Last updated March 2017 | Words and photos by Vietnam Coracle
This post was last updated 5 years ago. Please check the comments section for possible updates, or read more on my Updates & Accuracy page.
INTRODUCTION | ROUTES & MAPS | RELATED POSTS
Riding from Saigon to Hanoi by motorbike is probably the most popular road trip in Vietnam, and it’s unquestionably one of the best ways to experience the country. For years, travellers simply took the most obvious route: Highway 1. Today, however, thanks to ambitious road building programs, there are far more scenic, pleasant and less trodden ways to ride between the country’s two main cities. Having ridden south to north on numerous occasions (the first time, predictably, on Highway 1), I’ve put together the following 5 suggested motorbike routes from Saigon to Hanoi, so that travellers who are planning this road trip have more of an idea of the kind of options available to them.
New roads have opened up exciting & scenic routes for riding between Saigon & Hanoi
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SAIGON TO HANOI: 5 SUGGESTED ROUTES
ABOUT THESE ROUTES:
The main objective of these routes is to get from Saigon to Hanoi on good roads, passing good scenery, and avoiding traffic-clogged arteries, such as Highway 1, as much as possible. New roads are constantly being constructed, thus improving journey time and opening access to more parts of the country. The suggested routes below are based on my own experience of riding south to north. I’ve designed each route to suit the needs of different travellers; based on scenery and/or time frame. For each of the 5 routes I have: given it a name, written a short description and bullet points of essential information, illustrated it with an image, and plotted it on a map. The route maps include markers containing links to any Vietnam Coracle guides that are relevant to the route, where you’ll find more detailed information about that particular section of the road trip. For other useful resources that will help you plan your Saigon to Hanoi road trip, such as expenses and weather, see Related Posts.
Click a route from the list below to view the map and read the details:
- 1. THE CLASSIC: 2,770km: (2-4 weeks)
- 2. THE BEACH BUM: 2,050km: (10 days-3 weeks)
- 3. UNCLE HO’S ROAD: 1,880km: (10 days-2 weeks)
- 4. THE BIG ONE: 4,180km: (3-6 weeks)
- 5. THE EASY RIDER: 2,230km: (2-4 weeks)
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1. THE CLASSIC:
- Total Distance: 2,770km
- Average Duration: 2-4 weeks
- Road Conditions: paved rural & coastal back-roads, new & old highways
- Navigation: mostly simple, some tricky bits in central areas
- Scenery: coast, highlands, mountains, limestone, cities, villages, cultural sites
IMAGE: The Classic route between Saigon and Hanoi
DESCRIPTION: Weaving a course between coast and highlands, The Classic route is equal parts beach and mountain. Quiet, stunning coastal roads in the south and central provinces yield to a mighty landscape of limestone karsts on the Ho Chi Minh Road in the north-central region. Popular towns and sights, such as Mui Ne, Dalat, Nha Trang, Hoi An, the Hai Van Pass, Phong Nha Caves and Ninh Binh are all covered; but so too are off the beaten path areas, such as the beaches around Quy Nhon, the coastal back-roads north of Hue, and the Western Ho Chi Minh Road. It’s the perfect balance of must-see sights and hidden gems. Zoom in on the map below and click the map symbols for links to my guides to specific locations. Enjoy the ride!
ROUTE MAP: red pins mark major towns, all other markers are links to my guides to specific areas.
- [View this map in a separate window HERE]
2. THE BEACH BUM:
- Total Distance: 2,050km
- Average Duration: 10 days-3 weeks
- Road Conditions: new coastal highways, paved rural back-roads
- Navigation: fairly simple, some tricky bits on the central coast
- Scenery: coast, beaches, fishing villages, farmland, beach towns, cultural sites
IMAGE: The Beach Bum route between Saigon and Hanoi
DESCRIPTION: Echoing Vietnam’s curving coastline for nearly 1,300km, this is the route to choose if you enjoy sand between your toes, playing in the surf, and the sound of the sea at night. Avoiding Highway 1 for most of its course, The Beach Bum route uses jaw-dropping new coast roads and rarely-ridden coastal back-roads to take you to countless deserted beaches, sleepy fishing villages and hedonistic beach towns. Calling in at established beaches, such as Mui Ne and Nha Trang, this route also covers up-and-coming coastal regions, such as Phan Rang, Cam Ranh and Quy Nhon, where the sand and sea are almost completely undisturbed. When the beaches lose their gloss in the north-central provinces, this route takes to the hills along the Ho Chi Minh Road, for a good dose of limestone magic, including the caves at Phong Nha. Zoom in on the map below and click the symbols for links to my guides to specific beaches and coast roads. Enjoy the ride!
ROUTE MAP: red pins mark major towns, all other markers are links to my guides to specific areas.
- [View this map in a separate window HERE]
3. UNCLE HO’S ROAD:
- Total Distance: 1,880km
- Average Duration: 10 days-2 weeks
- Road Conditions: highways & paved mountain roads
- Navigation: simple & straightforward for the majority of the route
- Scenery: agricultural plateaus, mountains, limestone, minority villages, war vestiges
IMAGE: Uncle Ho’s Road: the Ho Chi Minh Road from Saigon to Hanoi
DESCRIPTION: Surely one of the most evocative road names in the world, The Ho Chi Minh Road is now a fully paved passage from the south of Vietnam to the north. Uncle Ho’s Road might be the shortest route in this list, but it’s also the most mountainous; following the Truong Son Range, which forms the jagged, high-peaked spine of Vietnam. From vast agricultural plateaus, where tea and timber grow in equal number, to the ragged edge of the frontier lands along the border with Laos; from teetering passes above roaring rivers on the western branch-road, to the limestone wonderland at its northern ‘neck’: you’ll bear witness to some of the most dramatic scenery Vietnam has to offer. Sparsely populated for much of the route, some thriving cities (such as Buon Ma Thuot) and charming towns (such as Kon Tum) offer human interaction, as do the multitude of ethnic minority hamlets lining the way. Geological wonders abound, punctuated by war vestiges with hauntingly familiar names, like Khe Sanh. Enjoy the ride!
ROUTE MAP: red pins mark major towns, all other markers are links to my guides to specific areas.
- [View this map in a separate window HERE]
4. THE BIG ONE:
- Total Distance: 4,180km
- Average Duration: 3-6 weeks
- Road Conditions: highways, new coast & mountain roads, paved back-roads
- Navigation: requires regular map checks & occasionally asking locals
- Scenery: coast, rivers, limestone, mountains, minority villages, cities, cultural sites
IMAGE: The Big One: the scenic route between Saigon and Hanoi
DESCRIPTION: If time is no object, and you want to see everything there is to see between Saigon and Hanoi, both on and off the beaten path, The Big One has it covered. This meandering route zigzags up the country on mountain passes, coastal back-roads, the Ho Chi Minh Road, and new national highways, to create a road trip of epic proportions. Taking in all the best beaches in southern and central Vietnam, twisting through remote valleys in the Central Highlands, corkscrewing through limestone forests on the Western Ho Chi Minh Road, and following shimmering rivers from source to mouth; this is the definitive south to north route. Major towns and tourist hotspots, such as Nha Trang, Dalat, Hoi An, Phong Nha Caves and Ninh Binh, are woven into this itinerary to balance all the off-the-grid exploration. Don’t forget to zoom in on the map below and click the symbols for links to my guides to specific regions and sights. Enjoy the ride!
ROUTE MAP: red pins mark major towns, all other markers are links to my guides to specific areas.
- [View this map in a separate window HERE]
5. THE EASY RIDER:
- Total Distance: 2,230km
- Average Duration: 2-4 weeks
- Road Conditions: good highways, some back-roads
- Navigation: easy to follow, a couple of tricky bits on the central coast
- Scenery: mountains, farmland, coast, cities, fishing villages, cultural sites
IMAGE: The Easy Rider route between Saigon and Hanoi
DESCRIPTION: Specifically designed for travellers who want a less complicated (but no less scenic) passage from south to north, The Easy Rider route sticks to good-quality roads on a relatively direct route from Saigon to Hanoi which is easily navigated. Switching from coast to highlands on several occasions, this route threads an arcing path through some of Vietnam’s most attractive eye candy: Dip your toes in the southern waters of Mui Ne, Nha Trang and Quy Nhon; escape to the cooler climes of mountain towns such as Dalat and Kon Tum; enjoy the cultural delights of Hoi An and Hue, connected by the Hai Van Pass; and gaze in awe at the limestone dreamscape of the Phong Nha Cave system and along the Ho Chi Minh Road. This is a good, time-saving alternative to The Classic route. Make sure you zoom in on the map below and click the symbols for links to my guides to specific sites along the way. Enjoy the ride!
ROUTE MAP: red pins mark major towns, all other markers are links to my guides to specific areas.
- [View this map in a separate window HERE]
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RELATED POSTS:
• 23 Differences from South to North Vietnam:
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Hi. Thanks for takling the time to make these routes! I’m planning on riding hcmc to Hanoi in early april with a friend. He can’t be more than Two weeks though. Do you think that’s enough time to ride comfortably? What do you think is a feasable daily ride? And what Are people doing for fuel? Carrying extra? The gas tank on a win seems to be tiny!?
Hi Joar,
I’ve included the total distances on all of the routes on this page and a very general suggestion of how long each route might take.
In general 2 weeks is the minimum amount of time for any of these routes. A good way to work out distances and time is to divide the total distance of your route by the number of days you have: for example, the Classic route is 2,770km; if you have 2 weeks, then divide 2,770 by 14 = 198. That means you’ll need to average 198km each day to complete the Classic route in 14 days.
Average daily distance and time really depends entirely on you. As a rough guide, a long day of riding in Vietnam is 200-300km, which takes around 5-8 hours depending on the roads and terrain etc. A short day is 70-150km, which just takes 2-4 hours.
There are gas stations at regular intervals pretty much all over Vietnam. Just don’t let your tank get too close to empty before stopping to fill up. Gas tanks vary considerably from bike to bike: but most average bikes in Vietnam will go between 100-300km on one full tank.
The only road you need to consider bringing extra gas is the Western Ho Chi Minh Road between Khe Sanh and Phong Nha. There are now at least two gas stations on that stretch, at Long Son, which is roughly half way. However, they are not always open so you can’t really rely on it. As long as you fill up at Khe Sanh you should only need to bring one 1.5ltr bottle of gas with you – you can fill up an empty bottle at the gas stations in Khe Sanh.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Me and a friend are thinking of riding the classic route in February, I was just wondering in terms of accommodation are there enough places along the way that we could just turn up and stay or would you recommend pre-booking accommodation?
Thankyou!
Hi Sean,
In general, yes, there are enough places to stay in almost any city, town or village on this route. And, unless you are travelling during a public holiday or in a touristy destination with a specific hotel in mind, you shouldn’t really need to book in advance.
However, there is one exception: the Western Ho Chi Minh Road between Khe Sanh and Phong Nha only has a couple of places to stay: both are in Long Son village. You can read more about that on this page (check the comments too).
While on the road in relatively rural areas, you will likely be staying in nhà nghỉ (local guest houses) – read more about that here. In general, you might find more information in my Resources Archive.
Best,
Tom
Awesome! Thanks so much for the info!
Hey Tom,
I will be in Vietnam in March for around 15 days. I want to drive to Da Nang. Would you recommend the route from Hanoi or from Ho-Chi-Minh? Witch one is more beautiful? Thanks a lot.
Greetings Sven
Hi Sven,
It depends on what kind of scenery you’re looking for, and on weather conditions. In general, March is a good time of year to ride from Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang; but March should also be OK riding from Hanoi to Da Nang, although there’s more chance of some cold or cloudy conditions at that time of year.
If you like coastal scenery, there’s no question that Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang is the better route – take a look at my Coast Road route, which includes the three best coastal rides in Vietnam: Sand Dune Highway, Dragons’ Graveyard and Nui Chua, as well as Phu Yen and Quy Nhon.
If you prefer mountain scenery, then both routes have good options: from Hanoi to Da Nang take the Ho Chi Minh Road all the way to Thanh My, which includes the Western Ho Chi Minh Road between Phong Nha and Khe Sanh, one of the best roads in Vietnam. However, from Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang you could take the Truong Son Dong Road all the way to Thanh My, or even use it to zig-zag between the coast roads and the mountains.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey, thanks for the routes and info!
We have 28 days in Vietnam in January, will that be enough time to do the classic route comfortably?
Hi Alex,
Yes, it should be. For example, the Classic route is about 2,770km – spread that over, let’s say 25 days, and your average daily distance would only need to be around 100km.
Of course, it doesn’t work out entirely like that as you’ll presumably stop in some places more than one day, but that gives you an idea to work on.
Best,
Tom
Thank-you for all the information. I unfortunately already booked my flights and am landing in Hanoi first planning to head South. Can I just reverse these guidelines ? Anything extra to be aware of ? I will be commencing first week of January. Thank-you kindly.
Hi Mark,
Yes, all these routes can be followed north to south – there’s no difference in terms of route based on direction on travel.
In January, bear in mind that the weather can sometimes be surprisingly cold and grey in the northern half of Vietnam. (You can read more in my Weather Guide.)
Something else to consider is that the Tet Lunar New Year holiday will start around 20 January – this is a busy time for domestic travel, and after Lunar New Year’s day, many businesses close and many hotels are fully booked.
Best,
Tom
Great blog! We’re doing HCMC to Hanoi in January for 3 weeks. We are all experienced bikers and full license holders. Do you think the ‘Big One’ will be comfortably doable for us in that time? 3-6 weeks is quite a contrast.
Cheers!
Hi James,
It is doable, but you would be spending most of everyday on the road. For example, the total distance of the Big One is around 4,180km. Divide that by 21 (three weeks) are you’re looking at an average of about 200km per day. That doesn’t sound much, but in Vietnam, especially in the mountains, you will rarely average more than 50kmph. You also need some ‘padding’ time for unexpected delays, such as bad weather, bad road conditions, break downs etc.
Also, bear in mind that the last week of January will be the Lunar New Year holiday – which is the busiest time of year for domestic travel, and some businesses close for the duration.
The bottom line is, try to be as flexible as possible. Also take into consideration that the weather north of Danang at that time of year can be surprisingly cold.
I hope this helps,
Tom
I had ridden motorcycle in VN with a buddy a few years ago. I will be in VN in February 2023 to ride from HCMC to the North using the HCM Road then continue to the Ha Giang Loop before going to Hanoi. Are 28 days enough? This time I am riding solo. Is it “safe,” i.e., if I have an accident or flat tire on HCM Road is there enough traffic for someone to come on the scene in 1-2 hours? I remember reading your HCM Road trip about 6 years ago. How’s the gas station and lodging situation today? Thank you for your service.
Hi Hieu,
There’s still not much traffic on the Western Ho Chi Minh Road, but if you have a problem whoever passes by will stop to help you. Accommodation and gas stations on the Western Ho Chi Minh Road are a bit better now. There’s a gas station and a couple of hotels at Long Son, which is about halfway between Khe Sanh and Phong Nha. Check the comments at the bottom of my Ho Chi Minh Road Guide and Western HCM Hotel for any updates from other readers.
28 days is probably OK. You need at least 1 week for Hanoi-Ha Giang Loop-Hanoi, so that leaves you with about 3 weeks to ride from Saigon to Hanoi.
Best,
Tom
Thank you so much for your prompt response. Given your feedback, I’ll start in Danang instead of HCMC just in case of unexpected delays. I am choosing Da Nang because I can rent from Tigit there and drop off the bike in Hanoi: Da Nang – HCM Road (and west of Hanoi going to Ha Giang) – Hanoi. Thanks again for all that you do.
Hey there!
I am currently in Saigon and I plan to follow along your beach bum route. Just curious, is there a way to download the map then use it as a GPS? So my gps follows your set route? I’m not sure if this is impossible or if I’m just that technologically challenged.
Thank you!!!
Hi Abigail,
Yes, that’s a good question. You should be able to export my maps to KML and open them in the Google Maps app with GPS. However, the process is different depending on your device. I suggest you google something like ‘how to export a google map with KML on (device name)’.
Good luck,
Tom
Hello, thinking of riding motorcycle from Hi Chi Minch to Hanoi. Do you recommend any renting places? I need a bike that’s capable for two people plus luggage.
Is it possible to rent a bike in Ho Chi Minh and finish in Hanoi or does bike have to be returned to Ho Chi Minh by me?
Hi Peter,
I mention some reputable motorbike rental companies on this page.
Yes, you can rent in Ho Chi Minh City and return the bike in Hanoi.
Best,
Tom
Hello!
Returning to Nam after a couple of years and finally able to do the trip from HCM to Hanoi. Do you have any idea where I could find a riding buddy to do the trip with?!
Thanks
Ellie
Hi Ellie,
Glad to hear you are planning on riding south to north. You could try posting on the Vietnam Back Roads Facebook group to find a riding companion. If not, you will find that you make riding friends while on the road.
Good luck,
Tom
Hi Tom,
I hope you are well! I really like your blog post!
Can you recommend a route and likely duration from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh by motorcycle?
BR,
Jordan
Hi Jordan,
Er, yes – take a look at the five suggested routes of this page! 🙂
Best,
Tom
Thanks for your blog!
i have 21 days 30-OCT- 21 NOV from ho chi minh to hanoi..its my second visit to vietnam..so i have visited some places..
im thinking about classic route..but i dont know how to organize Stops…
last time in vietnam i visited HCM , Da nang, hue, hoi an and hanoi&north… im thinking classic route making stops in another places i dont know… do you have any recommendation..
thaks for all
Hi Qarlos,
If you are planning to follow the Classic Route, and considering the places you’ve already visited, the stops you might consider are: Vung Tau, Lagi, Phan Thiet/Mui Ne, Dalat, Quy Nhon (and all the beaches south and north of there), Kon Tum and Phong Nha.
I’ve written about some of those places: Vung Tau, Dalat Routes, Dalat Cafes, Quy Nhon, Phong Nha.
That should be plenty of opportunities for stops.
Note that in the last 6 months or so, there have been reports that the middle section of road QL24 between Quang Ngai and Kon Tum is under construction. Although there’s a chance it could be finished by the time you visit.
I hope this helps,
Tom
hi again.. im considering change original route.. from Kon Tum to Hoi an is worth Trip…??? nice roads views?
or maybe better directly from Quy Nhon to Quang Ngai. ??
wich route do you recommend?
Thanks
Hi Qarlos,
For scenery, Kon Tum to Hoi An is better than Quy Nhon to Quang Ngain.
Best,
Tom
Hello Tom!
I used one of your South to North bike routes a few years ago and absolutely loved it!
I am returning to drive North to South this August over 1 month again with my boyfriend who has not done it before.
Will I still be able to use your route from North to South okay? We plan to not spend too long in the North as I know the weather is not great that time of year.
Thanks again for this amazing resource!
Hi Mary,
Yes, you can still follow any of the routes on this site from north to south – it makes no difference really.
In terms of weather, conditions are pretty similar across the nation at that time of year: hot, humid, and monsoon storms. Take a look at my Weather Guide for more about that.
Best,
Tom
Hey Tom! This site is a godsend. I’ve been reading your motorbike guides religiously for my upcoming North-South trip. As someone that rides back home, I really appreciate the details you’ve put into each route. I’ll be sure to support your site.
I do got a question or two about the ride from Hoi An to Nha Trang. I’m not particularly interested in any of the towns or cities in between the two cities. For that reason, I’m looking for the most scenic route. I’m considering following the Truong Son Dong Road after having read that article. I read about the impassable part of the road in the comment section, so I would only connect onto the road after Son Tay.
Do you think this is a better alternative to the classic route? I suspect the only reason it hasn’t been incorporated yet is due to its remoteness and relative unpredictability (with possible constructions and all).
If I were to follow the Truong Son Dong Road after leaving Hoi An, do you have any recommendations for getting onto the road? Is it worth skipping the Ho Chi Minh Road between Hoi An and Kon Tum? Cause I’m considering following the coast until the Quang Nam/Quang Ngai border before heading inland.
Thanks a lot!
Hi Chris,
Sorry for my slow reply.
Yes, the route you suggest works well: you can follow the coast road south of Hoi An (perhaps going via the small island on Tam Hai) as far as Quang Ngai, then turn inland due west on road QL24B up to Son Tay where you can connect with the Truong Son Dong Road heading due south.
Another alternative is the go inland due west from Hoi An on road QL14B or QL14E until you hit the Ho Chi Minh Road (QL14) at either Thanh My or Kham Duc, then join that due south as far as Kon Tum where you can turn due east onto road QL24 as far as the Xa Hieu crossroads where you can then join the Truong Son Dong Road heading due south.
Either option is good.
I hope this helps,
Tom
So it looks like I’m finally going to get to do an end-to-end itinerary, having originally planned to do one back in 2020 only for lockdowns to put paid to that. Planning to do pretty much as I had done before, although accommodation is proving a bit more problematic on the Ninh Binh-Phong Nha section where I want to follow the Ho Chi Minh Road – original plan was to stop in Tan Ky and Pho Chau but struggling to find places to stay in either of those…
Hi Keir,
There are places to stay in the towns along the way on the Ho Chi Minh Road between Ninh Binh and Phong Nha – you just can’t book/find most of them online. Most of them will be local guesthouses/mini-hotels which are called nhà nghỉ in Vietnamese – read more about that on this page.
Also, I have written a complete guide to the Ho Chi Minh Road, including that section, on this page, although it hasn’t been updated for a while now.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
I’ll give an update for the QL48C – QL7A loop west of the Ho Chi Minh Road which is shortly mentioned in “The Big One”
West of Quy Hop QL48C is all the way up to the small settlement of Xieng Lip in good condition. Wide, empty and in good condition.
Don’t miss the beautiful sight of 6 wooden/bamboo watermills standing in line just next of the bridge at the H4-61 roadmarker.
From Xieng Lip to Ban Ve the road suddenly becomes much smaller and road conditions degrade. In fact, at Xieng Lip the best road goes south on what looks like a small road on Google Maps but actually it is an much better road serving as a shortcut to QL7A. After 18 km at the bridge over Ca River the main road goes left for another 9 km along the borders of an artificial lake (only visible on Maps if you zoom in) but just before the bridge, a smaller and more scenic road goes right (as shown on Maps). At QL7A right direction Laos or left direction Con Cuong for Pu Mat National Park.
Pu Mat is well worth exploring for a full day. There’s a beautiful, paved, road all the way up in the mountains to the incredible 150 metre high Khe Kem waterfall. Sun could be shining in the valley and rain at the top. In Pu Mat you can make a beautiful 40 km loop through gorgeous valleys surrounded by karst mountains, along orchards and teagardens. At the most southern end of the loop near Mon Son there’s a boatlanding for rivertrips. But beware: you entered the border area with Laos (there’s a sign next to the road). Not all officials like foreigners going around without a guide and I was told to immediately go back same way I came.
