Hanoi to Saigon - Riding Vietnam Solo?

[mustardfj40]

I rode my bicycle solo from Hanoi to Saigon (the distance was about 1200 miles), it was an experience of the life time...My advice to to get the Lonely planet guide, there are many things to see on the side....There is only one road: Highway 1 from north to south, so you can't get lost. Have fun..

[Elizadz21]

Hi... I bought and rode a Honda Win 110 cc in Hanoi and rode it for 2 winters( 5 months total) thru all of Vietnam,and parts of Cambodia and from southern to northern Laos. I rode solo, am female and 55 years... I loved every minute of it and experienced the most friendly people on the earth in Vietnam and nothing but friendly and interesting people in the rest of SE Asia...Always felt safe.. Lots of dirt roads but no problem ... best to get several maps and compare... no road signs most places so be prepared to ask for direction with smiles and hand signals...Never a bribe or problem anywhere except for speeding which i was... but got off both times...I did have to pay a fine for no helmet going down a one way street one time..... You can by a bike in Hanoi from 200-500 US dollars... Everyone everywhere can fix them and parts are available. I leave for a round the world journey on my BMW 650.. Email ...blog.. www.Elizajmassey.blogspot.com

[LastWalkman]

You can buy a old motor from rider who done their trip already or on the way but will leave Hanoi as long as your arrival

[0theories]

I bought a Honda Bonus 125 in Laos and rode all over Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam solo two springs ago. The trip was amazing, but the Vietnam part was my least favorite :( I didn't meet a whole lot of people (other travelers) and it was a little lonely. That was part of the downside, and probably I was getting burned out by then (I was on month 5 of my trip), and also compared to Laos and Cambodia, the people are not nearly as nice or accommodating, but they're not bad...

In Vietnam I rode from Saigon to Hanoi (S to N). I mostly took the inland Ho Chi Min Trail route. It is an amazing series of smaller roads through the mountains, inland. I would highly recommend that route over route 1, with an occasional spur ride out to the coast. When I was on route 1, it was like riding a very busy highway through USA :( Not much to see except traffic and the smog (truck fumes) make the air barely breathable.

I did have to rebuild my engine once, that's just normal for one these bikes. It only cost ~$70 for the full rebuild and ran beautifully after that. Consider buying a bike and reselling. I bought mine for $300 and sold it for $300. Basically just paid for maintenance and gas. The roads were all just fine to ride (way better than Cambodia) and there were no water crossings. Gas can be found everywhere so capacity is not an issue. I never even came close to running out. I had no trouble finding hotels/hostels anywhere I went, did not speak the language (some phrases) but I do speak Russian which came in nominally handy,

The country is beautiful and you will have an amazing time.

[catweasel67]

FWIW Top Gear did an awesome "RR" on this trip, check it out on youtube :)

[uk_vette]

Originally Posted by Hominid

I've wanted to see Vietnam for as long as I can remember.
What better way than by motorcycle?

I have the bike rental thing figured out.
Rent bike in Hanoi and drop it off in Saigon (HCMC) for shipment back.

I've already decided I'm going to do it, starting in December 2013.
What I'm really looking for in this thread is a little advice.

I want to see both high country and beaches along the way.
I've done some research on possible routes and read ride reports from those who have done similar.

I'm still looking for informed answers to a lot of questions, though.

For example...

Am I foolish to attempt this solo? I don't speak any Vietnamese.
Hiring a guide is possible, but maybe more hindering than helpful?

Is it possible to do this mostly on pavement?
I'm weak in the dirt
It's not clear to me from looking at maps so far which roads are paved, or not.

Is it realistic to think I can cruise into towns along the way and find a place to sleep without reservations?

I would love to have route suggestions.

Where can I expect mandatory water crossings?
I understand highway 1 along the east coast is crazy with traffic and trucks - 15 preferable?
I prefer back highways whenever possible - just not goat trails

.
[/QUOTE]
.

Originally Posted by Hominid

I've wanted to see Vietnam for as long as I can remember.
What better way than by motorcycle?
I have the bike rental thing figured out.

Easy to rent, dont worry

Originally Posted by Hominid

Rent bike in Hanoi and drop it off in Saigon (HCMC) for shipment back.

Easy to hire in Hanoi, however you really should return the bike to Hanoi.

Originally Posted by Hominid

I've already decided I'm going to do it, starting in December 2013.
What I'm really looking for in this thread is a little advice.
I want to see both high country and beaches along the way.
I've done some research on possible routes and read ride reports from those who have done similar.

Easy, Rent in Hanoi, and ride to HaiPhong, take the ferry to Cat Ba Island in Ha Long Bay.
After a few days, take the same ferry back.
It was some thing like $5 each way.
When back on the mainland, just head south, taking in all the cities, and the Hai Van Pass.

Originally Posted by Hominid

I'm still looking for informed answers to a lot of questions, though.

Keep asking, , , ,

Originally Posted by Hominid

For example...
Am I foolish to attempt this solo? I don't speak any Vietnamese.
Hiring a guide is possible, but maybe more hindering than helpful?

