. They can quickly and skillfully steal your items when you are wandering a local market or the touristy Ben Thanh Market, in the crowded Bui Vien pedestrian street at weekends and at night, in hustle and bustle food markets, souvenir shops, at War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace, or crawling Cu Chi Tunnels. Here are some useful tips on how to keep your belongings safe from pickpocketing:
- Do not put your small purse and wallet in your back or side pocket. Where to put your wallet? You should keep it in your bag which is completely safe, in a hidden compartment of your bag, or a secret pocket. Which bag is considered safe? Crossbody bag, belt bag, sling bag, shoulder bag are among the best choices to protect yourself from pickpocketing. Backpacker worn on your back is not a very safe choice.
- Watch out for your belongings in some places you’re most likely to be pickpocketed.
- Anti-theft bags may have the following features: slash-resistant materials, lockable zippers, RFID-blocking technology, secret compartments,…
How to protect yourself from crime in Ho Chi Minh City? Shoulder bags are favorite choices of many travelers and tour guides.
How to protect yourself from snatch theft in Ho Chi Minh City?
- Do not use handbags but shoulders, backpacks, or belt bags.
- Carry your bag on the side that is away from motorbike rider.
- Do not use your smartphone and video camera to capture photos and videos on the streets without any anti-theft accessory.
- Do not go on deserted streets and in lonely alleys.
Should I wear jewelry in Saigon?
Jewelry are favorite beauty items in the world. It has been said that when it comes to fashion, jewelry is the best accessory a woman can wear. In recent days, men wear jewelry as a way of style enhancement and self-expression. I would like to recommend you to wear wooden and plastic pieces of jewelry. If they are made from precious metals and stones such as gold, titanium, diamond, ruby, you should not wear to many or big pieces of jewelry. In summary, you should make sure that your jewelry do not attract bad guys. In addition, it is intelligent to wear normal and unattractive items.
How to protect yourself from crime in Ho Chi Minh City? The man is the owner of a famous snail restaurant in District 10, he has a habit of wearing big gold jewelry pieces. Sometimes, dinners try the jewelry on and take nice and funny photos.
Do you need to bring your passport with you all the time?
It is not necessary to bring your passport with you all the time on your trip in Ho Chi Minh City where it is rather safe to leave the passport in your hotel room. It is recommended to book an accommodation with in-room safe box. The chances of you losing it, being snatched or getting pickpocketed are so much greater than being stolen in the hotel room.
How to protect your cellphone and camera?
Here are some tips on prevent mobile devices street crime:
- Never text/read/chat and walk at the same time.
- Hide your phone right away after using it.
- Set a passcode on your mobile device.
- Use handsfree units for cell phone.
- Use anti-theft accessories such as anti theft tethers, straps cases, rings, holders,…
Is it safe in your hotel room?
It is recommended to book hotels instead of homestays, guest houses, Airbnb,… in Vietnam. 3-star, 4-star, 5-star hotels are better. In case you can’t afford more expensive hotels, you can choose trusted 1-star, 2-star hotels, homestays, guest houses, Airbnb. Reviews of accommodations are very important. There are some safe areas in the city and you should not stay in areas where crimes are prevalent. In a word, choosing a good hotel in a safe area is important.
You should check if a hotel provides safe boxes in the rooms before booking. Guests get many benefits from having safe in their hotel rooms. Safes provide a secure place for guests to store their valuable belongings. Your passport, travel documents, cash and credit cards can be stored in room safes in your hotel. Certainly, you should not have so much cash or expensive pieces of jewelry.
Which are the most dangerous areas in Saigon?
Touristy areas in District 1, new residential areas in other districts in Ho Chi Minh City are good for tourists to stay. District 1,2,7, Binh Thanh, Tan Binh Districts are recommended to stay.
District 4 is known as one of the most dangerous crime hotspots in Ho Chi Minh City in the past. Truong Van Cam, also called Nam Cam, or Saigon’s Godfather oversaw a vast and complex criminal network that controlled much of District 4 of Ho Chi Minh City. In 2001, he was captured and District 4 has become safer and safer. There are some good Airbnbs in luxury apartment buildings in District 4.
Most international travelers choose to stay in District 1 where there are many must-see tourist attractions. Hotels on Bui Thi Xuan Streets, in Saigon Backpacker Area (Phố Tây) covering Pham Ngu Lao, Bui Vien, De Tham, Do Quang Dau Streets, hotels around Ben Thanh Market, 4-star and 5-star hotels on Nguyen Hue Walking Street – one of the most expensive and luxurious streets in Vietnam are popular choices for tourists coming to Saigon.
