A Russian restaurateur from Moscow, 47-year-old Ilya Strokov, was left with a cut forehead and denied medical assistance during an excursion in Vietnam.
Strokov booked the trip to Ba Ho park through VieTour, a travel agency owned by Vietnamese citizens and managed by Russian nationals. Details of the incident were reported by the Telegram channel Mash, which stated that the excursion program explicitly featured cliff jumping.
Excursion safety and medical refusal
Strokov said the tour guide assured participants that the cliff jump was safe, stating that the water depth measured five to six meters. The Muscovite added that he noticed no warning signs prohibiting jumping anywhere at the site.
After jumping into the pool, Strokov landed in shallow water and suffered a cut to his forehead. He did not have a first aid kit with him, and staff at the park checkpoint could only locate adhesive plaster and iodine.
According to Strokov, the female tour guide refused to call an ambulance, explaining that she had to continue the excursion with the rest of the group. She suggested that the injured tourist take a taxi to a medical center on his own and handle his hospital treatment and insurance claim independently.
Refund dispute and legal action
Strokov traveled to a hospital by himself, where doctors stitched up his head wound. Following his treatment, he requested a refund of the 105 US dollars, equal to 8,600 Russian rubles, that he had paid for the excursion, but VieTour rejected the request.
The tourist has filed an official statement with local police and intends to contact the Vietnam Tourism Department. Representatives from VieTour told journalists that they warned the tourist about the danger, claiming he ignored their warnings before jumping, and insisted that appropriate assistance was given to him.
Ba Ho Park and tourism background
Ba Ho Park is an eco-tourism destination located in Khanh Hoa province in central Vietnam, situated roughly 25 kilometers north of the coastal city of Nha Trang. The park features a natural stream flowing through three main granite rock pools surrounded by dense forest, attracting visitors interested in hiking and cliff diving.
Vietnam is a major travel destination for Russian holidaymakers, with Nha Trang serving as a primary hub for Russian-managed tour operators in Southeast Asia. Tourism regulations and commercial travel agencies fall under the oversight of the Vietnam Tourism Department, an agency under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism that processes complaints regarding visitor safety.
The dispute follows a separate road accident in Vietnam where a Russian national fell into a coma after losing control of his motorcycle at an intersection. In that incident, the rider swerved sharply to avoid a cyclist and struck his head against the asphalt.
