Insane, risky, but a lot of fun. That’s what you’ll hear about any Vietnam motorbike tour. But, how else will you carve out your own adventure, connect with the countryside and people plus really get to know this amazing yet frantic country? Start with a bucket load of courage and get ready for an exhilarating ride of your life!
One in four people in Vietnam has a registered motorbike (that includes scooters). So, you’ll be in good company with 37 million such registered vehicles in this South-East Asian country of around 91 million. Plus, there are more than 330,000 square kilometres of land to explore. If the guys from the TV show Top Gear could do it, maybe you can too?
Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know to begin your Vietnam journey!
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Staying Safe Whilst Travelling Vietnam on a Motorbike
If you hail from Australia, make sure you are tuned into Vietnam travel updates from the government’s Smart Traveller website. You can even set up a free account and register your travel plans to give your loved ones back home peace of mind. Our Local Designers on the ground in Vietnam can design your trip and use their expertise to keep an eye on everything you need to know about travelling to Vietnam before and during your trip; with our Local Designers, you’ll always be informed.
Be on the alert for petty theft in tourist areas and markets on your Vietnam motorbike tour. There’s also the risk of aggravated theft in major cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. It’s worth a reminder, too, that Vietnam has severe penalties for drug offences. Don’t add to the 30-plus Aussies serving long sentences for drug trafficking in Vietnam.
Another travel risk is, you guessed it, traffic accidents, which Smart Traveller says happens often in Vietnam. For some reason, accidents draw huge crowds, too. Driving standards, vehicle and road maintenance are “generally poor”, says the site, but that’s not going to stop you going there, is it?
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Planning Your Vietnam Motorbike Tour
When to Travel
You probably don’t think of yourself as a fair-weather-only rider, but the rainy season from June to December will really dampen your motorcycling spirit. That’s the time for flooding, flash flooding and typhoons. Considering some of the roads and infrastructure might be a bit worse for wear already, you wouldn’t want to risk getting stuck. Check out our comprehensive Vietnam travel guide or this handy weather map to see when is the best time of year to head to Vietnam.
Getting a Visa
*Please note, this information may have changed since the time of writing so it is always best to check your government website or connect with our expert Local Designers in Vietnam who can help you when planning your trip*
Check out our guide for a full introduction to getting a Vietnam visa!
First things first, head for your nearest Embassy or Consulate of Vietnam to get your visa. If you opt for private online visa services and applications through travel agents for ‘visa issued on arrival’ approval letters, you risk your private information going public, says Smart Traveller. Make sure your passport is still valid for another six months when you apply for your visa.
Got a US passport? Your starting point is the US Department of State’s site for international travel. Regarding your passport, it will need to be valid for at least six months from when you arrive in Vietnam, you’ll need a page for entry stamp and you’ll need a tourist visa.
For Canadians, you’ll also need to apply for a Vietnam visa. One option is getting a visa on arrival but only if travelling by air to Vietnam. For information about travel risks, safety, security, health, laws and culture, natural disasters, climate and more, visit the Government of Canada’s Vietnam website.
UK citizens, meanwhile, are in good company, with their compatriots making more than 200,000 visits to Vietnam each year. Most visits are trouble-free says the UK Government’s website, which also has a dedicated Vietnam and UK page. The BBC has their own Vietnam page as well.
If you have a British Citizen passport, you may be able to enter Vietnam visa-free, however, you should check this with your government website or one of our trusted Local Designers in Vietnam when planning your trip. However, if you’re planning to ride a motorbike in Vietnam, you’ll need to secure an international driving permit.
Planning a Vietnam Motorbike Tour?
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Licence to Ride
It used to be that to ride a motorbike or car in Vietnam, you were required to have a Vietnamese driving license (which weren’t issued to tourists). However, since 2014, Vietnam has recognised International Driving Permits which can be obtained in your home country before travelling to Vietnam. This makes planning your Vietnam motorbike tour a lot easier!
However, be aware, some motorbike hire companies in Vietnam will loan you a bike even if don’t have a licence claiming “the police rarely stop you unless you do something wrong”. Feeling lucky and thinking about riding your motorbike without a licence? Not worth the risk of being fined.
Travel Insurance is a Must!
There are plenty of reputable insurance providers, but check the fine print for whether they’ll cover you while travelling by motorbike. Make sure to double-check it. Most policies say they’ll cover motorcycles as long as a licensed driver is legally riding them. Get it sorted before you hop on your bike!
The policies you’ll need are personal medical insurance –which covers you in accidents and when you’re injured– and third-party liability insurance –which covers others and things you injure/damage. Medical facilities and care vary in Vietnam even in the foreign private medical clinics in the main cities of Hanoi, Cho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau and Da Nang. Expect to pay the doctor or hospital a fee before they treat you including in emergencies. Health issues that happen occasionally in Vietnam include water or food-borne diseases, parasitic and other diseases including HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, rabies, typhoid, tuberculosis and meningitis, says Smart Traveller. Protect yourself from mosquitoes as they can spread the Zika Virus, dengue fever, malaria and Japanese encephalitis.
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Where Not to Go and What Not to Do
The authorities get a bit touchy if you travel near military bases (don’t take photos either) and there’s also travel restrictions in some parts of the Central Highlands and some border areas, says Smart Traveller. For good reason as there are unexploded landmines and ordnance in former battlefields!
Steer clear of gambling dens as gambling is illegal except in government-licensed casinos. Speaking of money, you’ll get a better conversion rate if you exchange your currency into Vietnamese Dong before you leave home. Let your bank know, too, that you’re travelling to Vietnam so they don’t stop your card inadvertently.