Several hotels and guesthouses in Con Cuong including new Muong Thanh hotel. Room with great views over the river and mountains for 680.000 VND. Inside the park homestays in the small village of Yen Khe.
So, if time permits, it’s a beautiful loop with mostly good roads, great scenery, karst mountains, valleys, waterfalls and very kind people.
Best regards,
Bob
Hi Bob,
Thank you for sharing this information. It’s really great to hear that QL48C is now in good condition; and that’s a great tip about the short cut back to QL7A.
I’ve enjoyed Khe Kem Waterfall and the roads surrounding it for many years – it’s a wonderful little corner of Vietnam that generally gets overlooked by travellers.
Thanks again, and I’m looking forward to getting back to this area and riding around.
Tom
Hi.
So glad to have find your blog and thank you for the great information.
Just like to ask, how much can the GIVI box carry in real use? because the spec of most of the box is only 4-5kg, I can’t imagine that is practical.
Hi,
Yes, that’s what I thought when I first bought a GIVI box. But you can buy a reinforced frame for the box – this means you can load your GIVI box much heavier. I’ve used it for over 10 years for road trips, camping trips etc and it’s never let me down, never broken the frame.
Tom
Hey Tom,
Awsome website, thanks so much for putting all this together! My brother and I are heading to Vietnam next weekend. I was planning to ride Saigon to Hanoi but my brother only got 2 weeks off work so might be a little ambitious given our 12 days or so. Was wondering if you had a suggestion for best route to take with that amount of time, considering average weather for late January? Also seeing as we may have to end the ride south of Hanoi, any suggestions on places to stop where it would be a short connection to Hanoi via plane/train/bus?
Thanks!
Steve
Hi Steve,
The best weather at that time of year is in the south. Most places south of Danang should get at least some good weather, but the best weather is best south of Nha Trang. Most places north of Danang at that time of year can get surprisingly cold and grey at times. But of course you can’t guarantee anything when it comes to weather.
12 days isn’t really enough time to ride south to north. With your time frame I suggest taking a look at the Classic and Easy Rider routes. And to get a ‘head start’ you could consider getting the rental company to ship you bike somewhere, such as Phan Thiet or Nha Trang.
As for where to end, I’d suggest finishing in Phong Nha, from where you can send you bikes on the train to Hanoi.
Remember also, that the Lunar New Year holiday is the last week of January – this is one of the worst times to travel because popular destinations get extremely busy with domestic tourists.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thank you so much for your detailed posts about the various trip options and necessities. My partner and I are leaving from Hanoi this coming Sunday, and we have referred to your insight numerous times during our planning (attempts). We will be traveling for roughly 16-18 days (hopefully) from Hanoi to Saigon. I’m not sure if this has been addressed elsewhere, but I wanted to ask: do you suggest a stop between Ninh Binh and Phong Nha? If so, where? We are working out our projected stops still, and I am concerned the distance between those two places is too much for a single day on the motorbike.
Please let me know your thoughts if you have a chance. Nevertheless, thank you again for your information on your site!
All the best,
Chelsea
Hi Chelsea,
There are a few potential stops on the Ho Chi Minh Road between Ninh Binh and Phong Nha. Take a look at sections 6, 7, 8 of this guide for details. Tan Ky and Pho Chau are the most common places to break the journey.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hello Tom!
marvellous blog! I ahve devoured most of it already.
I m planning with my father(64yo but fit) from the 25th December to do the Huncle Ho road in 10 to 12 days.
is it worth the landscapes this time of the year?
is it a too big detour to go to the Golden Bridge from this track?
last question its “easier” Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh or Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi on this time of the year?
big thanks on advance!
Hi Jerome,
Your itinerary is fine, but you will be riding every day if you only have 10 days.
The weather at that time of year can get worse the further north you go. So which way you ride it depends on whether you want the good weather at the beginning or end of your trip.
I don’t think it’s worth the detour to see the bridge – it’s just an Instagram photo stop.
The best landscapes on Uncle Ho’s Road are between Kon Tum all the way to 100km north of Phong Nha – this is some of the best scenery and riding anywhere in Vietnam. However, because it’s the mountains, there’s always the chance of bad weather.
For much more detail about this route, see my Ho Chi Minh Road Guide.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Tom,
Thank you so much for all of your info. I am planning my route using “the big one” heading south from Hanoi in a week. Had a few follow-ups after digging through your various guides:
1. I didn’t find any linked guides (south of Golden Loop but North of the beaches) that addressed the stretch between Non Tum and Quy Nhon. Per Google, this is +300 KM, which is two days of comfortable riding for me. Can you recommend a town and place to stay in between, and maybe some additional info on this stretch? Please point me to a guide if I have missed it.
2. Same for #1 but from ~Tuy How -> Buon Ma Thuot -> Dalat -> Nha Trang. Although, each of these segments feels reasonable to do in one day (by distance at least), I couldn’t find any linked guides.
3. How would you adapt the Big One route at all for this time of year? Particularly concerned with the weather in Phu Yen and Quy Nhon per your mention of monsoons, etc. but the beaches look amazing and I wouldn’t want to miss.
Thank you in advance!
Matt
Hi Matt,
You could take a look at my guide to the Road East of the Long Mountains to connect some of those places.
As for places to stop, you’re never too far away from a nhà nghỉ (local guest house) – see this page for details.
If there aren’t linked guides on the map then I either haven’t written a guide to that particular area, or if I have it’ll be marked on my Vietnam Coracle Map.
Regards weather conditions, at that time of year it is quite likely that conditions between Hanoi and Danang (particularly between Vinh and Hue) could be grey and wet. South of Danang should be OK, but it can also be wet around Nha Trang and Quy Nhon at that time of year.
I hope this helps,
Tom
thank you for the reply! one follow-up: is it possible to use your custom routes as step-by-step directions/navigation in google maps or other apps? I’ve searched around online a bit and cant figured it out. In other words, how do you recommend we use your routes day-to-day, while riding?
All the best,
Matt
Hi Matt,
You can’t get google directions on my maps. Most people would simply open my routes maps on their phone and follow it. You can, for example, export my maps then open them in maps.me app. To do this: open one of my maps, export the map to KML, then upload that file to maps.em, then you should be able to follow my route on your phone in real time. Sometimes the process is different for different devices and browsers, so if it doesn’t work try googling something like ‘how to export a google map to KML using (device name) and (browser name).
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom
Some very insightful information provided so thank you for that. I am planning on travelling one of the routes during January – February. How is the weather likely to be during these times in South and North Vietnam
Jack
Hi Jack,
At that time of year the weather in most places south of Danang should be OK, but in many areas north of Danang it can be quite bleak and surprisingly cold. For more about weather in Vietnam take a look at this page. And some more about the Southern Dry Season on this page.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey Tom,
Great Routes!
We are planning to travel from Saigon to Da Nang in December. We have 10 days time but are unsure about the weather conditions. Do you think weather will be good in December to make this trip by motorbike?
Greetings from Singapore
Hi Jonas,
10 days is OK to ride between Saigon and Danang.
In December the weather should be OK between Saigon and Nha Trang, but it might start to get worse (more rain) as you move north from Nha Trang up to Danang.
The week before you go try looking at the satellite weather map rain for rain & thunder on Windy.com – it’s quite accurate.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thanks so much, not sure how to pick between some of those routes!
If you were to pick any time of year to go, when would you choose? I’m flexible to go anytime but not sure what months would be most suitable.
Cheers,
Steph
Hi Steph,
In general, the best times of year to ride the length of the country are: April-May and September-October. This is when the weather conditions are pretty similar throughout the country.
Vietnam has a very complex and difficult to predict climate. You’ll find some more information about weather in Vietnam and when to go where on this page.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey Tom,
First off, great info man. This is extremely helpful for people who have never done anything this epic, like myself.
Now, to my question;
I am looking to ride through Vietnam starting from Hanoi down to Saigon in mid November for about 10-14 days. My friend and I want to definitely ride through the country but also we would like to spend a day or two in the places we actually liked. At this time of the year, what route would you suggest for seeing beaches and country (weather permitting) and would we need possibly include trains w/ bikes in our itinerary?
Again, the info is a lifesaver brotha and would like to pick your brain a bit more before my trip.
Cheers from Seattle,
Devante
Hi Devante,
Because the weather at that time of year can be quite bad between Hanoi and Hue, I would suggest starting your trip from either Dong Hoi (near Phong Nha) or Hue or Danang – you can arrange to have you rental bikes sent there. From there, you can take any of the first three routes on this page above – they’re all suitable for good scenery and towns – although obviously the Beach Bum has more beaches and beach towns, whereas Uncle Ho’s Road has more mountains and highland towns.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey Tom,
Thanks for all this info. I’ll be heading to Vietnam in late Sept and spending a little longer than two weeks doing your Easy Rider route. Any tips on what to pack other than clothing/rain gear/the usual personal items? Specifically, I’m seeing the packs on the back of most motorbikes and wondering if that’s something I should arrive with or something I should buy once I’m in Vietnam. Is a backpacking pack the most convenient to travel with?
Hi Andy,
Not much in particular. Good sunglasses for using on the bike. Clothes for getting dirty during the day on the bike and a change of clean clothes for the evening.
Yes, most people strap backpacks on the back of their bikes, but some people also do that with cases, too. Another option is to rent a bike with GIVI boxes, which are secure, waterproof and very convenient – some of the rental companies offer bike with these boxes.
Tom
Hi Tom,
I am motorbiking down from Hanoi to Saigon in either late September or start of October. From what I understand, this is a good time of year to visit the North, and by the end of the trip (late October/early November) it should be a good time to visit the South. However, the central part is in the height of its rainy season. I want to make the most of the weather so am thinking of visiting Ha Giang before starting and also visiting Pu Luong.
What places are best to visit/avoid at this time of year? Do you think it will make much of a difference starting from the 20th of September or the 1st of October?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am a huge fan of this blog, it’s incredibly detailed and helpful. Thank you for the effort you have put in to it.
Cheers
Hi Michael,
Yes, that’s generally right about the weather. And, yes, I would definitely start earlier rather than later. This is partly because of the weather, but also partly because of the harvest colours: by October the rice might be harvested already, which means you will miss the incredible colours of the rice terraces.
Yes, starting with Ha Giang, then on to Pu Luong is a good idea. Unfortunately, it is quite likely that many areas south of Pu Luong all the way down to Danang could be quite grey, rainy and miserable at that time of year.
In the south, check out the coastal regions of Quy Nhon and Phu Yen, and the coastal road between Nha Trang and Phan Thiet (perhaps stop by Cam Lap). Or head inland on the Truong Son Dong Road, and the Back-Ways to Dalat.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks so much for the advice.
If I were to skip Ha Giang, and head to Pu Luong around the 21st of September, would that mean it would be a bit more sun/less grey and rainy between Pu Luong and Danang?
Yes, probably, but there’s no guarantee, of course. Sometimes typhoons come in from the east – keep an eye on the weather forecast using Windy.com
Tom
Hello Tom,
Thank you for all these precious info, your blog is great!
I am planning to do the Easy Rider from Hanoi to HCMC from 3rd August. I have my flight back on 19th August but I would like to do 1-2 days in Mekong area before leaving, do you think I’ll have enough time?
Thanks for your help,
Eline
Hi Eline,
Well, if you think about it terms of average daily distance that might help: the total distance of the Easy Rider is 2,230km, divided by 14 days is around 160km each day. This is very doable. As a general guide, your average speed (not including stops) will be roughly 40-50km per hour.
Depending on what your plans are for the Mekong Delta, I would suggest spending those extra two days on the Easy Rider route instead. This is because the best parts of the Mekong are much deeper in the region than any 1-2 days tour can access.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
I was thinking of doing uncle ho’s road from HCMC to Hanoi, I’ll be in the area for the next 1.5 months, the thing is I’m a rather beginner biker, I wanted to ask for your suggestion about this route considering weather and road quality.
Thanks a lot,
Roy
Hi Roy,
The road quality is mostly good on that route. For a beginner, the most difficult parts will be getting in/off of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi – this can be very busy, chaotic and polluted. You need to take it very carefully and expect it to be quite a grim ride for the first hour or two. After that, conditions and traffic are much better.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks for your quick response!
Do you happen to have any ideas on where to stay between all the major cities?
Hi Roy,
There are recommendations of places to stay in my guides to particular parts of the routes – click the motorbike icons or other icons on the maps and then click the links in the dialogue box to go to the guide. You can also check out my Accommodation Guides, and Local Guest Houses guide.
Tom
Hi Tom,
I am visiting Vietnam from mid June to the end of July, I wish to do uncle ho’s road from Saigon to hanoi, but I am a rather beginner biker, also I was wondering about the weather during this time and I ask for any suggestions you might have.
Hi Roy,
Weather at that time of year will be quite similar all over the country: hot and humid in the mornings, clouding over towards the afternoons, and some heavy tropical downpours. Therefore, you should plan to do most of your riding in the first part of the day, so that you can avoid the rains.
For much more details of the entire Uncle Ho’s Road route, see this guide.
Tom
Hey Tom,
my friend and me want to make a 2.5 week long motorbiketour through Vietnam during July and August. As these months are in the middle of the rain season we are struggeling in doing this. In some blogs they highly recommend not to go during this time. Did you experienced a motorcycletour through Vietnam in this time? Is there a special “rain season tour” you would recommend? We were even thinking about travelling to an other country in Asia to make a motorcycle tour but the rain season might be in whole Asia, isn’t it?
It would really help us to get information out of first hand.
Hi Jan,
It should be fine to ride during those months – the weather at that time of year is pretty similar all across the country: dry, bright, sunny and very hot in the mornings, then getting more humid and cloudy in the afternoons followed by heavy tropical showers. Just try to do most of your riding in the first part of the day.
Tom
Do you think the Easy Rider is possible within this time frame and weather situation or is it better to take the beach boom?
Yes, they are both possible at that time of year.
Hi Tom, I’m right in the middle of my “The Big One” road trip. I’m currently in the central provinces of Vietnam and heading south. Today I had to ride for an hour through the pouring rain and it wasn’t an experience I want to repeat every day. I checked the forecast and it says thunderstorms every single day for the central provinces. Is this just a reality I have to face? Are there certain times of day to avoid the rain, like riding in the mornings only? I have unlimited time and tend to travel very slowly. I thought I’d stick around for another month or two, but if its constant bad weather maybe I’ll shorten the rest of my trip. I’ve already done the rest of the country extensively and had little to no rain the entire time so I’m a bit unprepared for this, I thought the rainy season didn’t start for another month in the central and south regions. Any help you can give me on how to avoid rain going forward would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Mike,
Sorry to hear that. It’s strange, because I’m riding central Vietnam right now too, but I’ve had good weather.
It’s quite normal to have an hour of heavy rain at this time of year, wherever you are in the country. In general, the rains comes in the afternoon, so you could ride earlier in the day to avoid it.
But it depends where you are, really. If you want the least rain and you’re heading south, I’d suggest sticking to the coast, and in particular picking up and following the coastal back-roads in this route – it should be lovely at this time of year.
Tom
I love your site and have wanted to do this trip since I found it last December. I have a few questions that I hope You can answer.
First, Due to Time constraints I will only have time to go from Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang. Is this Something I could do in 10 days or should I plan at least two weeks?
Second, Going in late July, early August, would the weather be better to start in Hanoi and go down to Da Nang instead of going from Saigon to Da Nang?
Again, Thank you
Hi Davis,
The weather will be pretty similar across the nation at that time of year – hot, humid, sunny in the mornings, getting cloudier in the afternoons with heavy tropical showers – so there’s no real reason to choose one route over the other.
Yes, 10 days is enough time to ride Saigon to Danang, but if you can get two weeks instead, definitely do that – the more time you have, the better your road trip will be.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi there,
Thanks for all these routes! I’m looking into them as we’re travelling by bicycle in Vietnam now 🙂
Your routes all seem to head a similar route from Dong Hoi onwards, going more inland rather than sticking to the coast. Any particular reason for that? Is the coastal stretch between Dong Hoi and Hanoi too busy?
Thanks!
Cheers,
Nicolas
Hi Nicolas,
Yes, that’s exactly it: north of Dong Hoi the coastal roads get much busier and the scenery is nowhere near as good as going inland.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thanks so much for how hard you work on this website- it is invaluable. Visiting Vietnam has always been a dream of mine and your guide has convinced me to do it by bike and to extend my visa. My girlfriend and I now have about 6 weeks to do the Big One from Hanoi, picking up our bike on Tuesday.
We’ve just done sapa, so were planning on heading south. Given the traffic (and your comments that the area surrounding Hanoi isn’t great) what is the best way out of Hanoi? If there is a particularly nice place north of the city we would happily go there first. Is there a convenient way to get our bike out of the city on a bus/train that might be best? Otherwise we’ve heard Ninh Binh is nice.
If it’s okay with you, I will probably ask you some more questions once we’ve got on the road! It is really kind that you give everyone a detailed reply.
Cheers again,
Cameron.
Hi Cameron,
For leaving Hanoi I would go west on the Thang Long Highway – you can follow the route laid out in this guide.
Pu Luong Nature Reserve (also covered in this guide) is a better place to stop than Ninh Binh, in my opinion. Ninh Binh is quite nice but touristy; Pu Luong is gorgeous and not touristy, and there are beautiful homestays.
To reduce the amount of traffic you will face leaving Hanoi, try to leave about 11.30am – this should give you two hours of lighter traffic (because of the lunch hour) to get out of the city. Alternatively, leave very early in the morning (4.30am) or late a night (after 7pm).
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thanks so much for that. We headed to Pu Luong national park and it was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. The QL15 south from there is completely spectacular too, what a road.
We are currently in Tan Ky for the night. We will probably head to the waterfalls southwest of here that are on The Big One route. I know Phong Na is the next major stop. It is just over 300 km from there to Phong Na, which is a big driving day. Is there anywhere on the way you think is particularly worth stopping for and staying a night? Or do you think the riding is good enough that doing it all in one day is sensible?
Thanks again for the brilliant guide,
Cameron.
Hi Cameron,
Yes, you could do those 300km in a day – it’s pretty good riding. But for places to stop and stay along the way take a look at sections 7, 6 & 5 of my Ho Chi Minh Road guide here.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Been having an amazing time on the route so far. Especially Western HCM road. We are in Hoi An and looking to leave in the next couple of days. The Big One route takes us inland and then back out to Quy Nhon for the coastal riding. What’s the main reason for going inland from Hoi An? Is that section down towards Kon Tum, and is Kon Tum itself, particularly special? Or do you think it might be worth taking the highway straight down to save some time? Also, of all the beaches and stops from Quy Nhon down to Ninh Van, are any absolutely must-see and are any maybe worth missing? Sorry for all of the questions!
Cheers, Cameron.
Hi Cameron,
You don’t have to go back inland: you can follow the Coast Road route south from Hoi An all the way down. As long as you stick to the roads in this guide it’s a really fun coastal route – there’s loads of good scenery and quiet, good roads. Just read the few paragraphs and map in that link at you’ll see what I mean.
There are lots of highlights on that coastal route, but the ones that stand out are: Vung Ro Bay to Dai Lanh Beach via the Ca Pass, the Nui Chua Coast Road, and the Dragon’s Graveyard. And Cam Lap is a wonderful place to stay.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
We are coming to the end of our trip which is sad but it has been incredible. We left Phan Thiet at 6am and hope to get to Ben Tre this afternoon. Do you know if it’s possible to put our bike on the ferry from Vung Tao to Co Gong? It would cut out a lot of driving. If not, I guess we have to drive almost all the way up to Saigon. We want to spend a couple of days in the Mekong Delta. Can you recommend any must-see places or rides that we should do? We probably have 3 days maximum.
Thanks again for all your help!
Cameron.
Hi Cameron,
I’m pretty sure you can’t do that. But there’s a bike ferry from Vung Tau to Can Gio that leaves in the morning. (The ferries to Saigon and to My Tho and Ben Tre don’t take bikes either).
It’s not a pleasant ride to get to Saigon and then out the other side to Ben Tre (go on QL50 via Go Cong – it’s much nicer).
You might even consider leaving your bikes in Vung Tau and taking the ferry direct to My Tho/Ben Tre – it’s a Greenlines fast boat: you can Google it. Then you can pick your bikes up again on the way back and ride into Saigon.
Otherwise, you’ll just have to grind it out for a day (but then you’ve got to ride back into Saigon from the Delta too).
With just a couple of days in the Delta you can’t really get into the good parts, so just take all the little back-roads around Ben Tre – they’re great for exploring.
Tom
Thanks so much for the tips! I just finished the Classic Route and had a phenomenal ride. Made my way down to Con Dao for a few final days of relaxation before the trip is through.
Thanks again!
Tyler
Hi Tyler,
Thank you. Great to hear you enjoyed the Classic route and managed to make time for beaching too 🙂
Tom
Hi your blog is great. I come to Hcmc on Saturday my plan was to drive the clasic route to Hanoi, but now I doubt if I should drive your route back ways to Dalat. Tigit rental also recommend driving dis route instead of Mui ne? I’m not so much into touristy places. Those I want to avoid. I want to spend a maximum of 16 days for a trip to Hanoi and then I have 10 days back to North Vietnam. What would be your recommendations?
Hi Arvils,
Well both Mui Ne and Dalat are tourist areas. But the ride to Dalat and Mui Ne is very different. Both are decent rides, but if you go to Mui Ne you’ll be mostly along the coast (see this guide), and if you ride the Dalat Back Roads you’ll be mostly inland in the mountains. However, because of your limited time (16 days is not long to ride from Saigon to Hanoi) I would suggest riding to Mui Ne because you can do that in one day, whereas the Dalat Back-Roads are longer – still possible in one day, but more time on the road. Or just go on the Saigon-Mui Ne train with your bike.
From Mui Ne remember to avoid the police by following the red line in this guide.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hello,
Really nice work you have made with this guide, it is really great information about everything you could possiblt think of.
Im going to Saigon late September this year for one month and want to rent a bike and go up to Hanoi.
Which route would you recommend me to take?
The Beach Bum or The Classic? I want to see as much as possible but also be able to spend a few days here and there to rest and explore the stops.
Thanks in advance.
Mikael
Hi Mikael,
With one month you can choose either of those routes. September should be a good month to ride them, too.
Personally, I would probably choose the Beach Bum at that time of year, because if the weather’s good the coastal scenery is great in September, and then you get some mountain scenery after Phong Nha.
However, you could turn inland from Hue (on QL49 to A Luoi) and meet the Ho Chi Minh Road heading to Khe Sanh and then to Phong Nha, which is the Western Ho Chi Minh Road – one of the most scenic mountain routes in the country. See sections 4-5 of this guide.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks for youre answer.
