{"id":4582,"date":"2025-02-17T15:50:08","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T14:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conmochila.com\/en\/?page_id=4582"},"modified":"2025-04-15T16:44:34","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T14:44:34","slug":"motorcycle-route-in-vietnam","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.conmochila.com\/en\/motorcycle-route-in-vietnam\/","title":{"rendered":"Motorcycle Route in Vietnam"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
How about taking a trip to Vietnam<\/a><\/strong> on a motorbike at your own pace, discovering the places that most interest you? That\u2019s exactly what we asked ourselves once we set foot in Hanoi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019d heard about the idea, and some Facebook readers encouraged us to try it. So, from one day to the next, we started looking for a motorcycle that could carry two people and our backpacks without falling apart at the first opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We confirm you can find almost any type of motorcycle on the second-hand market in Vietnam, whether large or small. It all depends on your budget and the likelihood of reselling it when your trip is over. There\u2019s a difference between buying one of the 100cc Honda Wins, which everyone rides and is relatively easy to resell, and a larger motorcycle that might be harder to sell. Ultimately, it\u2019s your choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since we planned to ride together with the weight of our backpacks, we decided it should be at least 125cc and, above all, comfortable. We weren\u2019t fans of the Honda Win, so we went for a Suzuki GS-type bike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our advice: whatever bike you\u2019re considering, make sure to test it first. We don\u2019t know much about mechanics, but having experience with bikes in Spain helped us check whether it handled well, if the brakes and lights worked, if the gears shifted smoothly, if the tires had good tread, and so on.We ended up buying a Honda Bonus replica, the SYM Bonus MB125A<\/strong> (from San Yang Motors). We\u2019re really happy with it\u2014it rides well, is comfortable, and was a good deal at 7,000,000 dong, including a helmet and a raincoat.<\/p>\n\n\n We bought it from a foreigner who had traveled with it from Ho Chi Minh City, finding it through an online search since none of the shops we visited had a bike we liked. We added 550,000 dong for an oil change, chain check, brakes, lights, footrests for Carme, and 350,000 dong for a custom luggage rack.<\/p>\n\n\n To answer the million-dollar question: yes, it\u2019s fairly easy to sell the bike at the end of the trip. Here\u2019s an excerpt from our travel diary:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We made a simple \u201cFor Sale\u201d sign with a sheet of paper and a marker, added our phone number, and stuck it on the bike. Parked in front of the hostel on a busy street, we figured someone would eventually call. We had completed a few final repairs, cleaned it thoroughly, and set a very competitive price, considering how expensive the second-hand shops were.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n We were confident buyers would appear soon, and sure enough, the phone calls started rolling in. However, as luck would have it, after chatting on Facebook with our friends from Worlding8, who were about to arrive in Vietnam, they decided to take it off our hands. Problem solved in one afternoon!<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Currently, and until further notice from Vietnamese authorities, citizens of 25 countries can travel to Vietnam without having to apply for a visa. You can obtain a 45-day visa exemption<\/strong> for Vietnam, allowing you to stay in the country for just over two weeks for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you plan to stay longer, you will need to apply for a Vietnam visa<\/a><\/strong>. In the link above (coming soon), you\u2019ll find all the ways to apply for it quickly and easily, with clear explanations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While weather is a key factor when planning a trip to Vietnam, the country is generally visitable year-round. Vietnam\u2019s long coastline, stretching from north to south, means temperatures and rainfall vary by region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, when is the best time to travel to Vietnam?<\/strong> It depends on which areas you plan to visit and the activities you\u2019re interested in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Vietnam\u2019s climate is typically hot and humid, but the climate can vary significantly from region to region due to the country’s length.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nowadays, finding hotels, guesthouses, or restaurants in Vietnam with free Wi-Fi is the usual trend, although there are also those who wish (or need) to have continuous internet connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To help with that, we\u2019ll tell you how to get a Vietnam eSIM<\/a><\/strong> and make the most of their affordable prices. And now, we also provide information about Vietnam\u2019s eSIM with unlimited data<\/strong>. If you want to get one directly, use the following link (with a discount):<\/p>\n\n\n\n It goes without saying how important it is to travel to Vietnam with a good insurance. We were the first ones to offer the famous 5% discount on IATI Insurance, but you also have it available with Heymondo Travel Insurance<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow the links bellow to get a discount on their website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So far, the only maintenance we’ve done on the bike is regular oil changes. Every 400 km is ideal, though this depends on how much strain you\u2019re putting on the bike. If you’re on flat terrain, the oil may last longer, but if you’re climbing mountains, you may need to change it before hitting 400 km.<\/p>\n\n\n You can often tell it’s time for an oil change if the bike doesn\u2019t accelerate as well or doesn\u2019t run as smoothly. In nearly every village, there are mechanics with a “Xe May” sign, and an oil change generally costs about 100,000 dong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s technically illegal for a foreigner to buy a motorbike in Vietnam, but everyone does it. Ideally, when you purchase a motorbike, it should come with papers, typically a blue card with the bike\u2019s frame details.<\/p>\n\n\n As for licenses, we have an international driving permit<\/strong> and a Spanish license. We\u2019re not certain what the police would say if they stopped us (they haven’t yet), but it seems that a 100,000-dong bill can be helpful in these situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From experience, waterproof clothing is a must. Waterproof pants, boots, and a raincoat are essential if you don\u2019t want to get soaked. We paid a total of 615,000 dong for the full kit (for both of us).