Beware of Karaoke Bar in Hanoi
Shared with you this Travel Report Dated Mon, Jun 11 2007 Submitted by: Peter
Beware. Karaoke bars in Hanoi are scam places run by criminals. You are shown to a room where 2 girls will join you just to sing karaoke - the waiters bring lots of food that you did not order. The girls will open the food packets & eat a bit. Then after 1 hour you will get a bill for over 100 us dollars. The girls disappear & two Vietnamese criminals will block your exit until you have paid the bill. You could try to push your way out but you do not know what is down the stairs (remember the bar is usually upstairs). The police are corrupt & on the make so it's a waste of time contacting them.
The bar we went to was Phuong Nam karaoke bar at 38 Nam Ngu in Hanoi. All karaoke bars are the same, run by demented little criminals. You have been warned. In fact the Vietnamese seem to want foreign money but don't like foreigners - give it a miss. More information. May 2007. In Hanoi it is law that bars / restaurants close at 10pm - even street lights are switched off. It is like an unofficial curfew.
If you are on the streets after 10pm you are likely to be approached, indeed surrounded, by criminal types both on foot & motorcycle, it is very dark; they will try to rob you possibly by pretending to be friendly & putting their hands on you whilst one of them attempts to get inside your bag - or your bag may be just snatched. I have seen both happen. Under these circumstances you are at the mercy of these demented, illiterate, pathetic little criminals. Another scam is that a girl on a motorcycle will offer you sex ' at her place ' - she will take you to a seedy little guest house where she has criminal friends & there you will be robbed.
Even when a small room you are in with her you will be robbed - example she might encourage you to take a shower & then go thru your bag or even if you are on a bed & having a massage she will ensure that you are face down & someone will come into the room on all fours and ransack your bag. Then she will rush you out of the hotel to the point of being aggressive & rude so you don't notice the theft.
This scam happens in both Hanoi and Saigon. The difference is that Saigon shuts down at midnight (Hanoi shuts at 10pm). The bottom line is that after these curfew hours you are fair game for the criminal elements in Vietnam, and believe me the country is full of them. Take my advice, do not go to Vietnam if you want 'female company'. Go to Thailand or Cambodia.