The Amazing Race Vietnam 2013

The Reunification Palace in Ho Chi Minh City was the Starting Line of the second season of The Amazing Race Vietnam.

Filming for this show began in June 2013.

This season was also the first time the show had teams travelling outside Vietnam.

This season was a celebrity edition featuring many celebrities who were chosen to race on the show. The cast was announced on 6 June.[1]

After being eliminated, Tiến Đạt proposed to Hari and she accepted. The two separated in November 2015.[2]

Pha Lê Nguyễn and Hà Việt Dũng, Anh Tuấn Phạm and Thanh Hoa Đỗ Thị, and Nhan Phúc Vinh and Thùy Dung Nguyễn, as well as Thu Hiền Trần Thị and Tiến Đạt Đinh (who competed as separate composite teams), later returned to compete on the fifth season in 2016.[3] S.T Sơn Thạch also returned to compete on the sixth season in 2019.[4]

The show was sponsored by Sting Energy Drink and Singapore Airlines.[5]

Teams finished their first leg of the Race inside the Saigon Opera House.

Airdate: 26 July 2013

• Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Reunification Palace) (Starting Line)
• Ho Chi Minh City (Bitexco Financial Tower)
• Ho Chi Minh City (Bến Thành Market or Underground Cafe)
• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon Opera House)

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member must enter room number 1 in BHD Cinema Icon 68 to find the clue which is hidden under a seat.

In this leg's Detour, teams chose between Đường Phố (Streets) and Sân Khấu (Stages). In Streets, teams had to sells 500,000 dong worth of peanut taffy (kẹo kéo) from a taffy stall in front of Ben Thanh Market for their next clue. In Stages, teams had to sing while standing in four boxes full of worms, caterpillars, swamp-eels, ice cubes and put their head into a box full of rats for each song for their next clue if approved.

Additional tasks

• At the Starting Line, teams had to find three out of 380 nón lá which resemble the words "Cuộc đua kì thú 2013" in order to get their first clue.
• At the Bitexco Financial Tower, teams must travel to 49th floor on foot for their clues. Then, they must find a way to get to BHD Cinema at the third floor.
• After the Roadblock, teams must find a stall in Food Creative and each member had to eat three bowls of bún bò - which made a sum of six bowls.

For the second leg of the Race, the Pit Stop was located at Cape Cà Mau, the southernmost of Vietnam.

Airdate: 2 August 2013

• Ho Chi Minh City (Bến Xe Miền Tây) to Cà Mau
• Cà Mau (Nhà Dây Thép Cà Mau)
• Năm Căn (Ông Tình Bridge to Bến Tàu Tượng Đài)
• Năm Căn (Bến Tàu Tượng Đài) to Đất Mũi (Observatory)
• Đất Mũi (Cape Cà Mau)

In this leg's Detour, teams chose between Ngư vụ (Fishery) and Nông vụ (Crop). In Fishery, teams had to catch 20 fish in a pond and cook it for their next clue. In Crop, teams had to properly separate and count the soya beans and moon beans for their next clue if approved.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member must put a python on their neck and walk up the stairs to the top of the observatory.

Additional tasks

• After arriving in Cà Mau, teams have to find a history vestige Nhà dây thép Cà Mau (The Old Camau Post Office) through a riddle Built by the French colonial in 1910 in order to get their first clue.
• Under Ông Tình Bridge, teams must find the next clue hidden from the local people. Then, they must patch a bicycle tire and travel by these bicycles to Bến tàu Tượng đài (Monument Port) for their next clue.
• En route to Đất Mũi, teams must find the next clue hidden in the fishing trap within five minutes. When the time is up, teams must return to the port and wait for their next turn. After finding the clue in the fishing trap, teams could continue to Đất Mũi.

For the third leg of the Race, the Pit Stop was located at the Mũi Né beach.

