Smoking in Vietnam: If these places can ban it, what's everyone else's excuse?

A couple of years ago, it seemed that Vietnam was about to catch up with accepted public health initiatives throughout most of the world and ban smoking in restaurants and bars. It was long overdue. The young people who work in these places deserve better. So do the non-smokers who frequent them. The vast majority of tourists would welcome a ban too.

By some reports back then, there was a ban. Some restaurants even posted signs indicating they were following a new law.

I’ve never been able to work it out. For the most part though, nothing much changed. Vietnam’s restaurants and bars remain some of the most smoker friendly in the world - or should I say public  health hostile?

Photo: Mark Bowyer This packed local bar in Vientiane Laos is smoke free. Why not Vietnam?

While China, Laos and Cambodia press ahead with creating smoke free environments in restaurants and bars - Vietnam continues to be a laggard.

But there are a few notable exceptions.

And the notable exceptions are what count.

Of those exceptions, two Saigon venues stand out. Mainly because they disprove the notion that mainstream non-smoking businesses can’t be successful in Vietnam.

Hoang Yen is one of Saigon’s most successful restaurants - and a personal favourite for over twenty years - and it’s now non-smoking.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Saigon’s Lookout is a fancy new restaurant and club targeting affluent locals, expats and tourists. Its bar and restaurant are non-smoking. There’s a good sized outdoor smoking area.

At Hoang Yen, the customers are mainly Vietnamese. And quite a few of these are beer swilling, chain smoking, males that you might expect to flee any non-smoking rule. But they haven’t. Hoang Yen looks as busy aa ever. And it’s now a much more hospitable place for families and non-smokers - and most importantly for the people who work there.

On one recent visit I noticed a local smoker ignoring the rule, but most customers follow it. For most diners, Hoang Yen is better for the change. And the food tastes better too.

Saigon’s Lookout made the judgment that its claims to serious food and drinks can’t be upheld if customers are battling a smoke haze. I agree.

Since there seems little prospect of official action in support of the young lungs that work in Vietnam’s hospitality sector, nor to address the wider public health disaster that is smoking in Vietnam, common-sense commercial decisions from places like Hoang Yen and Saigon’s Lookout might win the argument.


HELP!
If you’re a non-smoking cafe, bar or restaurant in Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia, let us know. We’d like to support you. And we know many travellers would like to as well. - info@rustycompass.com