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The Do and Don't of Saigon: Don't (Part 1)

DON’TS

1.     Pat  people on the  head. Patting on the head is considered a parental act towards their children, and it is seen as extremely rude to be done by strangers or friends, in Vietnam and in Asia in general.
2.     Shop at Ben Thanh market. If you do however, be sure to bargain.
3.     Wear valuable items like watches, rings, bracelets, necklaces… in public. You don’t want to be “investigated” by those shady eyes, trust me.
4.     Bring winter clothes. Saigon doesn’t have anything but hot and rainy weather.
5.     Go shirtless in public to temples, churches, mosques, government offices,... well basically anywhere, unless it’s a beach or pool.
6.     Drive on the left car lane if you ride a scooter (motorbike).
7.     Eat until the host of the party does.
8.     Drink water from the tap. We Saigonese must filter them first, then boil it, then drink it once cooled down.
9.     Trust Google Map. Google Map is well-known for its exact addresses and calculations right? Well… Streets and numbers in Saigon don’t make sense, so make a friend here and ask him/her first.
10.  Let your dogs/cats run around on the street. They might get snatched away by smugglers and be sold to restaurants (yes, many people eat dogs and cats).
11.  Give money to beggars. They have a gang and that’s their way of making money (well some of them, not all of them, but who knows?).
12.  Expect Vietnamese people to stay in line. Although people here in Saigon are the most civilized people I’ve ever seen, there are cases when you see people don’t form a line.
13.  Go out alone late at night (after 9pm) at remote areas. Thieves work at that hour.
14.  Lose your parking tickets. This might seem obvious but I have to remind you because once you lose it, the procedure to get your bike back is very long and complicated.
15.  Take pictures of others without permission. This applies also to military and government building/offices.
16.  Take a “yes” as a “yes”. Some Vietnamese are afraid to give a straight “no” so they say many things that might make you confused. Make a friend in Vietnam and ask him/her.
17.  Leave your items unintended at a “spot keeper” and go somewhere else. People understand this, but in the worst scenario, your items might be gone when you get back.
18.  Be too “touchy” when you first meet. Vietnamese people are not very familiar with hugging or kissing on the cheeks.
19.  Expect people to come on time. If it’s an important meeting then do, but if it’s a friend meeting then maybe they are stuck somewhere in the traffic jam, especially around 8AM and 5PM.
20.  Perform “loving” acts like kissing your special someone in public. Vietnamese people don’t like seeing this. We do it in private.

Interested in Vietnam’s tradition? Check out this article: Tet through Time! Saigon Then and Now

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