Halong Bay
Cruise Trips
Other Junks
Sights
Cycling in Vietnam
The following information has been written by my Irish
friend "PhilipD" from his own cycling experiences and
love for Vietnam. He is now cycling in Tibet (until
early Nov) so he is not replying on the TT. The post is
quite long but very informative especially for cycling
tourists. I hope you enjoy reading them.
***
Vietnam
Vietnam is rapidly becoming one of the most popular
countries in the world for adventurous bike touring.
It’s easy to see why. This long, slender land with such
an unhappy history has an amazing array of landscapes,
with thousands of km of roads linking mountains and
beaches, jungle with intensive paddy field landscapes.
Vietnam represents a viscerally intense cycling and
cultural experience, love it or hate it, you will not
forget your trip.
There are many possible cycle tours in Vietnam, ranging
from very tough and challenging rides in the northern
uplands, to more gentle meanders along the
Mekong Delta.
The classic route for cyclists is Highway 1, the main
road linking
Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh City in the south.
The most popular section of Hwy 1 is from the historic
capital of Hué
south to Nha
Trang and other tourist resorts to the south. For
the fitter and more adventurous cyclist, the central and
northern highlands are very worthwhile challenges.
What to take?
Roads in Vietnam can be rough in sections, and more
minor roads are often dirt tracks. However, for most of
the main routes, the surface is good enough for almost
any type of bike, except perhaps for the lightest of
road bikes. Even the paved roads can be a bit muddy so
don’t forget your mudguards. Bike repair shops are
around in nearly every town, but they often do not have
the tools for western bikes. Local bikes are usually
poor quality and are not recommended for touring. Bring
a basic toolkit or multitool and some spare spokes,
along with a cracker/chain whip for repairing driveside
spokes. Regular touring or road tyres are sufficient for
most of the country.
The climate changes significantly from north to south.
There can be snow in winter in
Sapa, at the
same time as it is 40°C in
Ho Chi Minh City.
The coast can be very windy. Rain can be heavy and
persistent over most of the country at many times of the
year. Only in later winter on the northern highlands
would serious wet/cold weather gear normally be
required. Elsewhere, a light fleece and wind/waterproof
top should be sufficient in addition to your normal kit.
There is no major cultural problem with wearing shorts/lycra,
but longer trousers/skirts may be more appropriate in
more remote areas or visiting temples. T-shirts and
casual clothes are widely available, and if you can’t
find anything to fit you, there are numerous tailors who
will make you anything from shorts to a silk sleeping
bag liner to a tuxedo, all in a few hours. Cosmetics and
medicines are very widely available, but watch out for
counterfeits.
Camping is very difficult in most of Vietnam, there are
few suitable places to pitch a tent. Nearly every town
will have guesthouses, so tents and sleeping bags are an
unnecessary encumbrance. Expect to pay between $6 to $20
a night in a typical guesthouse or local hotel. The
quality is very variable, and can rarely be judged by
outside appearances so always check out a room on offer
before accepting it. Food and beer is very cheap and
usually of a high quality. The best Vietnamese cooking
is superb, always ask locals for recommendations,
Vietnamese people are enthusiastic foodies. Vegetarian
food is usually available, but sometimes communicating
what you want is difficult. Roadside stalls selling food
and drink are nearly everywhere so it is not necessary
to bring cooking equipment or food (apart from snacks).
Chlorine or iodine tabs are necessary for drinking tap
water in most of the country.
Safety
The roads near the major cities are often chaotic,
polluted and accidents are frequent. The quality of
driving often leaves a lot to be desired. However, many
Vietnamese cycle and as a result, drivers are usually
quite ‘bike aware’ and leave a reasonable gap between
themselves and cyclists. The hard shoulder on major
roads is usually considered cyclist’s territory. One of
the joys of cycling in the Vietnamese lowlands is riding
in the early dawn with crowds of cycling schoolchildren.
The usual Asian driving rule that the right of way goes
to the biggest vehicle applies. Watch closely local
cyclists and copy what they do and you should be quite
safe. Remember that most vehicles will toot their horn
once to let you know they are coming behind you. A
second toot means you are directly in its path. A third
toot means hit the paddy field immediately if you want
to live!
In general, Vietnam is a safe country to travel in.
There is some petty crime but violence against tourists
is rare. Both male and female cyclists rarely experience
aggression, hassle or danger, but the normal
common-sense precautions should be taken, especially
after dark in urban areas. Although guesthouse owners
will normally report to the local police travellers
outside the normal tourist areas, hassle from
police/army is unknown, but as a precaution do not be
seen taking photographs of anything that looks
militarily significant.