Airdate: 9 August 2013

• Cà Mau (Bến xe Cà Mau) to Biên Hòa, Đồng Nai (Bến xe Biên Hòa)
• Long Thành (Đồng Nai Dairy Company)
• Mũi Né, Phan Thiết, Bình Thuận (Resort Romana)
• Mũi Né, Phan Thiết (Mui Yen Conservation Area)
• Mũi Né, Phan Thiết (Huỳnh Thúc Kháng Road)
• Mũi Né, Phan Thiết (Mui Ne Beach)

In this Detour, teams had to choose between Cỏ (Grass) and Sữa (Milk). In Grass, teams had to cut 20 kg of pasture grass and take it to feed the cows. In Milk, teams had to produce two liters of milk from the cows.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to paraglide down the hills of Mui Yen to a target on the ground.

Additional tasks

• At Biên Hòa Station, teams had to search for a taxi driver who was carrying a bag with the show's logo on it.
• At the Resort Romana, one team member would be blindfolded. The other team member would have to direct their partner using noise, but not words, and help them hit and break a series of six hanging pots and balloons in the right order.
• After the Roadblock, teams received a VND500 000 banknote and had to turn it into change, with the help of locals, until they at had least one of each of the denominations of Vietnamese đồng, including all possible banknotes and coins. They could then exchange this at Huỳnh Thúc Kháng Road for their next clue.

Most of the tasks in Leg 4 took place in the city of Nha Trang.

Airdate: 16 August 2013

• Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa (Amiana Resort)
• Vĩnh Lương (Long Phú Wharf)
• Vĩnh Lương (Monkey Island)
• Ninh Vân (Suối Hoa Lan Ecotourism Zone)
• Nha Trang (Sheraton Nha Trang)

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to snorkel in the water and search for an underwater coconut with the next location inside.

In this leg's Detour, teams had to choose between Cá (Fish) and Chim (Birds). In Fish, teams had to pick up a tied up crocodile and deliver it on foot across the ecotourism zone to a marked hut to get their next clue. In Birds, teams had to ride an ostrich around a marked course while holding a glass of Sting energy drink with only one hand. If they spilled less than the designated line on the glass, they would get their next clue.

Additional tasks

• At Amiana Resort, teams had to go to the Bacaro Restaurant and count the number of properly set places at tables (84). If they got the right answer, they would get their next clue. If teams give an incorrect answer, they will be penalized ten minutes.
• After the Roadblock, teams would be taken by rowboat to Monkey Island.
• After the Detour, one team member had to ride a zipline through the exotourism zone across a pond. The other team member would be standing on an island in the pond and carrying a bucket. The one riding the zipline had to throw the ball into their partner's bucket to get the next clue. If they failed, they would incur a 15-minute penalty and then had to try again.
• At the Sheraton, teams had to find the cooking school on the sixth floor. There, they had to properly make a bundle of noodles following a traditional method and use them to make a bowl of phở.
• After the cooking task, teams made their way to the hotel's pool. There, both team members would have their hands tied behind their back, and they would then have to eat a cake, looking for a passcard to the 30th floor which is baked inside. Once they found this, they would get their next clue.

Airdate: 23 August 2013

The Đray Nur Waterfall served as the site of the Roadblock in Leg 5 of the Race.

• Nha Trang (Bến Xe Phía Nam) to Buôn Ma Thuột, Đắk Lắk (Bến Xe Phía Bắc)
• Buôn Đôn, Buôn Ma Thuột (Ancient House of Ama Kong)
• Buôn Đôn, Buôn Ma Thuột (Suspension Bridge Centre)
• Cư Jút, Đắk Nông (Coffee Plantation or Brick Factory)
• Buôn Ma Thuột, Đắk Lắk (Đray Nur Waterfall (in Vietnamese))
• Srepok River, Đắk Nông (Đray Sáp Waterfall (in Vietnamese))
• Srepok River (Đray Sáp Longhouse)

In this Detour, teams had to choose between Cây (Tree) and Đất (Soil). In Tree, teams had to count the number of coffee trees in a marked area. Using this number and following a selection of information, teams had to solve complex math problems to determine how much raw coffee seeds, dried coffee seeds, processed coffee seeds and coffee powder could be created with this amount of trees. In Soil, teams had to use an old cart to transport 250 unbroken bricks along a bumpy road.

