Traveled from HCM to HN by scooter before?

just a suggestion, you need something soft for the seat, your bottom will be very sore for long trip

this is a long trip, I think you cant go by scooter, need a motorbike.

God no. I have seen 5 mangled motorbikes under trucks and a bus and a lot of blood. Even if  you are motorbike veterans I still wouldn't risk my life. Bus, fly or train. I also thought I would love to motorbike through Nam but after two bus rides i didn't even want to do bus rides. Traffic everywhere, dogs, cows, trucks ploughing  through traffic. I will ride in the city and towns but open highway is just plain dangerous. Plus remember health care is not at western standard.

Follow your dream...

If you would like a PDF of "How to prepare for Motorbiking in Vietnam" just PM me with you email address and I will send it to you

Yes follow it to the grave. Unsure she said it was her dream.

I've done the 10,000 km trek from Toronto to Vancouver Island and back on a 250cc scooter that included going through the Rocky Mountains.

I'm interested in hearing from others what it's like doing a trek from HCM city to Hanoi and back.

khan44
I'm interested in hearing from others what it's like doing a trek from HCM city to Hanoi and back.

My son is coming over in a couple of months to this trip. As BIGJED1975 post points to nasty possibilities, we have planned to stay away from the main highways as much as possible...

We will be using a GoPro camera during the trip, so we should get some good footage of what its really like.

BIGJED1975, thanks for the advice, but each individual has their own meeting with the reaper... fear is the common denominator between all peoples on the planet... I don't want it to hold me back from my dream...otherwise life is pretty boring!

I did Hanoi to Saigon twice on a motorbike with a guide. There was 6 of us together with a guide. 5 of us had big bikes and 2 had scooters. Along the way we faced numerous problems from blown tires, overheated engines to broken gaskets. The 2 scooters had to give up somewhere near Hoi An, the scooters just couldn't take it anymore.

In a nut shell, it is not so simple... you need to carry spares and have basic repair knowledge, some part of the roads are real quiet and if your bike breaks down you have only your group. Certain stretches of highway are really dangerous with heavy vehicles screaming away. And then you have the police which you know what to expect.You need to start early and end no later than 7pm. We nearly got mugged near Danang city after 9pm. Plan your trip properly and always have back up plans...for example, hotels...during the weekends, some of our hotels were unavailable and we had a hard time finding alternatives. Do not only depends on your electronic devices for GPS or directions. Know how to read the map as well.

Hope this helps a little

what route did you take?

I haven't looked deeply into it but was planning to ride along the coastline down to Vung Tau => Phan Thiet => Nha Trang => Da Nang sort of route. Just going to take my time no major hurry. Stop into a city, relax and enjoy the beach for a couple days in each city.

I guess having a reliable bike is very important. One thing I did on my 10k km journey was made sure to stop every 2 hours and let the bike cool off for an hour or 2. Only problem I encountered was a blown head gasket.

But it's the challenges along the way that makes the journey all the more worthwhile.

.

As I've done the trip twice, I gone down the Coastal as well as the Inner Route before. Both offers different experiences and sights. I still prefer the Coastal one. The latter route can get really quiet... we don't see a single person for hours sometime. Its for the more adventurous I would say.

Thank you all for taking your time to leave me comments. I read them all and will discuss with my friend about the destinations and what we need to prepare for the long trip based on what you guys have said in here.

Thanks again and have a nice weekend ahead.

Hey! I'm starting this trip in 4 days I'll be on a Yamaha Nouvo and my boyfriend on a Honda Win. We're planning on going through the mountains for a while, then heading and doing the coast from Mui Ne and up. We have 6 weeks so we're in no rush. Ignore anyone who says you can't do it. You absolutely can! Just be careful, and take your time.
thegreatesttrek.com/ <<< an awesome blog and recap of the trip 2 guys did. You're going to encounter some problems, that's inevitable. But keep your head up and you'll succeed
Have a great time!
I'll be documenting my trip on TwistedFootsteps.com if you're interested.

