GUIDELINES
FOR RIDING MOTORBIKE TOUR IN VIETNAM
Riding your own (or on the back with a driver) can be a
lot of fun and sometimes challenging. If you follow some simple guidelines,
renting a bike and buzzing the highways and byways of Vietnam is a real highlight.
1/ Wear a safety
helmet
2/ Go slowly and
use your horn
Vietnam is among the right-side driving countries, and if
you find yourself edging into the middle of the road and passing aggressively,
you are going too fast. Things go bad in a millisecond on a motorbike, and
slowing down adds to that precious time. Other drivers are very unpredictable,
with oncoming tragic often merging head-on in countless situation- when making
a left turn. In rural parts where anything from chickens, water buffalo, and
children are likely to jump out on the road. And in cities where roads are the absolute
sea of fender and fender motorbikes, cars and trucks, please focus and use the
horn to indicate that you are passing someone or proceeding through an intersection.
3/ Take breaks.
That’s the beauty of having your own transport. You can
stop wherever you like and clock photos or talk with locals. Plus, it’s
important to stay alert and fresh because the road poses constant challenges
and obstacles- cars, trucks, motorbikes, bicycles, kids playing, late groups of
cycling kids coming home from school, workers drying produce on the concrete,
water buffalos, cows, goats, and poultry of all kinds. The mind reels after a
while.
4/ Road and
cautions.
Rural roads are often dirt tracks and quite broken up,
and high-speed highways are crowded with reckless drivers.
Do expect to ride on a number of road surfaces,
some bumpy, some still under construction and a variety of wild life loitering
on even main roads so you must keep your focus!
5/ Know about
your bike.
Before riding a bike, go through the checklist below:
- Check that the
horn works (very important)
- Check that the
headlights and the turn signals work
- Touch the foot
break on the right side or the hand break and make sure that the rear break
lights work
- Check for
loose parts or major scrapes or any major flaws on the bike
6/Incidents on
the road
In case of an accident with another vehicle, know that
it’s more or less a bribe game, with no insurance claims or police involvement
(even if you’re not at fault). We should haggle the best price.
If you’ re safe about it, you can come home with great
memories if buzzing through broad paddy fields, along sunny coasts, or over
high mountain passes.
We do expect you to be a confident and cautious rider and
be able to ride a manual motorcycle safely.
BE PREPARED AND WHAT TO BRING
We provide only helmet and knee protection pads as the
riding gear.
However, you are welcomed to bring your own helmets, riding
suits such as a strong pair of boots/shoes and gloves if possible or available
as it seems bigger sizes are unavailable in Vietnam.
These are items we suggest for the tour you can bring if
needed:
– Clothing:
helmet, rain gloves, wellington boots (rubber boots for rainy season from June
to October), summer gloves, balaclava, t-shirt, socks & underwear, long
sleeved shirt, turtleneck shirt, extra jeans, light jacket, leather chaps,
zip-lock bags, riding boots, bandannas, sunglasses and goggles. Some hotels on
the road have express overnight laundry service and you don’t need too many
clothes.
– Personal items:
basic toiletries, emergency cash, sunscreen and earplugs.
– Emergency items:
first aid kit, emergency contact number, list medical conditions, list
medications, flashlight, chargers and duct tape.
– Others:
small towel, bath towel, trash bags, duffel bags, bungee cords, camera and
cargo net, Passport, towels, toiletries, change of clothes (loose &
lightweight), walking boots, sun block, sunglasses & hat with shade, insect
repellent, flashlights, raincoat in wet season.
We also recommend packing insect repellent, sun cream, raincoat and sun hat...
We also recommend packing insect repellent, sun cream, raincoat and sun hat...
Luggage
For the loop tour, there should be no need to bring all
of your travel bags along as you can leave your bags at the hotel or the
company office (not applied for riding one way to Hoi An or Saigon)
+Large pieces of luggage should be left at the hotel
+Pack essentials, including light comfortable clothes suitable for outdoor activities, comfortable walking shoes.
+Large pieces of luggage should be left at the hotel
+Pack essentials, including light comfortable clothes suitable for outdoor activities, comfortable walking shoes.
We can provide the local rubber straps to tie your luggage on the back of
the bike.