In the Roadblock, one team member had to swim up river to the base of the waterfall and then climb a rope ladder to the top. After getting their clue, they would rappel back down and reunite with their partner.

Additional tasks

• After getting their clue from the house of Ama Kong, teams had to find a local from the ancient village who would let them sleep overnight at their house. Afterwards, they would be released the next morning in the order they gained approval.
• At the Suspension Bridge Centre, teams would hear the sound of a gong. They then had five minutes to figure out which gong had been hit.
• At Đray Sáp Waterfall, one team member had to rappel down to the bottom of the waterfall, where they would be told a four-digit combination. They had to shout these numbers to their partner on the other side of the river, amongst the roar of the waterfall. This combination would open up a chest that the team member on the shore has, which contains the next clue.

Airdate: 30 August 2013

Once in Da Nang, teams were told to go to the Mỹ Sơn Ruins in Quảng Nam.

• Buôn Ma Thuột (Buon Ma Thuot Airport) to Da Nang (Da Nang International Airport)
• Duy Phú, Quảng Nam (Mỹ Sơn)
• Duy Vinh (Sedge Mats)
• Da Nang (Da Nang Diving Club)
• Da Nang (Bà Nà Hills)
• Da Nang (Tien Son Sports Stadium)

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to dive to the bottom of a swimming pool and use a set of keys to unlock some boxes. Once they found a bottle of Sting Energy Drink, they could bring it up to the surface. They then were lifted by pulley up to the building's roof, where they had to throw the bottle into a basket. Teams had 1 minute 30 seconds to complete the diving portion, and one minute to complete the throwing portion. If either of these time limits expired, teams had to move to the back of the queue.

In the Detour, teams chose between Tháp Cao (High Tower) and Hầm Sâu (Deep Tunnels). In High Tower, teams had to take a cable car to the highest point of the Bà Nà Hills, where they would enter a castle. They had to climb up thousands of spiraling stairs and take five boards with random numbers one at a time back to the bottom of the stairs so that they came to an exact total of 20 000. In Deep Tunnels, teams traveled by cable car to the largest wine cellar in Da Nang and had search among thousands of wine bottles for one with a race flag attached to it. During this Detour task, one leg of each team member would be tied together.

Additional tasks

• At the Mỹ Sơn ruins, teams had to search amongst many fake clay toys for five real ones. The real ones could be identified because they could be played as a horn. During this task, team members were forbidden to talk to one another.
• After the Mỹ Sơn task, teams were told to find a local village whose famous local product is related to sleeping. They had to figure out that this related to the sedge mats of Duy Vinh.
• Upon finding the sedge mats, teams needed to deliver three at once to a woman's house using a bicycle. They would then stay there overnight before departing for Da Nang in the morning.

Airdate: 6 September 2013

Teams started Leg 7 at the Đồng Hới Citadel in Quảng Bình Province.

• Đồng Hới, Quảng Bình Province (Đồng Hới Citadel)
• Đồng Hới (Mẹ Suốt Statue)
• Son Trach (Paradise Cave)
• Đồng Hới (Tuyết Family House)
• Đồng Hới (Cocos Coffee Shop)
• Đồng Hới (Home of Hà Thị Viễn)
• Đồng Hới (Sun Spa Resort)

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to build a traditional broom from scratch.

Additional tasks

• At the Mẹ Suốt statue, teams had to listen to a performance of a love song, and then had to learn the lyrics and perform it themselves.
• At Paradise Cave, teams had to count the number of steps in a marked area.
• At Cocos Coffee Shop, teams had to look for a man named "Phúc" who would give them their next clue and a gift, which they would later give to Hà Thị Viễn.

