LEE ATKINSON

We're on an eight-day motorcycling tour of north-eastern Vietnam, riding Honda XR250 trail bikes across the valleys and over the mountain passes of Ha Giang province and through the wild, remote and rarely visited mountainous "frontier lands" along the Chinese border, where roads are narrow, winding and steep, and the scenery is truly breathtaking.

ROADS TO HAPPINESS: One of the group's motorcyclists in the mountainous Ha Giang province.

It's a ride-it-yourself adventure, but we have two guides, Linh and Thon, who know where they are going, which is just as well, because we're having enough trouble just negotiating the traffic. Many of these "small ways and snake roads" - so called because of their sinuous shape rather than any abundance of serpents - aren't on the tourist maps and are definitely off the tourist trail.

Linh and Thon also know how to carry out roadside repairs, skills that prove useful more than once. There are 12 of us in our group - nine experienced riders and three pillion passengers. We've known each other for years and most of us have travelled together before on various motorcycling road trips.

But as we gather on the second-storey terrace of a Hanoi bar the day before we set off, our nonchalance starts to dissipate while studying the chaotic traffic that swirls below us, trying to determine whether there is any method in the madness (there's not!), counting crashes and watching first-time visitors to Hanoi with fear at the prospect of crossing the road.

It's a bit of a blur, but somehow we manage to get out of Hanoi in one piece, and it's not long before we find ourselves riding along back roads beside rice paddies and meandering rivers, sharing the road with tractors, buffalo, dogs, chickens and ox-drawn carts, along with the stream of bicycles and motorbikes.

As we ride through the villages and towns, we're treated like rock stars, kids and adults alike grinning, waving and calling out hello. At first we think it's because they don't get many visitors in these parts, which is true, but then we realise it's because we're riding bikes that are monsters compared with the tiny 50cc-150cc bikes and scooters they ride, and even the petrol station attendants can't resist climbing on our bikes to pose for photos whenever we stop to fill up.

It may also be because we are somewhat overdressed - in Kevlar-reinforced jeans, protective riding jackets, leather boots, gloves and full-face helmets - compared with the locals in their sandals, short sleeves and nifty little hard hats with special holes at the back for ponytails - but I have no desire to experience a Vietnamese road-base exfoliation. Miraculously, in eight days and 1200 kilometres of rough riding, our group of 12 experiences only three tumbles, and none results in any injuries.

 

Ride on road

We ride between 160 kilometres and 180 kilometres each day, which doesn't sound much - at home we ride that far just for fun on a Sunday morning - but at an average speed of about 40kmh, often less, it takes all day. By our third day, we've relaxed into the rhythm of the roads, have more or less got our heads around the organic nature of the traffic flow, and are high on the exhilaration (and adrenalin) of riding some of the world's best (and most challenging) motorcycling roads up and over countless mountain passes, the summits shrouded in mist, the deep-sided river valleys terraced with rice paddies, the distance filled with sawtooth ranges receding as far as the eye can see.

One road in particular has us spellbound, the aptly named Road to Happiness from Ha Giang to Meo Vac via Dong Van, which includes the famous Ma Pi Leng Pass, a stretch so precipitous that workers had to be tethered to the cliffsides during its construction in the early 1960s.

We eat lunch in cafes, throwing our scraps on the floor, along with everyone else's, and stop at roadside stalls for sweet milky coffee and fruit dipped in chilli and salt. When our seats become too hard or the view too beautiful to ignore, we pull over for a rest, which often ends up attracting a crowd, thanks to the wannabe magician in the group - he only knows one trick but it never fails to delight the local kids.

We stretch our legs at village markets, where we rub shoulders with men in indigo suits and women in colourful embroidered costumes who have travelled in from remote mountain villages, usually on foot with heavy loads strapped to their backs, along the same steep roads we are riding.

We spend our nights throwing back shots of lethal local rice wine with our homestay hosts before bedding down on mattresses on the floor beneath mosquito nets in one large communal room built on stilts, infinitely more comfortable than the few local hotels we stay at with the rock-hard beds they favour in northern Vietnam.

 

Ban Gioc waterfall, Cao Bang, Vietnam

At Ban Gioc waterfall we take a short ride on a bamboo raft and get so close to China we can chat to Chinese tourists on the other side, but Vietnam and China aren't exactly best mates, so we're warned not to step ashore on Chinese territory. The next day we get caught in a never-ending line of trucks carrying cheap goods across the border on a dusty road still under construction, which in Vietnam is no impediment to travel. You just weave your way around the road crews and hope like hell a road exists on the other side.