<\/p>\n\n\n In winter, a good warm jacket is necessary. You can find one on the road or in most towns (we bought one just outside of Hanoi, although there are also plenty of shops in the city selling warm clothing from brands like The North Face). The rest of your essentials can be packed in your backpack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We brought a tablet with a free GPS app but had to buy a Vietnam map for it, which cost \u20ac14. We also had a smartphone with Google Maps and a Vietnamese SIM card, but in some mountain areas, there\u2019s no internet signal, so we didn’t want to risk getting lost because we didn’t have internet.<\/p>\n\n\n Another option is to download the Maps.me<\/em><\/a> app, which is offline and free. Between the tablet and the phone, we were able to navigate pretty well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a breakdown of our entire motorcycle route through Vietnam<\/strong>, which took around two months. We’ve included some helpful information for each stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first stage of our motorbike tour was departing from Hanoi<\/a><\/strong>. After saying goodbye to our friends at the hotel, we braved the chaotic city traffic\u2014a bit overwhelming at first, but it became the perfect introduction to the Vietnamese driving style. And with that, our motorbike adventure through Vietnam was officially underway!<\/p>\n\n\n Read the Full Stage (coming soon): Stage 1. Hanoi \u2013 Mai Chau<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the second stage of our route, cold and rain became the main challenges. As we climbed higher, persistent fog kept us wet the entire time. After nearly four and a half hours, and after getting lost on small, muddy, waterlogged paths, we finally arrived at the Moc Chau homestay, where we spent the entire afternoon warming up by the fire.<\/p>\n\n\n Read the Full Stage (coming soon): Stage 2. Mai Chau \u2013 Moc Chau<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With all our waterproof gear on, and after bidding farewell to the family, we set off from Moc Chau homestay toward our next destination, Son La. After a few GPS errors, we found ourselves on a mountain road with stunning views that stayed with us for most of the journey.<\/p>\n\n\n Read the Full Stage (coming soon): Stage 3. Moc Chau \u2013 Son La<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The next stage brought us to Dien Bien Phu, known for the historic battle between the Viet Minh and French forces. Although we traveled on a well-maintained road, the fog attacked again. This time, however, we were prepared.<\/p>\n\n\n Read the Full Stage (coming soon): Stage 4. Son La \u2013 Dien Bien Phu<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The stage to Lai Chau was, without a doubt, the toughest (and ultimately, the longest). It started out beautifully, with good weather and a road winding through lush mountain areas before crossing rice fields, where we stopped to snap a few photos. Little did we know what challenges awaited us\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n Read the Full Stage (coming soon): Stage 5. Dien Bien Phu \u2013 Lai Chau<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, it was time for our first long-distance trip: Sapa. After so many days with sore backs, we thought a break was near, and we looked forward to enjoying the beautiful, green landscape in this scenic part of northern Vietnam. How naive we were\u2014not realizing what the weather would throw at us in the coming days\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n Read the Full Stage (coming soon): Stage 6. Lai Chau \u2013 Sapa<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In this stage, we returned from Sapa to our starting point, Hanoi. But given the great distance back to the capital, we decided to make the trip by train after discovering that we could transport the motorbike on the Lao Cai \u2013 Hanoi train. The train left from Lao Cai in the afternoon, so we spent our last hours at the hotel before riding the motorbike to town.<\/p>\n\n\n Read the Full Stage (coming soon): Stage 7. Sapa \u2013 Lao Cai \u2013 Hanoi<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Changing scenery, we continued our motorbike journey through Vietnam, heading east to Halong Bay, specifically to its largest island, Cat Ba. Ahead lay one of our most challenging journeys. Although the road from Hanoi to Halong was smooth with few potholes, it\u2019s a major and very busy route.<\/p>\n\n\n Read the Full Stage (coming soon): Stage 8. Hanoi – Cat Ba<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n![]()
BEFORE YOU GO<\/h2>
BEFORE YOU GO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Type of Motorcycle Should I Buy in Vietnam?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n


Will I Be Able to Sell the Bike Later?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Visa to Travel to Vietnam<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When Is the Best Time to Do the Route?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Northern Region and Hanoi<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Central Region<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Southern Region<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Travel SIM Card for Vietnam<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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SAFETY<\/h2>
SAFETY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Travel Insurance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Motorcycle Maintenance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Driver\u2019s License and Motorcycle Insurance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Recommended Clothing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Map of Vietnam<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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STAGES<\/h2>
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STAGES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Motorcycle Route Through Vietnam in Stages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
STAGE 01: Hanoi \u2013 Mai Chau<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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STAGE 02: Mai Chau \u2013 Moc Chau<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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STAGE 03: Moc Chau \u2013 Son La<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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STAGE 04: Son La \u2013 Dien Bien Phu<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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STAGE 05: Dien Bien Phu \u2013 Lai Chau<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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STAGE 06: Lai Chau \u2013 Sapa<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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STAGE 07: Sapa \u2013 Lao Cai \u2013 Hanoi<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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STAGE 08: Hanoi \u2013 Cat Ba<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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