Six years ago I moved to PP and learned to operate a motorbike, comfortably driving through all seasons and conditions through PP, the big highways out-of-town and to a much more limited degree, occasional off-roading.
I'm planning a road trip from HCMC to Hanoi - going to stick to smaller, paved roads, if possible, stopping in cities along the route - and I'm wondering what similarities and differences I can expect over there. There are plenty of articles online advising foreigners about driving over there, but always using civilized countries as reference, not Cambodia. I've visited before as a tourist but never driven.
Example: Hills...expecting many in VN, not too many of those around PP. Preparing to up- and downshift accordingly.
What about driving speeds, road conditions, where to expect police, how to avoid - okay to dodge? - different parking requirements? Tipping?, different worries for theft?, any unintuitive laws I should be aware of ( vis-a-vis headlights during the day), or weird driving habits? (Is lying on the horn a road survival strategy over there or just widespread passive-aggression?). Wondering what it'll be like passing through different altitudes and climate zones - here I usually "go local" to protect against the sun for long motorbike journeys - long sleeves, pants, socks, gloves, krama around the neck and a face mask for the dust - same gear over there? Will have to add layers as I move north, I assume, but how seriously should I take it? What's it like driving in HCMC's godawful motorbike density? Fewer cars on the roads over there - how does that affect urban driving patterns? Are people more likely to follow traffic laws? etc.
Thanks for your thoughts.
motorbiking in Cam vs. VN?
I’ve done this trip dozens of time for work (I hate flying) on my little Honda wave. You’ll be fine, it’s not that much different to driving here. Outside of the larger towns and cities the roads are in much better condition than here.
I usually stick to 60-80 kph which, for me, is plenty. I think the limit is 60 kph. Until a few years ago it was illegal to have a bike over 125cc, so most of the bikes are 110-125cc, but you are seeing more and more larger bikes these days. The only places I had trouble with the police was on the outskirts of HCM, Mui Ne and Dong Ha. Technically it’s illegal for foreigners the drive in Vietnam without a licence, but biking up and down Vietnam is a massive business these days so the police aren’t too bothered if you don’t have one. Just pay the fine and go on your way. They will ask for crazy amounts like 1,000,000 VND but as soon as you ask for a receipt it will drop massively. 200k is about the norm. It’s not ok to dodge the police unlike here. If you piss them off, things like not having a licence will suddenly become a much bigger issue. Tipping is the same as here, and you should probably have similar views on theft as you do here. Almost all guesthouses will let you park your bike in their reception overnight, or at least suggest somewhere safe. You can drive with your lights on during the day, they don’t mind that. Southern Vietnam is on the same climate zone as here so it’s rainy season as well. Central Vietnam on the coast is on a different zone and right now has nice hot sunny weather. Up in Hanoi it will be crazy hot, the humidity and the heat makes it quite uncomfortable. Your driving gear sounds solid, I usually just drive in jeans and t-shirt. A really good thing to have is one of those massive rain poncho coats things, the bigger and thicker the better. Driving in HCM is something else, but you’ve got experience in driving in PP so you should find it ok. Just don’t be a jerk and follow the flow and accept it for what it is. Traffic laws are followed more than they are here, which isn’t saying much. Just because others don’t follow the rules doesn’t mean you shouldn’t…but also know that if you’re in any kind of accident the blame will be put at your feet, even if you’re completely innocent. It’s a good thing to bear in mind as it kind of changes your mindset when driving.
You’re in for a treat, outside of the larger towns and tourist areas, the Vietnamese are on a par with the Khmer for warmth and generosity. And some of the scenery on the HCM trail in central and northern Vietnam is stunning.
You’ve probably seen it already, but in case you haven’t, check out this guy’s website, it’s really good:
http://vietnamcoracle.com
Have fun and stay safe!
I usually stick to 60-80 kph which, for me, is plenty. I think the limit is 60 kph. Until a few years ago it was illegal to have a bike over 125cc, so most of the bikes are 110-125cc, but you are seeing more and more larger bikes these days. The only places I had trouble with the police was on the outskirts of HCM, Mui Ne and Dong Ha. Technically it’s illegal for foreigners the drive in Vietnam without a licence, but biking up and down Vietnam is a massive business these days so the police aren’t too bothered if you don’t have one. Just pay the fine and go on your way. They will ask for crazy amounts like 1,000,000 VND but as soon as you ask for a receipt it will drop massively. 200k is about the norm. It’s not ok to dodge the police unlike here. If you piss them off, things like not having a licence will suddenly become a much bigger issue. Tipping is the same as here, and you should probably have similar views on theft as you do here. Almost all guesthouses will let you park your bike in their reception overnight, or at least suggest somewhere safe. You can drive with your lights on during the day, they don’t mind that. Southern Vietnam is on the same climate zone as here so it’s rainy season as well. Central Vietnam on the coast is on a different zone and right now has nice hot sunny weather. Up in Hanoi it will be crazy hot, the humidity and the heat makes it quite uncomfortable. Your driving gear sounds solid, I usually just drive in jeans and t-shirt. A really good thing to have is one of those massive rain poncho coats things, the bigger and thicker the better. Driving in HCM is something else, but you’ve got experience in driving in PP so you should find it ok. Just don’t be a jerk and follow the flow and accept it for what it is. Traffic laws are followed more than they are here, which isn’t saying much. Just because others don’t follow the rules doesn’t mean you shouldn’t…but also know that if you’re in any kind of accident the blame will be put at your feet, even if you’re completely innocent. It’s a good thing to bear in mind as it kind of changes your mindset when driving.
You’re in for a treat, outside of the larger towns and tourist areas, the Vietnamese are on a par with the Khmer for warmth and generosity. And some of the scenery on the HCM trail in central and northern Vietnam is stunning.
You’ve probably seen it already, but in case you haven’t, check out this guy’s website, it’s really good:
http://vietnamcoracle.com
Have fun and stay safe!
- Hanno
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One think that has gotten worse in VN, especially in Ha Noi, is people running red lights; be very wary of that.
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I really appreciate the thought-out response, Indiana, thanks very much. Great stuff.