Trip reports forum

Posted from within Vietnam.

Hey Travelfish Travellers!

Wondering if anyone else has had the humerous experience of travelling in a mini-van from the Lao border (Lao Bao) to Dong Ha in Vietnam?

We did this little trip recently and in addition to some pretty typical "crazy" driving, we happened to fall in with some cigarette smugglers (we originally thought they had drugs). Three of the "passengers" lept from the vehicle with their bundles a few km's from Lao Bao and zoomed on motos through a customs checkpoint, while we were conspicuously displayed as proof that the van was really a "Tourist Van".

After showing us off to the customs officials who checked our passports thoroughly, the young guys with the contraband (who hadn't been searched at the checkpoint as the officials were occupied with the foreigners!)scrambled back into the car about 10 km's down the road.

At the next checkpoint we didn't stop, but they took the precaution of making us sit on the side of the vehicle in view of the officials. Pretty necessary given they were "wearing" their contraband in vests of 10 or 15 cartons each which made them look pretty fat for local guys!!

In Dong Ha, they did also try to stiff us over the fare, but we got off with about 60,000 VND extra as there was no way they were giving us any change. We made enough of a fuss that a crowd gathered and the driver wanted to avoid the attention.

No moral to the story, other than to wonder if others have had this experience and if so did you manage to look "touristy" enough :)

Cheers!
Valaria