A Korean tourist visiting Da Nang, Vietnam, was taken advantage of when he was charged an outrageous sum for a cab ride from the airport to his accommodation. He paid around KRW 115,000 for a 4.5 km ride, which was about ten times the regular fare. Feeling defrauded, he reported the incident to law enforcement and an inquiry began.
The investigation conducted by the police revealed that the taxi driver did not possess a valid taxi license and he admitted his wrongdoing. Consequently, he was fined KRW 600,000 and had his permit taken away. Unfortunately, the Korean visitor ended up having to pay more than five times the value of this penalty.
The situation shows a widespread problem that travelers experience in Vietnam, where they are usually charged more than the regular far. To tackle this problem, the Da Nang City Tourism Department refunded the excess money to the tourist. Although many tourists come to Vietnam for its affordability, it is important to be careful and know the common prices and customs so as not to pay too much for services.