Vietnam is a country gaining popularity every year as a destination for holiday. With it’s fascinating culture and diverse landscape, more and more people are wanting to see the beauty it has to offer. But coinciding with its already high population, the added tourism makes the streets packed. It is definitely a place you’ll need to do some research on before jumping right into this fast-paced city. If traveling to this country is something you’re planning, you’ll want to read these three tips for getting around.Three tips to make your trip to Vietnam even a better experience.Take a look at this short list of getting around Vietnam.
Rent a Motorbike
When it comes to site seeing in Vietnam there are options to take tours on buses and foot. Unfortunately, many of these turn out to be scams. When they are legitimate, you end up relying completely on someone else to show you where they find interesting, not necessarily the sites you want to see. The easiest way to travel on your own schedule and where you want is to rent a motorcycle.
The BBC show Top Gear popularized the motorbike experience for getting around the country and the bustling city. In the Top Gear Vietnam special, the stars of the show received a limited amount of money to buy a mode of transportation in order to travel around. They soon discovered that due to the high import taxes, it was only enough money to buy a motorbike. Not only did that end up being a cheaper option but also an extremely popular vehicle in Vietnam. The whole special portrayed how you can get an authentic travel experience in this country by using a motorbike to travel from city to city.
Riding a motorbike throughout Vietnam is a way to get in touch with the landscape, the cities, and the culture. It’s fairly easy to bike from city to city, and along the way, you can glimpse the lush beauty of the Vietnam landscape. Motorbikes are also a common mode of transportation for anything from commuting to work, to grocery shopping, getting around bustling city streets, and more. So by hopping on a motorbike, you’ll be traveling like a local in no time.
Plan Ahead
It is important to plan much of your holiday ahead of time. If you are planning to rent a bike, be forewarned that many motorbike agencies do not accept walk-in. To make the most of your visit, you’ll want to call around and talk to the local motorbike agencies nearest to your place of stay.
It is also important to account for the time it will take to travel to your destinations. The good thing about this is that many of the cities in Vietnam are within a day’s drive of each other! It is recommended to take the back roads to the cities in order to see the natural beauty of Vietnam. You’ll want to plan out if you want to rent the bike for a series of days to see all the country has to offer or buy a package that allows you to drive to another city and drop the bike off.
Drive Slow
If you are going to rent a motorbike and be on the streets with all the native Vietnamese, you will notice they drive fairly slowly. The traffic is extremely hectic, and the people driving around you will be much more experienced than you are. It is very important to be extra careful because the others driving around you may not be aware that you are not used to the busy streets. The locals are known to be very friendly though, so in case you need any driving tips or directions, don’t hesitate to ask!
Renting a motorbike is the way to go in order to get an experience like the stars of Top Gear did and to soak in the true scenery of Vietnam. It will allow you to blend in with the locals and give you an authentic feel of their culture and everyday lives! Just make sure to drive carefully and always wear a helmet!