Seems like renting a bike from a good company is the deal i will go for.
Is it easy to navigate the routes? Im planning to use google maps and some kind of papermap aswell. I guess a decent raincoat and rainprotection for the bags is good to have with you.
Guess i will try The Beach Bum and go for Ho Cho Minh road from Hue to Phong Nha and then up the coast again.
I can only find a road named Ho Chi Minh Trail on google?
Cheers
Mikael
Hi Mikael,
Yes, a rain coat is a good idea and big plastic bags for your luggage – but some of the rental companies will provide waterproofs for you and luggage carriers, too.
For more about which maps to use and how to use them see this guide. You can’t just rely on one map (whether online or printed) – instead you should cross-reference between my maps, google maps, and paper maps.
Tom
Hi again Tom,
Planning for full here, i think i will stick with The Beach Bum and do a little Ho Chi Minh Trail from Hue.
I have a question, what do you think if going further up to Ninh Binh and from there to Cat Ba Island and back to Hanoi.
Is this still possible in one month or?
Thanks in advance
/Mikael
Hi Mikael,
Yes, you can do that, but it gets quite industrial after Ninh Binh because that’s the Red River Delta which is one of the most densely populated regions of the country. It’s not a particularly pleasant ride, but perhaps you can utilize some back roads to make it more interesting.
Tom
Hi,
Maybe i probably should skip that part then.
Would really like to squeeze in an island along the way. Is there any islands along the coast you could pop out to with the motorbike on a ferry?
// Mikael
Hi Mikael,
Well, you’ll have a lot of coastal scenery anyway 🙂 But there are islets here and there off the coast along the Beach Bum route. For example, take a look at the Phu Yen & Quy Nhon area in this guide.
Tom
Hi Tom
Amazing site & excited to say we are about to start Hanoi to HCMC! Thank you for the tip on Style bikes, they’ve been ace to us.
We are planning to start with Hanoi to Haiphong. I’ve done my best to scroll through the comments but can’t see owt on this route? It looks like it is possible to avoid the highways by going north out of Hanoi. Any tips?
Chúc Mùng Nām Mói
🙂
Hi Mez,
There are a number of routes, but in general it’s quite a bleak road to travel – mostly industrial suburbs and highways You can take the direct routes – QL5B or AH13 – they’re probably the quickest, but not nice. Otherwise, you can weave through on back-roads. But personally I think it’s best just to get it done.
Also, bear in mind that if you’re riding today, there’s likely to be increased traffic because of the Tet holidays – probably less trucks, but many more ‘leisure’ vehicles. Be careful. And the same goes for popular tourist sites, such as Halong Bay – they will probably be packed for the next week.
Good luck,
Tom
Hey,
These articles are so helpful! I was wondering if you could help me out, I’m trying to work out a route from Dalat to Qui Nhon but going through the mountains and avoiding Nha Trang. Could you suggest a route and do you think it is possible to do it with just one night break or it would need 2? Thanks!!
Hi Gareth,
You can take this route. You could do it in two long days, on 3 manageable days.
Tom
Hey Tom!
Awesome article and amazing information, thank you so much. My wife and I are thinking about doing a motor bike trip sometime this year. She’s not 100% comfortable on a bike and we just got back from Bali where we travelled for 2 weeks on a motor bike. We both rode on the same bike, but only day trips. We would store our luggage at our hotel/stay and venture out during the day so we didn’t have much to carry.
Would you suggest a possibility for a couple to travel on one bike and packing light? Or would you highly suggest two separate bikes for more packing room. Also, one bike would increase our weight and the amount of work our bike has to do. Do you think this is a reasonable way to travel? Thank you!
Hi Justin,
If you’re planning on leaving your luggage at your accommodation and then making days trips on your bike, then there’s no reason to rent two bikes instead of one.
Some of the places you might consider basing yourself in and then making road trips out for the day include, Phong Nha, Hoi An, Dalat, Mui Ne/Phan Thiet.
If you were going to travel two on one bike with a light packing load that would also be fine as long as your bike is in good condition and has adequate power. Also note that some of the recommended motorbike rental companies on this page offer various luggage carriers. However, over long distances in one day it would be a little more tiring for the driver with the extra weight.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hello Tom,
What an amzing job you did! Finding your site makes investigating how to make the trip very interesting and easy.
We are near Ben Tre staying in an amazing hotel Mango Home Riverside (worth a visit). After trying out Honda CBF out from HCMC to the delta we dicided to drive up to Dan Nang starting on the 22nd of Jan. There is a coastal route and a rural one. We would like to take the most scenic route possible in 2 weeks. We will stay at your suggested Juliets Villa Resort & Ana Andara which look amazing! For for the rest everything is open. We do not want to drive more than 4 hours a day with some 3 spare days to stay somewhere. You have seen it all. Which route can you recommend:
– from Ben tre to Juliets Villa Resort
– from Dalat to Da Nang
– should we go more up the the Van Hai Pass and go back?
– any more amazing hotels along the way?
I will book trough your links :-).
Thank you so much in advance!
Kind regards, Yael
Hi Yael,
I’m glad you like Mango Home – it’s a great place.
There are lots of potential routes to choose from.
If you only want to ride about 4 hours a day, from Ben Tre to Dalat go can follow this route: Ben Tre to Saigon – take QL50 all the way, it’s much better than the more direct route on Highway 1, even though the last 20km is still horrible. Then from Saigon to Juliet’s Villa and Dalat, follow my Dalat Back Roads routes.
From Dalat to Danang, you can either choose to stay in the mountains and take QL27 to Lake Lak and Buon Ma Thuon then follow the Ho Chi Minh Road (section 2 to 3) or the Road East of the Long Mountains or you can take QL27C from Dalat down to Nha Trang and then follow my Coast Road route to Hoi An.
For places to stay, LAK Tented Camp is great if you’re staying in the mountains, about 4 hours from Dalat. On the coast, there are lots of places – you can see the places I’ve reviewed and where they are by looking at my Vietnam Coracle Map.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Great thank you so much!!
Hi Tom,
Thanks or the wonderful set of info. My only question is this: with 13 days on the road which rout is best?
Thanks so much,
Liam
Hi Liam,
With 13 days you should really consider shortening any of these routes: either by starting somewhere else or finishing somewhere else.
For example, if you rent your bike from any of the recommended companies on this page, they can arrange pick up and drop off in places other than Saigon and Hanoi. So, for example, if you were travelling south to north, you could pick your bike up in Phan Thiet or Nha Trang and drop it off in Dong Hoi or Vinh. This way you would have more time to ride, and less distance to cover. (You would, of course, need to pay extra for this service).
But if you must ride the entire length in 13 days it makes sense to take the shortest route, which is Uncle Ho’s Road.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Great info and really helpful articles!
We are looking at taking 3 months to travel from Saigon up to Hanoi in July, August and September.
Do you suggest just taking longer to do your suggested routes or try to cover more ground?
We want to see the main cities but also see a lot of the off the beaten path stuff.
Thanks
Kendall
Hi Kendall,
With 3 months you should also be able to cover some areas in the north, northwest, or northeast highlands above Hanoi. You can browse my guides to that region by looking at my Vietnam Coracle Map.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom, all these routes look very good. From some friends I have heard that the routes along the coast are very heavily used by big trucks. Is this correct? If so, how is the traffic along the easy rider? I was also wondering how accomodation is on that route. Would you recommend booking hostels and such up front? Me and my girlfriend are starting the trip on the 25th of february.
Thanks a bunch!
Hi Marjin,
All my routes try to start off busy main roads as much as possible, but sometimes you simply can’t avoid them, especially when entering and exiting large cities. But the coastal route stays off the main artery of Highway QL1 for the vast majority of the way. There’s a common misconception that the coastal route sticks to the highway: this isn’t true. Please take a look as this guide for details.
In general accommodation is available everywhere in Vietnam, even in remote areas you can usually find at least one nhà nghỉ (local guest house) – read more about that here. As for booking in advance, this is only really necessary if you are staying in a popular destination, particularly on weekends or public holidays, or if you want to stay in a specific resort/hotel.
One area where there really is only one hotel for 250km is the Western Ho Chi Minh Road – read more about that here.
Also, take note of weather conditions – February/March can still be quite wet and cold anywhere north of Danang.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom!
Thanks for the tips! That’s good to hear.
Yeah we heard about the Hanoi traffic we are planning to get a scooter cab to guide us out of the city!
One more question I had, would you recommend boking our bikes beforehand? Or will there be plenty choice at the time of arrival?
Marijn
Hi Marijn,
Definitely try to book your bikes before, especially if you want to get them from one of these reputable rental companies.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Alrighty! I am currently in contact with patrick from Dragon Bikes.
Thanks for your help and the great blog posts so far dude, keep it up!
Marijn
Hello! Thanks a lot for the routes! We are planning to do the Beach Bum and were wondering is it easy to find accomodation along the way or should we plan in advance where we are going to stay?
Hi Greta,
Yes, there’s plenty of accommodation on that route, especially in the towns and beach communities. But even in more off the beaten path areas there’s almost always local guest houses called nhà nghỉ in Vietnamese – read more about that here.
I hope this helps,
Tom
What are the best landscapes to see between the beach boom road and the uncle ho’s road? And about the historical sites? And which one is the less touristic?
Hi,
Do you mean which route is the most scenic: the Beach Bum or Uncle Ho’s Road?
If so, it depends what kind of scenery you prefer: if you like coastal scenery, then the Beach Bum is best; if you like mountain scenery, then Uncle Ho’s Road is best.
Uncle Ho’s Road has less tourist hotspots than the Beach Bum.
For historical sits, if depends what kind of sites you’re looking for: there are more war-related sites on Uncle Ho’s Road, but there are more pagodas, temples, and shrines on the Beach Bum.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey Tom,
I’m planning on going to Ha Noi in either January or February to do ‘The Big One’ to Saigon – Is this a good time of year (Jan/Feb) to be doing it?
Thanks
Hi Nathaniel,
It’s not a particularly good time of year, because the weather conditions, especially in Central Vietnam are usually quite bleak at that time of year. It can also be surprisingly cold anywhere from Hue northwards. But in the south, especially anywhere south of Nha Trang, Jan/Feb is the best time of year for dry, warm, sunny, bright days. So if you can, it’s advisable to start in the south and end in the north at that time of year, because that way there’s more chance the weather will be getting better by the time you get further north.
But despite the weather conditions, lots of riders choose to do road trips during Jan/Feb and love it.
For more about weather see this guide.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey,
Thanks Tom.
So if you were going to recommend the best time of year to do South to North (or North to South) when would you recommend I do it?
What time of year would make sense to start to get the “best” weather all the way through?
Thanks,
Nathaniel
Hi Nathaniel,
The best times of year to ride the length of the country are April-May and September-October. For more about weather in Vietnam and when to go where, take a look at this guide.
Tom
Hello, thank you for your help,
According to you what is the best loop if we have 15 days?
And what is the best loop for people who are looking for adventure?
Thx
Hi,
Well, the routes on this page aren’t loops, but with 15 days (which isn’t a particularly long time for a south-north road trip), you should stick to the shorter routes, such as Uncle Ho’s Road, the Beach Bum, or Easy Rider.
However, the route that will take you most off the beaten path is the Big One, but to ride this route you need a lot more time.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Brilliant stuff mate, appreciate the information & feedback.
Planning an April trip to Vietnam & Thailand – will have ~10 days in Vietnam. I’ve been reading about these motorbike trips and it looks fantastic, but do you think it’s worth trying to do with only 10 days? We’ll be starting in Hanoi and moving south. Another option I’ve been contemplating is bus-ing or train-ing with the bikes to Hue or Hoi An and then just doing the leg from there to Ho Chi Mihn City. The only other thing to consider is that we’re trying to see Ha Long bay at the top of the trip as well.
Thanks for you time in advance – all the best!
Hi Will,
No, that’s not really enough time to ride north to south. You can ‘do’ Halong Bay as a day or day/night trip from Hanoi on a tour – there’s no point riding there.
Then you could pick your bikes up in Hue or Danang (just fly there – the budget airlines are cheap) and start your road trip from there all the way down to Saigon – following one or mixing several of the routes on this page. All the good, reliable, reputable rental companies have offices in either Hue or Danang, and also in Saigon, so you can rent the bikes in one city and drop them back in the other. For my recommendations of rental companies read this.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks for the idea/feedback. Love that.
We were hoping to ride Hai Van Pass (do you agree that’s a must do?) so will probably go with Hue. Do you not think it’s worth buying a motorbike in Hue as opposed to renting? We do have a couple days planned in Ho Chi Mihn at the end.
Hi Will,
It’s really not worth buying a motorbike for short term rides in Vietnam anymore. I discuss the pros and cons here.
Yes, the Hai Van Pass is good, but compared to other great roads in Vietnam, it’s not a must. I’ve written a guide to the Hai Van Pass here, and a list of 25 of the Greatest Riding Roads in Vietnam here.
Tom
Hi Tom.
My boyfriend and I will travel to Vietnam in January, where we will buy a motorbike to ride from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi in a spand of 3-5 week. We are seeking the most pleasant route where there wont be to much traffic and in generel easy to drive. Therefor we would like to ask you, which one you would prefer. As we can see on your site, it seems like the “Easy Rider” is the best pick. Is that the best pick?
Best regards
The Danes
Hi Ane,
In general, all my routes try to avoid busy main roads as much as possible, but sometimes there is no other choice but to ride on a highway. Also, road conditions can be unpredictable in Vietnam: a road that’s in good condition one year, might be in bad condition the next. Just bear this in mind as you make your preparations. But, yes, you’re right: the most suitable route for you is probably the Easy Rider. However, Uncle Ho’s Road is also fairly easy to follow.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom.
First of all, thanks for making it easier for the rest of us to make some sense of what to expect doing a trip like this.
Me and my girlfriend is currently in (November 6th) HCMC and contemplating if we should make south/north or north/south. We have absolutely no time pressure and can therefore easily take a train/bus to Hanoi and go from there. We are gonna take our time doing the big one(no less than 6 weeks) and would like you opinion on how weather conditions in that time frame and what would be best.
Thanks for your help.
Hi Joachim,
On balance, I would probably start in the north at this time of year and head south. But you should expect some pretty bleak weather in the central regions, particularly around Phong Nha and Hue, and maybe even as far south as Nha Trang. But there’s no way of avoiding this during Nov/Dec. Whereas, this is the beginning of the dry season in the south, so you’ll hopefully be saving the sunniest, driest section until last.
None of this is for certain though – the last 2 years weather patterns in Vietnam have become increasing unpredictable.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hello Tom,
Really great to see all these routes, thanks for being so helpful! I will travel through Vietnam on my bicycle and I wonder which one you think is best for cycling? My main concern is the roads not being too busy. Would be great if you didn’t mind sharing some thoughts on this 🙂
Hi Ellie,
It’s difficult to say, but probably a combination of the Classic, Beach Bum, and Uncle Ho’s Road. For example, Uncle Ho’s Road is very light traffic between Kon Tum (central) and Pho Chau (north). But that route is also the most mountainous, so it will be very challenging on a bicycle. On the other hand, the Beach Bum is probably the flattest route.
Although all my routes try to stay off busy main roads as much as possible, some sections – especially in and out of large cities – it’s unavoidable.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
That was helpful, I think we will mainly follow the classic route perhaps with a few detours. We’ve also been looking at your camping the south coast route and I wanted to let you know that we went to Sonmy camping ground and it was all closed down so you might want to take that one off. Longson Muine on the other hand is lovely and we’re so glad for your map otherwise we wouldn’t have found it. We also met another cycling pair who are using your maps. You really have done a great job of your website, so useful!
Hi Ellie,
Thank you for the update about Sonny – I went passed a few months ago and it was closed then too. I thought I had already written a note about it in the camping guide, but I guess not.
I hope you enjoy the Classic route. There’s been a lot of rain north of Nha Trang, especially around central regions. I just got back from Danang and Hue and I didn’t see the sun once 🙁
Tom
Awesome post! Appreciate the incredible amount of details you included.
Can you tell me why the HCM to Hanoi (South to North) route direction is more popular than travelling from Hanoi to HCM? What is the reason for this?
Thank you! Liam
Hi Liam,
There isn’t really a good reason for that – sometimes it depends on weather and time of year, but any of these routes can be ridden in either direction – it makes no difference.
Tom
Hi Tom,
I’m having trouble figuring out where I can stay overnight on the leg of the HCM Trail (Classic Route) Between Ninh Binh and Phong Nha. What/where do you recommend for accommodation?
Cheers
Colin
Hi Colin,
Take a look at sections 6,7,8 of my guide to the Ho Chi Minh Road here. There are suggestions of places to stay on the Ho Chi Minh Road between Hanoi and Phong Nha which you can use.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey Tom! Your website is my main source of inspiration for my trip to Vietnam next week. I am planning on doing the classic route but from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh. One of the reasons I am doing it by motorbike is to have the possibility to meet locals and have a few breakdowns hehe :). Do you think the classical is suitable to get off the main roads and meet locals?
Thanks!
Hi Gerlof,
Yes, you should still have lots of opportunities to meet local people (and have break downs) on the Classic route 🙂
Tom
Thanks Tom!
Hi Tom,
Wow thank you for all this information. I’ve been researching a cross-country Vietnam route for a while now and stumbled upon your site. It is by far the most comprehensive I’ve found on the internet.
I’ve decided on following your “Classic” Saigon to Hanoi route in January, but I will be doing it on a bicycle. So my question is, for a fairly experienced bike tourist, would it be safe/advisable/legal to follow this route on a bicycle? Also, I prefer to wild camp unless I’m within big cities, is it going to be difficult for me to do that along this route?
Thanks again!
Hi Ken,
Yes, it’s fine to follow the Classic route by bicycle – it’s legal and the route tries to stay off busy main roads as much as possible, although sometimes there’s no avoiding it. There are some very steep climbs, but if you’re an experience cyclist, I’m sure that won’t be a problem.
One things you might consider, is to take one of my Back Roads to Dalat instead of the route to Dalat that’s included in the Classic route. Also, another option for part of the ride is the Road East of the Long Mountains, instead of the Ho Chi Minh Road or the coastal route for the south-central section.
Wild camping is fine when the opportunity presents itself, but it depends entirely on where you are. For example, wild camping on the Western Ho Chi Minh Road is easy because it’s very rural and there’s nobody about. But in more populated areas it can be difficult to find an appropriate place to camp. See my Camping Archive for some more details. And when you can’t camp, you can almost always find a nhà nghỉ (local guest house).
I hope this helps,
Tom
Great this is good to hear! I’ll check out the Dalat and Long Mountain alternates as well. Another thing about wild camping, is it safe? Are there certain provinces you wouldn’t recommend camping?
Cheers!
Hi Ken,
It’s safe if you use your common sense and camp sensibly. Try not to be visible from the road and don’t draw attention to yourself. If someone does see, obviously it will arouse curiosity or in some cases suspicion. In these situations, try to ask permission to camp there the night. In rural Vietnam, people are still extremely friendly and hospitable to foreign travellers. In some provinces there is still a risk of UXO – so don’t go blazing an untrodden path through the jungle and digging any holes in the ground. You just need to use your common sense, really, and you should be fine.
Tom
Good to hear. Generally i’ve experienced that people are kind and I don’t expect anything different from the Vietnamese. Though I can’t say UXO is something I’ve ever encountered before, so it’s certainly a concern for me.
Thanks again for all your help and keep up the great work!
Hey Tom.
we´ll go to vietnam in the end of november for 28days.
do you think its to less time for “The Classical”-Road + “The High Roads” ?
best wishes and thanks for this awesome blog!
Timo
+ we want to make a relative slow trip…stoping here and there, maybe staying some more days here and there…
i´m afraid that we´re planing to much for too short time.
Hi Timo,
I think 28 days is a nice amount of time to ride the Classic route and take your time by stopping wherever you like for a day or two. But if you try to add the High Roads routes too then it might not be enough time. This is because the High Roads route is much more mountainous and the road conditions much more unpredictable and therefore the riding is slower.
I would recommend riding the Classic route, taking your time and staying where you want, and then just see if you have enough time for the High Roads at the end. If not, it’s still a great ride on the Classic route.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey Tom!
Thank you for this wonderful resource! I was wondering if there was a blend of the Beach Bum Route and the Uncle Ho Road that could be done in roughly 14 days? I am planning to do this in early October if that helps.
Thanks!
Hi Wesley,
Yes, you can do that. There are lots of east-west route linking the Beach Bum with Uncle Ho’s Road. For example, you could take QL19 from Quy Nhon on the coast up to Pleiku on the Ho Chi Minh Road.
Bear in mind that 14 days is not very long to complete a Saigon to Hanoi road trip, so you might be better off following a shorter route, such as the Easy Rider or just Uncle Ho’s Road. Also, October tends to be quite wet and miserable in the central regions, like Danang, Hue, Phong Nha.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Amazing resource, thank you.
I am interested in the easy rider or classic and will go ASAP. I am comfortable on a motorbike and have done the loops in central Laos but unsure of the mountainous roads in the rain now around Da Lat. I would like to go there with a stop in Cat Tien, or La Gi if I start on the coast which seems a bit further to get to Da Lat, but not sure if the road to and out of Da Lat to Nha Trang is recommended this time of year?
I can skip Mui Ne as I’ve been there and want to avoid cops so if it seems safer this time of year solo, I can stick to the coast and do the back road you mention. Any thoughts on this? Thank you!
Hi Jon,
Both routes you mention should be OK at this time of year, because most of them are in good condition so they shouldn’t be too badly affected by the heavy rains. If you go to Cat Tien on any of the routes that should be fine, or road QL55 from Lagi to Bao Loc and then up to Dalat should be fine too.
I hope you have a good ride,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Just reading through your blog its been amazingly helpful as many people have already stated! We are 2 28 yr old males with a decent amount of riding experience we have planned a route and amazingly its very close to the beach bum route you have provided above traveling from Hanoi to ho chi minh along the coast line we have 10 nights 11 days to complete this trip do you think this is enough time?
Who would you recommend sorting a bike from in hanoi?
Also do you recommend any places along this route as a must do?
Regards,
Dan
Hi Dan,
For recommendations of which companies to rent a bike from check out the first section of this guide.
Be careful that your route is the same/similar as the Beach Bum route, because when you zoom into my map you’ll see that very little of it is on Highway QL1A: most of the route is on quieter, more scenic back-roads. For some more information about the southern half of the Beach Bum route see this guide.
As for places to stop, see and stay along the way, click the map markers on the Beach Bum route map and the Coast Road route map and then follow the links to my guides to those specific places.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thank you so much for sharing! I really appreciate the thoughtfulness that you put into your article.
