Public bus No.152 - Travelling to/from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) city centre for only 5,000 dong per person, per way
That aside,
there is a taxi scam that you need to know when travelling in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh). It is very important that you
pay extra attention to the serial numbers displayed on the sides of the taxi because there have been cases where copycat rogue taxis lookalike bearing similar-but-not-entirely-the-same serial numbers to
confuse unsuspecting passengers, and rob them off their belongings or exhort a large amount of money from their victims.
Their modus operandi is simple;
once a victim enters the taxi, the taxi driver will lock the car (with the passenger seat in child lock mode), so there is no chance of escape for the victim. He will then drive the victim to a secluded spot and rob or demand a large sum of money from his victim in order to be unharmed and released safely. Such cases even happened in public places, with passers-by being unaware of what is happening inside the car/taxi.
Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh)
For some unknown reasons, our taxi driver kept looking at us which made us felt quite uncomfortable throughout the journey. Was he distracted by our grace and beauty? Haha! :-P
Basic Safety & Travel Tips When Taking a Taxi In Saigon (Ho Chi Minh)
So, to be safe, take extra precautions when boarding a taxi and make sure that you take only authentic
Vinasun or
Mai Linh taxis bearing these serial numbers:
- Vinasun Taxi (in white) – No: 38. 27 27 27
- Mai Linh Taxi (in white/green) – No: 38. 38 38 38
Copycat rouge taxis lookalike will have similar-but-not-entirely-the-same serial numbers like:
- 39. 27 27 27 (for Vinasun) OR
- 39. 38 38 38 (for Mai Linh)
Noticed the slight difference of a number in the serial numbers? To the unsuspecting, he/her will not notice the difference and most likely ended up being a victim. :-(
It is very important that you pay extra attention to the serial numbers displayed on the sides of the taxi. Authentic Vinasun taxis bear the serial numbers 38. 27 27 27
Other taxi boarding tips to take note of:
- Do not get into a taxi with heavily tinted windows
- Take down the number plate and/or registration number of the taxi
- Even better, take photographs of the taxi driver and his registration number
- If you feel unsafe, pretend to talk on the phone to someone and mention important information such as the taxi’s plate or registration number, your current whereabouts, your destination or saying phrases like “I’ll see you there when I arrive”, etc
- If in any way you felt something is amiss, trust your gut feeling and proceed to get out of the taxi immediately by all means; try strangling the driver with his safety belt, unlock the door, get out and run to safety or call for help! (Yes, I can be rather vicious if provoked, especially when my life is at stake and so should you!)
- If the driver asks if this is your first time to the city, answer no even though it is your first time there. If you answer yes, the taxi driver might take advantage of your lack of knowledge and sense of direction in the new city; thus take you on a much longer route just so he can earn that little extra from you
That way by following the tips and tricks above, the chances of you and I being a victim of such unscrupulous tactics will drastically be reduced. Back to my story, with the guideline above, my sister and I boarded the right
Vinasun taxi from
Tan Son Nhat International Airport to
FUTA / Phuong Trang bus terminal in District 1,
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh). Nevertheless, it is a habit of mine to
take photographs of the driver and his registration number just in case anything happens. My sister kept an eye towards our surroundings while I kept mine on the meter. Why? To
make sure that the meter is running correctly without being tempered or risk being charged exorbitantly. The fact that our taxi driver kept on looking at us for some unknown reason made me even more alert and careful. :-P
A Date With Vietnam’s Chaotic & Intimidating Traffic
If this is your first time to
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh), Vietnam’s chaotic traffic is something you got to get used to through experience. The sound of endless honking and
the sight of incoming traffic from all directions that does not seem to stop can be quite intimidating for beginners. Seasoned travellers, after learning the art and tricks of surviving
Vietnam’s traffic will be able to cross with ease!
The good news is my sister and I was able to get by
Vietnam’s traffic effortlessly by practising several tips and tricks even though it was our first time to Vietnam! We have earned the bragging rights to this remarkable feat! I will share the tips and tricks in another blog post, it is a promise.
My sister and I were prepared to face the infamous
Vietnam traffic, hence we were not taken by surprise on how shocking the traffic was. While we were travelling in the taxi,
motorcyclists and even cars and trucks zoomed past by, overtaking us, sometimes at a distance that was too close for comfort. Eventually, our taxi was involved in a minor collision with a motorcyclist (a common affair in Saigon a.k.a Ho Chi Minh), but he drove off after seeing the motorcyclist was fine.
In the end, our taxi driver did not try to do anything funny to us throughout the journey and we arrived safely at our destination –
FUTA / Phuong Trang bus terminal @ 272 De Tham Street, District 1 in about 30 minutes due to Vietnam’s chaotic traffic conditions. In total,
we paid 170,000 dong (160,000 dong for the fare + 10,000 dong for the airport exit fee) to the taxi driver for our journey.
A beautiful temple sits by the bustling roadside of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) city
A sea of motorists and vehicles crowd the streets of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) city
Braving though the chaotic Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) city traffic is an experience you will never forget!
Up next: A 4-hour FUTA (Phuong Trang) Buslines double-decker sleeper bus ride from the bustling Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) city to the sleepy town of Phan Tiet, Mui Ne