Airdate: 13 September 2013

For the eight leg of the Race, teams visited Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park in Quảng Bình.

• Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park (Bản Đoòng Village)
• Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park (Én Cave)
• Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park (Bãi Columns)
• Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park (Son Doong Cave)
• Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park (Én Cave Entrance)

In this leg's Detour, teams had to choose between Học (Learn) and Thực Hành (Practice). In Học, teams would have to teach a young child from the village (who did not speak Vietnamese very well) to write out a short Vietnamese poem with good handwriting. In Thực Hành, teams had to carry a bucket down to the river, fill it up, and then water some plants to the satisfaction of a local.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to eat a serving of unpleasant-tasting food, including specially-prepared rice, fish and sauce.

Additional tasks

• At Son Doong cave, teams had to build a shelter out of sticks and leaves, then gather firewood to start a fire and heat a pot of water. Teams spent the night in these shelters.
• In the morning, teams would enter the cave and would have to carefully traverse around a series of ropes. If they disturbed any of the ropes and rang the bells attached to them, they would have to start again. After completing this task, they would receive their next clue from Howard Limbert, a University of Hanoi alumni who explored the cave in 1990.
• Deeper inside of Son Doong cave, teams would have to rappel down 70m into the cave and search the labyrinth inside for their next clue, which was hidden away. They would also meet Hồ Khanh, who discovered the cave.

Airdate: 20 September 2013

Teams visited Singapore for this leg. They were instructed to get their first clue at the Merlion Park, overlooking the Merlion Statue.

• Hanoi (International Centre – Singapore Airlines Hanoi Office)
• Hanoi (Noi Bai International Airport) to Singapore (Changi Airport)
• Singapore (Merlion Park)
• Singapore (Days Hotel Zhongshan Park) (Overnight Rest)
• Singapore (Flight Experience Flight Simulator)
• Singapore (VivoCity Food Republic)
• Singapore (Sentosa – iFly Center)
• Singapore (G-Max Reverse Bungy)
• Singapore (Gardens by the Bay)

In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to properly complete a flight simulation training exercise to receive their next clue.

In this leg's second Roadblock, one team member would experience a skydiving simulation inside of a vertical wind tunnel and had to successfully rise to the top of the tunnel to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

• At Merlion Park, teams had to look for a lady who had their next clue.
• At the Days Hotel, teams would observe a properly made hotel room. Then, they had to properly make another room to the hotel's standards to receive a departure time for the next morning.
• At VivoCity Food Republic, teams had to make ten Singaporean powdered cakes to receive their next clue.
• At the GMax Reverse Bungee, teams had to take a ride on the wild bungee ride. Then, once on the ground, they had to thread ten needles within three minutes to get their clue. Otherwise, they would have start threading over again.

The Monkey Island in Cát Bà served as the season's 10th Pit Stop.

Airdate: 27 September 2013

• Singapore (Changi Airport) to Hanoi, Vietnam (Noi Bai International Airport)
• Hanoi to Haiphong
• Hai Phong to Cát Bà (Gia Luận Ferry Landing)
• Cát Bà (Bến Bèo)
  • Cát Bà (Cát Bà Main Pier and Cát Cò Beach 3)
• Cát Bà (Prince Beach 2)
• Cát Bà (Prince Beach 1)
• Cát Bà (Prince Beach 2)
• Cát Bà (Jade Mountains)
• Cát Bà (Monkey Island)

In the only Fast Forward of the Race, both team members had to completely shave each other's heads. They then had to travel to Cát Cò Beach 3, where they had to stand outside of a box in the sand and headbutt a volleyball to each other five times without letting it touch the ground.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to rock climb up the sheer face of a cliff to retrieve a bottle of Sting from inside a basket, retrieving three eggs from baskets along the way.

