A digital nomad in Ho Chi Minh City describes how their perception of Vietnamese friendliness changed dramatically in just 24 hours—from feeling unwelcome stares to having neighborhood "friends"—simply by being the first to greet people.
The experience challenges a common stereotype about Southeast Asian hospitality and highlights how tourists often misread local customs, then blame the destination for their own cultural missteps.
The First Impression
Staying in a non-touristy area of Ho Chi Minh City, the nomad initially felt unwelcome: "went to local vegetable fruit market and everyone was cold staring as if I'm some alien to them lol and the same when I was walking in the streets."
With limited English spoken in the neighborhood and minimal interaction with locals, the nomad began thinking "they don't smile or don't kind of like seeing foreigners here."
This perception echoes a common complaint from travelers in Vietnam: locals seem cold, unfriendly, or even hostile compared to the smiling, welcoming stereotypes of Southeast Asia.
The 24-Hour Shift
The nomad made one simple change: greeting people first. "I decided from next day I'll say hello to everyone person I have eye contact with."
The results? "All kids in my alley are now my 'friends' haha we high five whenever they see me, the alley uncles and aunties are greeted by me and vice versa everytime I go out. Street vendors, shop owners, security guards, parked grab drivers, bus drivers - I greet everyone I have eye contact with and everyone responds back with a big smile, a thumbs up 👍🏻, a wave 👋."
The Cultural Context
Vietnamese culture doesn't feature the automatic smiling and greeting that some Southeast Asian countries have developed in response to tourism. In non-touristy areas, locals aren't accustomed to foreigners and may be curious, cautious, or simply going about their business.
The staring that tourists interpret as hostility is often just curiosity—especially in neighborhoods where foreigners are rare. Children stare at anything unusual; adults try to be more subtle but still look.