Absolutely the very best of luck to you!

kt_mllr

I agree, take your  time and plan ahead as much as you can...

Have a great trip and plse let us know how it went

MiaTNB wrote:

Hi,

My friend and I are planing to go to Ha Noi from Ho Chi Minh this end of month by scooter. We will have 28 days free. Beside big cities like Mui Ne, Lam Dong, Da Lat, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hue, Hoi An, Ha Noi. Where else should I visit. Any recommendation?

Thanks!

Just curious, what's the longest road trip you've taken?

I have completed a journey from HCM to Hanoi without any problems other than a flat tire.(this is the 3rd time on a motorcycle in VN)
My suggestion is as follows:
Buy a Honda Win and take it to a workshop to get it checked. Make sure the front brake cable is replaced with a heavy duty item as the thinner ones will stretch, get new brake linings if required.
Make sure the chain /sprockets are in good condition and the engine does not blow smoke. GET A GPS and put on bicycle setting.
Now set of on you trip and you will find when you set the GPS on shortes route that a whole new world will open for you, You will see little traffic and pass villages where the last motorcycle they have seen was me in May this year. When you leave fill up the tank to the top and oil level exactly spot on. After about 200 km fill up again and see how many liters it took so you can get an accurate calculation of the range you can do with a full tank. Check the oil! if you have used some oil keep in mind how much so you can know when to add more oil (if the bike uses oil)
Hope this helps- enjoy the ride , you have a lot of time -I only had week to do it due to my visa expiry date. Take it easy and enjoy

Richard W
   Re: Traveled from HCM to HN by scooter before?

I have completed a journey from HCM to Hanoi without any problems other than a flat tire.(this is the 3rd time on a motorcycle in VN)
My suggestion is as follows:
Buy a Honda Win and take it to a workshop to get it checked. Make sure the front brake cable is replaced with a heavy duty item as the thinner ones will stretch, get new brake linings if required.
Make sure the chain /sprockets are in good condition and the engine does not blow smoke. GET A GPS and put on bicycle setting.
Now set of on you trip and you will find when you set the GPS on shortes route that a whole new world will open for you, You will see little traffic and pass villages where the last motorcycle they have seen was me in May this year. When you leave fill up the tank to the top and oil level exactly spot on. After about 200 km fill up again and see how many liters it took so you can get an accurate calculation of the range you can do with a full tank. Check the oil! if you have used some oil keep in mind how much so you can know when to add more oil (if the bike uses oil)
Hope this helps- enjoy the ride , you have a lot of time -I only had week to do it due to my visa expiry date. Take it easy and enjoy

Great advice... thanks a lot. I will make sure I do this when on my trip

Before taking off a reminder of the legal status of riding a motorbike in Vietnam. You need a Vietnamese drivers Licence. If you ride unlicensed and hit somebody and they're injured the penalty is 10 yrs jail. If you hit someone and they die its 20 yrs in jail. This can all be found on the Vietnam govt website. I ride every day in HCMC and find it safer than Australia but Hwy 1 is to be avoided at all costs. I have also riden the HCM Highway and enjoyed it but then I am licensed. I have riden motorcycles since 12 including speedway in NZ and I am 64 now but I won't do the HCMC to Hanoi ride. I have taken a party of 8 riders by train and bike which meant 4 to 5 hrs by train then stay a few days exploring then back on the train for another 5 hrs. Got to see a lot and minimized the risks.

DirtyPierre
I have taken a party of 8 riders by train and bike which meant 4 to 5 hrs by train then stay a few days exploring then back on the train for another 5 hrs. Got to see a lot and minimized the risks.

Hi, Have you got a rough itinerary for a trip like this? I would really like to go over it. Great idea!

Be happy to but not via one finger typing on a touch phone. Google my name and you will soon find my website and from there my email address. I can then email you a pdf of the last trip I escorted.

