Old Quarter ReviewHanoi emergency card
Save this page before you need it: screenshot it, or print it and keep it with your passport. In a real emergency, call the numbers below first. Old Quarter Review is not an emergency service, and this card never replaces the people whose job it is.
If you are overcharged or a price dispute turns heated
- Stay calm and stay public. Most disputes end when the price agreed at the start is repeated slowly. Two Vietnamese phrases help: “Quá đắt.” (too expensive) and “Tôi muốn gọi công an.” (I want to call the police).
- Show the agreement. A written price, a screenshot or the app screen settles most arguments on the spot.
- Call the tourism hotline, 1800 599 920. For anything threatening, call the police on 113. Being seen to dial often ends the dispute by itself.
If your passport is lost or stolen
- Report it at the nearest police station and keep the stamped report. Hotels can point you to the station for their ward.
- Contact your embassy or consulate in Hanoi for an emergency travel document. Their official website lists the current appointment and document rules.
- Visit Vietnam Immigration with the police report and your new travel document to arrange the exit paperwork before you fly out.
- Call your insurer's assistance line the same day; lost document claims usually need the police report and quick notice. Our travel insurance page explains what good cover includes.
Small health notes that prevent big ones
Tap water: do not drink it. Bottled or boiled water is the rule everywhere in Vietnam, and hotels leave bottled water in the room for teeth as well as drinking.
Mosquitoes and dengue: dengue circulates in Vietnam and there is no vaccine for travellers, so the evening rule is repellent and covered ankles, especially in the wet months. The public health advisories of the CDC and the UK FCDO say the same.
First days stomach: ease in. Choose cooked food, go gently with ice and raw herbs until your stomach settles, and wash your hands before eating where you can.
Heat: in the hot months, drink before you feel thirsty, rest at noon, and treat dizziness as a stop signal, not a challenge.
Pharmacies: pharmacies are everywhere in the Old Quarter and handle small things well. For anything beyond small, use the hospitals below or call 115.
General information drawn from public health advisories, checked 1 November 2026. It is not medical advice; your own doctor and insurer know your situation.
Hospitals with international departments
For anything serious, call 115 first, or ask your hotel to call: reception desks do this every week. Two hospitals with international departments that travellers in Hanoi use often are Hong Ngoc Hospital on the Ba Dinh side, close to the Old Quarter, and Vinmec International Hospital at Times City, Hai Ba Trung. Your hotel, your insurer's assistance line or the 115 dispatcher can direct you to the closest suitable hospital from where you are.
Numbers and steps checked 1 November 2026. This page is general information, not medical or legal advice.