On the 14th, I embarked on a journey from Macau to Nha Trang. First, let me vent about VietJet Air. The flight was scheduled for 8:50 PM, but it was delayed by two hours, and then another hour, finally taking off at 11:50 PM. We landed in Nha Trang at 0:40 local time, which is 1:40 AM in China, almost 2 AM.
I was utterly exhausted and drained. Then, something truly infuriating happened. A tour guide, who was also on the same flight, instructed everyone to slip 10 RMB as a tip when going through immigration.
I had heard rumors that Vietnamese immigration officers specifically target Chinese travelers for tips, but I was determined not to give in. After waiting in line for 20 minutes, it was my turn. The female staff member looked at me and said in Chinese, “10 RMB.” I clearly told her I had no money. She then pointed to an ATM at the end of the line and said, “Get it over there.
” At this point, I couldn’t hold back my anger and loudly asked her, “Why?” She seemed to understand little English and simply replied, “VIP.” I explained in English that this wasn’t “VIP,” but she ignored me, flipping through my passport, and kept repeating, “Go get it over there.” I was ready to stand my ground, but my family member quickly stepped forward and handed her 20 RMB, and we were immediately let through.
My family member later explained that, being in an unfamiliar place, although we were very angry, it was too late, and we couldn’t afford to be detained. If they held us in a small room for two hours, it would have ruined our vacation. The unpleasantness of entering the country was almost forgotten after enjoying a good hotel and service in Nha Trang.
A few days later, as we were preparing to leave, I saw on Xiaohongshu that many other Chinese travelers had similar experiences. I even found out that the embassy had issued a notice specifically advising Chinese tourists not to give tips.
This targeted behavior towards Chinese passports is truly disgusting and ruins the travel experience. It’s a long road ahead, and no one wants to encourage their arrogance towards Chinese people, but we also don’t want to delay our trip. I wonder when this situation will improve. Let’s see what happens when we leave, and I’ll be watching closely.
I had a similar experience with unexpected tip requests at customs. It’s really frustrating when you’re already exhausted from a long flight. Maybe there should be clearer signs or announcements about this at the airport. It caught me off guard too!