By the time we get back to Hanoi we're road weary and ready to stop - eight days and 1200 kilometres is a long time to spend perched on a wire rack, even with a tower of cushions on top - but if you want to see, smell, hear, touch and really experience Vietnam, mixing it with the locals from behind the handlebars of a motorbike is about as full on as you can get.

Need to know

Riding a motorcycle in Vietnam is a high-risk activity. Check that your travel insurance covers motorcycling and be aware that as a foreigner you will be expected to pay compensation (in cash and probably on the spot) in the event of an accident, even if you are not at fault.

It is not possible to get a temporary Vietnamese driving licence on a tourist visa, but an international driving permit (available from the NRMA) is usually accepted by police — although, officially, no foreign licence is valid in Vietnam, and harsh penalties (determined by the police) can apply for riding or driving without a licence.

Trip notes

Touring there from ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA

The mountainous area of Northern Vietnam has long been famous for its beautiful scenery and great diversity of ethnic minorities. With our adventure motorcycling trip you will make a big loop to experience all the bests that area can offer. Starting in Hanoi you will explore Northwest before jumping into Northeast, back to Hanoi after a day relaxing in Ba Be Lake. The perfect itinerary and the support crew ensure you get the most out of the trip in terms of comfort, enjoyment and adventure. Along the way we encounter dramatic landscapes and sweeping panoramas as the rural population goes about its business. Highlights include the terraced valleys of Sapa, beautiful Ban Gioc Waterfall and many different colorful minority groups.

Motorcycling adventure in Northern Vietnam 

Motorcycling adventure in Northern Vietnam

Hanoi - Mai Chau - Son La - Dien Bien Phu - Sapa – Hagiang – Bao Loc – Cao Bang – Ban Gioc – Ba Be – Lang Son – Hanoi

14-day trip with 12-day motorcycling

Motorcycling grade: Moderate

Highlights

• Stunning scenery
• Stunning Pha Din Pass and Tram Ton Pass
• Terraced valley of Sapa
• Ban Gioc Waterfall
• Babe Lake
• Colorful ethnic minorities

When coming to Vietnam, beside big cities’ well-known tourism destinations, many foreign travellers love spending their time chasing the wind on the road of the wildly mountainous areas by motorbike. We tell you How and Why!

Motorbiking at the moutain in the North Vietnam

Reasons for choosing motorbike

Motorbike is considered the best means of transportation for travelling mountainous areas due to its convenience and initiative. With a motorbike, one is free to go wherever he loves, despite all kinds of road’s condition. He can stop whenever he feels like to take photographs or relaxing, instead of depending on the driver or tour guide. Motorbike helps integrating people with nature and fresh air, and one will never be afraid of motion sickness. If choosing a car, people are likely to waste hours sleeping in passenger’s seat with air condition, not to mention the car sick caused by consecutive slopes and mountain passes. Riding on the motorbike means living on every single kilometer of your itinerary! Moreover, one can ride a motorbike in any kind of terrains, and it is much easier to repair in case of breaking down.

Read more about http://www.activetravel.asia/ata_adventure/motorbiking/

Which kind of motorbike and when?

Kind of motorbike

100 cc-or-more semi-automatic motorbikes are all suitable for roads in Northern Vietnam’s mountainous area. The main criteria for choosing motorbike are strong engine, gasoline-saving and flexible packing space.

Weather is one of the most essential issues regarding planning for motorbike trip. The best time for exploring those mighty areas is from late September to the beginning of December or after Tet Nguyen Dan, when there is almost no rain and the temperature is cool. The spring’s rain and summer’s heat in high region somehow are hazardous for health as well as damaging to the road’s quality.

Be well-prepared!

There are indispensable things that one has to bring whenever travelling to remote areas such as specialized clothes and shoes, personal stuff, map, contact information and medical bags. However, a motorbike trip requires more than that. One will have to be well-prepared with a protective helmet and a motorcycle repair tool kit, and of course, certain skills of mending engine. An extra spark-plug and motorbike’s key are always in need. Remember to maintain the whole motorbike before setting off, change the oil and check its tyres, brakes, mirrors, horn and light. Fill up your motorbike with gasoline and know the location of gasoline station!

On the way

If possible, travelling in groups of two or three motorbikes with one experienced leader is advisable. All members of the group are required to have detailed itinerary to get rid the risk of getting lost. People should not ride parallel to each other and talk while controlling the motorbike, thus, stop the bike if feeling a need for a conversation.

Pay attention to the bend and ones driving contrariwise and do not drive into other lane. Sometimes, there may be animals like buffaloes, cows, dogs or even pigs crossing the road, so one should decrease the speed and avoid making them panic. At night or in rain weather, when the vision is limited, travellers had better pause the journey for resting and safety reasons.

Other things to remember

• Do not ride when you feel tired or sleepy.

• Do not ride after drinking alcohol.

