> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://blog.fizen.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Da Nang and Hoi An Scams 2026: Tailor Deposits, Boat Upsells, Lantern Photos and Taxi Tricks - URL: https://blog.fizen.io/da-nang-hoi-an-scams-2026/ - Published: 2026-11-02T09:52:47.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-02T09:52:47.000Z - Description: The central Vietnam list is short and specific: how much deposit a tailor takes, boat and basket-boat upsells, candle and lantern photo fees, the Old Town ticket, and Da Nang taxi tricks. Dated cases, official ticket rules and what to do. - Author: Quinn Dao - Tags: Travel & Nomad, Guides **Quick answer:** As of November 2026, the problems visitors report in Da Nang and Hoi An are tailors who take large deposits with vague terms, river and basket-boat touts and tip pressure, small fees for candles and lantern photos, and taxi drivers who change the agreed fare (a Da Nang driver charged a Thai visitor VND 3.8 million against an agreed VND 1.5 million in 2023 and was fined and lost his licence for a time). Agree the price and what is included in dong before you start, book boats online, and keep your Old Town ticket stub. **Key takeaways** - **Tailors:** put down as little as the shop will take and get the deposit written on the order slip. Our [tailor deposit guide](https://blog.fizen.io/hoi-an-tailor-deposit-pay-qr-2026/) has the numbers. - **Old Town ticket:** the official notice of 29 January 2026 lists VND 80,000 and VND 120,000 tiers valid for up to three days; keep the stub. - **Boats and candles:** agree the price and length before you step in, and say no before a candle or lantern is lit for you. - **Taxis:** a Da Nang driver was fined and lost his licence for 1 to 3 months after charging 2.5 times the agreed fare. Book in the app and keep the ride in it. You reach Hoi An at dusk, the lanterns are lit, and in ten minutes you have been offered a boat, a candle, a photo and a suit. Most of it is friendly, and a little of it has a price attached that nobody mentioned. The skill is asking before anything starts. Two things make that easier: data so you can look up a price or a ride, and a way to pay a tailor's bank QR without carrying a fat envelope of cash. Your travel eSIM gift is waiting in the Fizen app, US$10 of eSIM credit off the bill automatically at checkout (up to 30% of each plan, new users only), and in Vietnam it has QR Pay for shops with a bank QR. [Get the Fizen app](https://link.fizen.io/s/B3Aenpj7fz?ref=blog.fizen.io). ## Are Hoi An tailor deposits a scam? Usually not, but the deposit is where disputes begin. Tailors typically ask for 30 to 50% when you order, with the balance at the final fitting, and many add 3 to 4% for card payments, according to traveller guides from May 2026 summarised in our [Hoi An tailor deposit guide](https://blog.fizen.io/hoi-an-tailor-deposit-pay-qr-2026/). **Tell-tale sign:** a large deposit with nothing in writing, or pressure to pay in full on day one. **What to do:** get the garment list, price and fitting dates on a written order slip, and keep the shop's name on every payment record. ## What are the boat, basket-boat and candle upsells? The pattern is older than this year, which is why local officials have intervened before. VNTravelLive reported on 8 July 2022 that after complaints on the Hoai River, Hoi An's authorities cracked down on touts and required boat operators to display prices at docks and ticket counters, reportedly VND 150,000 to VND 200,000 for a 20-minute ride at the time; check the current notice. Tuoi Tre (10 May 2016) described a candle seller who released candles without agreement and charged VND 80,000 for five against a usual VND 10,000. At the Cam Thanh coconut-forest basket boats, an undated guide from You in Da Nang says touts near the village entrance claim it is closed or offer a 'VIP' dock, quote far more than online booking, and expect a tip of about VND 50,000 per boat; the rowers' palm-leaf crafts are often a lead-in to more tips. **What to do:** book online, ignore anyone who flags you down, agree the price, length and what is included before you step in, and treat the tip as optional. ## Do you pay to take lantern photos, and what does the Old Town ticket cover? Two different things. The Hoi An heritage notice of 29 January 2026 sets a VND 80,000 ticket (the town landscape plus three