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I left Saigon to visit my fiance who lives approximately 200 kilometers West of Saigon in a very small town by stayed at a hotel by myself I was walking the street to get something to eat two police called me over I gave them ID they went to my hotel and told them not to let me stay I honestly wasn't doing anything except walking to get something to eat the hotel told me to go and my fiance had to come and pick me up and drive me a long way to another country town hotel this is crazy I still don't know what I done can anyone help me - @lambieallan

What was the name of the town where you first stayed?

I left Saigon to visit my fiance who lives approximately 200 kilometers West of Saigon in a very small town by stayed at a hotel by myself I was walking the street to get something to eat two police called me over I gave them ID they went to my hotel and told them not to let me stay I honestly wasn't doing anything except walking to get something to eat the hotel told me to go and my fiance had to come and pick me up and drive me a long way to another country town hotel this is crazy I still don't know what I done can anyone help me - @lambieallan

I hope you won't be offended by me asking this question, but it's central to understanding what possibly happened to you.

Are you a "person of color"?

I'm well aware that the great majority of people around the world are "people of color", so I definitely don't mean to use the term in a pejorative manner.

But while Vietnamese citizens in major cities don't display much racism, the more you travel out to very rural areas with small villages, there is a definite increase in racism, despite what some Vietnamese people and foreigners who only live in the city will say.

My own Vietnamese wife is somewhat racist, especially when it comes to people from the subcontinent, China, Africa and Cambodia.

I truly hope that my comment is not received as offensive by you or by other members of the forum.

I've simply lived here long enough to understand the reality of life here as opposed to the social media praises of all Vietnamese people.

No offence taken buddy no I am white I am from Australia I fiance said something about it being a border town

No offence taken buddy no I am white I am from Australia I fiance said something about it being a border town - @lambieallan

That actually sounds very reasonable.

There are many areas in Vietnam that are considered to be security sensitive, even if there aren't any signs saying so.

There are stories of foreigners trying to hike up into the mountains along the border and being arrested by Vietnamese authorities for being in a sensitive or unauthorized area.

The Vietnamese usually don't mess around when it comes to National Security.

I'm glad that in your case their reaction was limited to relocation.

Were you possibly near a military base?

No offence taken buddy no I am white I am from Australia I fiance said something about it being a border town - @lambieallan

And that is most definitely the reason.

Border towns which are not a usual tourist draw for foreigners have laws forbidding temporary stays (i.e. no overnight stays). This would include both hotels and private residences.

Were you possibly near a military base? - @jrharvey

That too, of course.

There are also some islands which are absolutely off-limits to foreigners, with only Vietnamese citizens permitted to visit.