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How safe it is on a late night?

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Dannytan

Hi All,

Last night after dinner and a cafe at HCMC center near Notre Dame church, decided to take a walk back to NTMK Dakao ward. I am thinking is it safe to walk on the street at about say 11.30 at night? Safe in the sense of robbery, snatch thieves or being disturb by strangers ?

ciao'
danny

elearning

I think it's safe if you have someone with you. Safety first, friend!

ChrisFox

Depends on the neighborhood.  In general, no, it's not safe.

Dannytan

It is 11.30pm so still have people around. In KL, I would say 11.30 pm in city center is alright but not in quiet and dark area/location. thanks.

elearning

It's ok for me! Because sometimes I drunk with my friend too late, and I came home at midnight, but there were many people in the street, and I'm on bike, so if you walk on crowded street, it's will be fine.

ChrisFox

Streets in Cần Thơ after midnight outside downtown, not safe.  They'll rob you in the street. 

I've been out in Kuala Lumpur late at night .. same everywhere.  Stay around some law.

Most places in the world the streets aren't safe.  They never have been.

elearning

Yes, but in the center of hcmc, there are too many people on street at midnight. But be careful.

charmavietnam

Better to be safe than sorry!
stay/walk alone with valuables in HCM area is unsafe from so many incidents.
Be with someone after 7pm  :D

saigonmonkey

If you're a big ole white guy like me, and not carrying any valuables other than a wallet, it's unlikely anyone will bother you. I've been out on the streets in district 1 alone at 2am and didn't feel unsafe. On the other hand, I've been physically threatened by a drunk/high expat late at night on the street just because he didn't like the way I looked at him (because he was not acting right and I was wondering if he was drunk/high). In other words, no matter where you are in the world, there are people who are not of their right mind who may want to do you harm. But in my experience, a smaller percentage of Vietnamese are this way than in other places.

ChrisFox

The one aspect that makes the streets here indisputably safer is that there is very little chance you'll have anyone pull out a gun.  America has a lot of seriously disturbed and/or politically enraged people all amped up with paranoia, and a lot of them have guns.

Flip465

We've been out walking around places like Notre Dame, along Han Thuyen, through the parks and along the pathways, to Reunification Palace. Other places like Turtle Lake, Cho Ben Thanh markets, at all hours of the day and night.  :)
Sometimes my wife does get a bit nervous, but nothings happened with the two of us walking together.
Being lazy, anything over about 1 - 1&1/2 klms. I much prefer riding our motorbikes. :-)   :D
In a group together, you can usually feel quite safe in those and other areas / districts (BUT NOT ALL) of Sai Gon just about any time, day or night.
IMHO, a lot of it depends on how you walk, carry yourself. No matter where you are, or the time of day or night, there is always the possibility of 'snatch thieves' targeting you - 'target of opportunity' if they see anything of possible value they think they could grab.  :(
Just walk with a group, even if you don't know them, keep everything of value, watches, mobile phone, any jewelery, etc. out of sight and hold your bag very close to your body.  :top:

Flip465.

Dannytan

Hi All,

Thanks for all the feedback and from what I heard it is normal in city to be able to do casual walk in HCM city but late at night I will take a Taxi. I will do the casual , leisure walking in the morning and afternoon, anytime after 11pm better take a Taxi. However, from what I heard is nothing alarming as talking about gun, Malaysia now has plenty of them in news, robbery, murder which is unheard of decade ago.

ciao'
danny

Flip465

Hi again Danny,

I was living in Sai Gon for about 3 or 4 weeks before I even saw a gun of any sort. A few holsters on the belts of some of the Cong An - but never a naked gun of any sort.
One afternoon we (VN wife and self) where at a fairly large coffee shop in the middle of Sai Gon, (free WiFi  :D )
On the way back to where we'd parked our bikes, I noticed a guy in an army uniform sitting back having a cigarette in front of a large, high steel gate. Asked my wife what the place was - she said it was a consulate or minor embassy of some sort.
On the opposite side of the gates from where the guy was sitting was a small 'guard post' box and inside, resting against a wall was an AK47.
I wandered over to the 'guard', tapped him on his shoulder, gave him a cigarette (pays to always be friendly) and with sign language, pointing, etc. asked if I could have a closer look at his AK.
He got up, wandered over to the guard post, lent inside, picked up the AK, turned around and simply handed it over to me !   :/:)
This in the middle of the day, in the middle of Sai Gon !     No-one else seemed to take any notice or care at all.  :lol:

I'm told there are firearms both legal and illegal but they are pretty well up in the hills well away from Sai Gon.
It's the knives and machetes some of the street thugs in the cities carry that are the things to watch out for.

Had a pair of would-be bike thieves try to force me to stop one time (daytime) when I was by myself, on Phan Chu Trinh alongside Cho Ben Thanh Markets. About a year and a half ago now. One of then showed me he had a good sized knife in his hand.
( BIG DEAL !  :P )
Stopped almost in the middle of the street - much to the dismay of the would-be thieves. Jumped off my bike, ripped off my T-shirt and went straight at them snarling and making it very obvious I wasn't the slightest bit worried about the knife but I intended to do them both a lot of extreme physical damage.  :mad::mad::mad:
The rider got the hint and took off so quickly his stupid little friend could barely stay on the bike.
Lots of laughing and cheering from the nearby street vendors.  :lol:

Got in no end of trouble with my wife over that  :dumbom:    As she reminded me, I while I was a professional soldier most of my life, that didn't count now - - -  I am not that young anymore so I have to behave in a more civilized manner these days.  :whistle:

Still - no guns and the 'bad guys' took off when openly challenged - so that was that, and it's the only thing that's ever happened in years of living in Sai Gon.     :top:

With very few exceptions the people of Viet Nam are always friendly, willing to help a stranger and endlessly polite. 

In short - it's a GREAT country and the people are REALLY GREAT as well !   :top:

Flip465.

missmae

Honestly as a female I wouldnt walk alone or even when we are two (unless my big boys are with me). Its like in every big city that u should be cautious. Once I walked from Upper Hai Ba Trung (Tan Dinh) all the way to Diamond Plaza just to know how far is really far. It was 9 pm and really scary. Wouldnt walk again by night unless with some male companion.

As a male foreigner I would be careful since thieves and bag snatchers are on the hood.

Just my two cents

milkybunnyHCM

I second as a female do not go out at night. I went out at midnight once and got stopped by a very drunk Russian asking how my skin was so beautiful and pale while asking if he could touch it! But I've had Vietnamese do the same at day, so just always be on guard, esepcially women since people see us as easy targets!  :mad:

missmae

Then I should introduce those guys who hit on me to Mr "Wing Tsun" and my best friend "Mr Pepper Spray".

I also heard scary stories of people being pushed from their scooters in the middle of the road; Hands up Im not driving a Vespa nor any other expensive scooter. I dont carry a bag nor do I wear jewellry (hate those things). Still how safe is here for foreign/vK women?

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