I do have one question: I want to visit Ha Long Bay, and was thinking of taking a detour on the Classic Route and go from Hanoi –> Ha Long Bay –> Ninh Binh. Alternatively, I would take a bus to Ha Long Bay and back, and start on the regular Classic Route. What do you think? Thanks!
Hi Jessica,
I would take the bus there and back instead – riding a motorbike between Hanoi and Halong Bay is not a very fun trip. So just do Halong Bay separately and then start your road trip after that.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey! I was recommended your site after posting on Reddit about motorbiking in Vietnam. My husband and I are going next year. He’s going to be there for about 20-22 days and I’ll be there for at least a couple of weeks longer. The initial plan was to do the motorbiking after he left but as I’ve been looking at it more and more, there’s so much that we want to do and see in both the south and north that will require traveling quite a bit anyway… So, I’m wondering, in your opinion, is Saigon to Hanoi possible within 22 days with several stops in between for things like Ha Long Bay, a night or two in Saigon, and maybe a couple of nights on one of the Islands? Along with obvious stops in between to enjoy the scenery and do some other random shit? Which route would you recommend?
Either way, when he leaves, I plan on motorbiking around northern Vietnam and your site has been a huge help with putting that portion of the trip together.
Thanks,
Rachel.
Hi Rachel,
Yes, 22 days is just about enough time to ride Saigon to Hanoi. It’s probably best to follow the Classic route with your time frame. And it’s best to do Halong Bay as a day/night trip from Hanoi, rather than riding there.
You can make a rough estimate of time etc by working out the average distance per day based on the total distance of the Classic route. For example, the Classic route is 2,770km, so that’s an average of 130km a day over 3 weeks, which is a nice pace to keep up. But of course if you stay anywhere for more than one night you will need to make up the distance the next day. In general, on the roads in Vietnam your average speed will be only around 40km an hour, not including any stops.
I hope this helps,
Tom
You think the Classic would be easier to do in that time frame than, say, the easy rider? I figured that 40kmph would be about the average travel speed from reading some of the stuff here and watching some videos, so that would mean that we’d have to ride for about 3.25 hours a day on average, which is perfectly fine, I’m just worried that we *may* end up cutting it close if we end up making extra stops or shit happens, you know? 22 days is the absolute max that he could be there and since there are a few things more touristy things that we want to do, such as Ha Long Bay, and we are both inexperienced when it comes to traveling internationally and motorbiking… I just want to make sure that we get to see as much as we can and still have time to relax a bit and not have to worry about time too much.
Hi Rachel,
Yes, the Classic or the Easy Rider should be OK.
But, with your time-frame and little experience, perhaps it’s best to send (or pick up) your bikes somewhere along the route – that way you won’t have to cover so much distance. Also it depends what time of year you are travelling?
Yes, it’s probably 4 hours RIDING time, but that doesn’t include stops for anything – food, photos, gas etc.
Tom
We’re going April/May. We might be changing our plans slightly and I might be arriving first. The plan would be for me to fly into Hanoi, get a bike, and make my way to Laos. From what I’ve been reading, motorbiking in Laos is easier than in Vietnam, so it would give me a chance to get used to riding on less difficult roads and, of course, the opportunity to see Laos as well. I would come back to Vietnam near Saigon to meet the husband when he flies in and we would continue from there.
That way at least one of us has some experience before doing a long road trip in Vietnam and I could better asses whether we should do as you suggested or if I think that we could manage the entire trip in that time frame.
I don’t know how much experience that you have with Laos but if so, do you think that this might be a good idea? I wasn’t planning on Laos initially because of time but the more that we’ve talked about it, the more comfortable he’s getting with the idea of me staying for a longer period of time (I might end up being in the area for more like 3 months or more without him).
I apologize for so many questions! This is our first big trip and we’re really, really excited and I want to get it right, you know?
Hi Rachel,
April/May is a good time of year from a north-south/south-north trip.
The roads in Laos are much quieter than Vietnam, but the network of paved roads is nothing like as extensive as Vietnam and crossing borders with your bike can sometimes be a hassle.
If you’re worried about getting used to riding in Vietnam, I would strongly suggest not starting your road trip from Hanoi or Saigon, where the traffic is chaotic and exiting the city is usually an awful ride. Instead either send your bike to a smaller city and start there, or simply rent your bike from somewhere like Danang in the first place.
I’ve written more about sending your bike on the train and recommendations of renting/buying bikes in my Resources Archive.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Just to echo everyone in the comments your blog is excellent and I’m nearly using this solely to plan my trip in Vietnam!
I’ve booked my flights to Saigon and I arrive in the city late hours on the 27th of October and leaving from Hanoi on the 2nd of December giving me plenty of time to get all the way up. I’ve decided to rent a bike from one of the companies that you recommend so I’ll give you a little mention.
I’m really torn between taking “The Big One” or the “The Classic”. I plan to be on the road for about 4 weeks of my visit as I’m meeting a friend up in Hanoi at the end, I’ve gave a few days to see the sights in Saigon as well. The Classic gives me what I think is a comfortable 98KM a day to ride. Is this what you class as comfortable? The Big One however is 150KM a day which I think is do-able but I’ll be aching! Since I’ll probably visit Vietnam probably just the once, do you think it’s best to go with the shorter route and enjoy a more relaxing journey or push myself to see everything possible?
What will the weather be like as I make my way up at that time? I’ve seen there can be a little bit of rain (hopefully) in the centre, warm/hot in the south and a lot cooler in the north.
One of my worries is the Police. I won’t be licensed so if I got stopped is it a worrying experience? Do you know what they expect as a bribe? I’m okay with confrontation but I’d like to be prepared for it. I’ll be a solo rider till I meet up with people making the same sort of journey.
Cheers!
Hi Ryan,
Yes, 100km a day is a very nice, comfortable, leisurely pace. You don’t have to stick only to one of the routes: for example, you can mix and match the Classic with the Big One – there are crossover points so it wouldn’t be difficult to do that, and with 4 weeks on the road you’ll have enough time to chop and change a bit.
Weather-wise, it’s not the best time to ride south to north. The south will be at the end of its rainy season, but the central provinces will probably be pretty wet during November. Hanoi might even be getting fairly cool by the time you get there. Expect some rainy days everywhere north of Nha Trang.
A standard fine for the police is roughly 200,000vnd (about $10). If you get stopped, turn off your engine, hold your keys, smile, take it easy, and eventually take the cash out of your pocket (make sure there’s only about 200,000vnd in there in the first place). Then they should take that and let you go. Be careful of Mui Ne – read the first few paragraphs of this guide and take the alternative route (in red) to avoid the police.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey Tom,
Is there a safe / direct / easy way to ride from HCMC to Ban Loc? It looks like most of it is on QL20 which looks like a major road.
Cheers,
Anna
Hi Anna,
Do you mean Bao Loc? If so, then you can follow any of the three routes in the map in this guide as far as Bao Loc. They try to stay off busy main roads as much as possible.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Oops. I definitely meant to Bao Loc.
We’ve decided to drive from HCMC to Bao Loc and then Da Lat and get to the coast from Da Lat to Nha Trang (Skipping the coast from HCMC – Nha Trang)
Is HCMC to Bao Loc drivable in a day?
Hi Anna,
Yes, you can ride from HCMC to Bao Loc in one day.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Is it possible to save the maps you’ve provided in goggles my maps app. Are you able to share the map with me so I can save it in google my maps app so I can activate directions right away.
Thanks let me know 🙂
Sorry I forgot to add Im hoping to be sent number 3. Uncle Ho’s road. Thank you.
P.s sorry im posting my question as a reply but I cant find the post comment option on my phone.
Hi Mohamad,
To get any of my Google Maps on your phone follow these steps: Open the map you want; click the three vertical dots (usually next to the map title in the top left corner); click ‘Export to KML’. Then upload that KML file to your Maps.me app. You should then be able to follow the route map on your phone with your GPS location always showing. However, directions are not enabled, but this shouldn’t be necessary.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom!
this is great site!
i living in vietnam but im not vietnamese. i married with vietnamese women.
now i living in Danang city but i want to go Saigon by my car.
actually yesterday i drived from danang to Quang ngay but i back to danang again because i thought it too stress to drive to saigon by car. so i give up but today i found your site and im thinking try to go saigon again.
would you give me some tip which route is less traffic and also can some nice scenic place?
thanks you Tom!
Hi Jeon Su Man,
Take a look at the map in my Coast Road guide – this route stays off busy highways as much as possible along the coast all the way to Saigon. But sometimes you do have to go on Highway 1 for an hour or so.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom
Just wondering if you have individual guides for each of the 5 routes? I’ve used your guides for Northern Vietnam which were awesome!
Hi Curtis,
If you click on any of the little motorbike symbols on each on the 5 maps they contain links which take you straight to the guide for that particular section on the route. Do you see what I mean?
Let me know if this works for you,
Tom
Thanks Tom for the quick reply, I see what you mean. These guides are awesome!
Thanks, Curtis. I hope you enjoy the ride.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Quick question, did you experience any issues with cops in Mui Ne? I was told by travelers and saw some sites online mentioning that cops there will stop tourists and ask to see a Vietnamese license. They do this to all tourists since they know they can get a bribe. I was thinking of biking from sailing to mui ne but I really don’t want to go through this. Let me know if you suggest I go to Mui Ne.
Hi Tan,
I address this issue is the first few paragraphs of this guide, including a back route marked in red to avoid the police.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
This website is absolute incredible, I will arrive in Saigon early March and will be looking at doing “the big one” route you have here. My only worry is that I am travelling with my girlfriend and hoping to travel on just one bike, do you think that is doable bare in mind we will have 2 large backpacks (approx 15kg each) plus my camera bag full of equipment at 10kg?
Cheers!
Daniel
Hi Daniel,
Yes, it’s possible but you will need to rent a large bike with a luggage rack and/or bike boxes – most rental companies offer this. Alternatively, you and your girlfriend can put your stuff into one backpack and send the other one up to the rental company’s office in Hanoi and pick it up there when you finish your trip and return your bike to the shop. Again, most of the rental companies offer the buy-back guarantee these days so this should be an option. Try contacting the rental services I recommend in the right sidebar and bottom of all my pages: Flamingo, Tigit, Rent a Bike, Dragon Bikes. You can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Tom firstly congratulations on a great site. Its left me in no doubt that Im making the trip but just got to decide which route to take.
I am planning an overland trip this summer from the UK to Saigon which will now culminate in one of your suggested routes but North to South.
We will probably reach Vietnam (Hanoi) late July and have about 16-18 days to make the trip.
Weather at that time of year in mind, which route would you suggest we take.
Many thanks in advance.
Daz
Hi Darran,
At that time of year, most of Vietnam experiences similar weather conditions: hot and humid with daily tropical showers.
With 16-18 days it’s probably best to take the Classic or the Easy Rider. These routes will give you a bit of mountains and coast.
I hope this helps,
Tom
OK Tom thats great.
Next question. The motorbike shops that have the banners on this site. Do they have branches in Hanoi as that is where we plan to start and if they come recommended by you thats good for me.
Daz
Hi Darran,
Yes, most of the motorbike rental places recommended on this site have offices in Hanoi. Flamingo Travel, Rent a Bike Vietnam, and Tigit Motorbikes all have offices in Hanoi.
Tom
Tom
We’ve decided to give the Classic a go but not before having a week in the North West first.
This will leave us a 2 week window to ride Classic as w’eve managed to get 23 days now.
Where would you recommend we visit on route as must not miss places.
Any suggestions of places to eat and lay our heads would be great.
We are 2 guys in our 50s like a beer at the end of the day etc.
Many thanks Daz
Hi Daz,
Two weeks is OK, but bear in mind that the Classic route is 2,770km so you will need to average around 200km each day.
For more detailed information about places to see, stay and eat along the route, click on the yellow motorbike markers or the beach markers on the Classic route map, then click the links in the markers which take you to my guides to those specific areas, which include accommodation information etc.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thanks for putting all of this together. I’m planning on biking Vietnam in mid-March and have a few questions. Is it worth it to use Tigit? Are there any issues with trying to find a full face helmet/do you recommend it? What riding gear is suggested? Can you do your routes in reverse? If I have 5 (maybe 6) days to go from Hanoi to Saigon, which route is the best and how many hours can I expect to be biking each day? How much should I expect to spent to spend throughout the trip? I haven’t had a chance to look through the rest of your website yet but wanted to get these questions down while I was thinking about them.
Hi Mathew,
Yes, Tigit are good, and so are Flamingo Travel, Dragon Bikes, and Rent a Bike Vietnam. Check them out: they are all good, reliable rental services. You can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me.
You can buy full face helmets in Vietnam easily. They are safer but also heavier and hotter in the humid tropical weather, but then they are good to keep you warm in the cooler mountain weather.
In mid March it might still be quite cold in places north of Hue, so maybe take a jacket, jeans and waterproofs. But in the south it is hot and humid so if you wear too much gear you will be uncomfortably hot.
Yes, you can ride any of my routes in reverse.
6 days is not enough time to ride between Hanoi and Saigon on any of these routes, unless you want to spend all day everyday on the bike. For example, the shortest route is Uncle Ho’s road (1,880km). That means you’d have to cover an average of 300km a day – this is doable but you can expect to spend about 7 hours riding each day: 10 hours on the road including stops for gas, food, drink, sightseeing. Bear in mind that it gets dark at around 6pm.
I have written an guide to Expenses here, but budget a few dollars more because prices have risen in the last year.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Really interesting read, I have 20 days in Vietnam – do you think this be ample time to ride the “Easy Rider” and buy/sell a bike/explore cities at both ends? Comfortable with long rides but not looking to spend the whole trip glued to the seat!
Thanks,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Yes, 20 days is enough time. If you average roughly 150km each day (very doable and a nice leisurely pace) then you’ll have plenty of time to cover the distance.
Regards buying and selling your bike, I’d recommend nipping that in the bud by rent/buying from one of the reliable services that offer buy-back guaranteed at the end of your trip. Check out Rent a Bike Vietnam, Tigit Motorbikes, Dragon Bikes and Flamingo Travel for example.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks for taking the time to reply, appreciated.
To echo the common sentiment here, finding your blog was an absolute godsend! I’m blown away by the breadth of information and your super efficient presentation. I only wish I knew how to deconstruct it to make the most out of my limited trip this March — hopefully, you’ll be able to lend me some wisdom:
I intend to start in Hoi An in the afternoon on March 6, ideally arriving in Hanoi on March 9 (however late in the evening doesn’t matter). I tried to break apart The Classic route, plugging the latter half into googlemaps, but over just 3 1/2 days, it seems ambitious at the least.
I’m 30-years-old and have a ton of experience with motorcycles (mostly supersports) – long days wouldn’t bother me. I’m also more concerned with the riding than the sightseeing on this particular trip, given the limited time, but would of course love to get as much bang for my buck as possible.
Any advice you could lend would be wildly appreciated! And thanks again for this amazing resource!
Hi Eitan,
If you’re an experienced rider you can complete the route between Hoi An and Hanoi over 3.5 days fairly comfortably. But it is a long ride, so try to start early in the mornings (remember it gets dark between 5.30-6pm here in Vietnam) and expect to spend most of the time in the saddle.
From Hoi An you’ll want to decide between taking the Hai Van Pass (along the coast) to Hue or heading straight up to the Ho Chi Minh Road at Thanh My (via road QL14B) – both routes are scenic. Regardless, after that you should plan to stay on the Ho Chi Minh Road all the way to Hanoi. It’s very scenic and great riding for most of the way. Follow my Ho Chi Minh Road guide (sections 4-8) and you shouldn’t have too many problems getting to Hanoi in time.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Your site is extremely helpful, planned most of my trip based on your routes & tips!
I’m going to HCMC in 5 days, have 20 days to get to Hanoi. I plan to stick to Ho Chi Minh Road mostly, though there’s not too much scenery in the beginning as I see it.
I consider going HCMC – Lagi – PhanThiet – Dalat – BuonMaThuot, then follow your route. Any pitfalls on the way?
I’m also a bit worried about the traffic on HCM road the week before Lunar New Year (9-16 Feb), should I prepare for the worst or chill?
Thanks for your time!
Hi Jack,
The traffic should be OK on the HCM Road before February 16th – probably more buses taking people back to their hometown for New Year – but after the 16th there will be lots of tourist traffic. However, most places should be OK, but popular areas, such as Phong Nha can get extremely busy. There’s a lot of drunk driving at that time of year, so be careful.
From HCMC to Phan Thiet you can follow the Ocean Road. From Dalat to Buon Ma Thuot you’ll need to take road QL27, because although most maps show a route leading north of Dalat on road DT722 (I call it the Pine Tree Road), in reality this ends in a dirt track after around 40km.
From Buon Ma Thuot you can follow my Ho Chi Minh Road Guide all the way to Hanoi (sections 2-8)
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
I am glued to the screen instead of sleeping reading through your posts and all the invaluable comments and context you provide. I am now 100 % convinced I want to do the Vietnam trip AND on a bike! Thank you so much for this awesome site and turning a vague idea into the first stage of a legit plan! Also, I think you are so kind in answering all those comments! I hope you don’t mind me asking a few super specific questions, feeling encouraged by this 🙂
I am planning to travel to Vietnam end of February for 3-3,5 weeks. Now I am torn between starting the classic route in HCMC to have some beaches first after a long cold German winter and end up in Hanoi, but I also feel REALLY drawn to the Northern Region too. And I feel like I would like to spend more than 1 night in one special place in each region to include some hiking/sightseeing/swimming and relaxing from riding, reading and eating. I was wondering what you would recommend:
1. Which part of the classic route could be skipped/shortcut if I would like to integrate a 3-4 day tour to the North East and still be done after 21 days?
2. Is the weather warm enough in the North East by the second week of March to enjoy sun and being outside?
3. Aren’t there beaches further up north so I could skip parts of the South?
4. If I would like to ride 2 weeks of that trip, but spend 1 week relaxing and walking in cities and nature (especially the north) – would there be a good combination of one part of your tours and a north tour? I am happy to either take the bike on one of the local express trains you mentioned so I have it with me and shortcut; extending riding time for 1-2 days so I can save some riding time the others; picking up the bike further up north and missing some coast (but maybe not the nicest part) – any suggestions?
5. As I am travelling by myself, do you know whether its likely I can find a riding buddy on my way and do you have a good tip where to stop in the beginning of the trip to meet other people on the road?
I will definately check out the links to hotels you provide and am happy to book through them where possible.
Thanks a bunch and greets from Hamburg,
Lu Yen
Hi Lu Yen,
I think it’s a good idea to start in the south, because the weather is better in the south at that time of year: then by the time you get to places north of Danang there’s a chance that the weather might have improved. It might not be warm enough in the Northeast by then to enjoy the sun, but you never know.
The best beaches are in the south, especially at that time of year, because the further north you go the more likely it is that the weather will deteriorate.
If you really want to have time for the Northeast at the end of the trip, you could start the Classic route in Nha Trang – you can arrange to pick your bike up from there through the rental companies. Then you can ride north along the coast and then inland for nature and mountains. There is a lot of hiking etc around Phong Nha, too.
However, personally I would leave the northeast open as an option if you have the time, because there’s plenty to keep you busy on the Classic route already, and getting to the Northeast takes time, and the road conditions can be unpredictable. I would come back to Vietnam another time to ride the ‘real’ north 🙂
You will definitely meet other riders and travel buddies when you are on the road 🙂
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thanks a lot for your reply! Nha Trang pick up sounds like a good plan, also to avoid the highway. I will definately check out Phong Nha – and yes, maybe you are right not to want to squeeze too much out of one trip. I just love the mountains…
Have a great week!
Lu Yen
Hi Tom,
What a great informative blog you have, I have a question or two if you don’t mind answering them.
I have 18 days in Vietnam with my friend (not as long as I hoped as he has to go back to work) but I’m sure we will be back in the future. The classic route appeals to me the most which towns do you recommend to stay at along the way and much time do you think we should spend in each place to complete 15 days of riding. I should also add that we would be starting off in HCMC making our way to Hanoi.
Another thing thats on my mind is when we do activities, how would we keep our bags safe which would have our passports, cameras etc. However with the safety of the bike I’m not too worried about it as we would be chaining it up together and locking them.
Regards,
Torin.
Hi Torin,
The red pins on the Classic route map on this page mark some of the more interesting places to overnight on that route.
Regarding how long to stay in each place, bear in mind that the total distance of the Classic route is 2,770km, and if you only have 15 days to complete it then you will need to average almost 200km per day. So if you stop anywhere on route for more than one night you will have to make that up with one or two long riding days. Therefore, I suggest you either choose to ride every day, only staying one night in places along the route, or if you want to stay longer in places, perhaps consider only riding half the route and then putting your bike on the train for the second half.
When you stop by the side of the road for a swim or something, don’t leave you most valuable possessions on your bike – passport, money etc. Take them with you in a day pack, and it’s best not to leave your bike out of sight when you stop, unless there’s a proper parking lot, which there often is.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
First off, thank you so much for all of your effort in creating this amazing website. This is exactly what I was looking for to feel prepared enough to do such a journey. Here are some questions I have for you (my apologies if they are repeats from earlier comments, I read through mostly off of them)
My boyfriend and I are planning to be in Vietnam near the end of May- mid June. We’re hoping to spend 3-4 weeks there. I’ve read your section on the weather in the different regions and I know we are going at a tricky time regarding the south. We definitely would like to see the whole of the country and it seems best that we start in Saigon and work our way up north where it will be spring– is that true?. The biggest dilemma we’re facing is deciding wether to motorbike our way from city-to-city all the way up or if we should rent motorbikes from hostels we stay at in the major cities/town and do local rides or some of the other loops you have posted. I know this question is more of a preference question but I’d love to hear your thoughts, as I’m sure there are pro’s and con’s to both. The major point’s we’ve been considering are:
-Time- the ability to spend more time in cities vs being on the road. We’ll be in Vietnam for a relatively long period of time, so if we did the Easy Rider we’d probably have more than enough time to spend a couple days in the major cities. I saw it’s about 150km/day for two weeks. I also saw that you can send your motorbike on the train. We were thinking if we needed to do that (due to time) we’d probably ride from HCM up to Hue (to cover the hai van pass) then either return the bikes in Hue to the renters (is that possible?) or send them up to Hanoi via train. If there is any part of the route to miss, which part would you recommend skipping? I also was wondering if we’d be getting a lot of rain in the south and it might be risky to be riding there.
-Cost. We haven’t quite figured this one out but I imagine renting bikes one-way for a long period of time would probably even out to renting motorbikes daily at hostels and the cost of train rides from city to city. Is this true?
– Safety/ Headaches of getting lost. I’ve motorbiked through parts of China and Thailand, but almost always had a local with me when we went on the more rural roads. I worry about break downs and getting lost. I’ve read there are a lot of places for bike repairs almost everywhere you go… are there some routes that are much easier to navigate or with more help than others? As I mentioned, we were thinking Easy Rider, but we’re also considering the Classic.
