Photos at any cost? Tourists risk their lives at dangerous spots across Vietnam

6 women sit on Hai Van Pass road in Da Nang 

In the latest incident, six women were fined a combined VND1.5 million (US$58) for sitting in the middle of a dangerous bend on Hai Van Pass in Da Nang City to pose for photos on Saturday. 

Traffic police said the women had hired a car from Hue City and asked the driver to stop when they reached the bend at around 8:30 am. 

They then sat in the middle of the road and asked another tourist to photograph them while vehicles continued to pass. 

Authorities said the behavior posed a high risk of traffic accidents, as the pass features steep terrain, sharp bends and limited visibility.

Gathering and sitting in the middle of the road to take photographs can catch drivers by surprise, leaving them with insufficient time to react and potentially causing serious accidents.

Such behavior puts both the offenders and other road users at direct risk of injury or death, authorities said.

Tourists defy barriers on Ma Pi Leng Pass in northern Vietnam

Elsewhere, tourists have continued to approach the so-called “death rock” on Ma Pi Leng Pass in Tuyen Quang Province, northern Vietnam, despite a suspension of visits to the site from July 1, 2026. 

The rock outcrop attracts tourists with its scenic views and precarious position jutting out from the mountainside. 

Local authorities have installed a two-meter-high iron fence and warning signs to keep visitors away, but some have still attempted to climb through the barrier to take photos. 

The site has seen previous accidents. In 2023, a British tourist slipped while climbing out to take photos, while a visitor from Son La Province was involved in an accident there in 2021.

Visitors climb precarious rocks in Quang Ninh 

In Quang Ninh City, a video showing a group of tourists climbing large, stacked rock formations at Da Chong Mountain has also drawn widespread attention on social media. 

The rocks jut out from the mountainside near a deep valley, with no sturdy railings or protective systems at the spots where the tourists climbed to take photos. 

Their movements relied mainly on natural footholds and several supporting ropes, raising concerns that a slip or loss of balance could lead to a serious accident. 

Da Chong Mountain is not an officially designated tourist attraction, and trekking, climbing and photography there have largely been spontaneous activities. 

Local authorities said last weekend that they had contacted the forest management unit and neighboring localities to coordinate the installation of barriers and warn people against climbing or taking photos in the area.

2 women pose on high cliff in Ho Chi Minh City

In Ho Chi Minh City, a video circulated on social media in September this year showing two women climbing onto a precarious cliff near Nghinh Phong Cape in Vung Tau Ward to take photographs. 

One woman stood on a rocky outcrop jutting from the cliff face, while the other held up a mobile phone to photograph her companion. 

The cliff was estimated to be dozens of meters high. 

Local authorities said safety railings had long been installed in the area, but some residents and visitors continued to climb over them to take photos. A previous accident involved a young visitor who fell after climbing onto a cliff about 30 meters high and was injured.

Train strikes foreign tourist’s phone on Hanoi’s train street

Another incident occurred at Hanoi’s 'train street,' where cafes along the railway attract tourists hoping to photograph or film passing trains at close range. 

In August, a foreign woman sitting close to the tracks was filming an approaching train when the locomotive struck her phone, sending it flying. 

The incident caused no physical injuries, but the phone was damaged. Video of the incident spread on social media at the time. 

The incident was not the first safety concern at the site, where authorities have struggled to address activities at cafes operating close to the railway. 

Despite the incidents, Hanoi’s train street remained bustling, with cafes along the railway continuing to open and welcome customers.