Right now, two videos from Vietnam are going viral.
In one, a group of Indian tourists are seen performing Garba near a parked aircraft on an airport tarmac in Vietnam. In another, Indian travellers are seen dancing to Chaiyya Chaiyya on Hanoi’s famous Train Street.
Both videos have sparked strong reactions online. Some people see them as harmless fun. Others are questioning the public decorum, safety concerns, and the image Indian tourists create abroad.
As I watched these debates unfold, I kept thinking about something that happened during our trip to Sri Lanka.
Not because the situations were identical.
But because they all pointed to the same uncomfortable truth.
Sometimes, a handful of travellers end up shaping how millions of people are perceived.
And after visiting 14 countries with my husband, V Gautham Navada, I have become increasingly aware of that reality.
The Train Journey That Changed My Perspective
This is an incident from Feb 2026. We were in Sri Lanka. The train was already parked at Ambewela station when we arrived. The doors were open, and passengers had already started boarding, finding seats, and settling down.
Anyone who has travelled through Sri Lanka knows that some train routes are experiences in themselves. People arrive early for a reason. The best seats disappear quickly, especially on scenic routes that attract travellers from around the world. So we arrived early too, not because we wanted special treatment, but because that is how fairness works.
The train was scheduled to depart at 9:30 AM. Many travellers, including us, had reached much earlier, bought general tickets, boarded the train, and found seats. Everything felt calm, orderly, and respectful.
Then, around 9:25 AM, just five minutes before departure, a group arrived. They were Indians, like us. They had also bought general tickets, but instead of accepting that seats were already taken by people who had arrived early, they began asking passengers to give up their seats for them.
That made me wonder. If they knew they could not stand for long, why did they not buy reserved seats? And if reserved seats were not available, why did they not come early like everyone else who wanted a seat in the general compartment?
They were travelling as a family and friends group, and most of them appeared to be in their 50s. But they began insisting that others should give up their seats because they were elderly. Some passengers looked uncomfortable. Some reluctantly moved. Eventually, the group got the seats they wanted.
Had the story ended there, I may have forgotten it. But what happened next stayed with me. Once they were seated, they started laughing among themselves. They mocked the people (in their regional language) who had given up their seats and joked about how easily they had fooled others into giving them seats without arriving early.
I felt embarrassed, not because I was involved, but because I was Indian too. For the rest of that journey, I kept wondering what the other passengers were thinking. Did they assume all Indian travellers behaved that way? Did they think we were part of the same group? Did they leave that train with a slightly worse impression of Indians than they had before boarding? I don’t know.
But that was the first time I truly felt the weight of something every traveller should understand: when we travel abroad, we rarely represent only ourselves.
A Sunset Lesson in Sri Lanka
Another incident from the Sri Lanka trip in February 2026 taught me a very similar lesson. This time, it happened at a popular beach swing in Unawatuna during sunset. A long queue had already formed because everyone wanted their chance before the light faded.
The swing operator was explaining the rules clearly to every visitor: hold the rope properly, follow the instructions, one chance per person, and remember that many people are waiting. The system was simple and fair.
But when another group arrived, things quickly changed. They were given the same instructions as everyone else, and the operator explained everything patiently. He repeatedly told one of them to hold the swing tightly. But she seemed scared, overthought the situation, and jumped instead of following the instruction properly.
There was no serious fall and no major injury. From what we saw, it was not the guide’s mistake. But suddenly the operator was accused, voices were raised, and a second chance was demanded despite the queue.
The operator refused because many people were still waiting, and sunset light was fading quickly. That should have been understandable. Everyone in the queue had paid and waited for their turn. But instead of accepting it, she started abusing him and creating a scene.
What made it worse was the attitude. It felt like she believed she was the main character of the moment, as if everyone else standing in line did not matter and she could waste 20 minutes just to get the perfect photo or video.
Then they left without paying.
A few minutes later, when our turn came, the operator looked at us and immediately became defensive. He asked, “Do you have the money?” Then he pointed to the board and asked if we had seen the rules. He said Indians cheat and kept warning us again and again.