On that note we feel it would be a great idea to offer up
some tips, recommendations and suggestions that will make your ride that much
easier. So, here's a touring checklist that we hope will help you be prepared
for the big ride.
Helmet: If you
fashion yourself as a true then you should expect to spend long, long days in
the saddle. No single piece of equipment is paramount to a successful journey
as the helmet. It needs to fit comfortably snug, provide the protection from
the elements without too much noise and offer ventilation to keep air moving on
hot days and keep the cold air out on freezing rides. It's no small task and
when the dust settles on your ride, you will be happy that you spared no
expense and bought the best helmet you could afford.
There are quite a few options available so take some time
to decide which style will fit your needs the best.
Jacket: The
riding jacket might be considered the touring riders best friend. It is the
largest piece of gear you will have and is the difference between you and a bad
case of road rash. It also protects your body core from the elements and is a
convenient storage sport for personal effects. Since big crashes are not always
the biggest concern it is important that a jacket be comfortable, fit well and
provide plenty of ventilation while remaining waterproof and offering lots of
compartments for your phone, iPod, wallet, etc. Most jackets will claim to be
waterproof but the fact remains that few truly are so make sure to cover your
jacket and other gear with a good coat of waterproof spray just to be on the
safe side. Touring jackets come in a wide variety of options too. Make sure you
have comfortable armor in the elbow and shoulder area and an integrated spine
protector wouldn't hurt either. Popular riding jackets include: Tourmaster,
Olympia, Revit, Klim, North Face, Columbia
Panniers/Racks/Saddlebags/Travel
Pack/Rucksack: Our tour guide
will assist in getting your smallest bag or luggage tied to the side or on the
back of the bike with nylon bag and rubber straps
Many riders prefer to get the smallest panniers (also
referred to as saddlebags) that they feel they can live with. The smaller
set-up is lighter, takes up less space when navigating through tight trails or
busy streets and they will force you to be better at packing. The opposite
opinion is popular too: Get as large of panniers as you can handle and use them
to stuff all of your trip essentials.
GPS: Any
good GPS will do here. Be sure to get familiar with your unit and bring the
instruction book, extra batteries and be prepared to use it. The GPS has opened
a wealth off otherwise unreachable trails, roads and destinations to us all so
don't be afraid to get one.
Maps: Paper
maps and a compass will guarantee that even if the GPS gets broken or fails,
you can still manage to navigate your way back home. Study the topography and
surrounding areas you plan to visit before you go. Awareness of the country
will help you enjoy the trip and give you knowledge of alternatives if you are
forced to re-route or get lost. Small binoculars can greatly aid in navigating
big open spaces and can help you identify local geographic features like
summits and rivers from afar
Camera
Equipment: A good camera backpack will protect your valuable SLR or
equivalent equipment over the course of a long journey. The many interior
pockets will offer storage for extra lenses, batteries, cleaning kit and other
non-essential electronics like an iPad or Laptop.
Clothing: Pack
light with 2-3 changes of shirts, pants, socks & underwear depending on the
length of the trip. Unless you are only camping on a beach, lightweight shoes
that are enclosed (sneakers) are safer than open toed sandals. Stumbling around
at night is a good way to find cactus or stub a toe and since your feet are
part of the ride it's important to protect them even when you're not on the
bike.
WEATHER
Vietnam is considered the country’s tropical monsoon
climate, dominated by the south or southwesterly monsoon from May to September
and the northeast monsoon from October to April. The southern summer monsoon
brings rain to the two deltas and west-facing slopes, while the cold winter
monsoon picks up moisture over the Gulf of Tonkin and dumps it along the
central coast and the eastern edge of the central highlands. Within this basic
pattern there are marked differences according to altitude and latitude;
temperatures in the south remain equable all year round, while the north
experiences distinct seasonal variations.
In southern
Vietnam the dry season lasts from December to late April or May, and the
rains from May through to November. Since most rain falls in brief afternoon downpours,
this need not be off-putting, though flooding at this time of year can cause
problems in the Mekong Delta. Daytime temperatures in the region rarely drop
below 20°C, occasionally hitting 40°C during the hottest months (March, April
and May). The climate of the central highlands generally follows the same
pattern, though temperatures are cooler, especially at night. Again, the
monsoon rains of May to October can make transport more complicated, sometimes
washing out roads and cutting off remoter villages.
