I was reading in a french forum that the police in SaPa was cracking down on bikes hired by travellers and seizing the bikes, about 2 weeks ago. It is illegal for no residents to ride in Vietnam (without a vietnamese licence) but so far the police was turning a blind eye.
Any one has more up to date info on what is really happening? We will be heading there in 4 weeks time and have arranged to hire 2 bikes!
http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=3534292;session=7330097df5463b68f1d50c1eb a26cd23;

__________________
Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

I don't have my international licence in front of me right now but I'm pretty sure that it is valid in Vietnam.

I certainly had no problem riding in Ho Chi Minh City 2 years back and nor did the thousands of other tourists hiring bikes. Whatever the case, it doesn't stop the hundreds of bike hire vendors/ hotels renting a bike - they simply hold your passport as security but do check your licence first.

__________________
Garry from Oz - powered by Burgman

Interesting post-
Out of curiosity, I telephoned the Vietnamese Embassy (12 Victoria Road, London W8 5RD 020 7937 1912) this morning.

They advise the following:

Any foreigner wishing to drive in Vietnam must (and this is now mandatory) apply and obtain a Temporary Driving Licence from the Vietnamese Authorities.

They recommend that you enquire as to the office's location on arrival at the airport.

If your licence is accepted, a Temporary one will be issued, printed in both English and Vietnamese to satisfy the police that you are allowed to drive in their country.
The validity of this permit is linked up to the maximum validity of your visa's duration.

Hello Maria and others,

I rode my 600 Tenere in Vietnam in 2001 and I had quite some trouble with the police. The police was very unfriendly and demanded lots of money. My license was not valid for Vietnam and they wanted to confiscate my bike (which I imported without custom documents).

After three hours with the police I just took my documents and rode away ... they could not follow a 600 Tenere, but they tried.

Than I did not stop for the police anymore, and I also did not stop at the road toll gates. After a month I left Vietnam, and I will never return. I did not like the people.

They won the war against the French, they won the war against the Americans and now they are fighting the war for the tourist dollar and they are also winning this.

My advise: if you ride in Vietnam stay away from the police.

Greetings

Mika

Thank you all guys for your replies.

Mika shame you had such bad experience. I went to vietnam about 8 years ago (not on bikes) and I loved the place. Hwo on earth di dyou amnaged to get in with a 600cc? I thought only little bikes are allowed overthere and no foreigner' bikes in any case.

Bertrand, thanks for your post. Very good point you made and thanks for contacting the embassy. I will check that and keep everyone posted once I get there in a month time.

However if asking for a driving licence takes weeks I won't bother!
Shame they do not seem to accept the International driving licence. I believe it is also translated in vietnamese.


Cheers

__________________
Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

It is possible that there is a linear cause-and-effect relationship between tourists importing bikes illegally and refusing to stop for police or tolls in 2001 and greater difficulties for one and all in 2010....but of course that's just idle speculation.

In Guyana I had to get a local driving permit, despite carrying an International License. It took two hours in the mid-day heat, which I found very irritating at the time but in the scheme of things was not a big deal. The necessary document turned out to be a one-off, laboriously typewritten scrap of paper (literally--a full blank sheet was folded and torn roughly in half to save paper) in a "To Whom it May Concern" format. Maybe Vietnam will be similar.

Mark

I got this email from John Berry that he asked me to post:
QUOTE:
comments = Would like to add a reply to your query re bikes being confiscated in Vietnam, however, unable to do so because of security restrications on my work computers. Would you please add this reply to your thread on the HUBB.

I have just returned from 3 weeks in southern Vietnam (down in the delta around Rach Gia) and was advised by the in-laws to not ride motorbikes as the police were cracking down on licences and confiscating motorbikes if you did not have a valid Vietnamese licence. I did see traffic police (the light brown/fawn uniform highway guys) stopping motorcyclists and confiscating motorbikes.

Westerners were riding motorbikes in HCM and on Phu Quoc Island.
END OF QUOTE

thanks John for this.
I will phone the embassy next week and will try to find out what the procedure is. If it is a matter of getting my licence translated in a piece of A4 paper like Markhaf, and can be done on the day, may as well do it.

__________________
Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

@ farqhuar:

the license says so, the vietnamese say different. ALso the german foreign affairs websites states the vietnamese do not accept the international license, therefore it is illegal

I talked to Expats while I was in Hanoi as I consideres getting the temporary license and everyone said it's a ****ed up process with loads of bribing and time necessary, it's easier of you get a real one than that one they said. So I didn't even boher, also cause nobody cared.

Also everyone (and I mean expats and locals) will tell you to not stop for the police as they just try to rip you of, cause if they really want something serious they'll get you. If they just wave, let em wave or even better, wave back. I met a couple of people who stopped and where then fined for speeding they hadn't done or an indicator not working or some bullcrap. A dutch couple had to pay for speeding and the photo that was shown to them, which magically was printed without a printer, on the side of the road, without even a camera, was years old and showed a car speeding, they were riding bikes. But the 3 policemen just took the keys of them and made them pay. So this not stopping thing is for real - don't stop.

But if it's true and they are starting to crack down on that, I hope they improve their system or accept international licences.

But as I guess they wont, it'll be a shame, it was such a great country to drive.

Hi,

Its because of people like Mika that the police in Vietnam controls foreigners too and dont turn a blind eye anymore.

If people ignore the law, are driving without license, bring vehicles into the country without customs ... so dont wonder when the authorities are not so friendly anymore. You even cant do that in the USA or Australia.

So, think twice before acting.

Paul
Motorbike registered in Vietnam
Vietnamese driving license A1 and B

Just got back from a 9 day ride with 4 friends, 1 guide, and a photographer working for the guide. On XR250/XR400/DZR400 's.