Additional tasks

• Teams traveled from Gia Luận to Bến Bèo by motorbikes.
• At Prince Beach 2, teams had to search under many sandcastles for their next clue. Any sandcastle they destroyed, they would have to rebuild.
• Teams traveled from Prince Beach 2 to Prince Beach 1 and back again by kayak.
• At Prince Beach 1, one team member would ride a para-sail behind a motorboat and would pass over five basket boats in the water with coloured panels. They would then have to place markers on a board, recalling the order of the coloured panels they saw. The other team member would have to paddle their kayak out to pick them up. If they were correct, they would get their next clue.
• After returning to Prince Beach 2, both teams had to climb on top of a buoyant platform in the water and balance atop it. One team member had to perform a series of poses, while the other photographed them.

Teams visited the Stone Church in Sa Pa during Leg 11 of the Race.

Airdate: 4 October 2013

• Hanoi (Hanoi Railway Station) to Lào Cai, Lào Cai Province (Lào Cai Railway Station)
• Sa Pa (Stone Church)
• Sa Pa (Vinh Mai Art Shop)
• Ta Phin, Sa Pa (Ly Sai Sen's House)
• Sin Chai, Sa Pa (San Sả Hồ Community)
• Sa Pa (Mount Sẻ Ranger Station)
• Sa Pa (Mount Sẻ – 2200m Rest Station)
• Cát Cát, Sa Pa (Vọng Cảnh Observation Point)

In this Roadblock, one team member had to properly sew an intricate floral pattern onto traditional clothing using a needle and thread.

In this Detour, teams chose between Động Vật (Animal) and Thực Vật (Plants). In Animal, teams had to chase after a tiny piglet with a number attached and corral it into the corresponding pen. They could not touch it or bribe it with food. In Plants, teams had to use a carabao to plow a marked section of a muddy field.

Additional tasks

• At the Vinh Mai Art Shop, teams had to dress in traditional outfits from the Red Dao minority group matching a given mannequin within five minutes, which they would wear for the rest of the day.
• Before ascending Mount Sẻ, teams would pick up provisions from the Ranger Station at the base. Unbeknownst to them, this food would be pig's meat, and teams would have to chop it off of a pig before continuing. The total weight of their provisions had to be exactly 500g. If not, they would have to start again with a new pig. After this, it would be revealed that they would each eat a serving of Thang Co, a traditional stew made with animal entrails.
• 2200m up Mount Sẻ, one team member would have to throw a traditional toy through a hoop that was extremely high in the air. If it went through the hoop and the other team member could catch it, they would receive their next clue.

The historic Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long served as the Finish Line for the second season of The Amazing Race Vietnam.

Airdate: 18 October 2013

• Lào Cai (Lào Cai Railway Station) to Hanoi (Hanoi Railway Station)
• Hanoi (Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts)
• Hanoi (Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre or National Library of Vietnam)
• Hanoi (Hoàn Kiếm Lake)
• Hanoi (The Garden Shopping Center)
• Hanoi (Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long)

In this Detour, teams had to choose between Water Puppet (Múa Rối Nước) and Library (Thư Viện). In Water Puppet, teams had to learn how to perform a water puppet performance and present it to a panel of judges. In Library, teams received a partially filled key for pigpen cipher and had to use this to translate a series of codes, which they had to use to retrieve certain books from the shelves of the library.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to participate in a firefighting training exercise. They would use a rope to climb up a building, shimmy around a ledge, and then ascend to the top. There, they would 'rescue' their partner and use the ladder-equipped fire truck to bring them down to safety.

Additional tasks

• Before traveling to the Museum of Fine Arts, teams needed to find a store selling old propaganda posters and purchase one.
• At Hoàn Kiếm Lake, teams needed to properly use calligraphy to draw six Chinese characters. If they drew any incorrectly, they would have to serve a short penalty before trying again.
• At the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long, teams had to complete a sliding puzzle of all the locations they had visited during the Race. Once it was completed, they could proceed to the Finish Line while carrying the puzzle with them.