The Amazing Race Vietnam: Cuộc đua kỳ thú 2012 is the first season of The Amazing Race Vietnam, a Vietnamese reality competition show based on the American series The Amazing Race. It featured ten teams of two in a race around Vietnam for 300 million₫.
The program premiered on VTV3 and aired every Friday primetime (8:00 p.m. UTC+7) from 18 May to 10 August 2012.
The first season was directed and hosted by Dustin Nguyen. He also served as an executive producer.
Friends and actors Saettie Baggio and Thành Phúc were the winners of this season.
Production Development and filming
Filming was from 6 April 2012 to 5 May 2012.
Ten teams of two with pre-existing were chosen to join the race of about one month. Thirteen episodes were ordered with seven pit stops to eliminate teams. It was also reportedly announced that it would be the first-time ever in Vietnamese television history a TV series would be broadcast in high definition.
Route Markers were coloured orange and light green, whereas in the original the colour scheme is yellow and red.
In an interview with Variety in 2025, Nguyen called the filming experience brutal due to the show having one-tenth of a budget compared to the American and Australian versions of the show leading to his dual role as host and director on account of limited personnel.
Casting Applications were accepted until 23 March 2012, with interviews in Ho Chi Minh City on 24 March and in Hanoi on 26 March.
Marketing The show is sponsored by Sting Energy Drink.
Cast ContestantsAgeRelationshipHometownStatus 25Best FriendsHanoiEliminated 1st(in Hoa Lư, Ninh Bình) 25 39Dating Los Angeles, CaliforniaEliminated 2nd(in Cúc Phương National Park, Ninh Bình) 23 Ho Chi Minh City 32MarriedHo Chi Minh CityEliminated 3rd(in Da Nang) 27 34Co-WorkersEliminated 4th(in Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế) 33 29Best Friends HanoiEliminated 5th(in Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa) 29 29Cousins HanoiEliminated 6th(in La Gi, Bình Thuận) 24 Hòa Bình, Hòa Bình 31Best FriendsHanoiEliminated 7th(in Ho Chi Minh City) 29 29BrothersThái Nguyên, Thái NguyênThird Place 27 29DatingHo Chi Minh CitySecond Place 28 22FriendsHo Chi Minh CityWinners 22
Future appearances Richard "Richie" Humphrey and Ngọc Phượng "Mimi" Lý Thị later competed in the fifth season in 2016. Baggio & Thành Phúc appeared in a task during the tenth leg of the same season.
Results The following teams participated in the season, with their relationships at the time of filming. Note that this table is not necessarily reflective of all content broadcast on television due to inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:
TeamPosition (by leg)Roadblocksperformed123456789101112Baggio & Thành Phúc6th2nd1st3rd1st6th5th3rd1st3rd3rd1st1stBaggio 6, Thành Phúc 8Minh Hoàng & Phương Thảo7th8th6th6th3rd4th6th1st4th,1st3rd2ndMinh Hoàng 8, Phương Thảo 7Thành Chung & Thanh Bằng9th7th5th5th2nd1st2nd5th3rd2nd4th2nd3rdThành Chung 8, Thanh Bằng 7Chí Bình & Hồng Long2nd4th3rd2nd5th3rd4th2nd4th1st2ndChí Bình 6, Hồng Long 7Tuấn Anh & Xuân Sơn4th1st9th7th7th1st4th2ndTuấn Anh 6, Xuân Sơn 5Minh Châu & Trần Châu5th6th4th1st4th5th3rdMinh Châu 4, Trần Châu 4Gia Bình & Bảo Châu9th7th8th6th2ndGia Bình 2, Bảo Châu 5Thanh Tuấn & Mỹ Trâm3rd3rd2nd4thThanh Tuấn 2, Mỹ Trâm 3Richie & Mimi8th8thRichie 2, Mimi 2Thanh Thủy & Minh Thoa1st5thThanh Thủy 1, Minh Thoa 1
Key A team placement indicates that the team was eliminated. A team's placement indicates that the team came in last on a non-elimination leg. An team's placement indicates that the team came in last on a non-elimination leg and was "Marked for Elimination"; if the team did not finish 1st on the next leg, they would receive a 30-minute penalty. An team placement indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop in a non-elimination leg. If they did not arrive first on the next leg, they were then forced to relinquish all of their money. In addition, they would not be allotted any money for the following leg and were not allowed to collect money until the leg started for them. A indicates that the team decided to use the Express Pass on that Leg. A indicates that the team won a Fast Forward. A indicates that the team chose to use the U-Turn; indicates the team who received it. Italicized results indicate the position of the team at the midpoint of a two-episode leg.