I know it’s not the ideal time to be traveling in Vietnam weather-wise, but are there many tourists traveling at this time? I’m wondering if I’d need to book hostels in advance or if we can play it by ear as we go.
Again, I know many of my questions are more subjective but I’d love to hear your experienced perspective.
Thank you!
Hi Sienna,
May-June is quite a good time to travel the whole country – the weather should be pretty similar and pretty good across the nation: hot, humid and sunny with tropical downpours. So I don’t think it matters that much which way around you do your trip.
Riding the whole way you will get a real sense of Vietnam and how the country, people, food, and culture changes from region to region. And there’s also a sense of achievement when riding the length of the country. However, if you don’t feel like spending so much time on the road then it’s certainly possible to take public transportation between the major cities and then rent bikes to do shorter loops.
Yes, 150km a day is a good and very doable average and would allow you time to spend a couple of nights here and there in certain places along the route. Yes, you can rent the bike from Saigon and return it to Hue or Danang or Hanoi or some other places along the route – check with the rental companies: try contacting Dragon Bikes, Flamingo Travel, Tigit, Rent a Bike – they are all good, efficient services. You can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me.
If you send your bike on the train, remember that it usually takes between 2-5 days to arrive at its destination.
It would probably work out a little cheaper if you rented a bike for the duration of your stay rather than at each stop along the way.
There are repairs shops everywhere, even in remote areas you’re never that far away from a place (sửa xe means motorbike repair in Vietnamese).
Navigation for the Easy Rider and Classic isn’t too difficult. You should buy a local sim card when you get to Vietnam so that you will have Google Maps etc all the time and your current gps location. Sadly, Google Maps offline doesn’t really work in Vietnam, so if you want to follow the route maps from my website you’ll need to export my maps from Google and then upload them to Maps.me (click the three vertical dots next to the map title at the top left corner of any of my Google route maps, then click the option ‘Export to KML’, then upload that file to Maps.me). If you do this you should be able to follow my route maps offline and with your current gps location on the map.
You should be OK booking hotels as you go, unless you arrive in a popular tourist destination on a weekend or public holiday.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Tom, your website is AMAZING. Pure value, such high quality content here. Thank you so much!
I’m traveling to Saigon in February and want to take the Easy Rider trail to Hanoi! So excited for this trip. I was told that Dragon Bikes was a great place to rent bikes from in Saigon. Any tips or other vital information you could send my way would be appreciated.
Thanks again for your awesome work here!
Hi Adam,
Thanks. I’m glad you like my site.
Yes, Dragon Bikes are a good, efficient and reliable place to rent from – there are links to Dragon Bikes in the right sidebar and bottom of all my pages. You can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me.
In February, two things to remember are that the weather can be surprisingly cold and grey anywhere north of Danang, but not all the time, of course. And Tet Lunar New Year holiday (which is the middle of Feb in 2018, I think) can get extremely busy with domestic tourists.
I hope this helps can you started planning your road trip,
Tom
Thank you so much for the reply Tom.
I wonder, is it safe to leave my bike unaccompanied for stretches of time, such as when exploring waterfalls, going to bed, or going for swims and walks? Or should the bike be locked to something secure so no one can throw it into the back of a truck or something like that?
I also saw that you sometimes had written directions for your routes.
Are there written directions for the entire Easy Rider Route? And for a beginner like me what do you think the best way to follow the route is and not get lost, would it be using my phone and screen shots of the google maps map, or following written directions?
Thank you once again! I’ve shared your website with my friends. It’s officially the most informative and artistic/well written travel website I’ve ever come across!
Hi Adam,
In most places where you stop there will be some kind of bike parking lot where you get a ticket for your bike (don’t lose the ticket) and someone will watch over it. But in cases where you stop by the side of the road for a swim or walk you can lock the front wheel of your bike (usually by turning the key all the way to the left in the ignition), or you can buy some kind of lock to take with you. But you shouldn’t really leave it out of your sight for too long.
There are detailed guides to certain sections of the Easy Rider route (click the motorbike symbols on the route map and then click the links within the map marker to go directly to those guides), but not a detailed guide to the entire route. You can follow the Easy Rider route by, as you say, taking screenshots and checking it against your GSP while on the road, or by exporting the route map from Google Maps to Maps.me (open the Easy Rider map, click the three vertical dots next to the map title in the top left corner, click the option ‘Export to KML’, then upload that file to Maps.me). You can also read more about maps etc in this article.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Tom, thank you once again! Such a great help my friend.
Hi Tom,
Thanks for this amazing Blog it’s really boost me in my planning, yo’re doing such a superb job.
I just shared it in a Maltese travel page 😉
I am planning to backpacking Vietnam from 8th February to 20th March so it counts like 40 days.
So as this is my first time as a solo traveler and in Vietnam, I have some questions to sort of.
1) Do you think I have time enough to make THE BEACH BUM & UNCLE HO’S ROAD as a round trip in 40 days plus staying few days in some of interested places? Or shall I make THE BIG ONE instead? I wish to cover as much as I can of the Country and I’am a good rider on motorbike so that is not an issue.
2) Do you recommend to start my journey from HCMC to HANOI and back of vice versa? This is regarding the weather issue also the Tet period.
3) It is possible to make some nights over in a tent or better if I sleep in a hostel for my safety matters?
4)Which are the best shops to by a good tested motorbike ready for a journey with less problems as possible ? And to be more easy for me to sell it back again without any problems please.
Sorry if I did any double questions.
Thanks again for your professional job.
Mauro
Hi Mauro,
Yes, I think that 40 days is enough time to do both: either the Beach Bum one way and Uncle Ho’s Road the other, or the Big One. With 40 days you have enough time to be flexible so you don’t need to worry about it too much. Remember you can also put your bike on the train.
At that time of year, I recommend starting in HCMC first, because the weather can still be quite cold anywhere north of Hue during February, so the later you get to the north the more likely it is that the weather will be better.
Yes, you can camp along the way, but it’s probably not worth bringing all your camping gear with you if you’re only going to use it a few times. Instead, you can camp at some of the designated campgrounds that I mention in my guides where you can rent a tent, like the Ocean Road for example.
For motorbike rental take a look at the recommended companies listed in the right sidebar and bottom of this page (and all pages of my website). They are all good, reliable, efficient services which guarantee buy-back at the end of your trip. Try contacting Flamingo Travel, Dragon Bikes, Tigit, and Rent a Bike Vietnam. You can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi again Tom,
Thanks for your immediately reply, it’s very helpful for me and others who had similar issues.
So now I know that I’m flexible enough regarding time. I will do the Beach Bum one way and Uncle Ho’s Road the other and I will start my journey from HCMC.
But I have other question if you don’t mind.
Which the best way I should start from? Beach Bum or Uncle Ho’s Road?
Thanks again Tom.
Mauro
Hi Mauro,
Well, it depends which you prefer first: beach or mountains 🙂
I’d probably start with the beach.
Tom
Hi Tom
Amazing website, really helpful.
Just wondering if you could offer some advice. We are going starting in Han oi, going to Hay Long Bay and then making our way down to Saigon, we want to see amazing views, the best cities and beach too, which route would you recommend for this, we are coming on 2nd january for 24 days but want to stop over at a few places for a couple of nights too.
Thank you in advance. 🙂
Sorry and Mountains*****
Hi Carley,
If you want to see beaches and mountains with around 3 weeks on the road then you should consider the Classic, Beach Bum and Easy Rider routes. You can combing and mix them up if you want. And remember that at that time of year the weather is best south of Nha Trang. Anywhere north of Hue can be quite cold and bleak in January. So that’s something to bear in mind if you’re looking for warm weather and beaches.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom! Just wanted to say this site has been amazing in my planning and appreciate all the work and effort you’ve put into it.
I’ve read that the ride from Nha Trang to Qui Nhom has some very beautiful spots, but also know that it routes through Hwy 1 at some parts. I’ve been told to avoid Hwy 1 so was curious how safe/unsafe that route would be. Any input would be super helpful.
Assuming I will be taking the coast up to Qui Nhom and then heading West, would you suggest going to Pleiku before Kon Tum? Or would it be alright to skip Pleiku.
I’m bringing my own motorcycle gear over along with my helmet that has a tinted visor. Would there be any reasons why a tinted visor wouldn’t be a good idea?
I appreciate any help! Thanks!
Hi Chad,
The coastal route between Nha Trang and Quy Nhon doesn’t go on Highway 1 all the way, as long as you follow the coastal route in the map from my Beach Bum route. From Dai Lanh you turn off Highway 1 all the way through Tuy Hoa to near Chi Thanh where you rejoin Highway 1 but it’s a particularly scenic section of Highway 1. Zoom in on the map to make sure you get the right roads.
Skipping Pleiku is fine. And a tinted visa is fine too, as long as it doesn’t get scratched easily.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi,
I will drive from HCMC to Hanoi. I have 4 weeks for this. I’ll begin on 12 December. I can pitch a tent. Never drove a scooter! Want to see most interesting free places in Vietnam like caves, waterfalls, charming small cities. I heard Scenic route is very nice. What route can you suggest?
Second question. How can I transfer your exact route so it could navigate me in google maps on my smartphone? Can’t sort this out :/
You’re doing absolutely awesome work, pity a lot of people don’t know your site!
Best regards
Hi Daniel,
All of the 5 routes on this page have caves, waterfalls, small towns etc. It just depends on your time-frame and if you want to be by the beach on in the mountains more. Perhaps you can combine the Beach Bum with some of the off-the-beaten-track sections of the Big One.
To get the routes onto your phone you need to export the maps to KML and then onto maps.me. You can do this by opening the tab in the top left corner of any of my Google Maps (where the three vertical dots are), then selecting Export to KML, then uploading that file to maps.me. That way you can follow your current gps position on any of the routes.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Actually, I’m not intersted in beaches. Is Scenic route is easy enough for somebody with no experience riding scooter or should I pick one of your “5 suggester routes”?
Thanks that helped. 😀
Daniel
Hi Daniel,
If you prefer mountains and you’re a first time rider I think Uncle Ho’s Road would be the best route. Also, I’ve written a full guide to the entire route here. Or you could try the Easy Rider which is specifically designed to be easily navigable.
The Scenic Route is good too, but there are some slightly more ‘difficult’ roads on it.
Tom
Hi Tom, thanks for all these writeups, really incredible collection of guides. I’m contemplating getting a bike to ride through the country, potentially on the beach bum itinerary you listed, and have some questions:
* All your itineraries are south-north, is there any specific reason other than you’re maybe based in the south?
* I would be nervous about theft, how do you go about choosing where to park and what not to avoid this? Do you run a chain lock through the front tire or something like that?
* is 18 days enough time to enjoy the beach bum tour without being constantly on the move? I’d like to at least take a break for a few days in Hoi An
* seems your links to bike shops are all rental options, maybe I’m paranoid but I get nervous about my deposit and whether I’ll get dinged for little stupid things at the end of the trip, vs. just buying a bike. In Thailand everywhere is notorious for trying to wring money out of tourists for “damage” that often was there to begin with
* any equipment you’d recommend bringing along for a relative beginning like gloves? I saw some other blogs saying bring a helmet but that seems a bit ridiculous, I’m travelling as light as possible with a 30L bag
That’s all I got for now, thanks for your time!
Hi Mich,
Yes, you can ride any of the routes from north to south or vice-versa. Time of year is a consideration when choosing which way to do it – take a look at my Weather Guide for more details.
Most places – hotels, restaurants, beaches etc – have their own little parking lot. You usually receive a ticket for your bike and a security person will take care of it. But when stopping by the side of the road in remote areas you could lock the wheel if you feel nervous about leaving it unattended. In general it’s fine, but obviously don’t leave your bike out of sight for an extended period of time if there’s no one around to look after it.
The total distance of the Beach Bum is 2,050km. So 18 days is fine – you’d only need to average around 100km per day. But of course if you stop in Hoi An for a few days that will significantly change your necessary daily average. You’d need to ride at least 2 days over 200km in order to stay static in Hoi An for a few days and still complete the Beach Bum in 18 days.
The links to my recommended motorbike rental companies are all very efficient, professionally-run and highly rated. You don’t need to worry about being scammed in any way. You can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me. And, in the unlikely event that you do have a bad experience renting from them, please let me know.
You don’t need to bring a helmet – they’re available here, and rental bikes often give you a choice of helmets too. Gloves are only necessary if you are riding in the highlands during the winter months.
I hope this helps,
Tom
this is great thanks Tom! Please ignore my other comment that is still waiting on moderation
Hi Tom,
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but on your Google maps for each route, is there a way to measure distances between points of interest (travel times and distances) to get a rough idea of where we will be along the route for each day? And what would you say would be the average time riding each day on the “Classic Route” around 3-4 hrs?
Thanks for all your help, this website has already helped me immensely preparing for my trip.
Cheers,
Alex.
Hi Alex,
I don’t think you’d be able to get Google to tell you distances and times unless you redraw the route on another Google Map.
Riding time depends a quite a few different factors. But as a general rule, on good roads your average speed will be about 40-50km an hour, but that doesn’t include stops for photos, gas etc. So at a leisurely pace you can reckon on around 100km every 3 hours. 150km a day is a very nice, easy, doable daily average, but it’s also possible to do a lot more if you start at a decent time in the morning.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hello,
Which month do you recommend to ride from Hanoi to Saigon? I have two options: 4th of December and 1st of february. December would be better for me, but if difference of joy is big I can ride in february.
Best Regards.
Hi Daniel,
Well, both of those options the weather will be best in the south: once you get north of Danang you may find it gets colder and grayer, because the north gets a real winter. If you ride during February, you will probably overlap with the Tet Lunar New Year celebrations – this is very interesting but it’s not great for travel, because many businesses close and most of the nation goes on holiday so places become busy.
So perhaps December would be your best option.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Came across your site tonight and I’ve spent longer than I’d care to admit scrolling through some of the trips you’ve done – there’s some great stuff here.
I’m planning on doing a trip in early December from Da Nang to Ha Noi. On the section of your ‘Classic’ route where it goes inland from Hue and up the Ho Chi Minh Road are there plenty of nha nghi/hotels? That’s the route I’d like to take but I just wanted to check that there are places to stay as it’s quite a long way from there to the red dot at Phong Nha.
Also, how long would you recommend budgeting for Da Nang – Ha Noi.?
Thanks for your help and keep up the excellent work,
David
Hi Dave,
Yes, there are places to stay – hotels and nha nghi – along the Ho Chi Minh Road. For much more detail take a lot at sections 4-8 of my Ho Chi Minh Road guide, which includes places to stay and stop along the way. The one section where there aren’t regular guest houses is the Western Ho Chi Minh Road between Khe Sanh and Phong Nha, but there is now a convenient small hotel right in the middle of that section in Long Son.
You could spend anything between 5-10 days between Danang and Hanoi, depending on how much riding you want to day each day and how much you want to stop along the way.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi! This is a great guide – thank you so much!
Quick question: For a new / inexperienced rider, which is the easiest / least tricky route that you would recommend? I’m planning to do this with a couple of friends, but I personally don’t ride and am planning to learn as much / as well as I can for a few days in Ho Chi Minh before heading out.
If you have any tips / tricks / contacts in Ho Chi Minh who might be able to give me a riding lesson or two, that would also be much appreciated!
Cheers, and thanks for contributing to the travel world!
crunch
Hi Crunch,
Uncle Ho’s Road is probably the easiest to navigate and is relatively low of traffic-clogged roads, plus it’s the shortest in terms of distance. Another option is to take the Easy Rider.
Some of the recommended motorbike rental companies (see the right sidebar and bottom of this page) may be able to help you practice before you leave. Try contacting them. You can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks for the suggestions! I did get in touch with the motorcycle companies and one of them offered to teach me (and waive the lesson fee if I rented from them) so that’s definitely helpful. Thanks so much!
Hi Tom
Great info and good work your doing , lived here for 6 yrs now but am going to ride down to Kien Giang from Danang with my dog would you sugest the HCM raod the best and quickest option also was thinking it willl take me 3 1/2 days riding to sgn , i know the riding conditions of Vn just wondering best option to go concidering i have my dog and really dont want to run the gauntlet of Highway 1 with the crazy buses trucks etc etc ,
cheers and hope to hear from you
Hoping to set of in 2 or 3 days from now
Lockie
Hi Lockie,
Yes, the Ho Chi Minh Road is probably the easiest and (for the most part) quiet and direct route, but you still have to deal with horrible dust and trucks for the last hour or so getting into Saigon.
From Saigon to Kien Giang you could follow one of my Mekong Routes – much better than the main highways, but again you still have to battle the traffic getting out of Saigon.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
First up, mad props for putting together probably the most detailed riding guide going around the interwebs at the moment. This thing has helped me in so many ways already. You sir, are a legend!
Me and some mates are looking at doing the “Classic” route for the 15-16 days we have in Viet, as it looks the most enjoyable. I’ve read through some of the other comments here in terms of timeframes and realise we may need to cover a few extra km’s to do it in this timeframe. So my question is if we are to do this route, is there a certain section we could skip/ride through or an earlier finishing point that might save us a bit of time? Anything you think we won’t be missing if we skip, really. We are riding Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh so were looking at the maps and thinking say, if we finished up at Nha Trang would we be missing anything from there, the rest of the way to H.C.M ??
Thanks heaps for your help!
Jay.
Hi Jay,
Yes, I think that either finishing in Nha Trang or starting in Dong Hoi (for Phong Nha) would work. It also depends on the time of year you’re planning to ride the route, because of weather. For example, the north gets a real winter from around late November to February, while the south has good weather at that time of year. (See this Weather Guide for more info).
With either of those ‘short cuts’ you should have enough time to ride the route, but you’d still need to cover quite a lot of kms over several days in order to finish on time.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Epic! Thanks for your help mate!
– Jay.
Thank you so much for the detailed routes! It helps soooo much. I’m hoping to do the big one and heading to Ninh Binh tomorrow but want to additionally include some of the many national parks along the way. For example, the ride from Ninh Bing to Dong Hoi or Hue is quite long. And I notice Pu Mat takes up quite a lot of space west of Vinh. Do you have any experience/info about this area? (other than the Kem Waterfall) Is driving that far west worth it?Everything I look up doesn’t really offer a lot of info. I also have camping stuff with me and would love to utilize it as I haven’t much in my trip yet. Is Bu Gia Map worth the ride out of the way? Have you been?
I can easily incorporate Bach Ma and Chu Yang into my trip but would love any extra info if you yourself have been there!
Thank you for this resource and for all your help!!!!!
Hi Bree,
It depends how much time you have and what the weather is like. The area around Kem Waterfall is very scenic and largely off the beaten path so if you have time I would recommend going there and exploring the wider area too, like Pu Mat National Park, for example. There’s not that much tourist development or infrastructure there yet, but ‘wild camping’ is great there, providing you do it sensibly, of course. Perhaps read some of the tips for ‘wild camping’ in Vietnam in this guide first.
There are many national parks in Vietnam, but personally I don’t think it’s worth putting aside the time for Bu Gia Map and Chu Yang – you will be riding through so many beautiful areas (especially on the Ho Chi Minh Road) that you will see and be in plenty of excellent natural landscapes without detours to specific national parks. However, I would recommend checking out Back Ma if you have the time.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thank you so much! I am utilizing all of your maps so much.
Hey Tom this was an awesome article along with your webpage. I had a few questions. I’m hoping to have 18 days. I want to start from Hanoi and go to HCMC. I would love to follow the classic route. Do you think this gives me ample time?
I would love to explore cities along the way and don’t want to be overly rushed. Should I potential try to shorten the classic to make it more feasible with the time I have?
Also if I decide to go with the classic, what is a reasonable mile/km goal to set for a day?
I really want to see the cities you have label along the way and not just pass through them.
Thank you
Jake.
Hi Jake,
18 days is enough time to ride the Classic route, but how much time you’ll have to explore the cities along the way depends on your riding experience and stamina. For example, if you rode every day over the 18 days, you’d need to average around 150km per day. This is very doable and not particularly tiring or long in the saddle, but it’s still around 4 hours of (fairly leisurely) riding each day. Add to that a couple of days in a couple of cities and you’d need to cover around 200km per day in order to fit it all into 18 days. So from this you can start to get an idea of how your time might work out.
If you’d prefer to cut out some bits of the route in order to spend more time exploring the cities along the way, you could consider starting in Hue (most motorbike rental companies can arrange this) and ending in Phan Thiet, where you can put your bike on the train to Saigon (more details about that here).
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom, thanks for the awesome guide! Sounds very promising.
Thanks Jake for the questions you asked, we were wondering the same thing. Right now we are in Hanoi and getting prepared for our tour.
But i have another one: Tom, I was wondering if you have those routes as gps-files aswell, since your premade routes can not be navigated offline in google maps.
Thanks,
Andi
Hi Andy,
Yes, Google offline doesn’t work for my maps in Vietnam, but you can export my maps (export to KML option in the dialogue box at top right of my Google maps) to maps.me and follow them like that. I’m aware that this is an issue and am trying to create an app to address this, but that will take some time. For more about maps.me and other maps see this Map Guide.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Awesome. Thanks Tom. I think I’ll do the entire classic route because it is too hard to resist. Once again thank you so much.
Hello Sir!
I currently live in Shanghai China, and i’m planning to take the motorbike drive in late January. However, I am planning to go from Hanoi down to Saigon. I saw your routes, and thought that I could just follow it backwards down to Saigon. I want to take a trip to Ha Long Bay first for a few days before going to Hanoi, and I was wondering if you have any sources about finding a motorbike in the Hanoi area.
Thank you!
Hi De-Sean,
Yes, sure. There are lots of reliable motorbike rental companies in Hanoi. Take a look at the trusted rental companies recommended in the right sidebar and bottom of this page (and on every page of my website). Contact any of them and they can give you a quote. You can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me.
I hope this helps,
Tom
G’day Tom,
My wife and I are heading to Vietnam at the end of October 17. I ahve been trolling the internet looking for best routes and stumbled upon yours. WOW, I am impressed. The routes you have proposed ahve taken alot of the guess work out of for me and I truly approeciate that.
As motorcyles are not actually that great for locking your things in, what is it like when you see a spot that looks good for a bit of look. Is it advisable to carry all your gear with you or are there locals for a few dong will look after your gear? I am not looking forward to carrying my wifes back pack 🙁
Thanks again for a great web site.
Cheers,
Marden
Hi Marden,
Personally, I leave the bulk of my luggage strapped on the bike (it’s just clothes etc so nothing valuable) and I take my smaller day pack with me which has all my valuables in it. This works fine for me, but obviously you should try not to leave your motorbike and belongings unseen for too long. Most of the time you can keep it within sight anyway: for example, if you want to stop by a river for a swim, just leave the bike by the roadside so you can keep an eye on it while you’re in the river.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
I got so excited about your website that I want to motorbike, but I don’t have any motorbiking experience.