I knew he was angry at what had just happened and was taking that anger out on us. So I did not argue with him. I just told him calmly, “Okay, okay, calm down, it’s okay.”
But that moment hurt. We were being treated with suspicion because someone else had already shaped his expectations of Indian tourists. That moment taught me something uncomfortable: sometimes the consequences of bad behaviour are not faced by the people who create it, they are faced by the people who come after them.
Why The Vietnam Videos Hit A Nerve?
This is why the current Vietnam videos have triggered such strong reactions. The debate is not really about dance, because India is a country of music, festivals, colour, and celebration, and dance is part of who we are. The real question is context.
An airport tarmac is not a regular public space; it is an operational and controlled area where safety and protocol matter. Hanoi Train Street is also not just a backdrop for a reel; it is a real railway track surrounded by homes, cafés, safety rules, and local life.
When travellers turn such spaces into personal stages, people react. Some may enjoy the energy, while others may see it as a lack of awareness. And when those travellers are Indian, the discussion quickly becomes about Indian tourists abroad. That may not always be fair, but it happens.
The Problem With Viral Travel Behaviour
Social media has changed travel. Earlier, people travelled mainly to experience places. Today, many also travel to document them. There is nothing wrong with creating content because travel photos and videos inspire people, preserve memories, and help others plan better.
The problem begins when content becomes more important than consideration. When a public space becomes a stage, local rules become background noise, other people’s comfort becomes secondary, and a destination becomes only a setting for performance, travel slowly loses its meaning.
Most Indian Travellers Are Not The Problem
This is important because most Indian travellers are not the problem. Most are respectful, curious, kind, and genuinely appreciative of cultures different from their own.
They support local businesses, follow rules, and create positive memories wherever they go. But respectful behaviour rarely goes viral.
Nobody records someone standing patiently in a queue, treating hotel staff kindly, or following local customs without making a scene. Negative behaviour gets attention, while positive behaviour builds trust quietly.
And because attention spreads faster than trust, a few incidents can unfairly shape the reputation of millions.
Travel Is A Privilege
After travelling across 14 countries, one lesson has stayed with me more than anything else: travel is a privilege. The countries we visit existed long before we arrived, with their own people, culture, rules, traditions, and way of life.
We are guests in those places, and good guests make an effort. They observe before acting, listen before judging, adapt before complaining, and respect queues, public spaces, instructions, and people.
Because in the end, the most valuable thing we take home from any destination is not a photo or a video. It is perspective.
The Thought I Couldn’t Shake
I still think about that train at Ambewela station. Not because it ruined our trip, it did not. Sri Lanka was beautiful, and the journey itself was memorable. But that moment stayed with me because it showed how quickly one group’s behaviour can change the atmosphere for everyone around them.
It also made me realise that people may forget where we stayed, what we wore, or what photos we posted, but they rarely forget how we made them feel. When we travel abroad, that feeling becomes part of how our country is remembered.
That may sound like a lot of responsibility, but maybe that is exactly what travel demands from us. It gives us an opportunity to leave behind respect instead of embarrassment, kindness instead of entitlement, and curiosity instead of assumptions.
Because the best travellers are not remembered for how loudly they were noticed. They are remembered for how thoughtfully they behaved.
FAQ
A small number of incidents involving queue jumping, disrespecting local customs, or inappropriate behaviour in public spaces can sometimes create negative perceptions that affect how other travellers are viewed.
No. The vast majority of Indian travellers are respectful, curious, and appreciative of local cultures. Negative incidents often receive disproportionate attention online.
Travel etiquette helps create positive interactions with local communities and fellow travellers, ensuring better experiences for everyone.
By respecting local customs, following rules, being patient, treating service staff respectfully, and understanding cultural differences.
About The Author
K. Keerthi Prabhu is a software testing professional with 8+ years of industry experience and currently works with QualityKiosk. Together with her husband, V Gautham Navada, Founder & Director of ForthFocus, she has explored 14 countries across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East through their travel platform, Millennial Duo.
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