Along the central
coast the rainfall pattern reverses under the influence of the northeast
monsoon. Around Nha Trang the wet season starts with a flourish in November and
continues through December. Further north, around Hué and Da Nang, the rains
last a bit longer, from September to February, so it pays to visit these two
cities in the spring (Feb–May). Temperatures reach their maximum (often in the
upper 30s) from June to August, when it’s pleasant to escape into the hills.
The northern stretches of this coastal region experience a more extreme
climate, with a shorter rainy season (peaking in Sept and Oct) and a hot dry
summer. The coast of central Vietnam is the zone most likely to be hit by
typhoons, bringing torrential rain and hurricane-force winds. Though
notoriously difficult to predict, in general the typhoon season lasts from
August to November.
Northern Vietnam is
generally warm and sunny from October to December, after which cold winter
weather sets in, accompanied by fine persistent mists which can last for
several days. Temperatures begin to rise again in March, building to summer
maximums that occasionally reach 40°C between May and August, though average
temperatures in Hanoi hover around a more reasonable 30°C. However, summer is
also the rainy season, when heavy downpours render the low-lying delta area
almost unbearably hot and sticky, and flooding is a regular hazard. The
northern mountains share the same basic regime, though temperatures are
considerably cooler and higher regions see ground frosts, or even a rare
snowfall, during the winter (Dec–Feb).
Culture
and etiquette
With its blend of Confucianism and Buddhism, Vietnamese
society tends to be both conservative and, at the same time, fairly tolerant.
This means you will rarely be remonstrated with for your dress or behaviour,
even if your hosts do disapprove. By following a few simple rules, you can
minimize the risk of causing offence. This is particularly important in rural
areas and small towns where people are less used to the eccentric habits of
foreigners.
As a visitor, it’s recommended that you err on the side
of caution. Shorts and sleeveless shirts are fine for the beach, but are not
welcome in pagodas, temples and other religious sites. When dealing with
officialdom, it also pays to look as neat and tidy as possible. Anything else
may be taken as a mark of disrespect.
Women in particular should dress modestly, especially in
the countryside and ethnic minority areas, where revealing too much flesh is
regarded as offensive.
When entering a temple, the main building of a pagoda or
a private home it’s the custom to remove your shoes. In some pagodas nowadays
this may only be required when stepping onto the prayer mats – ask or watch
what other people do. In a pagoda or temple you are also expected to leave a
small donation.
As in most Asian countries, it’s not done to get angry,
and it certainly won’t get things moving any quicker. Passing round cigarettes
(to men only) is always appreciated and is widely used as a social gambit aimed
at progressing tricky negotiations, bargaining and so forth.
Tipping, while not
expected, is always appreciated. If you’re pleased with the service, you should
also tip the guide, and the driver where appropriate, at the end of a tour.
Other social conventions worth noting are that you
shouldn’t touch children on the head and, unlike in the West, it’s best to
ignore a young baby rather than praise it, since it’s believed that this
attracts the attention of jealous spirits who will cause the baby to fall ill.
Insurance
It is essential to have a good travel insurance policy to
cover against theft, loss and illness or injury. It’s also advisable to have
medical cover that includes evacuation in the event of serious illness, as the
local hospitals aren’t that great. Most policies exclude so-called dangerous
sports unless an extra premium is paid: in Vietnam this can include scuba
diving, whitewater rafting, kite surfing, rock climbing and trekking. If you’re
doing any motorbike touring, you are strongly advised to take out full medical
insurance including emergency evacuation; make sure the policy specifically
covers you for biking in Vietnam, and ascertain whether benefits will be paid
as treatment proceeds or only after return home, and whether there is a 24-hour
medical emergency number. If you need to make a claim, you should keep receipts
for medicines and medical treatment, and in the event that you have anything
stolen, you must obtain an official statement from the police.
Have
a great journey!
Please visit the site for the
tour in details:
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our updated quotes for such a tour, kindly email us at sales@motorbiketoursinvietnam.com or
dnqtravel@gmail.com directly
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