Cycling I do everyday, scooters I have done, but not this. That having said…
I have about 14 days to travel between Saigon and Hanoi or the other way around (whatever you recommend).
I like the beach bum route, because it seems easier and safer for a first timer, but Uncle’s Ho’s Road seems amazing as well (again, whatever you recommend).
So, where should I start (Hanoi or Saigoin), which route is easier, what parts by motorbike and where/when to send my motorbike on the train?
I will be arriving next week!
Many, many thanks,
Amauri
Hi Amauri,
I think, at this time of year, you should consider starting in Hanoi and finishing in Saigon. The weather should be pretty good at this time of year, but you may get quite a bit of rain in the central provinces.
If you’ve ridden a scooter before you should be OK riding in Vietnam, with the possible exception of the big cities, where the traffic is dense and chaotic – obviously you’ll need to take it slowly when you first start out in Hanoi, but once you’re a couple hours out of the city it’s much quieter.
14 days is fine but it’s not that long, so you’ll probably be riding every day. Uncle Ho’s Road is the shortest and most direct of these 5 routes and it’s easy to navigate so that’s a pretty good option. Or, if you want to mix some beach time in there, consider the Easy Rider or Beach Bum.
For bike rental and information check out the trusted companies listed in the right sidebar and bottom of all my pages. You can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me.
I hope this helps get you started,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thank you so much for the quick response.
If I need to skip one part and send the motorbike by train. Which part would you recommend?
Cheers,
Amauri
Hi Amauri,
Well, that would depend on which route you choose. If you decide to do one of the coastal routes, it’s quite easy to put your bike on the train from Phan Thiet (Mui Ne) to Saigon. Or for any of the routes you could start in Dong Hoi and ride up to meet the Ho Chi Minh Road at Phong Nha and start the route from there. Some of the bike rental companies should be able to arrange for you to pick up the bike in, for example, Dong Hoi if you contact them in advance. Another option is to start you trip in Danang, Hoi An or Hue, because all the rental companies have shops there.
If you do plan to put your bike on the train for a section of the route remember that your bike doesn’t travel on the same train as you do and usually takes at least two days to arrive at its destination (with the exception of Phan Thiet to Saigon) – see this guide for more details.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom –
Thank you so much for publishing these helpful guides. Nice to see someone with in-depth knowledge sharing it through such detailed articles.
I have a few questions:
(1) If I plan to do the classic route at the beginning of February, does it much matter if I start in HCMC or Hanoi? I plan to complete the route in about 15-16 days so not sure if it matters, but my preference is for starting in Hanoi (but modified as noted below due to time constraints).
(2) Am I missing much by taking a train/plane to Dong Hoi then traveling via motorbike to Phong Nha and starting the classic route there? I understand you mentioned that the northern parts of the route are the most spectacular, so just want to make sure I’m not missing anything unique by starting out there.
(3) My girlfriend and I have never driven motorbikes so we plan to hire a tour guide + one other driver to drive us (each of us driving pilon behind a driver). Do you think this is smart or do you think we can learn quickly on the road going slowly? The tour guide is pretty pricey compared to doing it ourselves, but we’re not sure it’s safe to start our motorbiking experience on the roads of Vietnam.
(4) When doing the classic route, is it ok to skip the one leg between A Luoi and Thanh My on the Golden Loop or should we take that leg and then backtrack? I noticed all other parts of the Golden Loop are covered by the classic route which is why I ask.
(5) Of all the routes you mentioned, do you think the classic route is the best for first time visitors to Vietnam?
(6) Are the red markers indicating the spots where one should rest for at least a night?
Thanks again.
Hi David,
Yes, it’s fine to go from Hanoi to Saigon, and starting in Dong Hoi is also fine.
The driving depends on you really – whichever you feel safest and more confident doing. Because you’ll be starting the route in Dong Hoi you won’t be confronted with big city traffic immediately and this is a very good thing. Starting in Dong Hoi means a fairly gentle introduction to riding in Vietnam’s towns and then straight into the mountains on quieter roads. But Vietnam’s roads are dangerous and obviously you must be extremely careful. But the feeling of independence and freedom when self-riding these loops is unbeatable.
Yes, you could skip A Luoi to Thanh My so you don’t have to backtrack, or you could skip the Hai Van Pass instead: it depends if you’d rather ride a mountains pass (A Luoi to Thanh My) or a coastal pass (the Hai Van Pass).
Yes, the Classic is good for first time visitors, or you could also choose the Easy Rider. You have enough time with 15-16 days but not loads of time, so you will probably be riding almost every day.
The red pins mark major towns or places of interest and are also possible overnight stops.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thank you Tom! That was a very helpful reply.
Hi there Tom,
Awesome write up. I’m just reading through your blog and reminiscing about my time in Vietnam. Not sure if it is just me, but on Chrome, the maps appear to be out of order. Also, the Easy Rider map doesn’t show up at all on the page. Perhaps you want to check this out, to see if theres a glitch. Thanks so much for your awesome write up ands guides… If there is any way that I can join you and help run the site/ learn from you, please, please let me know. I want to be involved in anyways possible. Eager to share my online/media talents, writing skills, and passion for Vietnamese culture and travel/ living… thanks, Tom
Warmly,
Ian
Hi Ian,
Thanks for your kind words. And thanks for letting me know about the glitches – I will check them out. I get help for a couple of people on the tech side of things, but I do lack knowledge when it comes to that, so I reply on readers to write in with updates or letting me know if they’re having problems with the site in any way.
Thanks again,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Are there any routes you might be able to recommend that also include Cambodia and Laos? I arrive in HCMC in 3 weeks and plan to spend up to 2 months potentially riding around Indochina. I’m wondering if perhaps an initial side venture across to Cambodia and back to begin might be worthwhile, then your ‘Classic’ route, perhaps finishing with some northern Vietnam and Laos add-on…. any thoughts or suggestions here would be greatly appreciated.
Love your site and helpfulness mate.
Ben
Hi Ben,
I don’t know Cambodia or Laos that well. Other riders speak very highly of Laos as a motorbike destination – check out Laos GPS for some more information.
As far as I know, providing you have the papers for the motorbike, crossing those borders should be OK.
You can try searching the Vietnam Back Roads Facebook group for more Laos-Cambodia border related advice too.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Tom, first of all, great guide! You’ve created a wealth of information here that has become a key resource as I plan my upcoming Vietnam motorcycle tour. Thank you.
Do you have a guide on your preferred safety gear for the climate (helmet, boots, gloves), rain gear recommendations, and other essentials you like to have in your kit for long rides? It would be great to hear what your experience has taught.
Hi John,
Yes, it’s a good idea, and it’s something I’ve been meaning to write up for a while, but unfortunately I haven’t gotten around to it yet.
I’ve written about climate and weather here, so you can use that to get an idea of the kind of clothes you’ll need to pack according to different regions and different times of year.
Regards riding gear, many ‘serious’ riders from abroad come to Vietnam with all the ‘serious’ gear but end up shedding it all once they get here, because conditions are usually (but certainly not always) so hot and humid. A good helmet and sunglasses are important. Everything else is kind of personal – in hot, lowland areas I ride in flip-flops, shorts, and sleeveless T-shirt, but that’s not for everyone, of course, and I don’t ride particularly fast or on a high-powered bike. Depending on the time of year, the highlands can get surprisingly cold, making it essential to have at least some cold weather gear.
Other bits and pieces of this kind of information can be found in my Resources Archive.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi there, im currently in the north after following many of your routes and guideds and clocking up nearly 2000km we are on our way back to hanoi to head on a southern route, after seeing many mountains we are going to hit the beach bum route. I am just wondering if you can recommend any towns to stay to break the hanoi – phung na, hoi an – quy nhon sections up.
Liam
Hi Liam,
Good to hear that you’ve been enjoying your road trip so far.
Between Hanoi and Phong Nha they are several places to break the journey. Take a look at my Ho Chi Minh Road Guide from section 6 to 8 (although, obviously, you will be riding it in reverse).
Between Hoi An and Quy Nhon you could ride it in one day if you start in the morning, or break the journey at Sa Huynh or Tham Quan.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom!
First of all thanks for all the work you put in and all the detailed information you share! I’m currently riding your classic tour and love it so far!!
I’m currently in quy nhon and am going to make my way up to hoi an via kon tum but one question, do you have any advixe how to find suitable hotels/hostels/other places to stay the night on your route away from the big cities (red marks)? I have no idea how to do it and the ride from quy nhon to kon tum is a bit to long for my taste to do on one day
Hi Tim,
Good to hear you’re enjoying the route so far.
Away from the bigger towns you can look out for signs saying ‘nhà nghỉ’ which means ‘local guest house’ in Vietnamese. Once you start looking, you’ll see them very regularly. I’ve written an article all about nhà nghỉ here.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thanks for the detailed routes! I was thinking of doing the big one in Jan/Feb of 2018 but from Hanoi to Saigon. Whats with the huge time differences? Would 3 weeks be riding everyday compared to 6 weeks with days off at certain points?
Cheers,
Fraser
Hi Fraser,
Yes, that’s right. And it also depends on your riding experience and endurance for sitting in the saddle for hours each day. 3 weeks is a pretty short amount of time to ride The Big One and you’d be on the move almost every day, but 6 weeks would give you enough time to stop for a day or two every now and then.
Tom
Cheers!
Hi Tom!
Im flying to Saigon september 14 and was planning on doing the classic route, im flying back home october 8 from Hanoi, so I hope it will be enough time 🙂
I was wondering what places along the way you would recommend to stay more than a day, maybe even 2-3 days? since most of the stops will just be over the night before keep on the ride.
I was also wondering what places that I just cant miss to visit along the way up to hanoi?
Tnx really mutch for this amazing guide, love your site!
Keep up the good work, and sorry for my bad english 😉
Greetings from Sweden
Hi Christofer,
Three weeks should be enough to complete the Classic route. You’d only need to average less than 150km per day, so that is very doable. But, of course, every time you stop somewhere for a day and night then you will have to make up the distance the next day.
There are lots of great places to stop along this route. It depends if you prefer established traveller destinations or less visited areas. Places like Mui Ne, Dalat, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue and Ninh Binh are very popular with all types of travellers – they are interesting, beautiful places with lots of accommodation, things to see, and opportunities to meet other travellers. However, if you prefer less visited places, consider taking your time along the coast north of Nha Trang up to Quy Nhon – these coast roads are very scenic and there are lots of good beaches – click the links inside the map pins on the Classic route map above for more details. After that, the Western Ho Chi Minh Road from Khe Sanh to Phong Nha is stunning so take your time on that too.
I hope this helps,
Tom
What do you think of my itinerary?
Saigon 3 nights, phan thiet 2 nights, Dalat 1 night, Nha thrang 2 nights, qui nhon 1 night, kon tum 1 night, hoi an 2 nights, hue 2 nights, khe sanh 1 night, long son 1 night, pong nha 1 night, pho chau 1 night, vinh tien 1 night, nihn binh 1 night, hanoi 3 nights.
Maybe cut down one night in saigon and make it 4 in hanoi and then split it up to be able to go to ha long bay?
Any recommendations on good places to stay the night on theese places? 🙂
Hi Christofer,
Yes, that itinerary seems fine to me. Personally, I would spend two nights in Quy Nhon and Phong Nha because they are great places and a bit less touristy than, for example, Nha Trang and Hoi An.
For recommendations about places to stay in most of those places on the Ho Chi Minh Road section of your route, check out the relevant sections of my Ho Chi Minh Road Guide.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Okey tnx for the advice, then i might switch those then, so I stay 1 night in nha trang and hoi an, and two nights in quy nhon and phong nha instead! Yes okey im gonna read it!^^
Tnx for all help!
One more question for you Tom, How and where do i park my motorbike during day and especially the night? Do you have a guide for parking in Vietnam? 🙂
Tnx so mutch for all help!
At night, your hotel will take care of it. During the day if you stop at a cafe or a public beach there will be guards to look after it – they give you a ticket. Parking lot in Vietnamese is ‘giữ xe’. But when you stop at a random location, such as an empty beach, there will be no one there to guard your bike – make sure you don’t let it out of your sight.
Tom
Hi Tom,
I’m loving these scenic routes. Great post. My friend and I are arriving in Hanoi or Ho Chi Min this weekend. My question is which route do you recommend taking in terms of north to south (Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh) or south to north (Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi)? What are the positives and negatives of each of these 2 directions? We are looking to get the Honda XR 150 from Tigit or Fung.
Thank-you!
David
Hi David,
You can ride any of these routes in either direction. Things to bear in mind when choosing whether to ride south-north or north-south are weather, time of year, and your preference of mountains or beach. At this time of year, the weather is pretty similar all over Vietnam – sunny, hot, humid, tropical downpours – so that’s not going to be an issue for you. As a very general rule: the northern half is all about the mountains; the southern half is all about the beaches. So if you have a preference between those, that should be able to inform your decision: for example, do you want beaches at the beginning or end of your ride.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom, I am really enjoying reading gthrouhallthe parts of your extensive website. At the moment I am in Quang Ngai teaching. I finish here early August and plan to take part of your big One route on. I have a Honda SuperCub 50cc. Your advise: will it be enough to take me around most places in Vietnam? What parts do I need to be wary of? I would like to go as far as Ha Giang……
Thank you for your help.
Jacira
Hi Jacira,
Technically, a Honda Cub in good condition could do the route, but it would be a massive strain on the bike and it would be very slow and noisy going up the steep hills, not to mention a little uncomfortable. So, if possible, I would try to arrange a different bike for the trip: any ‘normal’ bike is OK – Honda Wave etc.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
thank you so much for this amazing guide! Me and my girlfriend are planning a motorbike trip from Hanoi to Saigon, and i was wondering if you know a good place where to buy a motorbike and what i should check before to buy, as well as what kind of documents i need.
Cheers!!
Hi Giorgio,
For buying bikes I recommend using the trusted and reputable companies listed on my website, rather than just buying a bike from someone online. For example, you can buy your motorbike from Rent a Bike Vietnam, Tigit Motorbikes, or Style Motorbikes in Hanoi and then return it to them in Saigon and they will guarantee buying it back. There are links to all three of those companies in the right sidebar and bottom of all my posts and pages. You can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hello,
At first I would like to thank you for your blog and the work you put on.
I plans to arrive in Vietnam at the beginning of January for 25 days (where I have an evening out on the 25th of the afternoon in Saigon)
I plan to travel from Hanoi to Saigon with a classic route supplemented with halong bay (possibly shortened) and additionally when I get to Saigon on a trip to Phu Quac island (If I stay at least 5 days to fly (I assume 7 days))
How do you think this is real assumption? Is it better to drive to Saigon and then sell motorbikes and take public transportation to the island?
I think I’ll be driving every day
what do You think about it?
Hi Luke,
Yes, if you want to ride the Classic route and visit Halong Bay and go to Phu Quoc in 25 days then you will most probably be riding every day. I recommend flying between Saigon and Phu Quoc to save time – there are lots of flights every day and prices are quite low because of competition – try Vietjet and Jetstar.
For Halong Bay it might be better just to do a day/night tour from Hanoi instead, then start your motorbike trip after that from Hanoi.
I also recommend getting your motorbike from one of the reputable rental companies in Hanoi: Rent a Bike Vietnam, Tigit Motorbikes, and Style Motorbikes. If you do this you can give the bike back to them when you get to Saigon – it’s very convenient. There are links to all three rental companies in the right sidebar and bottom of all my pages.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks for the reply.
This is a preliminary plan, I do not know if on the way will not be less in which I want to be longer.
The idea of Phu Quoc is an alternative if I arrived in Saigon 6-7 days before leaving for Vietnam. Then I would take a two day break for a full relaxation by drinking coconut water and mentioning a trip to Vietnam.
In the first option I wanted to buy honde Win very much but after reading reviews many people advise and recommend to rent honda Detech 120 cc for about $ 200 per month (I was recommended to Style Motorbikes) . Like you write in Hanoi and give Ho Chi Min.
I also wonder about the option of renting a second motor in Ho Chi Min and returning to the island.
But it’s just such a supplement, as I will be 2-3 days free is the only way to see the delta of mekong.
I am an active traveler, do not like long breaks. In addition, I take a tent to sleep sleepers if I had a night on the road.
I wonder about the daily budget of about $ 20-25, for fuel, food, accommodation and possible repairs. Do you think it will be enough?
After that your blog is such a mine of knowledge that probably somewhere on my questions is hidden answer
Hi Luke,
Yes, that sounds like a good plan.
For an idea of how much you might spend per day on your road trip take a look at my Expenses Guide.
I hope you have a great trip.
Tom
Hey Tom,
Thank you so much for this. This is really useful I am completely following your maps for the journey I am going to start in a couple of days. 😀
However, I needed your opinions on one thing. What places/cities/routes would you recommend during about 500km journey between Dong Hoi and Hanoi for taking rest for a night or to break down the journey into a couple of shorter ones?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
VV
Hi VV,
There are a few convenient places to break the journey between Dong Hoi and Hanoi. First of all, make sure you take the inland Ho Chi Minh Road and not the coastal Highway QL1A. On the Ho Chi Minh Road between Phong Nha and Hanoi there are many places to stay for a night and break the journey – take a look at sections 6, 7, and 8 of this guide for all the information you need.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Awesome blog Tom. This has been super helpful and really ignited my passion for the trip.
I’ll only have about 13-14 days and am thinking of doing the Beach Bum route. Any suggestions on where I should focus my time and good places to stop for overnight?
Many thanks!
Cale
Hi Cale,
The most impressive stretch of coast on the Beach Bum route is between Saigon-Phan Thiet-Phan Rang-Cam Ranh-Nha Trang-Quy Nhon. These are all connected by fabulous ocean roads passing great beaches. Click on the relevant map markers on my Beach Bum route map and then click the links to my details guides to those sections of the route.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks for your quick reply Tom!
If I were trying to do the Beach Bum route in 2 weeks, how far would be realistic and best to travel each day? Do you have any suggestions on what towns I should stop in for overnight, or any that I should stay in for a day or two?
Many thanks!
Hi Cale,
How far you travel each day depends on your motorbiking experience and how much you want/need to stop or rest along the way. In general, the roads are all pretty good on the Beach Bum route so you should easily cover 100-150km per day with lots of time to stop and swim and sight-see etc. Any distance between 200-350km is quite a long (and tiring) distance to cover in a day.
For interesting destinations to stop along the way take a look at the links to my detailed guides to the sections of road that I mentioned in my previous comment – there’s lots of information in those guides about all the ocean road between Saigon and Nha Trang in particular.
Tom
Wow, now that I click on the details, I see how awesome your site really is!
My travel plans have changes a little and now I only have 8 days in Vietnam. I am thinking I will ride either from Hanoi –> Da Nang or HCM –> Da Nang and am deciding between the two. I am wondering which of these two options you would suggest for someone visiting Vietnam for the first time? I am leaning towards Hanoi –> Da Nang because the Limestone Loop looks spectacular.
Thanks again!
Hi Cale,
It depends what time of year you are planning to travel and if you prefer mountains or beaches: If you are travelling between October and February you may find that the route from Hanoi to Danang is subject to bad weather, but Danang to Saigon the weather should be better; and if you prefer mountains then Hanoi to Danang is better, but if you prefer beaches then Danang to Saigon is better.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Great articles all very helpful
Can anyone advise if it’s realistic to come into vietnam from cambodia via the crossing Hoa lu and then travel up to the crossing into Laos via dak rang on what looks like the main road the 14.
we get a 15 day visa and wanted to do this journey at the end of this month.
Will this be feasible in the time given and interesting along the way? Also current weather and road conditions?
Two people on a Honda win (previously travelled vietnams coastline by bus for a month)
Any help appreciated thanks
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte,
As far as I know the Hoa Lu border is open, but I don’t recognize the name of the other one you mention. I’m not sure how easy or not it will be to take your bikes across the borders, but the route you’ll take once in Vietnam will be QL14 and QL15 which is the Ho Chi Minh Road – it’s in good condition and scenic. 15 days is plenty of time.
Weather should be OK, but you will get some rain too.
For more information about border crossings try searching the Vietnam Back Roads Facebook book page.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
First of all, what a wonderful blog! It helped me a lot with the planning of the trip 🙂
I will go to Vietnam in late September, early October.
I’ll fly to Hanoi, and from there i will go to Saigon (The Big Route with probably some detours)
I was wondering if i should go to Sa Pa (north of Hanoi). It is a detour of 300km, but i don’t know if it’s the correct time to go to the north in october.
Cheers!
Quinten
Hi Quinten,
Yes, September and October is a good time to be in the north in general, so depending on how much time you have in Vietnam, I would recommend taking a trip up north – perhaps following one or more of my Northern Routes.
Remember that you can put your motorbikes on the train from/to Hanoi and Lao Cai (Sapa) – that way you won’t have to ride all the way there and back again. If you plan to ride in the northeast, be aware that some of the roads, particularly along the Chinese border near Ban Gioc Waterfall, are often in bad condition.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thanks for the great article!
Im going to be landing in Saigon in July and plan on traveling up to Hanoi within about 2.5-3 weeks. A few questions:
1) I’ve never really driven a motorbike before (I’ve driven a moped if that helps) but Im a pretty fast learner. Im going to be going with my girlfriend as well, and plan on sticking her on the bike with me. What would you say on a scale from 1-10 is the level of danger in this situation? And is there any route safer than the others?
2) If we only have about 17-21 days, would that mean only staying in one place per day, and having to ride everyday? Or would we be able to stick around in a certain place for a few days.
3) Lastly, if we plan on doing lets say half the trip by bike, and the other half by quicker means of transport, would any of the following be feasible (in your opinion): to start driving from Saigon up until about Hoi An and sell my bike there, taking train/bus etc from Saigon to Hoi An and buy a motorbike in Hoi An and bike all the way up to Hanoi and sell in Hanoi, or neither?
Thank you very much in advance!
Emanuel
Hi Emanuel,
Most ‘motorbikes’ here are more like scooters – either automatic or semi-automatics – so you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting used to that. The problem will probably be dealing with the traffic and lack of ‘riding discipline’ in the big cities – if you’re not used to Vietnamese traffic this may come as a shock. However, once you are out of the city there’s very little traffic indeed. Also, all my routes try to stay off busy main roads as much as possible, but of course they can’t always be avoided. I can’t give you a danger level on a scale of 1-10, but ride carefully and sensibly and you should be absolutely fine.