Forget the GPS, for under $100 you can buy a Smart Phone here, with excellent GPS, I've had a Q Smart S13, 3G, ( will also work in other countries ), for 6 months, no problems, Vinaphone 3G plan 100,000 VND for over 1.5 GB , ( you can buy for 1 month only if required ).
  You can't really avoid High way 1 , ( if you want to follow the coast ),  just don't ride at night, I've done Da Nang --Quang Ngai ,many times, no problems. ( food, fuel, etc, for sale, and bike repair shops every 10 or 20 kms  or less ).
  Re killing a VN in an accident, ( any accident is ALWAYS the Foreigners fault, regardless ), I've heard of the Foreigner having to pay around $50,000 to the ' victims ' family, but in the Provinces you probably would have to worry about that, ( the ' victims ' family/friends will probably make you disappear ).
   Be careful buying a bike, many Honda's in VN are Honda in name only, look at name on the side of the  gearbox, most are ok, but they want you to pay the same price as real Honda ).
  You will need to get the VN owner to put your name on the papers, ( MAKE sure there are papers, if the cops find you with no bike papers, it's goodbye bike, many don't bother, the Cops usually leave foreigners alone, ( Except around dates where they need some extra money ).
  Don't forget to visit My Lai, My Khe , ( 18 kms from Quang Ngai ) nice hotel, very nice beach, very few tourists.

DirtyPierre wrote:

Be happy to but not via one finger typing on a touch phone. Google my name and you will soon find my website and from there my email address. I can then email you a pdf of the last trip I escorted.

You've got lots of awesome video! I'm going through some of them now. so cool! I have a contour+ camera that I attach to my helmet.

Caution - This will come across as spoil sport but feel the need to "share". And As a biker for 46years I don't believe life can be lived padded in cotton wool, .....b..ut

I have done HCM to Nha Trang return by Bus on the main road. Up was fine - at night while sleeping. Coming back to HCMC in daylight we passed 3 fatal accident scenes on the day and witnessed several near misses between large vehicles and scooters.

I am sure most accidents involve careless cyclists rather than cautious ones but I would not commit to that road on 2 wheels on anything other than a modern road bike with great suspension (comfort tames fatigue), torque for mobility and major stopping power. On a small capacity bike, you are putting it all on the line for the impatient underslept truck and bus drivers that will be passing and overtaking you every 5 minutes. Sections of the highway basically make this a lottery on life.

if you have an accident and need medical attention, you can count on response times in units of half a day ie you will probably bleed out before any real help arrives.

If you want a 2 wheel buzz, there really are better ways.

Safe travelling.

I endorse every thing Simon said.
The annual death toll on the road in Vietnam is over 12,000
do the sums, it aint safe.

I have a friend who did it, and surprisingly enough, she made it.

A few years ago I started out on a HCM to Hanoi trip.  I lived in D10 and made it to D3 before I said "@#$@ this!!" and turned around.

Well, someone asked about the longest trip by scooter I've made. It's SGN to Nha Trang and back. That's all. Lol! Too little experience...That's why I've been concerned. But you guys'comments really support alot. Thanks!

I will write about my trip if I'm able to get back to SGN safely. LOL! Wish me luck. Again, thanks you all...you guys are soooo nice. I didn't expect I could have such many advices.

Have a good night,

Traveling by Sleeper bus at night, now that's what I call ' brave ', ( among other unprintable descriptions ), most buses have 2 operators on-board,  the ' Driver ', and the bloke who is usually hanging out the door, ( when not taking up 2 seats having a nap ), his job is also to keep the  ' Driver ' awake, ( day and night ).
   On my many travels , I have seen many more accidents in Urban area's than on the highways.
  VNs always have to be at the front, ( hence no need for ques anywhere in VN ), they can't comprehend the common sense in the idea that if it's bigger than you , GIVE WAY to it, or at least get out of its way, ( continuously tooting the horn doesn't always work ).
  Comparing VN's road toll of approx 13,000, with per head of population to, say, Australia, it is only about 1/2 percent more, and then there is the toll per BILLION kms traveled in Aus, what would VNs toll be per BILLION kms?
Now there are probably more m/bikes in VN than the population of Aus, and ' road rules ' which are almost completely ignored.
   My advice when traveling in VN, is to try and keep VN riders/drivers BEHIND you, and always expect the unexpected from them, ( peripheral vision is a must in VN, ESP would be very handy too ). But my life in VN would be very boring if they drove normally.

