Important Information

So you want to ride Vietnam?   Here are some things you should know.

Vietnam Motorbike Tours runs private tours for single riders to small groups of friends, all year round.   We are located in the beautiful coastal city of Nha Trang, 45 minutes flight from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).  Nha Trang has a very relaxed feel with amazing beaches and backs onto the Central Highlands.  It’s the perfect place to start your ride, although we can provide tours starting in HCMC . We don't ride these areas – it’s just not worth it - the areas in and around HCMC are jam packed with traffic – it’s a rider’s nightmare!  These parts are better suited to local transport - bus services or hiring a driver. HCMC is great for a couple of nights at the end of your tour.

Our tours are designed for riders and travellers who are more interested in seeing the real Vietnam, away from the busy tourist areas.  Doing the normal tourist thing is just not our way.  With our rides starting in Nha Trang, we recommend you spend at least one day of your tour riding the coastal roads and country back roads around Nha Trang, including heading down to Long Beach for a dip in the ocean, relaxing and enjoying some of the most amazing fresh seafood BBQ served right on the beach.  It’s a great way to start your adventure and, of course, the best way to explore these country areas is on a motorbike.

Welcome to the real Vietnam!

Making a tour not feel like a tour is all a part of our service.  It’s a must to have an experienced guide on hand to see the more remote country areas of Vietnam.  Our guides will show you the very best of Vietnam.  You will see interesting places, sometimes hidden right next to the road that you might otherwise miss. Their local knowledge is second to none and we explore areas not mentioned in Lonely Planet. Meeting the locals is a pure delight – you will be welcomed with friendly smiles and waves wherever you go.

Our English speaking Vietnamese guides are on hand to assist in making your tour a truly unique experience, riding the Central Highlands, which offers the best country back roads in Vietnam but are still very untouched by tourists.  Travelling the Central Highlands, you pass many small remote villages.  Riding roads that are often shared by farmers and livestock and seeing children walking to and from school, there is never a dull moment.  The winding country back roads are a real joy to ride - the average road speeds are only around 60 kph, which is perfect for really taking in the views.

You do not need high powered bikes in this country.  Our fleet of 2010 model Liflan motorbikes have been selected for reliability and long distance touring.  They are easy to ride and comfortable. Carry racks provide plenty of room for a full-size pack.  Each bike is serviced and safety checked before each tour and our guides maintain the bikes throughout your tour.  Bikes are covered by 3rd party insurance.   Our customer feedback confirms our selection of bikes to be a great choice.  On average, you will tour around 180km per day with plenty of stops.  It’s a relaxing pace, as you make your way through this fascinating country.
Each day just keeps getting better - lush green jungle passes, wild rivers and huge waterfalls.   Overnight stays are in small cities and villages.  We use locally owned Hotels which are spotlessly clean and comfortable for a good night sleep.  We eat at local restaurants - the food is great and the beer is cold!

The weather in Vietnam is typically hot year round, but cooler in the Highlands. The main seasons are the wet season and the dry season.  The wet starts in late September and finishes in November. The weather is generally cooler from September to January. The dry season is from April to August. We often get asked when is the perfect time to tour and for some that would be from December to May.  Personally, we like the build up to and wet season which is late August to October.  We love the seasonal change - it might rain for an hour and then finish - everything feels fresh and the air cooler – the countryside is amazing. Another good thing about the wet season is that flights are considerably cheaper.

As you make your way through the Central Highlands, you will encounter evidence of Vietnam’s wartime history. Heading up onto the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the road is something that needs to be seen to be believed.  The newly constructed road, carving its way through spectacular jungle covered mountains, is remote and rarely used.  Riding speeds are generally low in Vietnam. Most back roads are sealed and in good condition, but we recommend riding for experienced riders only.  If you are a first time rider or generally inexperienced, we recommend travelling as a pillion with one of our guides - the bikes have plenty of room for both rider and pillion.  All riders and pillions need to ensure they have suitable travel insurance that covers them for riding in Vietnam. Many people say they have seen the TV show TOP GEAR and want to do the same ride. While the guys raised the profile of touring Vietnam - they missed many the good parts of the country.  We believe our tours would rate 10 times better!

Travel light - leave the kitchen sink at home.   Everything can be bought cheaply in Vietnam - anything from clothing to the latest DVD's.  Our guides can assist with anything you might need along the way.  We recommend wearing light loose-fitting clothing which offers good sun protection and sturdy foot wear - nothing that will make your feet to hot.  A light rain coat is recommended.  We supply open face helmets.  You’re more than welcome to bring any of your own protective riding gear.

Part of the profits from all of our tours goes into helping poor local families.  On tour, you’ll meet some of the families.  We also do a stop at a local orphanage run by Nuns.  The children are well cared for and generally happy.  Many families in the country areas are poor and live a simple life.  99% of our customer feedback indicates that touring Vietnam has been a life changing experience and many say they want to come back for another tour of this truly amazing country.

Vietnam motorbike Tours offers a range of tours.   Our most popular tour is the 12 day loop starting and finishing in Nha Trang.  We also do one way tours with most finishing in Da Nang or Hoi An .  These tours are ideal for customers wanting to make their way up North.  The bikes are then sent back to Nha Trang on the train.  For riders wanting to tour the complete length of Vietnam from the south to the northern tip, it takes around 25-30 days (remember that riding speeds are slow - it can sometimes take over an hour to do 40 km) riding via Central Highlands and the Ho Chi Minh Trail.  This is the ultimate riding adventure!

Most of our customers ride without a local licence and have never had a problem.  If you want a local licence, this takes time and planning. To gain a local licence, you can either take a driving test in Vietnam OR we can send over your international driving licence, a copy of your visitor visa (minimum 3 months, even if you are only staying for 2 weeks) and 6 passport photographs.  The process can take 3-4 weeks.  While many Vietnamese riders are unlicensed and none of our customers have experienced any problems riding without a local licence, this situation could change in the future.

All riders and pillions must read and sign our liability waiver forms which can be downloaded from our website.

Hope to see you soon,

Best wishes from all the staff,

Vietnam Motorbike Tours.