Motorbikes / Scooters
We get asked about this one a lot. We did after all, travel the country by motorbike for over six months.
In that time we learned some valuable lessons. Lessons want to share to give you an opportunity to make informed choices.
During our time, things were fairly lax around foreigners renting and riding motorbikes in Vietnam. That is changing fast though.
With an influx of visitors comes a steady rise in fatalities involving foreigners. We’ve seen many debates and arguments online about this topic. We don’t claim to be experts, all we can do is speak from experience.
What an amazing experience it was too!
The freedom of your own transportation in Vietnam
On a bike, you get to make your own itinerary and with it, a greater freedom to travel your way. It’s not all amazing though.
We almost got wiped out on day one of our road trip by not only one, but three heavy vehicles. One was a bus from a well-known company that couldn’t be patient enough to wait for a clear stretch.
When you’re jammed up against the safety rail on your side of the road with nowhere to go, watching a tour bus barreling down on you, sh*t gets real, quick!
What saved us on many occasions was experience, advanced training and taking it slow. All you have to do is watch one of our riding day videos to understand what we mean.
What that freedom could cost
Some things to think about before hopping on a bike;
- Helmets, they save lives. It’s your brain, so think about what it’s worth to you.
- Driver licenses. The most epic subject on travel in Vietnam. The short of it, you have to have a Vietnamese drivers license to legally ride on the road. Most police will wave you off or hit you up for a bribe but it doesn’t save you when it comes to,
- Insurance. If you do not adhere to the T&C’s on your insurance policy they may not cover you. For example, our insurance policy stated we needed, a) a legal motorcycle license from our country, b) a Vietnamese issued drivers license and, c) helmets complying with AU/NZ minimum safety standards. If you’d like a good place to start your insurance research then we recommend starting with the team at Worldnomads for great info on travel insurance and things like riding a motorcycle overseas.
- International driving permits aren’t as straightforward either, more on that here.
- Accidents. It’s not a case of if but when. Vietnam has the world’s second highest fatality rate in the world. Think about that. Say you end up involved in an accident? You could get seriously injured or worse die. If not, local law could deem you responsible causing a whole lot more hurt. Jail, compensation to the deceased family, damages, etc. I can go on but I’m sure you get the grim picture. I’ll add one more thing though. If you don’t comply with your insurance policy, it could get a whole lot worse.
- Emergency care. No insurance means you’ll end up in public hospitals. In a developing country, it can be hit or miss on what you get. Do you really want to try it?
If like us, you’re happy to make everything you need align then, Vietnam is your oyster! It was by far the best way for us to explore the country and we wouldn’t hesitate to do it again!
How does this two wheel thing work anyway?
Rental motorbikes
These are a dime a dozen and are literally everywhere. We do recommend doing some research.
Long Trips
Look for options that offers help for mechanical failures, have branches in areas you are traveling to or through and have good reviews. Look for reliable, well-maintained bikes too. That one is the most important. Don’t know how to do that? Then keep an eye out for an upcoming vlog on how to do a quick safety check before you ride.
Short Trips
Your hotel will almost always has a rental or two or hand. If not they most likely have a deal with a local rental company.
Compare prices, look for options with good English reviews and check you are happy with the condition of the motorcycle before you sign up.