Hanoi -> Mai Chau -> ?somewhere? -> SaPa -> XiMan ->HaGiang -> Dong Van -> Bao Lai -> BaBe Lake -> Hanoi.

That's 5 BIG guys on (for VN) BIG bikes doing 1400 km.

No problems with police. Saw plenty of police shaking down the locals, but the plod just waved us through. There were a couple of times the guide was VERY particular about our speed, (40kph through a few town centres), but otherwise no probs.

We were all aware that we were unlicensed for VN. In the event of a fatal accident, we were facing mandatory life imprisonment. In the event of a non-fatal accident, you pay compensation to the other party (fault is irrelevant, you're a foreigner, so you pay) and move on, hopefully without the police becoming involved.

Great people, great roads, unbelievable scenery, ok food, cheap .
Brilliant country to ride.

We were all aware that we were unlicensed for VN. In the event of a fatal accident, we were facing mandatory life imprisonment. In the event of a non-fatal accident, you pay compensation to the other party (fault is irrelevant, you're a foreigner, so you pay) and move on, hopefully without the police becoming involved.
.[/QUOTE]

is it worth the risk of sitting out your days in a Vietnamese jail?

who was your guide by the way?

Glad you had a great time.

__________________
https://fernsforays.wordpress.com/

We hired the bikes and guide thru Flamingo Travel. They are on the internets.

If you're looking for a low stress way to do a VN trip, they're great.

Our guide was actually the owner of the company, Hung Nyguen, and he did a great job. But he's actually the rookie of the company, as his employees usually do the tours. (when people ask for a guide. I understand most tours are unguided.)

Bikes were reliable. No hidden surprises.

I felt that we missed some of the experience in having a guide to arrange virtually everything along the way, but it made everything very efficient and carefree. We're not hardcore Trekkers like many on this site, so the easy option suited us.

My first post on the forum

Looks like this post has been around a while. But as i've just stumbled on it i'm sure i won't be the last. So for what it is worth, here's my 2 cents..

Repeat traveller to and rider in VN. First few times I went i hired a bike in Saigon (Pham Ngu Lao). First time i tried 5 'shops' before i could find one that would rent out for an indefinite period and number of km's. The others would only let them out if i stayed local. Had to forfeit passport, and kept colour copies of it for the hotel checkins. I never went to far that time, just to Ba-Ria Vung Tau and Dong Nai provinces. Subsequent trips travelled most of the country on bikes borrowed from friends.

Every time i've been i've only ridden, never bus or drivers. Everytime i've been stopped at least once, usually more times. Sometimes my own fault for speeding on the highways (like 80km/h when most are only 60). One time i'm sure it was a dubious 'roadworks zone' at 40km/h limit. Most other times i was spotted weaving through the trucks and cars so couldn't complain.

Had wide variety of experiences.

1) The gun toting top gun guy who's patience i tested by pretending not to speak vietnamese (moto bike, my firend, ho chi minh, bike my friend) who yelled at me in Vietnamese to just 'p*** off' and i gt away without a fine.

2) Being given a caution down in the delta (when i was doing that weaving i mentioned). Was fascinating for the locals to watch me, i think they were perplexed why no cash or paperwork was exchanged!

3) Being fined proper. Not advisable if you're in a hurry... Fine on afternoon day 1. Overnight in nearby provincial centre (Vung tau that ime so i as lucky i knew my way around... but i WAS on my way to Mui Ne on the south coast). Next morning to main office to register. Sent to cashiers office on the other side of town. Then sent back with the receipt to the main office. By that time spent a second night in town before day 3 getting on my way.

4) My now preferred method, in some ways, and no in others. Nam Tram. 500K dong. About 20-25 dollars. Mentioned by one expat on here already. Never leave home without it now. First time i cottoned onto this they were loading up locals bike on the back of the truck (confiscating them until the fines were paid). There's a place underground next to a carpark in Saigon where there are hundreds of cobweb covered bikes i imagine started out like this. I was asked around the back of the truck with the fine book. Nam Tram is a bit rich compared to local doations but i'm not complaining. I don't ever have an A1 or an A2 license, and often no rego papers.

International license states accepted in VN. It isn't. I always carry my one from my country but just for photo ID purposes. I've ridden everywhere, anytime and crack downs or no crack dons, between my 5 tram and Viet language skills, and a happy manner with the guys it's no trouble at all.

Beware now, road cops have breathalisers and radar guns. I was zapped by a guy hidden in a car who radioed his mates down the road with my description and speed. This was on a rural route in Nhon Trach (back way to Vung Tau from Saigon).

Hope this helps some future travellers! Happy to catch up by PM/email however it works on HUBB) if anyone's interestd down the track. I've written an unofficial guide to the 'road rules' and 'etiquite' in VN. Propbably be my next post!

Stay vertical!

Maria,
I just spent the last two winters traveling in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos on a Honda Win 110cc that I bought in Hanoi for $400.00. I rode the length of Vietnam and loved the northern part including Sapa the most. The people of Vietnam are the nicest and most welcoming people i have met anywhere! I was stopped by the police 3 times ( twice for speeding and once for going down a one way street the wrong way) and crossed the Cambodia and Laos borders with no trouble. I had an international license ( easily obtainable before you go) and a regular US drivers license that no one ever looked at. The police and customs always wanted the paper that show the registration of the bike which will be matched to the numbers on your bike. It of course, will be in someone else's name but thats ok too. I sold the bike last winter back in Hanoi for $200.00 to a young Vietnamese who was just starting a moto touring company... Go for it !! You will Enjoy... Eliza