Vietnam Will Deny You Entry for This Very Specific Reason

And other travel stories you may have missed last week.

This week in travel, we’ve uncovered several stories that might have flown under your radar. Among them: a ramen restaurant owner put a bounty on bad reviewers, while a village in the Philippines put a bounty on mosquitoes to stop dengue spread. A Korean was denied entry at the airport and another group of tourists were fined $3,000 for wearing the Vietnam war veteran hat.

Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.

NO.1

 RAMEN SHOP THREATENS CUSTOMERS WHO LEFT BAD REVIEW

Two customers dined at a famous ramen shop and left a one-star review. Then the owner declared war. The incident occurred in Kyoto, where the owner of TOYOJIRO went on a tirade on Instagram against the diners.

In a harshly worded post, he threatened them, saying, “But you should probably avoid eating out. Someday, someone like you will get screwed. I don’t care — just come directly, and I’ll deal with you.”

The owner shared their photo in the post and offered a reward of 100,000 yen ($662) for anyone who could find them. He added, “The only thing he can do is come back, eat again, and write a good review with a photo. I told him I won’t forgive him otherwise—not even for the safety of his family. If he does that, he’ll be killed right away. This kid is so scared.”

As expected, the post went viral, and the owner faced backlash for the attack. The post has since been removed, and the owner has apologized. The ramen shop also expressed deep regret, saying in another post, “This incident has resulted in a shameful outcome for us.”

NO.2

 KOREAN DENIED ENTRY TO VIETNAM FOR WEARING WAR HAT 

This is a warning for travelers: Do not wear a Vietnam War veteran hat. Doing so could result in being denied entry at the airport or facing a $3,000 fine. This happened to tourists in Vietnam last week.

A Korean traveler shared a post online with a picture of a hat that read “Vietnam War Hero Korea.” The traveler was denied entry at the airport. Authorities also fined a group of travelers $3,000 for wearing similar hats. A travel agency warned that these hats could also provoke altercations with locals.

The Vietnam War, fought between North and South Vietnam, was a 20-year conflict from 1955 to 1975. The U.S. supported South Vietnam against communist North Vietnam, and at Washington’s request, South Korea sent 320,000 troops to South Vietnam. These troops committed atrocities and war crimes. Vietnam reunified in 1975 as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. South Korea’s involvement in the war remains a point of contention. Previously, a mention of Korean soldiers in Squid Game also drew criticism

Related: I Hiked Through Vipers, Boobytraps, and Bombshells in Vietnam

NO.3

 259 PASSENGERS SPEND WEEKEND ON FREEZING CANADIAN ISLAND AFTER FLIGHT GETS DIVERTED

On February 13, a United Airlines flight from New York to Ireland was diverted due to a medical emergency onboard, leaving more than 200 passengers stranded in sub-zero temperatures.

Just three hours into the flight, the plane landed at St. John’s International Airport in Newfoundland and Labrador. After arriving at 2:30 a.m., the passenger in need of medical attention was transported to a local hospital. However, the flight, carrying 259 passengers, could not take off again due to inclement weather.

Passengers were provided hotel and food vouchers, but their luggage could not be retrieved because of high winds. One passenger claimed they went 48 hours without access to their necessities in 20°F temperatures.

The flight finally departed on Sunday morning, February 16, after the weather improved.

NO.4

 A VILLAGE IN THE PHILIPPINES PUTS BOUNTY ON MOSQUITOES 

An urban village called Addition Hills, near the capital city of Manila in the Philippines, made headlines last week after local officials announced a financial reward for anyone who brought them mosquitoes. Participants receive one peso (just over a cent) for every five mosquitoes, dead or alive.

Sixty-four-year-old Miguel Labag earned nine pesos (15 cents) for submitting a jar containing 45 larvae. “I can buy coffee,” he said, according to Euro News.

The village adopted this unique approach in response to a rise in dengue fever cases. In January, more than 20,000 cases of dengue were recorded in the Philippines, marking a 40% increase compared to last year.

Related: Importing Mosquitos Is SAVING Marlon Brando’s Private Island

NO.5

 FLIGHT DIVERTS TO ROME AFTER BOMB THREAT

An American Airlines flight from New York to New Delhi was diverted to Rome on Sunday due to a bomb threat. The airline stated the diversion was caused by a “possible security issue,” which was later determined to be non-credible. The flight carried 199 passengers and 15 crew members.

American Airlines flight #AA292 from New York to Delhi made a U-turn over the Caspian Sea and diverted all the way to Rome, following a bomb threat for the flight.

Playback https://t.co/jjThOuTjer pic.twitter.com/vOsz1K23jn

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) February 23, 2025

The threat came via email but was later confirmed to be a hoax. Indian authorities required the aircraft to be inspected before landing in Delhi, prompting the diversion to Rome. The plane was escorted to Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport by two Italian Air Force fighter jets. Upon arrival, the aircraft was inspected and cleared for takeoff after the crew had time to rest.

Indian airlines received hundreds of bomb threats last year, causing significant disruptions and financial losses. One hoax alone resulted in damages of Rs 3 crores (approximately $350,000).