Vietnam is, on the whole, a safe destination — you mainly need to watch for petty scams, the heat and the traffic. Knowing the emergency numbers and what to do in advance puts your mind at ease.
Emergency numbers
The three numbers below work nationwide from any mobile without an area code. They are answered mainly in Vietnamese, so it's often faster to get a hotel desk, course staff or a local guide to interpret.
For times you need consular help (lost passport, accident), before departure check the current phone, address and emergency contact of the Royal Thai Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate-General in HCMC on the official MFA/embassy site, and save them on your phone.
Common scams and prevention
Violent crime is rare, but petty overcharging and pickpocketing happen at tourist spots. Knowing the following prevents most of it.
- Taxi overcharge/rigged meter: use Grab where possible. For street taxis take only Mai Linh (green) and Vinasun (white), and beware knock-offs mimicking the names and colours (e.g. 'Vinasum', 'Mai Lin'). Common tricks: not running the meter and showing an inflated 'Grab VIP' fare on a phone (e.g. 500,000 dong for a ride that costs ~50,000), or adding an 'Airport Fee' after the trip.
- Shortchanging: they exploit the confusing zeros. Count the change you receive on the spot.
- Bar/club drink overcharge: tourist bars add charges not on the menu or pretend you drank more. There's also a 'lonely hearts' scam using dating apps to lure you to a specific bar — choose your own well-known venue, ask the price before each order and pay per round.
- Motorbike bag-snatching: wear your bag on the inside (away from the road) and don't hold your phone out roadside. Keep bags in front of you.
Rounds in Vietnam are hot and humid. Dehydration and heatstroke are real risks, so drink water every hole and bring a hat, sunglasses and SPF50+ sunscreen. If you feel dizzy or nauseous, rest in the shade immediately and tell your caddie or playing partner. An early-morning tee time is the safer choice where possible.
"Searching 'Vietnam scams' is scary, but in reality just using Grab for taxis and counting your change avoids almost all of it." "Inside the course, the staff and caddies look after everything — it was the safest place of the trip." — most scams cluster around tourist hotspots and late-night nightlife, far from a golf trip's routine.
Since the emergency lines are mainly in Vietnamese, in practice the hotel desk, clubhouse staff or your local guide are your fastest help. For minor issues use the hotel's partner clinic/pharmacy; for serious accidents ask staff to interpret for 115. Save our (the agency's) emergency contact on your phone too.
Health and insurance
Don't drink the tap water — stick to bottled water (see the Money chapter). Street food is relatively safe if you pick busy, high-turnover stalls. Most important is travel insurance — before departure, check that it covers golf injuries, heatstroke and theft, and save the policy and emergency line on your phone.
If you lose your passport
Don't panic — follow the steps below.
- 1) Get a police report
Report the loss/theft at the nearest police station and obtain a police report. It's a required document for consular reissue.
- 2) Contact the Thai mission
Contact the embassy in Hanoi or the consulate-general in HCMC for the emergency travel document (ETD) process. Prepare photos and proof of identity.
- 3) Use your copies
Submitting the pre-saved copy of your passport page, tickets and hotel info speeds things up. This is why keeping copies before departure matters.
- 4) Settle exit formalities
After reissue/ETD, departure may require extra steps at immigration (e.g. verifying entry with the police report). Follow the embassy's guidance.
- Save emergency numbers (113/114/115) and embassy/consulate contacts on your phone
- Save offline copies of passport page, tickets, accommodation and insurance
- Buy travel insurance (confirm cover for golf injury, heatstroke, theft)
- Prefer Grab; for street taxis use Mai Linh or Vinasun
- Drink bottled water only; hydrate and use sun protection on the round
- Count your change on the spot; keep bags in front of you
- Split cards and cash; use the hotel safe for valuables
Don't worry too much. The vast majority of golfers play happily and return without incident. With basic common sense plus emergency info on your phone, Vietnam is a comfortable and safe golf destination.