While slowly being supplanted by motorbikes, cyclo
pedicabs still roam the streets of Vietnam's cities and
towns. They are especially common in scenic smaller,
less busy cities like
Hue, where it's pleasant to cruise
slowly along taking in the sights. Though the ride will
be slow, hot and sometimes dangerous, you'll generally
need to pay more than for a motorbike for the equivalent
distance. On the plus side, some drivers (particularly
in the South) are very friendly and happy to give you a
running commentary on the sights. Cyclo drivers are
notoriously mercenary and will always ask for a high
price to start with. Sometimes they will also demand
more than the agreed price at the end. (Japanese
tourists, especially women, are most often targeted with
this scam since they are more
responsive to the threat
that the driver will call the police and make trouble
for them if they don't pay as demanded) A reasonable
price is about 20,000 dong for up to 2 km, and if the
driver disagrees, simply walk away. (You won't get far
before that driver or another takes your offer) Prices
for a sight-seeing circuit with intermediate stops are
more complex to negotiate and more subject to conflict
at the end. If you plan to stop somewhere for any length
of time, it's best to settle up with the driver, make no
promises, and start fresh later. To avoid trouble, it's
also best to have exact change for the amount you agreed
to pay, so if the driver tries to revise the deal, you
can just lay your cash on the seat and leave.
Source: wikitravel
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