bluenz wrote:

Traveling by Sleeper bus at night, now that's what I call ' brave ', ( among other unprintable descriptions ), most buses have 2 operators on-board,  the ' Driver ', and the bloke who is usually hanging out the door, ( when not taking up 2 seats having a nap ), his job is also to keep the  ' Driver ' awake, ( day and night ).
   On my many travels , I have seen many more accidents in Urban area's than on the highways.
  VNs always have to be at the front, ( hence no need for ques anywhere in VN ), they can't comprehend the common sense in the idea that if it's bigger than you , GIVE WAY to it, or at least get out of its way, ( continuously tooting the horn doesn't always work ).
  Comparing VN's road toll of approx 13,000, with per head of population to, say, Australia, it is only about 1/2 percent more, and then there is the toll per BILLION kms traveled in Aus, what would VNs toll be per BILLION kms?
Now there are probably more m/bikes in VN than the population of Aus, and ' road rules ' which are almost completely ignored.
   My advice when traveling in VN, is to try and keep VN riders/drivers BEHIND you, and always expect the unexpected from them, ( peripheral vision is a must in VN, ESP would be very handy too ). But my life in VN would be very boring if they drove normally.

I lived in Thailand for about 4 years and the same traffic nightmares hold true there. Ever been to India? OMG driving there and the death toll is unimaginable. So could it be a 3rd world developing country enigma?

It would probably help if they taught the road rules at early school. that's where it starts, up here they ride up to 5 abreast on their bicycles, on narrow roads, they hardly move over for anyone/thing, including the many trucks, ( even worse when there's many big puddles on the side of the roads ).
But it all comes back to consideration/respect for others, ( who are not family ), there is a lot of selfishness in VN, and being huddled into small area's of big population, ( I always thought this was a Commie thing, ( to keep an eye out for people  ' unhappy ' with the Govt ), but it was the French who started it.
    VN, the land of extroverts.

Depends what you mean by ' scooter ', my interpretation of scooter is an automatic motorbike, ( usually ridden by a female ), Honda Lead, Air Blade, Yamaha Nozza/Nouzo?, etc, ( around 110 cc, many have EFI now ),  these are very reliable and still have plenty of power left after changing the gears for you.

bluenz wrote:

It would probably help if they taught the road rules at early school. that's where it starts, up here they ride up to 5 abreast on their bicycles, on narrow roads, they hardly move over for anyone/thing, including the many trucks, ( even worse when there's many big puddles on the side of the roads ).
But it all comes back to consideration/respect for others, ( who are not family ), there is a lot of selfishness in VN, and being huddled into small area's of big population, ( I always thought this was a Commie thing, ( to keep an eye out for people  ' unhappy ' with the Govt ), but it was the French who started it.
    VN, the land of extroverts.

I grew up in a rural community surrounded by small towns or villages if you will. The driving in undeveloped countries resembles that of small communities. People just take their time, stop in the middle of the street, seldom move or look for oncoming traffic, make u-turns at will, erratic driving skills at best etc. Plus they really have no where to go, nothing to do, no money to do it and all day to think about it. Additionally and more to the point they fail to recognize that they no longer live in a small town and that they need to "upgrade" their thinking and consequently their actions to fit the circumstance.

bluenz wrote:

It would probably help if they taught the road rules at early school. that's where it starts, up here they ride up to 5 abreast on their bicycles, on narrow roads, they hardly move over for anyone/thing, including the many trucks, ( even worse when there's many big puddles on the side of the roads ).
But it all comes back to consideration/respect for others, ( who are not family ), there is a lot of selfishness in VN, and being huddled into small area's of big population, ( I always thought this was a Commie thing, ( to keep an eye out for people  ' unhappy ' with the Govt ), but it was the French who started it.
    VN, the land of extroverts.

I find most Asian's to be passive aggressive, especially the women. I'm speaking in generalities of course.