Renting a bike in North Vietnam
 

Hello, been a while since I've been abroad on a bike and I'm looking at going to Vietnam for a couple of weeks at the end of the month (Jan 09) - Can't wait! :mchappy:

Anyone who could answer the following would be a diamond:

* Are 250cc offroad bikes easy enough to rent, in Hanoi? I don't want to pay a foreigner-fleecing tours company top dollar in advance... And I don't need a package tour either, though I'm sure they're a lot of fun.

* A friend of mine says that January may be a holiday period for the Vietnamese, and that this'll make bike rental more tricky - is this the case?

* 20-30 USD per day seems to be the going rate on the websites I've seen, for rental of a 250. Is this up to date?

*** Any crucial tips? Must-sees? I have ten to twelve days, so will have to work out a rough plan before I go, even if it's just for three places I want specifically to see.

Thanks in advance
Alex

hey there, im planning my first overseas trip there in summer. Cuong’s Motorbike Adventure in Hanoi supply Minsks, v quick and efficient, I have one reserved. I think Off road vietnam do rentals, especially honda 250, although i never chased that up. Im gonna do the northwest loop as its known at minsk club vietnam website. i here the sapa valley is nice.

let us know how you get on, would be very interesting!
all the best, tom.

edit* and the holiday is tet i think, vietnamese new year, very busy i here.

hmm.. winter?
 

Thanks for the post on Cuong - that's the best supplier I've found, too (for price). Offroad vietnam are a tad pricey for my wallet. They may be more reliable bikes for all I know, but I don't...

More alarmingly, the north of vietnam is actually COLD in january (holy shizer! Didn't think of that!) so I am now considering the south. Huge shame, as everyone says the north loop area is beautiful. But I get enough cold riding in london thanks very much..

Pondering on and on...?c?

thinking of doing that same trip in the north of vietnam, so just wondering how ya got on in the end????