Ode to Hammock Cafes in Vietnam: Cà Phê Võng

Cà Phê Võng: Ode to Hammock Cafes

Places to rest, drink, sleep, eat & take shelter when on the road, hammock cafes are a valuable resource for long-distance travellers in Vietnam…

Son Homestay on the Western Ho Chi Minh Road, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam

Son Homestay on the Western Ho Chi Minh Road

A community-based project offering rustic yet cosy accommodation in a minority village on a great riding road…

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Lonely Planet Experience Vietnam

Lonely Planet Article

For the new Lonely Planet ‘Experience Vietnam’ book, I explore the joys, history & practicality of motorbiking Vietnam…

Car Ferry from Cần Giờ (Ho Chi Minh) to Cần Giuộc (Long An)

The Can Gio→Can Giuoc Car Ferry

This ferry enables travellers with their own wheels to bypass Saigon completely when travelling between the southeast coast & the Mekong Delta…

101 Images to Inspire a Road Trip by Motorbike in Vietnam

101 Images to Inspire a Road Trip by Motorbike in Vietnam

An independent motorbike road trip in Vietnam is one of the most exhilarating & memorable travel experiences available anywhere in the world today…

Motocamping in south-central Vietnam in the dry season

Motocamping South-Central Vietnam in the Dry Season

One of the most rewarding & deeply satisfying travel experiences I’ve had in over a decade of travelling in Vietnam, motocamping (‘motorbike-camping’) is thrilling, challenging, fulfilling & still a fairly niche activity…

The New Can Gio-Vung Tau Car Ferry

The Can Gio→Vung Tau Car Ferry

A great boon to travellers, this new ferry connects two of the most popular destinations near Ho Chi Minh City: Can Gio mangrove forest and Vung Tau beach…

Hanoi→Lang Son→Dong Dang by Train: Passengers & Motorbikes

A train runs once daily in both directions between Hanoi, Lang Son & Dong Dang, on the Chinese border. Linking Vietnam’s capital with its mountainous northeastern provinces, this is a scenic rail journey & passengers can carry their motorbikes on board

Thien Thanh Limousine bus, Saigon to Rach Gia, Vietnam

Beach Bus: Saigon↔Rach Gia Limousine | Passengers & Motorbikes

Thien Thanh Limousine runs luxury buses between Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) & Rach Gia in the Mekong Delta, gateway to Vietnam’s islands in the Gulf of Thailand. This is a great service for passengers & motorbikes…

Best times of day to ride in/out of Saigon & Hanoi by motorbike, Vietnam

Best Times of Day to Ride In/Out of Saigon & Hanoi by Motorbike

Riding a motorbike in/out of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) & Hanoi can be congested & polluted, but some times of the day are better than others…

Hanoi to Hai Phong by Train: Passengers & Motorbikes

The Hanoi↔Hai Phong train is a brilliant option for travellers with motorbikes looking to get from the capital city to Cat Ba Island (or vice-versa), without having to negotiate the horrible highways….

Sustainable Travel: Single-Use Plastic in Vietnam

Sustainable Travel: Single-Use Plastic in Vietnam

By making some simple changes to way I travel & live in Vietnam, I’m trying to reduce the amount of single-use plastic I consume. Here’s my experience….

The Southern Dry Season in Vietnam: Travel Guide

The Southern Dry Season: Travel Guide

A period of glorious, warm, sunny weather in the lower regions of Vietnam, the southern dry season lasts from November to May. Here are some of the best places to travel & stay during this time of year.

The Vietnam Coracle Map

The Vietnam Coracle Map

An interactive map of Vietnam with all my guides, posts, articles, reviews, and videos marked on it, including direct links from the map to all my content. The Vietnam Coracle Map will help readers navigate the content on my website, in order to get to the information they are looking for….

Fanxipan Express, sleeper train, Hanoi to Lao Cai, Vietnam

The Fanxipan Express: Hanoi to Lao Cai by Train (Passengers & Motorbikes)

Rattling through the night from the capital city, along the Red River Valley, and into the northwest mountains surrounding Lao Cai on the Chinese border, the Fanxipan Express is a romantic rail journey that’s cheap, comfortable & easy to organize….

30 Great Motorbiking Roads in Vietnam

30 Great Motorbiking Roads in Vietnam

Vietnam has some of the best, most scenic & enjoyable riding roads in the world…

Soc Trang to Con Dao Express Ferry, Vietnam

Soc Trang→Con Dao Express Ferry

The fastest, cheapest & most reliable boat connection from the mainland to the islands, the Sóc Trăng→Côn Đảo ferry takes just 2 hours…

How to Send a Motorbike on a Train in Vietnam

How to Send a Motorbike on the Train

Put your motorbike on the train & send it from one destination to another. This is a convenient, reliable & efficient service for riders in Vietnam…

The Hotel on the Western Ho Chi Minh Road, Vietnam

The Hotel on the Western Ho Chi Minh Road

The Western Ho Chi Minh Road is one of the most spectacular & isolated routes in Vietnam. For nearly 240km there is no accommodation. But that’s all changed now, with the opening of the first & only hotel on the Western Ho Chi Minh Road…

My GIVI Bike Box, Vietnam Coracle

My GIVI Bike Box

This is the story of my GIVI bike box, bearer of my baggage on all my road trips. Convenient, secure, durable and stylish, my bike box has allowed me the freedom to go anywhere and see everything, which is what motorbiking is all about….

Saigon to Phan Thiet by Train: Passengers & Motorbikes

Saigon to Phan Thiet by Train: Passengers & Motorbikes

The daily, non-stop express train between Saigon & Phan Thiet/Mui Ne is a cheap, easy, fun, fast & efficient way to get from the city to the beach. Put your motorbike on the train with you & let the rails carry your wheels….

Weather Guide to Vietnam: When & Where to Go

Vietnam Weather Guide: When & Where to Go

Weather is an important consideration when planning a trip to Vietnam. Here’s a month-by-month guide to weather conditions across the nation, including recommendations of where to go (and where to avoid) at different times of year…

Guide to expenses for a motorbike road trip in Vietnam

Expenses for a Motorbike Road Trip in Vietnam

A guide to essential daily costs & how much to budget for your road trip in Vietnam…

Guest houses: nhà nghỉ

Local Guest Houses: Nhà Nghỉ

Essential knowledge for the adventurous or budget traveller in Vietnam, ‘nhà nghỉ’ means ‘guest house’ in Vietnamese. However, this form of cheap accommodation often goes unnoticed by foreign travellers & suffers from a bad reputation among local people…

My Motorbike, Stavros, 200,000km in Vietnam

My Motorbike, Stavros: 200,000km

A week ago, my motorbike (known affectionately to me as ‘Stavros’) turned 13 years old & the odometer ticked over to 200,000km….

Maps for a motorbike road trip in Vietnam

Which Map to Use for a Motorbike Road Trip?

A good map is essential for an independent motorbike road trip in Vietnam, but no map is 100% reliable. However, by cross-referencing certain printed maps, online maps, local knowledge & online advice, you’re sure to find the best roads & routes.

Phu Quoc Island by ferry boat, Vietnam

Phu Quoc Island by Boat

Taking the boat between the Mekong Delta & Phu Quoc Island is fun, cheap, convenient & relatively hassle-free. A huge increase in fast boats & car ferries operating on several routes, means it’s now easier than ever to reach Phu Quoc Island by sea….

Motorbike Guides Map

This is a map of all my Motorbike Routes. Zoom in, click a marker, then click the link in the description to go directly to the guide.