No not foolish, but you might want to chat to a ride partner some times, it’s not that difficult to see other foreigners riding the same road, some times you overtake them, some times they overtake you, always a time for a chat on the side of the road.

Originally Posted by Hominid

Is it possible to do this mostly on pavement?

It’s all tarmac, but there is a lot of road works, and a lot of pot holes.
Serious holes that can throw you off if your not paying attention.

Originally Posted by Hominid

I'm weak in the dirt

Don’t worry, you won’t be riding fast any way, we were riding about 50km/h to 70km/h most of the time

Originally Posted by Hominid

It's not clear to me from looking at maps so far which roads are paved, or not.

From Hanoi to Saigon, they are all paved.

Originally Posted by Hominid

Is it realistic to think I can cruise into towns along the way and find a place to sleep without reservations?
I would love to have route suggestions.

Yes, very easy to get hotel look for the “Kacht” signs.
We normally paid about $6 to $8 a night.

Originally Posted by Hominid

Where can I expect mandatory water crossings?

What do you mean?

Originally Posted by Hominid

I understand highway 1 along the east coast is crazy with traffic and trucks - 15 preferable?
I prefer back highways whenever possible - just not goat trails

There is traffic, and buses, and trucks.
The difficult part is actually getting out of Hanoi city.
.
If you want to know the rental company we used, I will dig the info out for you.

vette

[tomithy]

I too have done the Hanoi to Saigon trip, but I took a much longer route, from Hanoi - Sapa - Lai Chau - Dien Bien Phu - Hanoi - Ha Long Bay - (bus back to Hanoi because first bike died) - Ninh Binh - Dong Ha - Hue - Hoi An - Kon Tum - Pleiku - Da Lat - (side trip to Mui Ne and back) - Saigon.

All in all, a ~3,000km trip around my mother country. Top Gear hadn't even scratched the surface of this beautiful country, although they aren't really adventure tourers now, are they

I recommend that you do not ride the Highway 1 if you can avoid it. It is an expressway for people to get from A to B as fast as they can. It is not for touring. Inland routes, such as the Highway 15 is much better, though language ability disappears the more you go inland.

Dangers include the already mentioned washed out roads, random craters, random mounds of dirt piled in your lane, renegade buses and trucks in your lane (especially dangerous around blind mountainside corners) and pitch black emptiness in the more rural areas at night.

Be careful in some of the poorer areas (such as in the north-west of Vietnam, near the Chinese border, where there is no law enforcement and no hotels). I have the luxury of being a native Vietnamese speaker so I could get around and find my way, but you could probably get by with basic VN skills.

Tips? Cash is King. Never buy petrol off the side of the road. Go with the flow in the cities, and play it safe on the highways if there are trucks and buses around. They really, really, don't give a sh*t about anyone or anything. Carry spare parts. Bring lots of warm gear for the highland riding. You will get wet, no matter how much you cover up.

What bike did I ride? Minsk. Cheap, dirt-able and easy to fix. I fixed a broken clutch mount with a rock and some sticky tape at one stage. Fuel consumption is horrible, but I consider it a fair trade for the ability to tackle some very muddy tracks. Locals hate you when you're in traffic, due to fumes, but that's just more incentive to stay away from the big cities!

Other than that, you're in for the ride of your life. Take a camera, write a journal and be prepared to re-tell the story over, and over, and over, and...

[LastWalkman]

Why don't you post vietnamese landscape and people pics? Does the trip make you satisfy?

[stanegoli]

I am on a 30 day ride of the entire country right now. Day 14 as I post this. My son and I are on Honda 250XL baja's. we too rented in Hanoi and dropping off in HCM City. If you send me a PM I will provide info and give you lots of tips and advice once I return home early May. All I can say at this time is do not hesitate. This is a beautiful and amazing country with awesome riding, but there are definitely some do's and dont's!

[tomithy]

Let's see if this works...



"14/01/2011, Rockworks, on the road to Muong Lay."



"28/01/2011, Highway 14, somewhere between My Lien and Kon Tum."



"From Buon Ma Thuot to Da Lat, 29/01/2011"

[The Motorcycle Thing]

I did an amazing trip from Hanoi to Saigon over about 6-8 weeks. Bought and old Minsk, and when the lads I was with weren't breaking down we had a great time down the Ho Chi Minh Trail! Beautiful scenery and great people. I'll load up a RR when I have time.

Joel

[BruceHaydon]

Few important things :
You need to have a good bike , stay away from the Chinese copy Honda Win . Go with Honda 250cc . There is some shop in Hanoi have Baja 250 or XR 250 for rent ( 35-40$ per day ) , but they are a litter old ( 1985-2002 ) , there is one guy doing tours around Vietnam with Honda CRF 250cc model 2012 and he also rent them out for 45$ per day . I did few trip with him before and bikes is very good .
You will need a GPS bc you can not trust Vietnamese maps , they are shit .
Highway one is death trap especially from Hanoi to Nhatrang , i think you should take highway 15 ( Hochiminh highway ) till there then take highway one along the coast . Or you should consider doing the northern part , for me it's is lots better .
You can PM me any time if you need more informations .