monuments) and a VND 120,000 ticket (the landscape plus five sites), valid for your whole stay of up to three days, and says visitors are kindly asked to buy one before entering the Old Town. The notice does not describe checks, so keep the stub to avoid being asked to pay twice. Separately, one traveller blog (seen in a search snippet, not opened) says lantern stalls charge about VND 10,000 to pose with their lanterns and that buying a lantern avoids the fee. It is small, and not official, so ask the price before you pose. **Tell-tale sign:** a lantern or candle placed in your hands before a price is said. ## What are the Da Nang taxi tricks? Tuoi Tre reported on 21 November 2023 that inspectors fined a Da Nang driver VND 1 to 2 million and revoked his licence for one to three months, and fined his cooperative VND 10 to 12 million, after he charged a Thai visitor VND 3.8 million for a roughly 90 km trip to Ba Na Hills and Hoi An agreed at VND 1.5 million, which authorities said was 2.5 times the agreed fare. VnExpress International (3 March 2026) described a Da Nang driver taking a longer route from the airport until the passenger protested. United Daily News (29 July 2026) reported a Da Nang driver who asked a traveller to cancel her booking for a discount, then drove slowly, made phone calls and offered to hand her to a 'friend'; she got out and rebooked. **What to do:** keep the ride in the app, refuse offers to cancel, and for a long day trip agree the total in writing first. ## What do other travellers say? Paraphrased from guides and search snippets, because we could not open Reddit, Tripadvisor or Expats in Da Nang group threads for this piece: - Tailor stories that go well involve a written slip, a fitting on day two and a calm 'adjust it free' conversation, not a hard sell. - Go to boats and basket boats in the morning or late afternoon and book online to avoid the entrance touts. - Walk the Old Town in the evening with your ticket stub in your pocket, and ignore anyone offering a 'cheaper ticket'. ## How do an eSIM and QR Pay help in central Vietnam? With data you can check a ride's price, find a boat operator's own page and message a tailor from your hotel. One option is Fizen's Asia plan, which, as of 2 November 2026, runs on Viettel Mobile 4G in Vietnam; fixed-data plans slow to 128 kbps after the allowance. Check the eSIM tab in the app for current Vietnam plans. A fault on Fizen's side gets a free 1:1 replacement for the whole trip from a real person in live chat. It is data only, so keep your home SIM on for bank codes. Install it on home Wi-Fi before you fly. See also our [Da Nang eSIM guide](https://blog.fizen.io/esim-da-nang-nomad-month-2026/). For a deposit or a stall that shows a bank QR: Fizen QR Pay lets foreign visitors in Vietnam pay VietQR, VNPay, MoMo and ZaloPay codes from USDT, with the amount shown in dong before you confirm. It is for visitors only (people who live in Vietnam cannot use it there) and pays only Vietnamese account holders' codes. Create or import the self-custody Fizen wallet, get USDT on Solana or BNB Chain into it, deposit into QR Pay (no gas on BNB Chain, a little SOL on Solana; KYC per wallet and device), then scan and pay. USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited. Limits: US$800 per payment, US$1,000 per week, no daily limit. USDT in QR Pay is governed by the QR Pay Terms, so move in only what you plan to spend. Steps: [QR Pay getting started](https://docs.fizen.io/help-center/fizen-qr-pay/getting-started?ref=blog.fizen.io). More local detail in [what's new in Da Nang and Hoi An](https://blog.fizen.io/whats-new-in-da-nang-hoi-an-for-travellers-2026/). ## Frequently asked questions #### Is Hoi An safe for tourists? Yes for most visitors. The usual issues are pushy sellers, boat and ticket confusion and unclear tailor terms, not violence. #### What is the most common scam in Hoi An? Unagreed prices: candles, boat rides, lantern photos and tailor deposits. Ask the total in dong before anything starts. #### How much deposit do Hoi An tailors take? Typically 30 to 50% at ordering with the balance at the final fitting, per traveller guides from May 2026\. Get it written on the order slip. #### Do I need a ticket to walk in Hoi An Old Town? The heritage centre asks visitors to buy one (VND 80,000 or VND 120,000 under the 29 January 2026 notice, valid up to three days). Keep the stub. #### Are there taxi scams in Da Nang? Yes: changed fares, long routes and off-app offers. A 2023 case ended with the driver fined and his licence revoked for one to three months. