How do I avoid tourist scams in Hanoi?
The most common scams in Hanoi are taxi meter manipulation (use Grab instead), shoe-shine follow-ups (someone drops a brush, then demands payment), and restaurant menu bait-and-switch (price per 100g, not per dish). Use Grab for transport, firmly say no to unsolicited services, and confirm prices before ordering.
Hanoi is not a dangerous city. Most interactions with locals are honest. The scams that do exist are low-level and avoidable once you know what they look like. Here is each one, how it works, and how to walk past it.
Taxi meter manipulation
The scam: You get in a taxi. The meter runs faster than it should, or the driver takes a circuitous route, or the final fare is much higher than Grab shows for the same route. Some drivers also claim the meter is broken and quote a flat rate 2–3x the real fare.
How to avoid: Use Grab for all taxi rides. The price is shown before you confirm, the route is tracked on GPS, and payment is handled through the app. If you must take a street taxi, use Mai Linh (green with white stripes) or Vinasun (white with green and red stripes) — both are metered and generally honest. Check that the meter starts at the base rate (around 12,000–14,000 VND) and not a higher number.
Shoe-shine follow-up
The scam: Someone walks past carrying shoe-shine equipment and “accidentally” drops a brush near your feet. They then insist on cleaning your shoe, often starting before you agree. After a 30-second wipe, they demand 200,000–500,000 VND. If you refuse, they may follow you for a block.
How to avoid: Keep walking. Say “không, cảm ơn” (no, thank you) without stopping. Do not make eye contact or slow down. This happens primarily around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Hàng Đào, and the Night Market area.
Restaurant price-by-weight
The scam: A menu lists seafood or meat at what looks like a reasonable price — but it’s per 100 grams, not per dish. A plate of shrimp listed at “150,000” actually costs 450,000–600,000 VND once weighed. The other version: the menu at the entrance shows one price, the menu at the table shows a higher one.
How to avoid: Ask “tổng cộng bao nhiêu?” (how much total?) before you order. If they can’t or won’t give a total price for the dish, leave. Eat where locals eat — restaurants that serve Vietnamese customers can’t sustain scam pricing because locals won’t pay it.
The cyclo price trap
The scam: A cyclo driver near Hoàn Kiếm offers you a ride for ‘whatever you want to pay.’ After a 15-minute loop around the lake, they demand 500,000–1,000,000 VND. Negotiation brings it down to 200,000–300,000 — still 10x what a local would pay.
How to avoid: If you want a cyclo ride for the experience, agree on a total price in advance. Write it down. Take a photo of the written agreement. A fair rate for a 30-minute cyclo tour is 150,000–200,000 VND total. If a driver won’t agree to a fixed total price, don’t get in.
What’s not a scam
Not every inconvenience is a scam. Legitimate things that confuse first-time visitors:
- Vietnamese coffee takes 10 minutes to arrive — they brew it per cup. It’s not being ignored.
- Prices in VND feel high — 100,000 VND is about 4 USD. The number is large but the value isn’t.
- Grab surge pricing during rain or rush hour is algorithm-based, not a scam. Wait 15 minutes or walk to a less congested area.