Undoubtedly riding a motorbike through Vietnam is the best way to get to know the nation and you could hardly do this if just sitting on the cars and watching Vietnam through windows. Exploring cities, towns and villages bon bikes will give you a basic understanding of the culture, but how to plan a perfect motorbike trip in Vietnam would be unknown to many other riders. Hereunder is a unique experience and with a little planning and not much money it can easily be done and I trust, our following tips can help you some
1. Google to find out most prestigious motorbike tour agencies to deal with
It’s just easy for all to do now by 1 click through your laptop or mobile phone. You can google a travel agency organizing Vietnam Motorbike Tours then make a list of top-ranking ones. Next, you can deeper view into their reputation on other trusting platform like Tripadvisor or Trustpilot to see what they have been doing. Later on, you can send them an email to ask for the same request and see what they will feedback. If there is any operator getting back to you promptly & professionally cum all transparent details and good prices and that would be your choice.
2. The weather is a decisive factor for a perfect motorbike trip
Probably weather would be one of the most important factors affecting to your travel plan and it is truly uncontrollable to everyone. Your travel plan could be perfect or just turned out to be a disaster is much depending on such an outside factor if you can not foresee the rules of weather in the place where you are going to see.
Vietnam is divided into three different climatic zones and the weather can very greatly depending on the time of year and location. Some regions are better to ride in the winter months, others in the summer. Before your adventure begins you’ll need to decide what you are looking for and which parts of the country you’re aiming to explore. Warmer and dryer months are fantastic riding, but can be very busy. Colder winter months can be mysterious and empty, yet chilly to ride.
In northern Vietnam, the temperatures rise and the rains occur from May through August. The rest of the year is usually dry, with December through March being chillier and often gray.
In central Vietnam, the rainy season runs from October through January and the rest of the year is mostly consistently dry. Temperatures in the dry season can soar into the mid to high 30’s in the summer months so the ideal time to visit is February through May.
In southern Vietnam, the temperatures hover in the low 30’s for most of the year. From May through November heavy rains fall, although usually only in bursts of a couple hours in the afternoon.
3. The suitable routes of Vietnam Motorbike Tours
Depending on who you are, there will be suitable routes for you to be with.
For many backpackers riding a motorbike from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City or vice versa has become somewhat of a rite of passage. The trip can be completed in two weeks (less if you rush) and could be a mix of white sand beaches, limestone ridges, and endless rice fields. There are a number of established routes making the trip easy and enjoyable.
While this is undoubtedly a fantastic journey, the truth is that it bypasses the most spectacular riding the country has to offer. Perhaps it’s the allure of saying: “I rode from Hanoi to Saigon on a motorbike,” that has made this so popular, perhaps it’s the Top Gear special, either way this route does not give a glimpse into the country’s most beautiful scenery.
However, if you’re fans of adventure riders who wish to conquer tough parts of the country with rocky winding roads, curvy passes, deep valleys …you should adopt the routes of Northwest Vietnam Motorbike Tours or Northeast Vietnam Motorcycle Tours or Northern Vietnam Motorbike Tours … Of course, your award is unimaginable because of its stunning landscapes, amazing local experiences, great foods …
And if you’re just easy men wishing to do something easier and safer, we strongly advise some routes for motorcycle tours in the central, central Highlands and Southern of Vietnam where you can engage our easy motorcycle trips with purposes of sightseeing, local experiences, easy roads …
4. The suitable bikes for Vietnam Motorbike Tours
Unlike other backpackers who often buy cheap bikes like Honda Wave 110cc or Honda Win 110cc from either Hanoi or Saigon at a few hundreds of bucks to hang around Vietnam for months or so then they will be re-sell those bikes to the locals or garages.
We suggest you to select suitable bikes to well match with the routes that you choose otherwise your trips would be less fun. So specifically riders are advised to adopt dirt bikes like Honda XR 125cc, Honda XR 150cc, Honda CRF 250cc or KLM 150c/250cc … for the dirt-track routes in the North of Vietnam or elsewhere in Central Highland
And for those who are just riding in the cities or flat areas like along the coast, Mekong Delta … you can ride with automatic Honda Airblade 125ccc or Yamaha Nouvo 125cc or geared scooters of Honda Wave 110cc …
Nowadays, there are lots of bike’s rental services available in Hanoi & Saigon and big cities then you can come to hire directly, however, the smartest way I would advise you to do is to set an online order through a travel agent that you like then they will manage all that you need. The rental cost is varied from 15 USD upto 55 USD/bike/day for different bikes that you choose
5. The pack for motorbikers
Start with a travelers backpack, 60-75 liters, and go from there. Almost anything you need can be bought in HCMC or Hanoi, so if you’ve packed light and run into a snag it’s easy to straighten yourself out in the these hubs. The amount of clothing is obviously dependent on the length of the journey and how often you think you’ll need to change. Remember that no motorbike trip in Vietnam is a clean affair.
A poncho, or better yet, rain pants and a good jacket, is a necessity as heavy rains pop up sporadically across the country. A med-kit is a smart choice, as is a water bottle and larger spare gas bottle. Some travelers opt to camp, so a tent or hammock and mosquito net would need to be added, plus a blanket depending on the route and time of year.
6. License
There’s no license that’s guaranteed to get you out of trouble if you’re pulled over. Even those who’ve moved to Vietnam and acquired Vietnamese drivers’ licenses have to deal with scams from police officers. You could get an international license, but the truth is, it probably won’t help.
Instead, if you get pulled over, do the following. Remove the keys immediately and put them in your pocket. Police will try to grab them so you can’t get away without paying, but they’ll do nothing if they’re in your pocket. Of course, here is the case when you do a self-guided tour, however, that never happens if you engage our guided trips because our guide will manage all those troubles en route