3 weeks is a pretty good amount of time to have. Whether you have time to spend more than one day in some places will depend of how much riding you want to do each day: some people prefer to ride long distances (200-300km upwards) and then stay a couple nights somewhere, but other people prefer riding shorter distances (100-150km) each day and just staying one night in most places. Average riding speeds in Vietnam (depending on the roads, of course) are about 40-60km per hour. With 3 weeks it’s probably best to ride each day for a few days and then stop for two days in one place, then repeat this pattern for each of your 3 weeks.
Yes, you can do either of those options. However, instead of buying a random bike, it’s much easier, more reliable, and pretty much the same price to buy/rent a bike from one of the reputable rental companies. The following companies are all excellent and offer pick up and drop off in Saigon, Danang (Hoi An), and Hanoi: Tigit Motorbikes, Rent a Bike Vietnam, and Style Motorbikes – there are links to all three of them in the right sidebar and bottom of all my pages. You can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey Tom,
wow, this comment section is exploding! 🙂 More greetings from “Life’s a Beach” just south of Quy Nhon – what a gem! Took the wooden bridge mentioned in another comment to get back on 1A and then 1D after a visit of Ghen Da Dia – 2000 D for bicycles, great option to avoid some kms – and also fun: )
Thinking about cutting inland from here before getting back on the coast for Hoi An like you suggest in most route options. I just wondered: Can you tell me for what reason you go north for quite a bit after Quy Nhon and then west instead of taking the seemingly more straightforward connection, QL19 from here to Pleiku?
Just the nicer road? Or anything on the coast to check out that I’m missing? I’m on the bicycle, so especially with all those climbs, looking to avoid all unnecessary detours 🙂
Thanks for taking the time!
Rike
Hi Rike,
Good to hear you’re enjoying Life’s a Beach’.
The reason I go north from Quy Nhon is that it’s a good, long stretch of coastal back roads leading all the way from Quy Nhon to Tam Quan. Unfortunately, after that you have to join Highway 1 for a bit until turning off due west for Ba To and continuing up to Kon Tum (which is also a very scenic road).
But sure you could just take QL19 up to Pleiku instead. Either way you’re going to be doing quite a lot of climbing! 🙂
Another route you might be interested in joining in this area is the Road East of the Long Mountains – fantastic scenery, very light traffic, and good road conditions.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks heaps, Tom! I’ll let you know which one I chose – if I don’t turn away crying … 🙂
One last question for you on this stretch, if you don’t mind, Tom: Just wondering why you chose to go east to Hoi An after Thanh My – to enjoy the HCMH as long as possible? Would the Champa temples further south be worth passing by though? Your jungle temple pic looks tempting, too!
I made it up to Ko Tum, the 19 was in a rather poor conditions with massive potholes in some stretches, absolutely stellar in others. Lots of truck traffic all the way. I turned of after
reaching DT 670 which was, while more scenic, not a lot if fun to ride: 50kms of even more potholes. But interesting to See how the population and architecture change along the way!
Hi Rike,
Thanks for the road updates. Yes, that’s the problem with taking the highways – the trucks.
Yes, I stay on the HCM Road as far as Thanh My to make the most of that scenic section of road. Although both west-east roads (QL14E & 14B) connecting the HCM Road with the coast near Hoi An are good.
The Cham temples at My Son are good, but they are incredibly popular so it can get really crowded there sometimes.
Enjoy the ride,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Awesome post! Question for you. My friend and I will have ~3-4 weeks in Vietnam in mid-July/early-August and I was wondering whether motorbiking from HCMC to Hanoi would still be doable/safe/fun during the rainy season? Would you recommend the Classic route? Thanks for all the great info!
Jason
Hi Jason,
Yes, the Classic route in July-August is absolutely fine – weather conditions are pretty similar throughout the country at that time of year: hot and humid with tropical downpours. So, apart from occasional heavy rain, you shouldn’t have any problems riding then.
I hope this helps,
Tom
I notice none of the maps contain Sapa. Is it not worth it after seeing everything before?
Hi Dan,
These maps don’t contain Sapa because these routes focus only on Saigon to Hanoi – not the northern mountains, which are beyond Hanoi.
But for more of my routes which do contain Sapa, take a look at the Sapa-Sin Ho Loop, and the Borders & Back-Roads Loop. You might also be interested in my other Northern Routes.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey Tom, I’m at “Life’s a Beach” now as I head North, I’m one of the many many people here who are getting great value out of your route guides, can’t thank you enough!
It seems you haven’t published a more detailed guide on the area between the Hon Gom Sandbar and around Hoi An, so I thought I’d share my thoughts.
https://goo.gl/maps/t4CLaEHzKu32 is a little wooden bridge that I saw off to the side following your route, and crossed just for fun. They charged me a 3,000 Dong toll (each way…) and there was a sign suggesting 1,000 might have been more appropriate. I can’t vouch for the quality of the roads to get there from your route (and cutting out the QL1A bridge), but this was a treat and well worth checking out to consider putting your suggested route over it next time you’re in the area.
Hi Mark,
Thanks. It’s great to hear you’re enjoying your road trip.
Thanks for the tip. Yes, you’re right, I haven’t written a detailed guide to that coastal area, although I’ve been planning to for a while now. I wasn’t allowed to cross that bridge last time I was there, so it’s great to hear that it’s possible now. I’ll definitely check it out next time I’m there.
Tom
Hi guys, how can I use the map? I want to use it in my phone like navigation, but I could not find any option how to do that. When I try to make it on my own, it always find me other route.
Thanks Petr
Hi Petr,
You can try exporting the map to maps.me or openstreetmap – that might work.
I am working on an app to make this easier but it will be a long time before it’s finished.
I hope it works out for you,
Tom
Hi Tom,
You are best, thanks.
Hi,
Do you have any recommendations on a route between Hanoi and Cat Ba Island, via Hai Phong. I’ve seen multiple people advising against it online.
Google seems to recommend either QL5B which looks like a brand new major expressway that would probably have lots of truck traffic or AH14, which I imagine would have less traffic due to QL5B.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Dustin from Canada
Hi Dustin,
Yes, that’s the problem with riding from Hanoi to Hai Phong – it’s an industrial belt so unless you take a really circuitous route it’s not going to be a beautiful ride. As far as I know bikes can’t take the new expressway on QL5B, because it’s vehicles only. AH14 is the old main artery between the two cities but, now that the new expressway has taken some of the load off it, this is probably a better option.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks!
Follow up question, will the ferrys from Ben Binh in Hai Phong to the south of Cat Ba Island take motorbikes, or is the best option Dinh Vu to Cat Hai Island, then the second ferry the rest of the way to the Northwest of Cat Ba Island?
Cheers!
There’s now a road bridge between Hai Phong and Cat Hai Island. I don’t have up to date information about putting bikes on the boats because I haven’t done it for a long time. But there used to be two types of boats: fast passenger boats, and slower car ferries.
Tom
First of all, as I told you via messenger your blog is an absolute legend. I am glad I found it myself before I realised you’re recommended in LP guide too, congrats! We’re cruising through Vietnam using your tips n tricks and we’re planning our route everyday using your maps (mix of classic and beach bum). We do not take a lot of organised trips and people we meet usually speak little or no English so I have several questions to ask and maybe we get answer here from you or one of readers. So…
1. What on earth are all these huge huge nets on stilts on rivers?
2. What’s up with all these abandoned/empty hotels by the sea some 7km south of Vinh Moc tunnels? There’s like 2 completely abandoned resorts and 5 maybe 6 still operation but empty hotels here. Looks a bit post-apocalyptic.
3. Follow up question. Roadside hotels/motels that cost 200-250k with breakfast and are almost empty – how do they survive?
4. Who is eating frogs/crocs/snakes/lizards? Is it just prank food for tourists commonly found in big asian cities? Beijing and Bangkok are full of crickets/scorpions/bugs and other theoretically edible stuff. Or is it for locals too? Because we never come across any place serving let’s say snake or lizard unless it’s an eatery designed for tourists. We’ve not found dog meat yet but I guess we’re not north enough yet (Phong Nha tonight).
5. Is there a reason why left lane is slower than middle or second from left? Slow trucks almost always take left lane and buses and other trucks must take over from the right.
I think that’s it for now haha.
Thanks again and good luck on your future travels!
Peace,
Cezar
Hi Cezar,
The huge nets are for fishing – as far as I understand the nets are submerged during high tide and then, when the tide goes back out, the fish get caught in the net – it’s low maintenance fishing 🙂
Loads of big projects, like resorts, get started but never finish because the money runs out or they hit some official or bureaucratic problem which leads to the ‘hotel shells’ that you’re seeing.
Most of the hotels outside of major tourist areas are empty during the week, but they make all their money on the weekends and public holidays from domestic tourism, which is huge at the moment.
Frogs, snakes, and dog etc are all widely and regularly eaten by many Vietnamese. Dog is becoming an ever more complicated issue in Vietnam, but there are dog meat restaurants all over the country, especially the north. The words in Vietnamese are thịt chó or cầy tơ. Cat is common too in the north. It’s not a tourist thing.
I think trucks are officially supposed to take the middle lane, but they only do so if they know that a particular stretch of road is watched by police. However, the discipline of truck drivers has improved over the last couple of years.
I hope this answers some of your questions 🙂
Tom
Thank you very much for your reply! This does answer my questions, cheers!
I’m still wondering about these nets, sometimes they are a good few meters above water level – tides wouldn’t be so high would they? I still need to take a pic of one of these bad boys and post link here so we’re sure we talk about same thing;)
Why is dog eating an issue? Is it not quite legal, or frowned upon or?
Cheers from here https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Toan+Thu+Hotel/@19.3229696,105.4329475,18z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x3e0f109fdfcf8d90!8m2!3d19.3230049!4d105.4329402
We’ve found this motel today and it’s best $11 ever spent. You could add this to your maps – make sure you check it out on your next trip. Best value for money in Vietnam so far. Good local BBQ eateries nearby, ATM across the street, bike repair shop, beer shop all in one place. Secure indoor parking, great rooms and fab staff. Now I sound like I work for them haha. It just feels so good to get a 250k hotel that looks better than some +500k we experienced – especially after 4h ride in rain.
Peace,
Cezar
Hi Cezar,
The hotel sounds good. I’ll check it out.
The issue with dog started with Western visitors to Vietnam disliking the practice of eating it, and now many of Vietnam’s urban youth take the same attitude towards it. But it’s totally legal still.
Maybe the nets can also be manually lowered into the water.
Enjoy the rest of your ride,
Tom
Tom,
Just wanted to start off by saying this site is amazing and appreciate all the work and effort you’ve put in. We’ll be going back to Nam next week and this will be the first time outside of the south. We are planning to do a slightly modified (adding Da Lat) Beach Bum route from the north to south and wonder if I was being overly ambitious about our schedule/timing. Currently we land 03/02 (from the states) and need to be in Saigon by 03/18. To save some time we figured we’d take the night train from Hanoi to Dong Hoi since it seems like the longest stretch (503km) without anything significant in between (planning on going to Phong Nha Caves from Dong Hoi). Just a few questions if you don’t mind
Are we going to miss anything worthwhile by taking the train instead of riding to Dong Hoi?
What about Sapa and Ha Long Bay? From reading around March wasn’t the best month to go experience these spots in addition to the 2-3 needed for each
Is 16 days a stretch to make it down to Saigon? We are currently estimating 40km/hr average?
Besides the major cities is there anything else we should check out?
Currently planned:
Hanoi
Dong Hoi
Hue
Hoi An
Quy Nhon
Nha Trang
Da Lat
Mui Ne
Saigon
Anything we should just skip in general? Added Quy Nhon there since Hoi An to Nha Trang was going to be another 500km ride.
Any advice, recommendations, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for all your time and keep up the great work!
-Best Regards,
C
Hi Chops,
I think it’s a good idea, given your time frame, to take the train from Hanoi to Dong Hoi, and also to skip Sapa and Halong Bay, which, although still very scenic, are far too busy these days.
After that, your itinerary looks fine to me: 16 days in enough time to do it in, considering you have travelling and riding experience in Vietnam already, and your estimate of 40km per hour is also spot on. It’s also a good idea to stop in Quy Nhon because that’s a great place.
You might consider going from Phong Nha to Hue via the Western Ho Chi Minh Road (Phong Nha to Khe Sanh to A Luoi and down to Hue on Road QL49) instead of along the coast, because this is one of the best rides in Vietnam. You’d need to allow 2 days to ride Phong Nha to Hue via this route.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom, I am currently cycling around Vietnam and have been for the last six months. I’ve done the Delta and followed your route for camping the Ocean road and also the HCM route from Pleiku to Danang. Your info has been most helpful and I thank you.
Today I shall cycle into Hanoi and I am thinking about exploring the mountains to the NE and NW of Hanoi again using your routes as a guide. How doable do you think it is on bicycle? How do the climbs compare with Hai Van Pass and the two passes from Qui Nhon to Pleiku, plus the climb from Mai Chau to Hoa Binh ?
Cheers for any useful info you can give me.
Adam
Hi Adam,
Riding the northern routes by bicycle would be very challenging but also very rewarding. Some of the passes are very steep and long – comparable or more so than the other passes you mentioned in the south.
But the scenery is superb so, if you have time and are willing to put the effort in, then I’d definitely recommend you try it out.
Tom
Cool, my biggest worry is not so much the climb but as the availability of food and lodging, as a climb can nearly always be walked and bicycles were originally called push bikes. I have camping gear but would rather only use as an emergency.
Thanks for your reply,
Cheers
Adam
Hi tom, love the work keep it up brother! I’ve travelled vietnam before and done biking in parts as well but never the whole thing. i plan on doing so this summer and i was just wondering what the policing is like? what are my chances of getting caught illegally and can you just bribe the police? and lastly would you recommend starting from south to north or north to south or is it the same experience? looking forward to heading back from you, Peace.
Hi Chris,
Which way you do it depends on the time of year, because of the different weather conditions in the north and south of the country. However, if you’re travelling during the summer, the weather is pretty good and pretty similar nationwide: hot, sunny, and humid, with tropical storms. Another factor that might help you make your decision is that, in general, the north is more about the mountains and the south is more about the beaches.
The legal side of things is a famously grey area. The bottom line, for now at least, is that the vast majority of foreigners riding bikes in Vietnam do not have a local license. Police do sometimes stop foreigners, but usually you will just have to pay a standard ‘fine’ of around $10. You could also ask the rental company or shop where you get your motorbike if they have any more advice about this.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey Tom,
Does Vietnam accept International Driving Permits now? or is it just easier to pay the “fine” and go about your way?
C
Hi Chops,
There was talk about that, but ultimately I don’t think anyone (including the traffic police) really know what the situation is. So the ‘fine’ is still the easiest way. Remember to be particularly careful around Mui Ne – take the alternative route to avoid the police – more here.
Tom
Yeah I doubt anyone in Vietnam police force was informed of the update, but AAA has them listed as a valid country now
http://www.ny.aaa.com/~/media/NEW/PDFs/Travel/IDPApplication.ashx
I think it’s more for travel insurance purposes than actual law enforce encounters.
With that said, you wouldn’t be familiar with any travel insurance coverages that would cover licensed motorcycling? I know worldnomads do but after reading 10+ pages of negative reviews on their claim process I am very hesitant to throw money their way
Hi Chops,
Yes, insurance is an issue – it’ll be difficult to find anyone that’ll insure you without a license, although I think you can get cover up to 125cc bike if you shop around and pay a premium for it. But I don’t know a specific company though.
Tom
Thank you so much for the fantastic guides!!!
I’ve settled on the Classic route and am in Da Lat right now, but have a few clarifying questions:
When do you think is the best time to check out the three beaches between Nha Trang and Quy Nhon? Can they be done while driving to Quy Nhon?
The route to Hue to Phong Nha looks really long, and the route from Phong Nha to Ninh Binh looks near impossible to complete in one day– how long do you think these drives would take? Is it necessary to find a place to sleep between Phong Nha and Ninh Binh?
Thank you again– I’m really excited being able to do this fantastic route you’ve shared here!
Hi Nathan,
Yes, the beaches between Nha Trang and Quy Nhon are all possible to visit while riding to Quy Nhon. Note that the red markers on the map do not necessarily represent each day on the road: they simply mark major settlements or places of interest along the way. The other map markers – like the beaches, for example – contain links to my guides to that specific place or region.
Therefore the route from Hue to Phong Nha is not intended to be completed in one day: you could stay a night in A Luoi or Khe Sanh along the way, for example. Likewise, from Phong Nha to Ninh Binh isn’t intended for one day: you could spend at least one night along the way. For more details about the ride and places to stay along the way on the Ho Chi Minh Road, take a look at sections 4 to 8 of this guide.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey!
THANK YOU so much for this detailed maps and information!!
I can’t decide which route to take, the first one or the last one.
We are landing in 26th of January in Saigon.
We booked a hotel in there, also in DaLat (28th).
Planning driving from Saigon to DaLat to all the beach road.
We only booked a hostel in Phong Nha (6th of February) because we want to do the cave treks, and then booked a hotel in Hanoi (11th).
We have a flight from Hanoi in the 15th of February.
Which route will be the best? You think we will be able to do it withing 20 days overall?
Hi Reut,
If you only have 20 days I would recommend doing the Classic route because the Big One is too long to comfortably ride in that amount of time. 20 days should be just about right for the Classic.
I hope you enjoy it,
Tom
Hi Tom!
Love reading your website! My husband and I are planning a trip to Vietnam (south to north) in February. He wants to rent a motorcycle from Hoi An to Hue for part of our trip, what would be the best company to rent from? Motorvina has good reviews online, thoughts?? He’s an expirenced rider here in the US. Also can you take a look at our itinerary and let us know what you think of it, if it’s too much or tiring to do in little time…
Saigon 2/10-2/12
Flight to DaNang take taxi to
Hoi An 2/12-2/14
Motorbike to
Hue 2/14-2/16
Flight
Hanoi 2/16
Overnight train to
Sapa 2/17-2/20
Overnight train
Hanoi 2/21
Bus to
Halong Bay/Cat Ba Island 2/21-2/24
Bus to
Hanoi 2/24 then take flight back to Saigon 2/24-2/26
Thank you so much for your time!
Hi Kristina,
Yes, it’s quite a busy schedule, but it’s doable if you book all your accommodation and transport in advance – then you won’t need to waste time sorting it out and worrying about it while you’re there.
I’ve never used Motorvina so I can’t vouch for them, but I have had very good experiences using either Rent a Bike Vietnam or Tigit Motorbikes. They both have offices in Danang and can arrange pick up/drop off in Hoi An/Hue. There are links to both companies in the right sidebar and bottom of all my pages. You can mention Vietnam Coracle if you like, they know me.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom
If one plans to navigate using Googlemaps, GPS on a phone. How good is reception generally to rely on this?
Thanks
Matt
Hi Matt,
In general, it’s pretty good, especially in coastal areas. In some mountainous areas you may not get reception and the Western Ho Chi Minh Road is very isolated at times. But on the whole using Google Maps is fine. It’s a good idea to take a decent map as well, though. Try the Travel Map of Vietnam, it’s good and updated every year.
Tom
Hi Tom!
It’s awesome that you give us all this information.
I have already read a bunch of your articles to make some decisions.
But i still have some doubts.
I’m going with 4 girlfriends (we are portuguese) to Vietnam from February 25 to March 11.
We arrive at Hanoi and we have to departure from Ho Chi Minh.
We are planning the trip and we are thinking about: stay 2 days in Hanoi, go to Sapa (a friend told me about the night train), then Halong Bay (i know its not the perfect weather in the North but we have to go to Halong BaY!!) – maybe a tour of 2 days and one night; then go down to Hoi An (everybody talks very good about Hoi An); then we were thinking about the Pongour Waterfalls, then Con Dao for 2 or 3 days by plane probably from Ho Chi Minh or some city around (i read your article about Con Dao and Pho Quoc and i think Con Dao is more our thing because of the WOW factor!), and then end at Ho Chi Minh, spend there 2 days and come back. What do you think? Is it surrealistic for a 2 weeks trip? Is that somewhere awesome that is missing? I’m sure there are a lot, but one or two that you think is mandatory maybe! We are not going by motorbike, just bus, train or plane. Motorbike in Con Dao and maybe if we stop on our way down in Ninh Binh (i heard its very beautiful ride in this area). What do you think?
I’m sorry for the big testimony!
Thank you so much,
Ana
Hi Ana,
Yes, that’s a good itinerary. But it’s a bit busy. You should cut out Pongour Waterfall to save you some time. Also, if you want to stick rigidly to your plan, try to book your transport before you get to Vietnam, because that will save you time and effort once you are here.
Con Dao in March should be OK for weather. Remember that it’s a very quiet place. If you want beach bars etc then you will prefer Phu Quoc. But both are nice in their own way.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
I can’t really tell how much i have got from your website in only few days.. that’s amazing.
Wish you can help me on this:
I’m trying to put Google Maps to navigate me while driving on the different routes that you created so it will tell me directions so I wont miss any turns on the way…
Thanks!
Hi Martin,
Thanks.
I’m not sure how you can do that. I think it’s probably easier to keep a copy of the map open on your phone and check it against your Google Maps GPS position every now and then.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Ehhh that smeshes me a bit down -.-
Its not possible to ride on the maps?
For sure checking with google GPS is fine but is there no option to display the route and your ATM position?
Will do the big one including the Delta and SAPA from the first of March to end of Mai! 😀
Hi Martin,
Yes, that aspect of Google Maps is not available in Vietnam right now, so there’s nothing I can do about that. I am working on a Vietnam Coracle map app that would address this, but it is a long way off. So, for now, you can try to export my Google Maps to maps.me and then you should be able to follow them with gps.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Ouh!
That sounds good cause i used maps.me during my hole tripping.
I will give the export-import thingy a try, fingers crossed this works out 🙂
The dot.KMZ download and import worked.
I think its worth to mention the Google/GPS/Maps.me stuff in an short article.
It helps a lot if you know the shit ^^
Is it possible to meet this incredible blogger and motorcycler somewhere in Vietnam? 😀
Greetz from Japan, acutally Im German but who cares 😛
Martin
Hi Martin,
Thanks. Yes, I agree, but that is what my app is going to focus on.
I’m always travelling around Vietnam, so maybe our paths will cross when you’re over here 🙂
Tom
Hey Tom.
Great website! Loads of useful info on here. My girlfriend and I land in Saigon on 1st December and plan to ‘loosely’ follow your classic route so cheers! Keep up the great work Sir. 🙂
Hi Glenn,
Thanks! I hope you enjoy your road trip 🙂
Tom
Thanks for making your maps exportable – I like to have the terrain base map, plus add any other bits I fancy. I’ve now got some of your maps ready to go for tomorrows trip, though I can’t help getting the feeling that I’m funimentally cheating doing this. The experience comes from getting lost and figuring out how to get by anyway.
