Shopping Tips in Vietnam

Visiting tourist attractions often comes with the desire to shop. Shopping is a mandatory ritual for many people visiting tourist spots. Especially if the tourist destination is abroad, when else can you go there if not now to shop for items that are impossible to find in Indonesia.

Here are some shopping tips in Vietnam that you can pay attention to. Hopefully, with these tips, you can find your desired items at the best prices.

Don't Be Tempted by Cheap Prices

When it comes to shopping, people usually look for the cheapest prices. However, you need to be cautious of prices that are too low. You can compare the items and estimate whether they are worth the cheap price. Because a price that is too low may indicate that the item is fake or a replica.

An example of items sold cheaply in Vietnam is antiques and vintage goods. In some stores, you will find them selling at ridiculously low prices. You can be sure they are selling replica items. Moreover, the Vietnamese government restricts antique items from leaving Vietnam.

Bargain Before Buying

When you are at a market in Vietnam, you will find items sold at quite high prices. This is normal because sellers also want to make a good profit. You can ask friends or search for information about the prices of those items online. Try bargaining with the seller until you get a good price.

Check Multiple Stores

This tip can be a bit tiring. Usually, an item will also be sold in several other stores. You can check which store sells the item at the lowest price. However, don't be fooled, check again whether the quality of the items is the same.

Wear Sunscreen

Shopping all day can be fun and you might not feel the time passing because you are too happy. However, you also need to pay attention to your skin health. The weather in Vietnam can be quite hot. You can use sunscreen to reduce skin irritation from prolonged sun exposure.

Wear Casual Clothes

Even though you are a tourist, wearing casual clothes has several advantages. You can be perceived as a foreigner but residing there, which will help you get cheaper prices for items. Additionally, by dressing casually and not flashy, you can at least minimize the chances of pickpockets targeting you as their easy prey.

Be Cautious with Your Belongings

It's not good to be suspicious, but being cautious is allowed. Since markets are crowded places, you need to be vigilant with your belongings. You can place money in several spots so that if one place gets pickpocketed, you still have backup money in other places.

One way to avoid pickpocketing is to steer clear of crowded places. Because when it's crowded and people are clustered together, pickpockets can act more easily without being noticed.

It’s Recommended to Know Some Vietnamese

Although this is not mandatory, you will gain many advantages if you can speak a little Vietnamese. You can learn on YouTube in free Vietnamese language classes. For basic Vietnamese, there are usually free resources available.

The advantage of knowing Vietnamese is that you can understand their codes or conversations when you are bargaining for items. Not only that, if you have difficulty getting to a place, you can ask local residents. Because usually very few locals know English.

Author: Iskael