Notes
Thanh Thủy & Minh Thoa initially arrived 3rd, but were issued a 15-minute penalty for taking motorbikes instead of a taxi. Thanh Tuấn & Mỹ Trâm and Minh Châu & Trần Châu checked in during the penalty time, dropping Thanh Thủy & Minh Thoa to 5th. Gia Bình & Bảo Châu initially arrived 9th, but were issued a 30-minute penalty for being "marked for elimination" and not arriving 1st. This did not affect their placement. Richie & Mimi were subject to various changes on the third leg: They initially arrived 5th at the Pit Stop, but were issued a 30-minute penalty because Mimi took off her life vest before the boat landed, creating a safety hazard. Three teams checked in during the penalty time, dropping them to 8th. Because they did not arrive 1st for this leg, they were forced to give up all of their money. They also received no money on the following leg. Thanh Thủy & Minh Thoa used the Express Pass to bypass the roadblock in Leg 3. Neither of them were shown choosing to perform the Roadblock, so it is not counted towards their Roadblock count. Tuấn Anh & Xuân Sơn initially arrived 6th, but were issued a 30-minute penalty for not paying the taxi fare. Gia Bình & Bảo Châu checked in during the penalty time, dropping Tuấn Anh & Xuân Sơn to 7th. Because Tuấn Anh & Xuân Sơn finished 1st, they were allowed to keep their money for the next leg. Chí Bình & Hồng Long initially arrived 1st, but were issued a 45-minute penalty for pulling up the net at Anh Tin Fish Raft. Phương Thảo & Minh Hoàng checked in during the penalty time, dropping Chí Bình & Hồng Long to 2nd. Thành Chung & Thanh Bằng, Baggio & Thành Phúc, and Phương Thảo & Minh Hoàng initially arrived 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, respectively, but were issued 30-minute penalties for not going in the correct direction in the Roadblock. This did not affect either teams' placements. Phương Thảo & Minh Hoàng initially arrived 4th, but were issued a 30-minute penalty for being "marked for elimination" and not arriving 1st. This did not affect their placement. Leg 11 was a double-length leg with two Roadblocks and two Detours and was shown over two episodes. The placements listed in the first column reflect the order teams arrived at the leg's halfway point. Chí Bình & Hồng Long initially arrived 3rd, but were issued a 90-minute penalty for quitting the first task in Ho Chi Minh City. Phương Thảo & Minh Hoàng checked in during the penalty time, dropping Chí Bình & Hồng Long to last place and resulting in their elimination.
Prizes The prize for each leg is awarded to the first place team for that leg. Leg 1 – The Express Pass (Thẻ Ưu Tiên) – an item that can be used to skip any one task of the team's choosing up until the 8th leg. Leg 5 – Two nights at Fusion Maia Resort, Đà Nẵng. Leg 8 – Two nights at Vinpearl Resort, Nha Trang. Leg 9 – Two nights at Saigon - Dalat Hotel, Đà Lạt. Leg 10 – Two nights at Novotel Hotel, Phan Thiết. Leg 11 – Two nights at Vinpearl Resort, Nha Trang. Leg 12 – 300,000,000₫
Race summary
Leg 1 (Hanoi)
Airdate: 18 May 2012 Hanoi, Vietnam (Mỹ Đình National Stadium) (Starting Line) Hanoi (Thanh Nien Street) Hanoi (Đồng Xuân Market and Old Quarter or Temple of Literature) Hanoi (National Museum of Vietnamese History)
In this series' first Roadblock, one team member had to climb the steps to the roof of the My Dinh National Stadium and abseil down to receive their next clue.