Are you based in Vietnam?
Hi Dave,
Don’t worry, you’ll still get lost sometimes! 🙂 Nothing ever goes 100% according to plan on Vietnam road trips, but as you rightly say, that is all part of the fun.
Yes, I live in Vietnam. There’s a bit more about me on my About Page.
Tom
Great site! Could you point out the point on the Ho Chi Minh Highway with out a filling stationwould be cool to know as I’m doing it in a few weeks? Once again Great work!
Hi Edward,
The part of the Ho Chi Minh Road with no gas stations is the Western Ho Chi Minh Road between Khe Sanh and Phong Nha – go to the relevant section (Section 5) on my complete guide to the Ho Chi Minh Road here. Also, check out this article too.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hello,
I have 3 weeks to go from Saigon to Hanoi on motorbike. I would like to do the classic route, but not sure how much time to spend in each place (mui ne, nah trang, hoi an, caves….) or how long it takes to drive from place to place. I was wondering if there is a sample itinerary for the classic route? Thank you.
Hi Michael,
It’s very difficult to estimate time between each place because it depends so much on the individual.
In general, 3 weeks is a good amount of time to ride the Classic route. You can roughly estimate driving time based on an average speed of 40-50km per hour. Then divide that by the total distance, which is 2,770km for the Classic route.
In general, a long day of riding is 200km or more. A good (not too tiring) average daily distance is 100-150km. But of course it depends on how comfortable you are riding a motorbike and other things like weather.
For a route as long as this, it’s more about the journey that the destinations at the end of each day. However, good places to spend a couple of nights and break the driving along the way are, Dalat, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon, Hoi An, Hue and Phong Nha. It’s best to take it as it comes and see what you feel like once you get to these places. Unless you are travelling during a national holiday, there is no need to reserve accommodation in advance.
For more detailed information about certain places and parts of the Classic route, click on the links within the map pins, which will take you to my specific guides to that area.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom!
First, thank you so much for your very useful info and definitely you have an awesome website.
I am planning to visit Vietnam and explore it by bike. I never experience riding a motorcycle but I think that’s not a problem for I can make myself prepare prior to that. My concern are; I just noticed you used a Yamaha Nouvo Automatic (correct me if I’m wrong) for the whole course of your travel -how did it go? Is it reliable compare to a semi or manual? How many times did you stop for a day to fill the small tank? Are there a lot of gas station and bike repair shop in case it need so along the road? That’s all for now…
Hope to hear from you soon and good luck to your next venture. Take care!
Cheers,
Jurally
Hi Jurally,
Yes, that’s right, I use my Yamaha Nouvo for all my road trips in Vietnam. It’s been very reliable for me. The tank is 4 litres and lasts for 120-150km depending on the condition of your bike and the roads you’re riding. Semi-automatics, like the Honda Wave, will do more mileage. There are gas stations almost everywhere in Vietnam, and if there’s not then they’ll be people by the roadside selling gas in bottles. The only section of road where you might not find gas is the Western Ho Chi Minh Road from Khe Sanh to Phong Nha, but they are currently building a gas station there now.
There are motorbike mechanics by the road throughout Vietnam. The word is sửa xe. They can fix most problems on common motorbikes like the Nouvo or Wave.
For a good comparison of available bikes in Vietnam, take a look at Tigit Motorbikes – there’s a link to their website in the right sidebar of this page or above this comment section.
I hope this helps,
Tom
This is incredible. Thank you so much for helping all of us out.
My wife and I are doing the trip in February. We bought motorcycles a few months ago so we can learn to ride in Canada and not try to learn in the hectic Vietnamese traffic. We are looking to have a full 3 weeks in Vietnam and are thinking of doing the Classic Route. I’ve heard some people take their bikes on a train in the North towards Hanoi to save a few days. Do you have any experience with that? We were hoping to do a quick tour of Sapa, but are stretched for time so any time we could save would be great, but we also don’t want to miss the “must-see” areas on the route.
Hi Jason,
Yes, you can put you bike on the train anywhere on the main line between Saigon and Hanoi. However, in most cases your bike will travel on a different train to you, and it will not arrive at your destination until 1-3 after you do. This is because freight space is busy and limited on the north-south services. The company that deals with transporting your bike is called Door to Door. They have an office in every main station on the line and a very clear list of prices between all the stations. They are usually very efficient and will be able to tell you when your bike will arrive at its destination. Just don’t lose the receipt they give you!
Also, there are several local express train between certain points on the line, such as Saigon to Phan Thiet, and you can simply ride your bikes onto these trains. In addition to this, the Hanoi to Lao Cai (Sapa) trains also allow you to take your bike with you on the same train.
A great little motorbike route around Sapa is the Sin-Ho Loop.
I hope this helps,
Tom
You are awesome! Thanks!
Hi Tom,
First off, your site is amazing man – so many great tips and detailed info. So helpful, thank you!
I’m currently planning a trip from Saigon to Hanoi, but unfortunately haven’t got much time, with only two weeks to squeeze it in. I’m torn between the Classic and Easier rider route and need some advice – which do you think is best in this time frame? Am I missing out too much by going for the easier-rider (Goden loop, coastal road north of Quy Nhon, Western Ho Chi Minh Road, Ninh Binh) or would it be a stretch to fit in? I don’t mind putting in in the extra km’s if need be.
Cheers,
Dan
Hi Dan,
With only 2 weeks you will be riding a lot of the time regardless of which route you choose to take. You can cut corners here are there: for example, you can always just take Highway 1 north from Quy Nhon to Hoi An. However, if there is one section I would most advise you not to cut it would be the Western Ho Chi Minh Road: it’s an extraordinary bit of road and there’s nothing else quite like it on any of the routes.
I hope this helps you plan your route,
Tom
Hi Tom
Firstly, thank you for all the useful information on your website. It has really aided me and my gf in the planning of our bike trip of Vietnam. We are aiming to go from Hanoi to HCMC but we need some advice in which route to take. I wanted to visit the north before heading south and we were torn between doing the NW ( Sapa – Sin ho – Son La – Moc Chau – Mai Chau) or whether we should head to the NE (Sapa – Ha Giang – Cao Bang – Ban Gioc waterfalls – Ba Be lake) before travelling down towards Ninh Binh. Which would you recommend? And what are the main differences between the NE and NW of Vietnam?
Cheers!
Kai
Hi Kai,
Well, the northwest and the northeast are both spectacular regions. The northwest is the roof of Indochina – the scale of the mountains and the landscape is larger than anywhere else in Vietnam. It’s a big, long loop but the roads are mostly in good condition as they are mostly highways (with the exception of the Sin Ho road, parts of which are still undergoing maintenance). The northeast is not as high as the northwest but it is prettier and more exotic – it’s characterized by limestone mountains and river valleys. The roads are smaller on this route but most of them are in decent condition.
I wouldn’t want to have to choose between them 🙂 But, I would say the northwest is slightly easier because of the roads, so if time is an issue choose this. The northeast can be slightly more unpredictable because it is more off the beaten, so it really just depends what you’re looking for.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom
Thanks for the advice. As we are planning on going during rainy season I think perhaps you’re right NW maybe the easier option. Though time isn’t really an issue so I may still give Ha Giang a little look before going to Sapa and then head towards Sin Ho after.
But if we were to take the NE route how would we get from Lang Son down to Ha Long bay? Are there any places you can recommend stopping en route? We were thinking maybe taking the highway 4B towards Cam Pha.
Cheers!
Hi Kai,
Yes, that’s right, you can take Highway 4B down to the coast from Lang Son – it’s a good ride. Apparently there are some good little roads running along the Chinese border in that area, but I have not had a chance to ride them myself yet.
As for stopping on route, you might want to check out Van Don Island – the big one just east of Cam Pha – there’s some great scenery and accommodation around the main town of Cai Rong here.
Tom
Hi Tom.
I travelled with some friends through Vietnam in May. Thank you very much for the guide, its helped as a lot. It’s an amazing journey that I recommend everybody to do it.
In addition to this I would like to recommend Cat ba, and if you are going to sapa to take the AH14.
The roads are quite well. If you take the loop between Hue and Phong nna, be aware of taking fuel in some bottles just in case. You never know
Great post, i will recommend this place
Hi Charlie,
Thanks. Good to hear you enjoyed your road trip through Vietnam.
Yes, I also like Cat Ba, and AH14 to Sapa is good, especially now that the new expressway (for cars only) has taken most of the heavy traffic off AH14.
The stretch which it is necessary to take gas with you is between Khe Sanh and Phong Nha which I mention in Section 5 of my Ho Chi Minh Guide here.
Tom
Hi, thanks for you routes. Me and my girlfriend are currently doing the classic one.
Hi Felix,
Great. I hope you enjoy it!
Tom
Hey Tom,
Hope all is well. I have already started my journey from Hanoi to Saigon and at the moment I am in Hue. After driving a lot, I do plan to stay here for a few days to rest up. It’s actually big country and you can do a lot of driving here!…haha.
I wanted to say thank you because your website has been very invaluable to me. I have been wanting to come to Vietnam since I was a kid and your information has helped make it an even better experience then I had originally conceived of.
I am following ‘The Big One’ since I have an adequate amount of time in Vietnam. I have gone off your trail at times since I am a interested in the history of the Vietnam War and I wanted to visit some of the old sights of the conflict. Otherwise, I am on the trail and the sights have been amazing throughout the north of Vietnam. It really is an absolutely beautiful country and the Ho Chi Minh Road is one that must be taken. Those mountains and views…wow.
Now I will be continue ‘The Big One’ into the South and I can’t wait for what lies ahead. If your route south is as pleasant as the route that I followed north, then I’m sure it won’t disappoint…haha.
Take care Tom and thanks again for the sight. There is so much great information that I’ve even shared it with other fellow motorbike travelers who didn’t know about it. Take care!
Mike
Hi Mike,
Thanks! It’s great to hear that you’re enjoying your epic ride through Vietnam and that my site has helped you along your way.
I hope you’ll find the south as good as the north. Personally, I like the south just as much as the north, but it is very different – you’ll be in coastal regions more often, although the mountains as still good too 🙂
Enjoy the rest of The Big One!
Tom
I reversed the Classic Route in Google Maps. It took 30 mins or so to realign the route so I thought I’d share the link to save people some time.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1fvo_A0zBXqsUvZdB2U9yWjyRl2U&usp=sharing
Hi Joe,
Thanks for sharing that.
Tom
Hi Tom! How can i explore this in maps.me?
Hi Joany,
To export a map: open the Google Map you want to export, click the three vertical dots next to the title of the map in the main dialogue box in the top left corner of the map, scroll down and click ‘Export to KML’ and follow the directions from there.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom!
First of all, awesome website. Especially this page is helping me A LOT for planning my bikeride.
I’m doing the Classic, although from Hoi An to Hue I’m taking the high pass 🙂
My only concern is HCMC – Da Lat. Is this doable in 1 day? Or is it possible to take my bike with me on a train? I assume it’s hard to buy a good bike in Da Lat.
Also, the timing is still very hard to plan. Is January a good month or would July or even October better?
Hi Chris,
January is excellent in the south and Central Highlands, however it will get significantly colder and greyer the further north you go. October is a better time because conditions will be similar across the country: warm, sunny, but still some tropical downpours, and also, if you’re unlucky, it’s typhoon season in central and northern regions. I’ve written in detail about weather here.
HCMC to Dalat is not doable in one day if you take the route I suggest in The Classic. You can put your bike on the train from Saigon to Phan Thiet (Mui Ne) – more information about that here. Or, if you really want to get to Dalat in one day, you could take Highway QL20 instead, which is the most direct route, but it’s not very nice.
You can probably buy a decent bike in Dalat, but it won’t be as easy as in Saigon. You could also buy your bike from Tigit Motorbikes (see the link in the sidebar and above the comments on this page) in Saigon and have them send it to Phan Thiet by train. There’s more information about buying/renting motorbikes in this guide.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thanks!
I think I take the early morning train to Mui Ne with my Saigon bike.
So I can check out the dunes and then move on to Da Lat. Think I have my route complete now… January 2017 it is!
Thanks for the great tips! Is there a way I can donate you a cup of coffee for all the time you put into this? 😉
I mean October 2016 of course 😉
Hi Chris,
Great. I’m sure you’ll have an amazing trip.
If you want to ‘donate’ to Vietnam Coracle there is a way: if you ever use Agoda to book any hotels (in Vietnam or anywhere in the world) just start your search from the search box in the right-sidebar of any of my pages: if you end up making a booking then I receive a small percentage 🙂
Tom
Hi Tom.
I used your web site for information and routes for a 3 week trip around south Vietnam. The information from your site used was never ending. It made what could have been very difficult trip a great trip. I will be back again next year for 4 weeks and looking at your north to south routes. Great keep it coming.
kev.
Hi Kevin,
Great to hear that, thanks!
4 weeks is a perfect amount of time to have for a south to north road trip, so I’m sure you’ll have a blast again. I’ll do my best to keep posting stuff you like 🙂
Tom
Hello,
Me and my boyfriend are looking to do the ‘easy rider’ route in a few weeks. However, I am struggling to find towns which we could use as a stop off point between Hanoi and the Cuc Phuong National Park. Do you have any suggestions of where to stay? The same with the route from cuc phuong national park and phong nha. As they’re such large distances between each I was hoping to get your opinion on where you stayed/where is accessible. Thanks so much! For newbies like us, your route has pretty much planned our whole trip for us 🙂
Hi Katie,
From Hanoi to Cuc Phuong you should be able to comfortably ride that in one day.
From Cuc Phuong to Phong Nha is a long way, but it is relatively easy riding. There are guesthouses (nhà nghỉ) dotted along the highway at fairly regular intervals. Cam Thuy has some, Pho Chau too, and also Huong Khe (which, incidentally is where I am right now!).
The reason I’m in Huong Khe is because I’m updating and extending my Ho Chi Minh Road guide so that it will include the entire route from Saigon to Hanoi. This means they’ll be more information about places to stay etc on the journey from Hanoi to Phong Nha, so stay tuned for that – it should be published within a few days. If you want to get an email notification when it’s published you can subscribe to my posts here if you like.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Thank you! This helps a lot with my planning. Are there many guest houses in Cuc Phuong that aren’t too far off the route?
I will definitely will keep an eye out for that. Thanks again.
Katie
It depends if you’re going to go right into the park or not: the Ho Chi Minh Road goes through the park but the park entrance is round the other side. There’s a good homestay that’s in Cuc Phuong National Park but also on the Ho Chi Minh Road called Quang Duc Homestay – that’s assuming it’s still there: I’ll know in the next couple of days when I ride through there – again, that’ll be in the new Ho Chi Minh Road guide 🙂
Tom
Hi Tom,
Me and a friend are heading off to Thailand on the 2nd May, then going through Cambodia and Vietnam, and then finally onto Indonesia. We have 30 day visas for Vietnam, however we have still set aside around 3 weeks in Vietnam. Overall, which of these routes did you find the most enjoyable, and which would you most recommend for an inexperienced rider? We’ve heard some bad stories regarding Highway 1, so ideally we would like to avoid this as much as possible.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Tom
Hi Tom,
All of these routes are equally enjoyable and all stay off Highway 1 as much as possible.
With 3 weeks you are best sticking to The Classic and/or the Easy Rider. This is because they are both doable in your time-frame, pass through both mountains and coast, and require fairly simple navigation. However, if you really want to stay away from any traffic at all then consider taking Uncle Ho’s Road – the initial hour out of Saigon is quite busy but after that it is relatively quiet all the way to Hanoi (I am currently updating and expanding this guide to the Ho Chi Minh Road – it will be finished in about a week).
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom,
just wanted to say “Huge Thank You” for all your previous posts (as this one combines many of them into single one).
We spent 2 months on Vietnamese roads, starting in North West – Dien Bien Phu and ending on Ha Tien border crossing with Cambodia.
Your website was our guide and without it we would never discover many beautiful spots and amazing roads connecting them into unforgettable journey !
Riding in Cambodia is little bit different, less tarmac & more dirt, less traffic, little bit more corrupted cops 😉
Few little tips from us – Check Quan Lan island – accessible from Van Don ( Cai Rong ), next time you pass around Cana, take snorkel gear with you and just few kms south of the town ( opposite the eateries on main road ) jump to the water, coral wonderland will swallow you 🙂
Keep posting !
RaT
Hi RaT,
Thanks! Great to hear you enjoyed you road trip in Vietnam and that my guides helped you along the way.
Cambodia sounds a bit different but still lots of fun I imagine.
Thanks for the tips – I’ll have a look for that coral near Ca Na! And I went to Quan Lan years ago but have been meaning to go back there for a long time – I hope I’ll make that trip soon.
Enjoy the rest of your adventures.
Tom
Hello! Just wondering how you get to Quan Lan Island?
Hi Anna,
I haven’t been to Quan Lan for a long time, but you used to be able to get boats from Cai Rong port on Van Don Island.
Tom
1. You mention Saigon to Hanoi quite a few times, are there any particular benefit of doing this direction rather than north to south?
2. I was looking at your “Saigon to Hanoi – The Scenic Route”, it seems to be quite close to both #1 and #5. Are either of these adapted from the Scenic Route? Which would you recommend for first time long distance riders?
3. The image for Uncle Ho’s Road looks really nice. Do you know if that particular road is in either route #1, #5 or the “scenic route”?
Thanks a lot for this article, it’s really useful for our planning.
Hi Joe,
No, there’s no reason you should start in the south and go north – either direction is good. However, because most travellers do go from south to north it is easier to buy bikes in Saigon and easier to sell bikes in Hanoi. But really it depends on what you want first: beaches or mountains – because most of the coastal scenery is in the south and centre, and most of the best mountainous scenery is in the centre and north.
Yes, the Scenic Route is quite similar but not the same as either #1 or #5 when you study them more closely. #1 and #5 go from coast to mountains on two or three separate occasions; the Scenic Route only does it once. #1 and #5 go through Dalat, the Scenic Route does not. There are other differences, particularly the coastal roads. The bottom line is that you’re better using the map on this page because they are the most recent and they cover everything the Scenic Route does anyway.
The image for Uncle Ho’s Road is from the Western Ho Chi Minh Road, which is included in #1.
I hope this helps,
Tom
I think South to North is better also in terms of landscapes – South is really nice, but the more to the North you get, the better and more dramatic it becomes. I think it’s better to keep the best for the end of your trip 😉
Also people in the South are bit easier to “manage” and bit friendlier, so you’ll get time to get used to things.
Hi Antek,
Thanks for your opinion. Yes, you’re right about the scenery getting more dramatic as you ride further north. But it’s also great when riding north to south: coming down off the high (often cool and misty) mountains to the brilliant sunshine and open spaces of the coastal back-roads in the south. I love the journey is both directions! 🙂
Tom
Ok, I need to take back those words about people in the North being less friendly. It’s a common opinion and having freshly arrived in the north when writing those words I was bit influenced by it, but after having spent some longer time here I don’t think there’s really big difference. Most people are very friendly and nice, few (mainly in touristic areas) may try to scam you (or at least overcharge).
But the landscapes… those are just wow here 😉
Hi Antek,
Yes, I agree. Although, unfortunately, there’s no doubt that overcharging is more common in the north than the south 🙁
Tom
Great Post!
I have around 3 weeks to spend in Vietnam. I am not a huge fan of beaches but like good landscapes, food and parties. Which route would you personally recommend among the five?
Also, is it possible in Vietnam to get a bike from Hanoi and leave it at Ho Chi Minh City?
Cheers.
Hello Unnamed Traveller!
There’s plenty of great landscapes in the mountains, but the parties are mostly by the coast (with the exception of Phong Nha, where a healthy influx of backpackers leads to many a social evening).
I would suggest you ride either the Classic route or the Easy Rider route. These give you lots of mountain scenery but also drop down to the coast in places like Mui Ne, Nha Trang and Hoi An/Hue where you’ll find the parties.
For motorbike rental in Hanoi check out Rent a Bike Vietnam (there’s a link above this comment section to their website) or Flamingo Travel – both should be able to arrange picking up your bike in Ho Chi Minh City.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Such a great post Tom, I have so many memories of Vietnam and this brought them all back. Would love to follow some of these in the future! I did a 3 week ride south through the Mekong + Cambodia in 2008 and it’s one of my favorite trips ever 🙂
Thanks, Dan.
Yes, you must come back and try some of these routes! The more time you have to do it in the better. I hope you get the chance return soon.
Tom
Excellent info as ever Tom. I’m in Cambodia at the moment and heading to HCMC in two days to start a ride up to Hanoi. I’ve been inspirered by your site and this new info is very welcomed and perfectly timed! Thanks, Tom
Thanks, Tom.
Great to hear that you’ll be here soon to start this road trip. I hope this article has given you more ideas to play with. Do let me know of any updates on road conditions etc when you’re on the road – that kind of ‘real time’ feedback really helps to keeps my guides as current as possible.
Thanks and enjoy the ride!
Tom
Hi Tom
Love the article – i’ve been saying for years now I will do this. Just told my wife I am going to do it …. she didn’t actually say no!! I have a few tips for tourists to VN on my blog too at http://saigonbuddytours.com/blog/
cheers
Andy
Thanks, Andy.
I hope you and your wife get a chance to make this road trip at some point – it’s well worth it! 🙂
Tom
This is superb Tom, I think maybe we could make this a feature on our facebook page Vietnam Backpacker Sales or even on my travel agency website http://www.travelagenthanoi.com for all the backpackers travelling by bike. We see a LOT of people buying and selling bikes on our site, so this would be very very helpful to them.
Contact me to discuss in more detail.
Regards
Simon
Thanks, Simon.
Yes, I hope this article will be particularly useful to readers and travellers.
I don’t mind you using it as long as you use the direct link to my site and make it clear who the content is by, i.e. Vietnam Coracle. I’m sure you’ll understand that I get a lot of other sites copying and translating my guides word for word without any links back to my site or even a mention of where the content originally came from.
Feel free to email me with any ideas: vietnamcoracle@gmail.com
Thanks,
Tom
Ive posted your link to this great post in my Vietnam Backpacker Sales where backpackers can buy and sell their bikes and also on Vietnam Backpacker Tips, where sharing information about their trips through Vietnam is the main focus.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/vietnambackpackersales & https://www.facebook.com/groups/vietnambackpackertips
Many thanks Tom
Simon
Hi Simon,
Thanks, I appreciate you sharing my post. I hope it is useful to other travellers and expats.
Tom
Awesome post mate, really love the information and detail you go into to provide to everyone very beneficial.
Do you ever venture / cross boarders into Laos or Cambodia on your bike?
Thanks Brent!
I’ve been to Laos and Cambodia but not on a bike from Vietnam – riding around this country keeps me busy enough 🙂
Have you ridden cross borders on your bike?
Tom