Although most travelers in Vietnam feel relatively safe, crime endemic to areas frequented by tourists do occur, ie petty crimes such as pickpocketing. Indeed, violent crime remains rare—especially violent crime targeting westerners or tourists.

Back in 2002, having spent a month travelling about Vietnam, I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)—my last stop before heading up the Mekong River into Cambodia. Emboldened by the rather effortless travel of the previous few weeks, I settled into a tropics-induced complacency where I assumed that nothing could, or ever would, go wrong—especially where it concerned me. Add a dash of late-20s bravado—a recipe for danger!

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