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/ee/04eee3a6-7d95-474c-80a5-48f84338363b/content/images/2026/11/da-nang-hoi-an-scams-2026.png) #### Your travel eSIM gift is waiting: US$10 of eSIM credit A new Fizen programme: US$10 of eSIM credit is waiting in the eSIM tab of the Fizen app for new users, taken off the bill automatically at checkout (up to 30% of each plan), no code. Pay with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain, or by card. Foreign visitors in Hoi An and Da Nang can pay a shop's or tailor's bank QR code with QR Pay in the same app. Prefer the web? fizen.io/esim works too. [Get the Fizen app](https://link.fizen.io/s/B3Aenpj7fz?ref=blog.fizen.io) ### Terms and conditions - **Information only.** Fizen publishes this article to inform, not to sell. Nothing here is an offer, solicitation or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, legal, tax, immigration or security advice. Prices, tickets and local rules change; check the official notices. - **For readers in the United States.** This is information only, not an offer or sale, and not advice. Fizen products and services are not offered to US Persons. - **QR Pay availability.** QR Pay is for cross-border use by travellers and foreigners in Vietnam and the Philippines only, and is not available to residents of those countries in their own country. It is funded only with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain; USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited. KYC, KYT, AML and sanctions checks apply. Use of QR Pay is governed by the Fizen QR Pay Terms. - **Not affiliated.** Fizen is not affiliated with any tailor, boat operator, taxi company, local authority or publication named here. Cases are described as reported; no private business is accused. - **Data only.** A travel eSIM provides mobile data. It does not give you a local phone number, voice calls or SMS. Keep your home SIM active for bank codes. Network facts are from the Fizen catalogue as of 2 November 2026 and can change. - **eSIM welcome credit.** New users get US$10 of eSIM credit in the eSIM tab of the Fizen app. It is a promotional discount, not money, applied at checkout up to 30% of each plan, valid 12 months, one per person; terms at docs.fizen.io/help-center/fizen-esim/welcome-credit. ### Sources - [Hoi An Heritage (Da Nang): Announcement of the visiting in Hoi An Ancient Town, 29 January 2026](https://hoianheritage.danang.gov.vn/en/news/news-events/announcement-of-the-visiting-in-hoi-an-ancient-town-125.html?ref=blog.fizen.io) - [VNTravelLive, 8 July 2022: Hoi An determined to eliminate brokers to compete for tourists](https://vntravellive.com/en/hoi-an-kien-quyet-dep-co-gianh-khach-du-lich-d34270.html?ref=blog.fizen.io) - [Tuoi Tre News, 10 May 2016: Tourists recall unpleasant incidents from Hoi An ancient town](https://news.tuoitre.vn/news/audio/20160510/tourists-recall-unpleasant-incidents-from-hoi-an-ancient-town/38387.html?ref=blog.fizen.io) - [You in Da Nang: Hoi An coconut forest basket boat rides (undated guide)](https://youindanang.com/hoi-an-coconut-forest-enjoying-the-basket-boat-rides-on-the-river/?ref=blog.fizen.io) - [Tuoi Tre News, 21 November 2023: Driver penalized for ripping off Thai tourist in Da Nang](https://news.tuoitre.vn/news/society/20231121/driver-penalized-for-ripping-off-thai-tourist-in-da-nang/76871.html?ref=blog.fizen.io) - [VnExpress International, 3 March 2026: Vietnam tourism struggles to prevent overcharging of tourists](https://e.vnexpress.net/news/travel/vietnam-tourism-struggles-to-prevent-overcharging-of-tourists-5046087.html?ref=blog.fizen.io) - [United Daily News (Taiwan), 29 July 2026: Fake Grab and off-app drivers in Vietnam](https://udn.com/news/story/6812/9659015?ref=blog.fizen.io) - [Fizen Help Center: QR Pay getting started](https://docs.fizen.io/help-center/fizen-qr-pay/getting-started?ref=blog.fizen.io) Updated 2 November 2026. ### Related reading - [eSIM scams: the 60-second seller check](https://blog.fizen.io/esim-scams-how-to-avoid-2026/) - [Paying a Hoi An tailor: deposit and QR](https://blog.fizen.io/hoi-an-tailor-deposit-pay-qr-2026/) - [What's new in Da Nang and Hoi An](https://blog.fizen.io/whats-new-in-da-nang-hoi-an-for-travellers-2026/)