Traveling to Vietnam will be an unforgettable experience. There, you can immerse yourself in a different environment. You get to experience rich culture. Also, you’ll be able to meet people that will build your experiences and memories in life.
But, before the adventure begins, you should also keep in mind more serious matters. Take into consideration your safety and the possibility of encountering emergency situations.
While traveling in Vietnam, like in any foreign country, you – as the tourist are a fish on dry land. You are in a brand-new place and possibly a different time zone too. So, a useful tip is for you to familiarize yourself with the situations you may face in Vietnam prior to travel. It is best to expect the worst because this will prepare you mentally for what happen. So, when an unfortunate event happens, you’ll be prepared. But, nevertheless, traveling should be a source of joy and not anxiety, so preparing will help to maximize your joyful experience even more.
Preparing for Travel Emergencies
If you want a smooth experience, then you should put some time into preparation. Other than the itinerary, you should also take the time to learn about Vietnam's safety measures before traveling. These safety measures will prevent the likelihood of you encountering an unfortunate event. But, in the worst-case scenario that you experience emergencies, these safety measures are here to catch you.
1. Outlining a Plan
A detailed plan of what you should do during an emergency is handy to have while traveling in Vietnam. This note will serve as a guide of what you should do and who to call based on the kind of emergency. Be sure to make your notes readable and easy-to-understand. At times of emergency, most of us are not in a stable state of mind. We feel anxious and tend to panic. So, having straight-forward notes on what to do per emergency will speed up the process of asking for help.
2. Registering at the Embassy
A helpful measure in keeping yourself safe and protected while traveling is letting your embassy in Vietnam know that you are in the country traveling. This safety measure is important because you are informing your embassy about your travel plans and presence. This includes who to contact in case of emergency. In addition, you are also updated by your embassy on travel warnings that may be useful for your safety.
| Citizenship | Embassy / Consulate | Contact Details | Address |
| U.S. citizen | U.S. embassy in Hanoi | +84 24 3850 5000 | 7 Láng Hạ, Chợ Dừa, Ba Đình, Hà Nội, Vietnam |
| U.S. citizen | U.S. Consulate -General at Ho Chi Minh City | +84 28 3520 4200 | 4 Lê Duẩn, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam. |
| British citizen | British Embassy in Hanoi | +84 24 3936 0500 / [email protected] | Central Building, Tầng 4, 31 Hai Bà Trưng, Hàng Bài, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam |
| British-Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City | +84 28 3825 1380 / [email protected]. | 25 Le Duan Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. | |
| Australian citizen | Australian Embassy in Hanoi | +84 24 3774 0100 / [email protected] | is 8 Đào Tấn, Cống Vị, Ba Đình, Hà Nội, Vietnam |
| Australian citizen | Australian Consolate-General in Ho Chi Minh City | +84 28 3521 8100 / [email protected] | is Lầu 20,Tòa nhà Vincom, 47 Lý Tự Trọng, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam |
It may seem a bit strange to let the embassy know your whereabouts while in Vietnam. However, it will make contacting your family easier in case of an unfortunate turn of events.
Remember, the purpose of your embassy in a foreign country is to serve its citizens, especially on safety and security. So, utilize the embassy because it is a powerful way to keep yourself out of harm’s way.
3. Getting to Know Yourself
Memorizing your personal information can become useful when it comes to emergencies. Be sure to know them by heart. It can help you provide some identification information when asking for help. It might sound silly to review information like name, age, birthday, address, family, and so on. But these may prove to be important information you can provide to authorities in awry situations. So, don’t take your personal information for granted. Start memorizing details about yourself before your trip to Vietnam.
4. Knowing the Role of the Government
Your country’s embassy or counsulate can do a limited amount of things to help you if you get into some situations in a foreign land. If you get into trouble in Vietnam, it is useful to research about what they can do for you. Some questions to research include what your government’s role is in case you experience a crisis in a foreign country. What services do they provide abroad? Can the government pick you up during an emergency? This is probably the most important thing you can do.
Common Travel Emergency Situations and What to Do
Medical Help
If you ever encounter the need for medical help, then it is best that you have a travel insurance while in Vietnam. Contact your insurance company and ask them if your insurance covers traveling abroad.
But, if you are only traveling for a short period of time, there are many short-term travel health insurance plans available from different companies.
Travel insurance is very handy just in case you need to be rushed to the hospital or clinic.
It could save you lots of time and money during your trip. In addition, there are also travelers who prefer no travel insurance. If you are one of them, in case of medical help, contact your embassy in Vietnam and ask which hospitals treat foreigners. You may also contact 115 as an immediate emergency number or if you need more medical help, use Vietnam’s paging service at 105. If the medical emergency is accompanied by a fire emergency, then you must also contact 114.
Lost/Stolen Passport
In case you lost your passport or think that was stolen, contact your embassy or Consulate to ask for assistance. The most probable outcome of losing or getting a stolen passport is traveling to your embassy and having an interview. This interview will be used to prove your identity and if you really lost or had your passport stolen. To speed up the process, try contacting your friend in your home country. Ask them to contact the Overseas Citizen Services. Your friend can apply for a replacement passport for you. If you are a U.S. citizen your friend may contact Overseas Citizen Services at (202)-647-5225.
Lost/Stolen Money
Before you take more drastic measures to make sure that your lost or stolen money is safe, try to remember and retrace your steps. Remember where you think you last had your money. However, if worse comes to worse and you cannot find your bank cards, then immediately call your credit card company. Tell them to deactivate your cards in order to make sure that nobody gets to use them. If you are worried that you cannot pay for your other expenses during the trip, do not worry. You can cooperate with the credit card company to pay for your travel expenses. However, if traveler’s checks were the ones lost or stolen, you may contact your banking company. They will most likely void the checks for you and give you other checks as replacement.
If you get robbed in Vietnam, the local police won’t be able to do anything for you. So you shouldn’t flash cash or valuables like your smartphone in public and also be wary about withdrawing money from an ATM in sketchy areas. In the worst-case scenario that you are cashless and none of the above works out for you, contact the Embassy. For American citizens, the Embassy or Consulate can help you pay for your expenses going back home.
Lost/Damaged Luggage
Some people experience lost or damaged luggage when they arrive at the airport. If you experienced this then immediately report it to the airline counter near the baggage claim area. They will most likely ask you about what you have in your luggage, some contact information, and where you will be staying during the trip. Once the airline company traces the whereabouts of your luggage, then they will deliver them to you for your convenience.
For some airline companies, they may give you some money as reimbursement before you have your luggage back in your hands, but this is rare.
Legal Assistance
If you find yourself caught in some legal situation while in Vietnam, immediately call your Embassy. They will provide you with an attorney. If you are a U.S. citizen, there are chances that if money is required for legal action that they can help you get some of your money from the United States. Do keep in mind that the legal action to be taken will be under the laws of Vietnam since you are within their territory.
Research and Preparation is Key for Safety
To prevent worst-case scenarios from happening while traveling in Vietnam, it is best that you do your research and preparation for your safety. Research about possible emergency situations you may encounter and who you should contact during those awry times. It cannot be stressed enough that emergency contacts are vital and may mean life or death for some people. You may contact the Embassy when there are no options left or when you experience a situation that requires their immediate attention. Remember, emergencies are inevitable, but you can prepare by learning emergency and safety tips prior to your trip to minimize the chances of getting into a bigger amount of trouble while in Vietnam.
Sources
1. http://trip.ustia.org/security/articles/1229/common-travel-emergencies/
2. https://www.goabroad.com/articles/how-to-prepare-deal-with-an-emergency-abroad