Tips for Women Travelers
You'll want to be cognizant of how to avoid unwanted sexual attention, getting fleeced by taxi drivers and shop owners, and staying healthy.
Here are some important tips gathered from veteran women travelers in Southeast Asia.
No free rides
Do not accept free rides from friendly strangers, who offer to show you the town.
Nothing is free in Vietnam.
You wouldn't do this in your own country, so why do it here?
A Wrist Compass is your best friend
Attach a small compass to your watchband.
The best we've found is the one that can fit over your watchband, available at dive shops the world over for about $3 USD.
This will tell you when you're walking the wrong way down a street, as you're trying to navigate your walking map.
Light the Night
Attach an led-type flashlight to your zipper.
These are about the size of US 10 cent piece, are powered by two hearing aid batteries, last forever, cast a bright light, and cost about $3 USD. Because they don't weigh anything, you can put one on your jacket zipper, another on your daypack, and another on your moneybag.
Let's face it, we always forget to bring our maglight with us, and Vietnam's full of dark places at night.
In Hanoi, it's common for electricity to go out at night, so plan for this common occurrence
Health Cautions
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu): Information is constantly evolving, but latest data would seem to indicate that travelers are relatively safe in cities.
For the latest on bird flu, parasites, stomach bugs, malaria, etc., visit the Center for Disease Control Avian Influenza site at: www.cdc.gov/travel/seasia.htm.
Hygiene: Western women traveling to hot, humid climates for the first time may not be aware of the importance of cleanliness in intimate areas.
Yeast infections and the like are easy to acquire, and sometimes not so easy to get rid of.
Wear breathable undergarments, and wash frequently.
Rabies:
Rabies, while not as prevalent as it used to be, still kills between 200-300 human beings every year, with 95% due to dog bites.
Our advice is to give dogs a wide berth, as even cute puppies can be lethal.
If untreated, rabies is 100% fatal, and death is protracted, painful, and horrifying.
Sexually transmitted diseases: As a precaution, make sure you're as vaccinated for as many strains of hepatitis as possible, prior to your trip.
And always use condoms.
Traveling
As in western countries, avoid walking alone at night in isolated areas.
If your late-night taxi driver asks if you're traveling alone, tell him you're going to meet your husband.
End of discussion.
If he asks what your husband does, reply: "Works for government. Cannot say more."
Again, your job is to get safely to your destination, not to provide entertainment for your driver.
Do not be overly friendly with your driver.
And absolutely, always, always insist on going to your original destination, without stops.
Scams
Beware of scams. Read our scams section for those most commonly found in Vietnam.
