Hi,

I have had a good look about on the forum, but cant seem to find the info i'm after. I am planning to visit Vietnam and ride a $200 bike from Ho chi Min City to Hanoi in February. I was wondering if someone could give me some advice.

Is it worth taking my own helmet all the way there from the UK, or will a cheapo one be OK to buy when I get there?

Should I take a lock and chain to secure the bike overnight?

Could Someone recommend a company for travel/Health insurance?


Cheers,
Dave.

Hi Dave,
I would certainly take your own helmet and riding gear as the stuff you get there is generally crap and a lock would be a good idea as there is some bike theft in Vietnam. Check out the Post Office travel insurance, I recommend theirs the other day and the person asking said yes they still cover riding motorcycles as long as you have a full motorcycle licence, do check for yourself though.

Thanks Mark.

Doing by motorcycle is not a good idea (Bad roads and unsafe) - Train is good. Stay at some place and then hire a scooter to explore its surroundings.

YES! 100% take your own Helmet as already mentioned pretty much all you will find in VN is about as much use as a pot with a strap! As for security? It's always good to chain your bike up, but most places I stayed were happy to let me put it inside the hotel, or had a secure gated yard.

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Regards Tim

Learning my craft for the big stuff, it won't be long now and it's not that far anyway

Hello, I just finished central vietnam.

1. They sell plenty of helmets here, but these are all the basic helmets you can find and are cheap and are generally just plastic caps on the head. They do have motorcycle shops here where you can find branded helmets as well, though at a premium as luxury items here are expensive.

2. Many guest houses here have garages which allow you to park in those places, sometimes in their living rooms. I do not think a lock and chain is necessary at all, however spend your time looking for a guest house which allows you to park in their compound or at least within eye sight of the reception. I will recommend investing in a super light and cheap bike cover though, this will eliminate any opportunist thieves.

3. My advise is, hire a local bike travel company for just a one day tour at least, the english speaking guide will be able to advise you on many things about the rest of your trip. Also, you'll have access to a free translator if anything major happens during your trip. I think the USD40 or 60 you spend for that one day tour will repay itself for sure. Tip him well =) They can also help buy your insurance.

4. Let me assure you that your $200 bike will break down very often. I met a few travelers like yourself who bought $300 bikes and they were lamenting the frequent repairs which they did. Luckily there are hundreds of bike repair shops everywhere that can help. You might wish to prepare a list of vietnamese translated words that you can show the mechanic!

Hope this helps, let me know if you need more help

Rode VN last year for 3 months, and loved it. If you're an experienced rider, you'll be ok riding in Vietnam. Crossing the streets as a pedestrian might require some tutoring though.

I took with me a half-face helmet, a mesh ride jacket, gloves, and waterproof over-boots. Cheap rain jackets sold everywhere worked ok. No need to carry a lock. VN runs on small displacement bikes, and free or cheap secured parking is plenty for scooters. If you ever feel that your bike needs to be locked, it means you should not really park there.

If you'll be traveling on a $200 bike (like the chinese honda knock-offs known as backpacker bikes), you might as well forget the helmet. If you do value your life, consider getting something decent. I rented from tigitmotorbikes.com and can recommend them, though I know they are not the cheapest.

Northern Vietnam can get cold up in the mountains, but you don't have to go prepared. You'll find top notch winter jackets etc. for dirt cheap. Genuine North Face gear seem to slip thru the backdoor with undetectable defects, and even the knock-offs are of good quality.

Have a great trip!

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LOS ANGELES TO BUENOS AIRES
A photographic expedition with unlimited legroom.

i have booked a flight to HCM city for May in time to catch the abundance fruit season. Then after gorging myself silly with saurieng ri6, i intend to rent a small bike and ride to the delta region. ...any suggestion of where to stay (not so much of the Agoda hotel style, maybe more homestay type) and what to look for is truly appreciated. I have at least 7 days.
Thanks.

hMx

Try Murray House in Chau Doc. A clean, cozy guest house. Plenty to see in the area and the owner is a great source of information. May need to book in advance as other accommodation options in town aren’t of the same caliber.
Have fun!

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LOS ANGELES TO BUENOS AIRES
A photographic expedition with unlimited legroom.

Thanks mate. But i am looking more of the delta area, Can Tho and Vinh Long etc... Cheers.

I did an 18 day ride from Hanoi, up to the Chinese border, down to Halong Bay then to HCM a couple of years ago. 18 days and 3500kms on a rented 125cc scooter. Picked up in Hanoi and dropped at the train station in HCM. Absolutely fabulous trip. Didn't feel unsafe anywhere, even on some pretty poor roads. Food, and accommodation all really cheap. You will have a blast.
If you want some ideas on route, accommodation etc, drop me a line. Happy to help out

I rode Hanoi-HCMC a couple of years ago over two weeks, amazing trip (am headed back for more in Feb). As others mentioned, the cheap bikes will break down a lot - daily based on what I heard from others - all part of the adventure if you have the time. I rented a CRF250, which was totally unnecessary but a lot of fun. If you want to spend more time riding vs. fixing, or don't have a lot of time, consider a one way rental. I think there are several options, but I rented from Flamingo Travel and paid an extra $60 to send the bike back to Hanoi.

Definitely bring any riding gear from home, consider bringing a tool kit as well.

Going to ride HCM to Hanoi with a handful of non-biking mates in a fortnight's time.

What's the score with IDP's?

Strictly speaking it appears to me that a UK resident cannot now get the correct version (1968 I think), and is supposed to get a 3-month visa so they can take a Vietnamese bike test!

Or doesn't anyone care? I don't mind parting with some change occasionally, but the idea of being told we can't ride any further isn't so appealing....

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I'm on the plane home as I write this. We spent three weeks HCM to Hanoi, about right I'd say.

Never stopped by police, let alone asked for IDP !

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That's exactly it. Nobody cares even remotely, including the bike rental places.

As I've been told by locals: traffic police (yellow uniforms) are few and far between, and seem to have been told not to bother tourists. Regular police (green uniforms) are supposedly not allowed to pull you over and prosecute for traffic infractions.