Hotels near Tan Son Nhat Airport in Tan Binh District are favorite choices of many travelers.
You should not book a hotel in small alleys in the city. If you accidentally book a hotel like that, you should not go out and return to the hotel alone at night.
How to protect yourself from crime in Ho Chi Minh City? Walking in small alleys lined with shops selling flowers and floral tools is interesting enough. It is the safest to join a tour and go with a local guide.
Which means of transportation is the least safe in Ho Chi Minh City?
Honestly, motorbike is the most popular and the least safe means of transportation in Ho Chi Minh City. International tourists tend choose tours by car for safety and convenience. However, motorbike tours are more and more popular because some narrow alleys and hidden places can be visited only by two-wheel vehicle. In order to avoid the strong sun and the crowd of vehicles, you can choose to do an after dark motorbike tour.
Getting around the city by bus or taxi is less safe than by private car? The answer is yes because it is crowded, hustle and bustle in public bus, and the taxi quality is not guaranteed in the city. Although there are good taxi companies and good cars, it does not means all taxis in the city are good and clean, all drivers are polite, and there is no taxi scam. Instead of booking a taxi from the city center to Cu Chi Tunnels, you should book a private car to be transferred from your hotel to the tunnels in a safe way.
How to protect yourself from crime in Ho Chi Minh City? Travelers just pose for photos on motorbike food tours in Ho Chi Minh City. On the way, they are motorbike pillion passengers.
How to identify crime around you and How to do if you are followed when you are on the street?
If you see someone looks intently at you, follow you on the street, you should be careful and it is time to do the next steps:
- Inform your local guide or your partner right away.
- Try to reach crowded places or safer places such as hotel lobbies, shops, supermarkets with security cameras, police stations,…
- Try to walk quickly or turn left/right and check if you are stilled followed.
- Hold your belongings tightly.
Should I bring too much cash?
Budget travelers can expect to spend up to $25 a day on lodging and food. $100 USD is approximately equivalent to 2,400,000 VND, can go a long way in Ho Chi Minh City. You should not carry more than $500 USD (12,000,000 VND). You should pay for tours and other services such as transfers in advance, and bring not too much cash on your day trips. In particular, you can carry about $100 – $200 USD (2,400,000 – 4,800,000 VND) to tip tour guides, drivers, boat riders,… and buy souvenirs, clothes, other fashion accessories,… Some local vendors and street food stalls do not accept credit cards. You should keep both high value banknotes such as 500,000 VND, 200,000 VND and low value banknotes such as 100,000 VND, 50,000 VND, 20,000 VND, 10,000 VND.
How to keep your cash safe? The notes should be in a purse or a bag, shouldn’t be in your pockets. You should not let other people know how much money you have when you take out the money.
Should I go out at night in Saigon?
Ho Chi Minh City become more beautiful and attractive at night so you should not miss a chance to go out and enjoy amazing things. However, you should be careful when being out at night. It is rather safe to go out in Saigon before 10:00 PM. After that, the streets and alleys become depopulated. It is deserted after midnight and you are recommended to stay in your hotel.
After the sun goes down, you should travel the city with your partners or local guides. You should consider going to bars, pubs, drinking stalls, and food markets in far districts. Some good options are night tours:
- Dinner Cruise on Saigon River
- Water Puppet Show & Dinner on Cruise & Cyclo Tour
- A O Show & Saigon Dinner Cruise & Cyclo Tour
- Saigon Water Puppet Show & Dinner on Cruise Tour by motorbike
- Saigon Night Food Tour
- Saigon After Dark Tour
How to protect yourself from crime in Ho Chi Minh City? Tourists enjoy a night Saigon food tour with nice female tour guides in Ao Dai traditional Vietnamese clothes.
Other useful tips
- Make a photocopy of your passport in case you lose it.
- Keep your valuable things in safe places such as a safe in your hotel, a secret compartment or a hidden pocket.
- Do make yourself become targets of thieves.
- Do not always use or look at your smartphone. Instead of using headphones to listen to music, do pay attention on surroundings.
- Be careful after withdrawing money at ATM machines in Ho Chi Minh City. Do not withdraw so much cash at one time.
- Make sure your bag is zipped or fastened at all times.
