Dual pricing in Hoi An and big changes in 8 years

Hi there,

I’m currently in Hoi An—I hadn’t set foot here for 8 years. The city has already changed a lot, with lots of construction, and even in the old town, along one side of the riverbank, there are huge residential buildings going up that take away some of the charm of this place. But the worst part is the overtourism—it’s impossible to walk across the famous bridge in the middle of the canal in the evening because it’s so packed with people. There’s also a new trend: massage parlors have opened in the old town and around the city. I was shocked—people call out to you or even grab your arm on the sidewalk, and it’s everywhere. Bangkok and Phuket might start shaking—Hanoi’s the same way.

Anyway, let’s talk about the dual pricing specifically for non-Vietnamese tourists. We went to a restaurant near our hotel last night, and they gave us an English menu—okay, fine! But I noticed the table next to us, where Vietnamese tourists had a different menu. Weird! I asked to see the same menu as my neighbors, but the waitress refused, saying it was in Vietnamese and we wouldn’t understand. I insisted, and she finally agreed. Surprise!!! The prices on the two menus were different, with the English one up to 50% more expensive. I asked why, and she got flustered, telling me to just order from the Vietnamese menu, which I translated with my phone to see the local prices. I mentioned this to the hotel this morning, and the receptionist told me to go to restaurants where prices are displayed at the entrance to avoid getting ripped off. I just bought fresh bread this morning, and it was the same thing—the little loaf costs 4000 dong for Vietnamese people and 5000 dong for non-Vietnamese. It’s not a huge difference, but this way of doing things isn’t right. At supermarkets like VinMart+, prices are displayed, so there’s no surprise or dual pricing there.

Yeah, same observation. I was there last March. What a difference from my previous trip 10 years ago! 😮 It’s become like Las Vegas 🤪

Absolutely, especially on the opposite quay—just as we’d heard, bars blasting music, impossible to talk. In the end, we only stayed 45 minutes at the site and then bolted.

A few days ago, there was an article in a major French newspaper: French bookings for Vietnam this summer are up by 160%.

The trendy destination, with all the downsides that come with it. Still, it feels weird to hear your news.

Hi,

Yes, the 45-day visa-free policy is paying off. Flight prices have also dropped significantly, especially with Chinese airlines. Here, there are lots of French tourists—you hear French spoken practically at every street corner, in restaurants... As for dual pricing, it’s become really common over the last 3–4 years, according to a hotel employee. There are plenty of accounts about it online too. A friend of ours who visited with some buddies last December called us yesterday and told us the same thing—they were supposed to stay 15 days between Da Nang and Hoi An, but it left such a bad taste that they left for Thailand after just a week. It’s a shame, but the best way to see it is to come and experience it for yourself. 🙁 Personally, I won’t be coming back anytime soon. China surprised us, so we’ll be heading back there in November—30 days visa-free is great.

thanks, really interesting update.

Hi there,

I’ve been going to Hoi An regularly for the past 3 years, first time was in 2007. Things have definitely changed, but honestly, dual pricing has always existed in Vietnam, even if indirectly. Personally, I’ve never seen two different menus. A 1,000 dong difference is just 0.034 cents on your bread.🤔 Plus, I know that Vietnamese locals don’t pay the same prices as tourists in a lot of places.

Hi,

Personally, I wasn’t aware of this practice—I discovered it firsthand at a restaurant. It’s not about the amount, but about taking tourists for a ride, which isn’t honest, no matter where it happens. Everyone can think what they want, but personally, I say no to this. At breakfast this morning, we chatted with some English travelers who almost got scammed too. As a result, they’ll leave with a bad impression of the place and won’t come back—what a shame.

I took photos of the two menus: one in English that they give to foreigners and another (split into two photos) that they give to locals.

Hi there,

It’s true that different pricing for tourists is common in Vietnam, especially in tourist spots. Back in ’92 on my first trip there, it wasn’t a thing, but it started appearing after 2000. You’ll see it in transport—especially boats—tourist sites, restaurants, and even bottled water.

Get off the main tourist streets in Hoi An or An Hoi Island, and you’ll notice prices drop (Luan can probably confirm this). It happens all over the country. Once in Sa Pa, in a small side street, we ordered hotpot. No prices were displayed, so I asked some Vietnamese customers who spoke English—300,000 VND for two. When I asked for the bill, they told me 400,000 VND. I just smiled and said no, it’s 300,000 for me. They smiled back and said, “OK.”

Wherever there’s tourism, you’ve got to stay on your toes. Even in Paris.

Thanks for flagging this for future travelers! Eric

hi there,

Personally, I think differential pricing is completely normal. I travel often in Asia and always wonder how locals could afford an outing or a visit if there wasn’t this pricing difference. Average salary in Vietnam: around 350 €, in Europe... over 1,500 €, so to me, it’s justified. But after that, nothing stops you from negotiating! :)

It’s just that it’s unequal and borderline a bit racist.

As for locals who can afford outings and especially visits, rest assured they don’t need dual pricing to manage it. On the other hand, those who can’t afford outings and especially visits—dual pricing probably won’t help them get there either.

Hi there, Differentiated pricing—why not? But what about prices for tourists in countries where the cost of living is higher than ours? A lower restaurant price for tourists than for locals!!! Not easy! Let's stay on our guard in some heavily visited places. I find this is more noticeable in Vietnam than in other countries... for restaurants. Have a good evening, Eric