If you’re on prescription medication, don’t expect to be able to stock up in Vietnam. Check out the Smart Traveller website for info about carrying medications into that country, too.
Staking Out a Route
How long are you planning to tour Vietnam? You could do the whole country comfortably in a month, but if you’re short of time, consider focusing on one particular section. Wherever you go, you want to zero in on the mine-free roads and paths – these are well marked. Vietnam Coracle Motorbike Guides and Maps are great to get you dreaming about the ride. You may not get mobile phone reception on your travels, so beforehand cache the Google maps you’ll need for the trip as a handy reference.
There are plenty of motorcycle touring companies vying for your business whether you’re going solo or keen to hook into a guided tour. Most motorcycle touring companies offer standard private tours, premium tours and special event tours which are a great, fun way to take in the many sights and sounds of Vietnam. However, you can save the hassle of worrying if they are trusted or not and design your trip through Designer Journeys, we’ll connect you to one of our trusted Local Designers in Vietnam who will be able to plan your motorbike trip tailored to you!
When starting from one of the big cities, be prepared for traffic jams, a chaotic pace and overwhelming fumes. In Hanoi, day tours ranging from one to four days are a good idea to help you navigate the city as locals do. A great option for novices to take in just the city or explore the surroundings such as the Bac Ninh province or the world heritage Halong Bay. You’ll see pagodas, 300-year-old villages, waterfalls and experience winding mountain roads. A Ho Chi Minh City motorbike tour you can do in half a day takes in French colonial buildings, the wet market, alleyways and China Town.
What to Bring With You
Whilst you can buy and hire them, it is recommended (for quality) that you bring your own helmet, riding gloves, decent protective boots and summer-weight riding jacket (with padded elbows), eyewear, smartphone and all-weather backpack as a minimum. For starters, you have to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle in Vietnam –that’s the law– including when you’re a passenger. If you don’t want to bring your own one, once you’re in Vietnam it is recommended that you visit a motorcycle dealership to find an Australian, US or European safety certified helmet, particularly a full-faced one. Lightweight trousers that breathe and have padded hip and knee areas are handy, too. If you’re joining an organised tour, their support vehicle can carry the gear you won’t need while on your bike. If you plan your trip with one of our Local Designers in Vietnam, they can also arrange for your luggage to be transferred from one place to the next so you don’t have to give it a second thought.
Once you get a motorbike in Vietnam, invest in a chain and padlock as well as some octopus straps/bungee cords to secure your backpack. Think about getting emergency lighting like a powerful bicycle light – you never know if you’ll be caught out and your lights fail.
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Choosing Your Bike
Firstly, decide if buying or hiring a motorbike suits you. This decision will depend on the amount of time you have to spend in Vietnam; hiring is often easier as you don’t have to worry about selling the bike at the end of your trip. The most popular bikes are the Honda Win and Russian Minsk – both old models. You’ll see a lot of 100cc or 110cc Honda-badged bikes but they may be Chinese copies and could cost just US$250. Make a beeline for the Vietnamese-made Sufat Wins, they’re locally made using Honda designs and more reliable. You could pick up one for about US$450. For more details, check out Chris Brinlee Jr’s Gizmodo Australia’s post. He also suggests visiting the backpacking areas of the main cities for ‘bike for sale’ fliers. It is recommended that you opt for a 250cc which will give you decent grunt yet be nimble enough to negotiate through water over roads and along unpaved roads.
Most riders start their trip in Ho Chi Minh City and try to sell their bike in Hanoi. However, you should consider going the opposite way so you’ll have a buyer’s market to get your set of wheels in Hanoi and sell them in Ho Chi Minh City. Keep in mind, Hanoi’s roads have five million motorcycles, which could be why the government is looking to ban bikes there from 2025.
Tips When On the Road
You’ll be able to fill up when you need to and you’ll get about 40 kilometres to each litre of fuel. If your bike needs tweaking or more serious repairs, hunt down a ‘Xe May’ sign or the Honda Motorcycle logo. Keep your machine running smoothly by oiling the chain every 300 kilometres, checking the tyre pressure, and changing the oil every 1000 kilometres.
Supposedly, vehicles drive on the right sight of the road but their concept of a ‘lane’ might be different to yours. Make sure to give trucks, army jeeps and buses right of way. The top speeds you’ll be able to do are 100 kilometres per hour along some stretches of highway but arrive with the mindset that travelling in Vietnam can be really slow and you should take your time anyway. A good yardstick, particularly when you’re in urban areas, is to assume you’ll be going about 30 kilometres per hour. You may think it’s optional for drivers to obey traffic lights – that’s the way Vietnamese drivers operate. Try to reach your next destination before nightfall and avoid driving in the dark as there are obstacles you may not see such as potholes.
When travelling, ask locals about the condition of the road ahead. On the open road, there’s plenty of food options along the way (but stock up on bottled water) and reasonably priced accommodation where you can keep your bike and belongings safe.
In Case of Emergencies
If there’s an emergency, call 113 for police, 114 for fire and 115 for an ambulance, but have a translator handy if you’re reporting a crime.
More Tips on Vietnam Travel
Vietnamese is the country’s official language, but French, Chinese, English and Khmer are also spoken. For many more tips on Vietnam travel and the best places to visit when travelling to Vietnam, check out our comprehensive Vietnam travel guide!
Let’s Plan Your Vietnam Motorbike Tour!
Now you’ve read everything you need to know, there’s no time to waste. Browse our gallery of customisable Vietnam tours and connect with one of our trusted Local Designers in Vietnam by answering a few simple questions. Next, they’ll design your itinerary based on your requirements and you’ll work together to build your dream trip! To experience Vietnam in extraordinary ways, book with Designer Journeys!