• Avoid riding too fast or stop without noticing.

• Observe carefully and pay attention to road signs.

• Bring your identity paper and driving license because there will be police checking along the road ( however, they will not be very strict to foreigners)

• Be extremely careful when crossing the stream; be sure about the depth of the water to have the best arrangement.

• Respect the ethnic minority people and their distinctive culture.

• Protect the environment and always remember: Safe is of primary important.

Many adventure travelers says there’s no better way to see a country than getting on a motorcycle and going on a tour.

Gettng on a motorcycle and going on a tour

There is a silence on a motorcycle, even amid the low rumble of the engine. The wind on your face and the new smells. A leisurely pace through the countryside and the ability to stop when the impulse strikes and see things on your own terms.

Driving conditions can be dangerous in many South East Asian countries, so there is certainly some risk involved, but traffic is much slower once you get out of the cities (although you do need to still watch for people passing carelessly on blind corners in your direction). At any rate, I personally find the rewards worth the risks; though, you’ll have to make your own decision in this department.

Whether in Vietnam or Laos, Cambodia…or anywhere else in the world, for that matter, getting on a bike opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Here are some trips for planning your own biking tour. 

1. Make sure you’re legit

Before you plan your trip, find out about the laws in that country. You might need to get a license for the specific country you’re in, or you may be able to get a permit for your stay. In other cases, the occasional fine paid to a policeman who stops you is enough.

2. Know how to ride

If you’ve never ridden a motorcycle before, take a safety course in your home country before you go, as standards are usually higher. Even seasoned riders learn a lot that is counter-intuitive when they take a rider safety training class. You’ll still need some actual riding experience, but if you start off your journey slow and give yourself some time to adjust, you’ll learn as you go and come out the other end a seasoned rider.

Motorbiking in Vietnam

3. Plan your trip

Planning a trip is usually not too difficult as you will be hard pressed to find a place where people have not gone before you. Get on the Internet and start your Googling. Think about the destinations you definitely want to see, and feel free to mix and match them a little bit to come up with a route that appeals to you.

You might want to do a loop so you can bring the motorcycle back to the place you rented from and fly out of the same city, but if not, you might be able to ship it across the country for a fair price. Do your research on shipping costs ahead of time or speak to the people at the shop to see if they have options for you (keeping in mind that some may not want to rent to you when they find out how far you’re going).

4. Rent a bike

The Internet is your friend once again because renting from just any shop you see is a good way to overpay, get a shitty bike, and possibly get ripped off in the process. So, find out which bike shops in your departure city are reputable, and then check out the bike thoroughly before signing anything. Make sure gears shift smoothly, test all the breaks, and experiment with all lights as well. Take note of all the big dents or scratches and include them on the contract so you have both confirmed which ones were already there.

Also, never leave your passport with the bike shop! If they won’t take a cash deposit and a copy of the passport, go somewhere else.

5. Take your time

Once you’re on your road tour, take your time. The more open your schedule, the more you get out of the experience. You can take detours on small one-land roads and cruise off through endless rice paddies or stay in a charming mountain town for a week or two—this is what motorcycle touring is really all about.

Just make sure you stay current on your visas, and if you have to hop on a visa run or stop by the embassy in a bigger city you pass through on the way, so be it.

Whoever said traveling was more about the journey than the destination was surely referring to motorbike tours; there is nothing like the pace of a bike down country roads on the other side of the world. The vivid jungle colors, the sunsets as you drive along lost tropical coasts, and the simple things you see along the way that you surely would have missed on a tourist bus.

And indeed, the destination is so much sweeter when you get there for all you’ve put into earning its rewards.

Dreaming of a South East Asian escape? Are you looking for that great motorcycle tour holiday in an exotic south-east Asian country? Take a look through all our trips to find the one that blows your hair back. Look no further, you've found the right spot. This is where it's at for a brilliant motorcycle touring holiday in Asia with Activetravel Asia at: http://www.activetravelcambodia.com/tour.php?op=detail&tourId=66

About Activetravel Asia(ATA): ATA is one of the Indochina's leading adventure travel companies. ATA offers a wide selection of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar adventure tours, including hiking and trekking, biking, motorcycling, overland touring and family travel packages. ATA’s packages and tailor-made private itineraries will take you through exotic destinations to really experience the culture, history and nature of Asia.

Got any tips of your own? Leave them in the comments section below, or post them on twitter andFacebook.

Vietnam is a frontier destination and a motorbike ride on a motorcycle through its rugged mountains is an unparalleled adventure. Be amongst the first to explore a land steeped in natural beauty and rich cultural heritage and experience face-to-the-wind just what this wonderful country has to offer.

