If you are planning to visit Vietnam, then here is what you ought to know: One of the best things to experience in this southeast Asian country is traveling by motorbike. What can be more amazing than freely exploring every single corner of the beautiful country while immersing your body in a fresh wind blow? Traveling through Vietnam by motorbike, you can visit well-known attractions as well as take a close look at imposing mountains or forests, make friends with interesting local people. Since a motorcycle is quite a light vehicle, you will feel more convenient while traveling.
But that is not all the aspects of the problem. In fact, using this vehicle in Vietnam is a real challenge. It can be perilous and troublesome if you are not well prepared. In remote areas, the roads can be hazardous as they are not only full of twists and turns, rugged but also steep and slippery. And if you think the traffic in big cities here is totally safe, well, it’s actually full of risks. So for you to fully and safely experience traveling Vietnam by motorbike, you should consider our following tips and tricks.
Necessary documents to bring
Travel insurance
Travel insurance is the document you should have on any trip you take, and it’s especially necessary while you are traveling Vietnam by motorbike. Traffic in Vietnam is not similar to one in Western countries since the rate of people who violate traffic rules here is relatively high. There are many cases in which people here ignore basic rules and cause tragic accidents. If you are going to rent or bike a motorbike to travel here, remember to tell your insurers about this. They occasionally exclude motorbike touring for policyholders from some countries, so pay attention to the wording.
Driving license
In Vietnam, you are allowed to ride a 50cc motorbike without driving licenses. Based on the engine size of such motorcycles, they are not really powerful, and you cannot move fast with them so you can use such motorbikes freely. However, this is not what you want to ride while traveling unless you want to go around the cities only. A long trip requires something more robust than that – in this case, 125cc motorbikes are more suitable.
Using motorbikes with a capacity of 125cc or over, you need a driving license. In fact, many people drive recklessly without any permit. You’d better not follow such an act. Firstly, this shows that you do not respect the country you are visiting. Secondly, since this is absolutely illegal, you will have big trouble if you are stopped and asked by a police officer. Lastly, if you drive without a license, your travel insurance is invalidated. So if an accident, unfortunately, happens to you, that insurance cannot help you with anything.
Renting and buying motorbikes
One significant thing you should keep in your mind before renting or buying motorbikes in Vietnam is that you never choose exceedingly low-cost ones. A bike with a price of US200$ seems to be reasonable, but it’s actually a troublesome trap. You are not going to have a fulfilled trip with such inefficient things because they always end up with miserable breakdowns. You will undoubtedly incur a lot of money spent on repairing your motorcycles, even more than the number you pay to hire or buy it.
Don’t hesitate to go for motorbikes of reputable brands such as Honda or Yamaha. Those beasts are not going to let you down, although they can be a bit costly. When you finish your Vietnam motorbike tours, you can sell the motorbikes at a reasonable price (of course, if they are still well-maintained).
There are a lot of scammers trying to sell unqualified motorbikes with a nonsense price. If you have no idea where you can buy or hire good vehicles, BM Travel Adventure is here to help you out. Here in the company, you can hire motorbikes with a capacity of 125cc or over. Since all the staff is experienced in traveling by bikes, you will receive helpful pieces of advice about which vehicles to use in different terraces. You are also offered amazing and professional tours to explore Vietnam by motorbike. If you hire motorbikes or buy tours here, you can have your driving license changed to an international driving license. This license is absolutely accepted in Vietnam, so you can go freely without worrying about any legal affair.
Driving tips and tricks
The first thing you should know about traffic in Vietnam is that the road condition here is not satisfying and the congestion is terrifying. Vietnam has built a lot of great highways recently, yet there are still a lot of rough roads with dangerous potholes. Going on highways is not a completely perfect choice since there are plenty of cars and trucks racing along.
In the city, traffic jams often happen, especially in rush hours. In short, it’s dangerous for you to go too fast, but there are times you are driven crazy while crawling on the road. Besides, be aware of livestock that can rush out to the way at any time. Keep your eyes open, or else unfortunate incidents can occur in the blink of an eye.
Basically, the horn is an indispensable item of any vehicle. However, here in Vietnam, drivers often abuse it and create something called noise pollution. Prepare yourself; it’s going to be super noisy, particularly in congestion. However, don’t forget to horn when you are on winding roads. Better safe than sorry!
Since the traffic in Vietnam is complicated and somewhat dangerous, you should go with the flow of other vehicles. There are a lot of motorbikes on the roads, and they know the traffic flow very well, so you should first follow them to stay safe.
Traveling in Vietnam by motorbike seems to be risky, doesn’t it? It does, but it is also an unforgettable memory for anyone who dares to try. If you feel that ordinary ways of traveling are getting boring, come to BM Travel Adventure, rent a motorbike, and set off right away!
