Negotiating taxi ride to hotel in Vietnam
About this recording
- Creator
- Kristin Post
- Date created
- January 30, 2001
- Duration
- 1:16
- Location
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- File
- MP3
- License
- This recording copyright ©2001. Terms of use
Related media
Learn more
- Search LEARN NC for Asia, bicycles, currency, moto, motorcycles, negotiate, payment, price, Southeast Asia, tourism, transportation, travel, urban, and Vietnam.
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In Asian cities and towns, the way to get around is by motorcycle, moto, tuk-tuk, or other two wheeled transport. In Hanoi, there were motorcycle cabs. There are no taxi meters, so you must negotiate the price of the ride before you begin your trip. Often, a Western tourist will be quoted a much higher price than the Vietnamese would normally pay for the same trip. But price is negotiable. This traveler was particularly good at negotiating the price down. (Keep in mind, we are negotiating in the national currency, Vietnamese Dong, not dollars. In November, 2006, 10,000 VND = $0.60. Our ride for two cost less than a dollar.)
Transcript
- Man
- Motobike!
- Girl
- Get back to the lake? The lake? How much?
- Man
- Two, two people. Where do you go?
- Girl
- To the lake?
- Man
- Girl
- To the lake. Swim swim. (laughter)
- Man
- Can you map?
- Girl
- Map. Ok. uh.…Nam Long Hotel? Nam Long Hotel?
- Me
- Puppet theater.
- Girl
- Pup..Water puppet theater! Water puppet theater.
- Man
- Can you map? I see it.
- Girl
- Okay. Okay, okay. (men talk, horns.)
- Man
- Hang Hom, Hang Hom Street.
- Girl
- Yeah, yep. Yep. How much?
- Man
- Two people?
- Girl
- Yep.
- Man
- Twenty thousand.
- Girl
- Twenty thousand?
- Man
- Uh, ten thousand, one.
- Girl
- Ten thousand for two. Five, five.
- Man
- Oh, yes.
- Girl
- That was way too easy.
- Kristin
- Yeah, that was really easy.
- Girl
- Uh, two thousand! One, one. (laughter.)