Motobiking Vietnam

Riding in Vietnam is not for the feint of heart. It has the second highest rate of traffic fatalities in the world and is the second most dangerous place on earth for motorcyclists, just after India. There are approximately 40 traffic fatalities per day in the country. The way people ride in Vietnam is very different from yours : no rules! To ensure an authentic taste, make sure to ignore any Traffic Rules you know. This should help to achieve a fine balance between two-wheeled fun, fine roads, beautiful landscapes and complete and utter chaos.

1. Do and don't

These following rules are practical and informal:

Do:

- The traffic looks very crazy at first, but it’s not that bad. It’s like a river and when you are in it you have to flow. First rule is no rules.

- Larger vehicles have right of way. Avoid anything bigger than you and slow down.

- Use signal and the most important thing is the horn. People don’t care about the noise of horns.

- Use both brakes at the same time with more back brake as if you apply more front brake it slips

- Our guides were born and grow up in Vietnam, so they understand Vietnamese traffic. Follow the guide, ride behind him for safety.

Do not:

- Speed limit in Vietnam is very low (25-80km/h). Don’t break the speed limit.

- Don’t ride on one wheel (free wheelie).

- Animals are everywhere in the country or mountain roads. Dogs and chickens are the most then come water buffaloes, cows, pigs and horses…If you kill a dog or a chicken don’t stop, cry and feel sorry, it’s not your fault. Slow down and don’t hit water buffaloes, cows, pigs and horses, simply they are too big!

- Do not drink and drive.

Important:

- Be careful with spilt oil from trucks and buses at curves on the mountain roads, extremely slippery and we have had at least four small accidents related to this matter.

- Your guide leads the group and he gives you hand/body language if there are big pot holes, trucks, blind curves or any danger. He can see you in the mirrors and if you want to stop use the signal or simply pull off but be careful with riders behind you. If you got lost, just stop and wait for someone to find you or call us.

- If the police stop you (this rarely happens), your guide will not come back. He will wait for you, out of sight up the road. Just keep talking English or whatever you want and they’ll soon give up and let you go in less than five minutes.

- If a bike is technically broken, we will replace with the same type of bike or the next available model.

2. What to bring:

You don’t need to bring everything with you on the trip, pack essential things in a small bag (medium size, max 10kg) and put it on the back of the bike.

Here are items we suggest for motorcycle touring:

- Clothing: rain gloves, Wellington boots (rubber boots for rainy season from April to September), summer gloves, balaclava, T-shirts, socks & underwear, long sleeved shirts, turtleneck shirts, extra jeans, a light jacket, leather chaps, zip-lock bags, riding boots, bandannas, sunglasses, goggles, and contact lens solution.

- Personal items: basic toiletries, emergency cash, sunscreen and earplugs.

- Emergency items: a first aid kit, emergency contact number, list medical conditions, list medications, a flashlight, chargers and a duct tape.

- Miscellaneous: a small towel, a bath towel, trash bags, camera and cargo net…and probably some gifts for children.

3. Group Size

Motobike Vietnam

The maximum group size for rides in the north is from 5 to 8 people per group (limited to 6 motorcycles), riders or pillion passengers. This will enhance your experience and ensure a high degree of personal attention. Rides down the Ho Chi Minh Trail, however, can accommodate much larger groups because we use a support vehicle at your request (extra fees applied). Small groups enable us to trek into remote areas with minimal intrusion to the local cultures. Riding in a large convoy with all the inherent complications and delays is just not our way.

The best group size is from three to four riders, not too many and not too little. More people means more fun but too big a group means less information the guide can provide as he needs to take care of your safety. Our largest group ever was 12 riders but we divided into two groups and two guides came on the trip.

Recommended Vietnam motorcycling tours by ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA

- Motorcycling Northwestern Trails

Discover Vietnam’s rugged and scenic northwest and its people first hand. By taking to the roads and riding from the capital Hanoito the remote area of the northwest we can see life as it truly is for the Vietnamese. The perfect itinerary and the support crew ensure you get the most out of the trip in terms of comfort, enjoyment and adventure. Along the way we encounter dramatic landscapes and sweeping panoramas as the rural population goes about its business. Highlights include the terraced valleys ofSapa, challenging roads, stunning scenery and many different colorful minority groups.

Highlights

Stunning scenery

Challenging roads

Stunning Pha Din Pass and Tram Ton Pass

Terraced valley of Sapa

Colorful ethnic minorities

Details program are available here

- Taste of Ho Chi Minh Trail

This trip offers a stunning motorcycling route with great exploration of nature and culture of northern Vietnam. The trip is organized for first time rider and easy adventure.

Highlight

Awesome scenery

Homestay in villages

Beautiful quiet road

All inclusive

Details program are available here