Discovering Hidden Dangers: A Guide to Ho Chi Minh City’s Japan Street and Pham Ngu Lao Pitfalls

This advice has been repeated countless times: be wary of the numerous touts on these two streets. Never step into a store just because someone is aggressively pulling you in. For one, many of their drinks and other items lack clear pricing, and there’s a real risk of them setting exorbitant prices. When you finally get the bill, you might be shocked to find that a single drink costs as much as tens of dollars.

Secondly, a solo traveler on Japan Street had an encounter with a Vietnamese language tutor. Everything seemed legitimate at first, but the conversation quickly turned into a coercive situation: “If you don’t add xxx, I’ll xxxx.” In the end, he was scammed out of a significant amount of money—enough for a nice meal at Cherry. When you’re alone in a foreign country and face such situations, it can feel incredibly helpless.

When traveling independently in Ho Chi Minh City, be especially cautious of strangers who speak Chinese very fluently. If any of you are concerned, feel free to reach out to me directly. I’ll take care of all the arrangements, ensuring your trip is smooth and stress-free. That’s what I’m here for.