This series' first Detour was a choice between Phố Giăng Mắc Cửi (Maze of Streets) or Bút Hoa Lưu Truyền (Beautiful Words). In Crowded Streets, teams had to travel to Dong Xuan Market, where they received a list of six objects: two reed mats, two masks, one pipe & one feather duster. Then, teams had to locate three marked shops in the nearby Old Quarter that sold these objects with each shop selling different goods. After collecting all of the objects and delivering them back to the starting point, teams would receive their next clue. In Beautiful Words, teams had to travel to the Temple of Literature and engage in a traditional Vietnamese literal examination. One team member had to listen to a poet reciting a poem with four sentences and tell their partner the poem. This teammate would then write down the poem and show it to a calligraphist. If their poem was correct, the calligraphist would hand them their next clue. If their poem was wrong, team had to wait until one incense stick burned, about five minutes, before they could re-do the task.
Additional tasks At My Dinh National Stadium, teams had to search through 10,000 seats on the B stand for their very first clue. After completing the Roadblock, teams had to search for the clue box placed somewhere on Thanh Nien Street.
Leg 2 (Hanoi → Hòa Bình)
Airdate: 25 May 2012 Hanoi (My Dinh Bus Station) to Kim Bôi District, Hòa Bình Province (Kim Bôi Bus Station) Vĩnh Đồng (Dong Thech Ancient Cemetery) Hòa Bình (Hòa Bình Dam) Bình Thanh (Giang Mo Village)
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to search the ground of Doch Thech Ancient Cemetery for four hidden numbers: 1, 2, 5, 8. Then, they had to use these numbers to form a combination to open a four-digit combination lock. Each racer had a different set of combination.
This leg's Detour was a choice between two type of activities associated with Muong people: Nông Nhàn (Farm Play) or Nông Vụ (Farm Work). Both tasks had teams travel to Giang Mo Village. In Farm Play, both team member had to stilt-walk across a finish line to receive their next clue. If any team members fell from the stilts, that person had to walk the course again from the beginning. In Farm Work, each team member had to plough, fertilize and plant one furrow of sugarcane and couldn't help each other to receive their next clue from the farmer.
Additional task At Hòa Bình Dam, teams had to obtain water by throwing a bucket down into the Black River. After that, they needed to carry the water to the top of the dam until they obtained 10 liters of water to receive their next clue.
Leg 3 (Hòa Bình → Ninh Bình)
Airdate: 1 June 2012 Hòa Bình (Kim Bôi Bus Station) to Ninh Bình, Ninh Bình Province (Ninh Bình Bus Station) Ninh Bình (Qilin Mountain ) Ninh Bình (Anh Luc's Goat Ranch or Grand Restaurant) Hoa Lư (Old Dock to Cây Bàng Marina) Hoa Lu (Thái Vi Temple )
This leg's Detour was a choice between two activities related to Ninh Binh's most famous products: goat for Chơi (Play) or cơm cháy for Ăn (Eat). In Play, teams traveled to Anh Luc's Goat Ranch. Here, one team member was blindfolded and had to follow verbal directions from the other team member to catch a goat in a mud enclosure wearing the same color as their blindfolded cloth. After catching the goat, racers could take off their blindfolds and herd the animal back to its pen to receive their next clue. In Eat, teams had to travel to Grand Restaurant in Tràng An Marina and eat 20 plates of cơm cháy to receive their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to climb the stairs of Tam Quan Gate at Cây Bàng Marina and find a young monk, who would tell them to count the stairs' steps. While counting, racers were also distracted by a loudspeaker recounting the Trần dynasty's history. If they came up with the correct answer (214), they would receive their next clue.
Additional task At the Old Dock, teams had to paddle across the water to retrieve their next clue at Cây Bàng Marina.
Leg 4 (Ninh Bình)
Airdate: 8 June 2012 Ninh Bình (Bái Đính Temple) to Cúc Phương National Park (Cave of Prehistoric Man ) Cúc Phương National Park Cúc Phương National Park (Central Resting Point)