One week after combing through trash containers for two Singaporean travelers, staff at the Oanh Cua restaurant in Cau Ong Lanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, remain touched by a handwritten thank-you note received in both English and Vietnamese. A short video clip documenting the search has attracted more than 3.8 million views online.
Restaurant staff dig through large trash bins on the evening of September 29.
The incident unfolded on September 29 when two Singaporean visitors dined at the seafood eatery before heading out. Around 11:00 PM, just as the restaurant prepared to close, the couple rushed back in distress. They reported misplacing a plain white envelope holding 40 million VND (approximately $1,600). The sum represented their entire travel budget for their Vietnam trip.
Security cameras showed no signs of the envelope on the dining tables. Consequently, the tourists feared the small paper packet was accidentally discarded alongside used napkins and food wrappers. By that hour, the restaurant’s daily refuse had already been cleared into three large neighborhood trash carts. Without hesitation, the employees began turning over rubbish bins inside the dining room and digging directly through the outdoor dumpsters.
Rain began falling as the search intensified, but the crew continued digging through the wet waste. Seeing the staff’s dedication, local municipal sanitation workers joined in to help, wheeling over empty collection bins so workers could sort each bag systematically. However, after an hour of searching through the refuse, the envelope remained missing.
The bilingual handwritten thank-you note from the Singaporean tourists.
Defeated, the tourists returned to their hotel room. Upon emptying every compartment of their personal luggage, they discovered the cash envelope tucked deep beneath the lining of their handbag.
The following day, September 30, the couple returned to Oanh Cua for another crab dinner. They brought along the recovered envelope with a handwritten letter of gratitude, a thoughtful gift, and a 2-million-VND reward to thank the team for their dedication.
“When we learned the money was safe, everyone felt relieved because losing that budget would have ruined their holiday,” a restaurant spokesperson shared. “Leaving a lasting impression of Vietnamese hospitality in the hearts of international friends is our greatest reward.”
Acts of kindness toward foreign tourists remain a regular occurrence across Vietnam. In April, three international travelers left a wallet on a coffee counter in Cua Nam Ward, Hanoi. The café owner immediately jumped on a motorbike, pursued the visitors through the streets, and safely returned the item.
Around the same time, 31-year-old Russian tourist Ksenia Goryacheva lost her wallet containing personal identification and cash in Da Nang. Officers from Ngu Hanh Son Ward Police mobilized local residents to locate and return her property intact.
Earlier, in December 2025, Thai visitor Pai Kan Tue accidentally left her smartphone inside a taxi in Ho Chi Minh City. Nearby bystanders used their personal mobile phones to track down the cab driver and retrieve her phone within hours.
International tourists explore Hanoi on cyclo tours.
Across online travel communities, international visitors routinely praise Vietnam for its personal safety and warm local hospitality. During the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam welcomed over 17.7 million international arrivals, representing a 14.5% year-on-year increase and reaching nearly 71% of the annual target of 25 million visitors.
Within the Southeast Asian market, arrivals from Singapore demonstrated strong momentum, expanding by 29.8% compared to the same period in 2025.
These positive tourism trends highlight the importance of elevating hospitality services, extending tourist stays, and encouraging higher per-trip spending to maximize economic value alongside visitor volume growth.
(Source: zingnews.vn)
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