Not even a day or two after the video of a group of Indian tourists performing garba on the runway of an airport in Vietnam went viral, triggering mass criticism on social media, another video of Indian tourists dancing on a Bollywood number on the famous ‘Hanoi Train Street’, has shocked the world. In the video, a group of tourists can be seen dancing to the iconic Bollywood song Chaiyya Chaiyya on Hanoi’s famous Train Street. The video has ignited concerns and a debate about tourist behaviour across the globe. It also highlights the growing influence of social media or ‘going viral on social media syndrome. Travel these days has become more of a show-off than an experience for a sect of people. The clip, went viral for all the wrong reasons soon after it was shared online in late May 2026,Hanoi Train Street: A global tourist attraction
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Hanoi Train Street is probably one of the most photographed tourist attractions in Vietnam and travellers from all over make sure to get clicked here. It’s a narrow railway line that passes through a densely populated residential neighbourhood. The trains move just inches away from houses and cafés, and people. The place became popular through travel blogs, Instagram posts, and YouTube videos. But soon after, concerns were raised for overcrowding and safety. Vietnamese authorities had to come up with strict rules to regulate tourist activity in recent years near tracks. It is a controlled attraction where visitors are required to follow instructions from locals and authorities when trains approach.The video The video captioned ‘filmy heart, global streets’ shows a group of visitors performing dance moves on the railway tracks while fellow tourists watch from nearby cafés. The caption embedded over the video read, ‘Vietnam ki train street gae aur chaiya chaiya nai kiya to kya train street gaye’. Sadly, What may have begun as a light-hearted holiday moment has quickly evolved into a conversation about responsible tourism and India’s image abroad.Online debate and backlashThe video has sparked an online debate where many users criticised the tourists. “In logo ko sharam nahi aati”, commented one user on Instagram. Another user commented, “Kar ye rhe h sharam mujhe aari hai”“I have been to Vietnam many times travelling there since 2018 currently they just hate Indians I have seen their behaviour changed towards Indian recently and now I know the reason. Please stop doing such behaviour because people like us have to face racism because of people like you, and don’t defend your such behaviour by saying oh it is a tourist spot , tourist spot doesn’t mean you will start dancing. Just stop embarrassing good Indian tourists,” wrote another user.Some critics described the behaviour as an example of “main character syndrome” — a term used to describe people who treat public spaces as personal stages for content creation. However, this debate extends beyond one video. In recent years, famous attractions across Southeast Asia have experienced a rise in travel content designed specifically for short-form video platforms. From elaborate dance routines to staged photo shoots, some tourists view destinations through the lens of content creation and ‘viral content’ only. Now that’s a behaviour which can harm local environments and create inconvenience for locals. There’s a lot of safety risks involved too. In the case of Train Street, people pointed out that visitors are expected to remain alert and clear pathways as soon as the train approaches.However, there were many who came out in support of the travellers. They argued that why people can’t enjoy their holiday or express themselves through dance. Supporters questioned why dancing abroad attracts criticism when flash mobs are often celebrated in other parts of the world. Appropriate or not, the Hanoi Train Street controversy shows a constant challenge faced by modern tourism across the globe: enjoying holidays while respecting local rules and maintaining public safety at shared spaces.