The people
The Vietnamese people are very distinct in their culture
and in their approach to westerners from other SE
Asians. This is unsurprising given the countries
history, where in the second half of the 20th Century
they had to defeat successive invasions from the
Japanese, French, Americans and Chinese at a cost of
millions of lives. Tourists often complain of rudeness
from locals and frequent rip-offs, but this is mainly a
feature of the tourist hotspots. Most bike tourers who
have been to Vietnam experience generosity and
friendship, especially in more remote areas. While the
Vietnamese are not as immediately warm and welcoming as,
for example, the Thai or Laos, do not confuse a
relatively cool reaction with hostility. When you show
politeness and respect for their culture, expect this to
be reciprocated, but demonstrate rudeness (as many
tourists do), then do not expect the Vietnamese to turn
the other cheek. Be friendly and open with local people
and you will get on fine. If you do face rudeness or
attempted rip-offs, be firm and do not lose your cool.
You will usually not have to work too hard to find
someone with a little English, even in remote areas.
Many Vietnamese also have a little French, Russian or
Mandarin Chinese. As with most countries, learning a few
phrases of the local language goes down well with the
locals.
Northern Vietnam
The landscape of the north of Vietnam is characterised
by jungle clad weathered karst limestone mountains.
Hanoi is located on one of the few plains, it’s a
sprawling city full of character, and its surprisingly
easy to explore by bike once you bite the bullet and
join the masses of scooters and bikes. The most popular
route for cyclists is to explore the highlands west and
north of Hanoi along Highway 6, eventually ending in
Sapa, where you can return to Hanoi by train, or turn
north into China at the nearby border crossing point. In
total it is about 700 km, but it can easily be cut short
by returning by bus or plane (there are airports near
Son La and Dien Bien Phu). There is a string of towns
along the route, but there are some large distances
between settlements, so be prepared for some long, tough
days in the saddle. Good places to stop include the
beautiful Lac village near Mai Chau and the pleasant
little town of Son La. This route is physically
demanding, and should only be tackled by fit and/or
experienced cyclists. However, it is highly recommended
it as it passes through stunning landscapes in areas
rarely seen by tourists.
Highway 1
The classic Vietnam ride. Few cyclists go the whole
route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, most bypassing the
relatively dull northern section. But from
Hue south the
riding is excellent and it gives an amazing kaleidoscope
of the best and worst of Vietnam and its people. The
road conditions are generally reasonably good, with a
few moderately challenging hills. Traffic can be
uncomfortably heavy in the vicinity of larger towns and
cities such as Da Nang, but is generally acceptable.
There are plenty of guesthouses at reasonable intervals.
Good bases for rest, relaxation and exploration include
the ancient capital of Hue, the lovely historic town of
Hoi An, and the large beach resort of
Nha Trang.
Most cyclists skip the last 200-km or so to Ho Chi Minh
City due to the heavy traffic, but it is cyclable.
Mekong
Delta
The Mekong
Delta is for many people the essence of Vietnam. It
is as large and as flat as the Netherlands, with a
fascinating patchwork of dazzling green fields and palm
trees intersected by giant branches of the Mekong.
Cycling is easy and there are regular towns and
villages, but traffic can be intense close to Ho Chi
Minh City and the high population density means you are
rarely alone. There are relatively few main roads, but
there is a rich network of tracks to explore for the
adventurous cyclist. My Tho, Can Tho and Chau Doc are
popular stops. Chau Doc is the main gateway to
Cambodia.
Other tips
Useful sites
1. Red Dragon
Junk, Cruise Halong Bay: 5 cabin boat on
Halong Bay
All cruises on
Halong Bay Online,
Halong bay
travel guide, Hanoi Halong Bay Tours, Maps to Halong,
2. Prince
Cruise Halong Bay Vietnam: 4 cabin cruise on Halong
Bay
3. Jayavarman
Cruise on Mekong River Vietnam Cambodia: luxury
cruise on the Mekong River
4. Hanoi Airlines:
book flight tickets to Hanoi
5. Halong Bay
Cruise: list all cruise boats on Halong Bay & Bai Tu
Long Bay
6. Hotel
Vietnam, Vietnam Hotels: book hotels and resorts in
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
7. Laos Travel
Guide: book tours in Laos with the New Road Tour
8. Cambodia
Travel: useful guides, hotels, flights, tours in
Cambodia
9. Phu Quoc
Travel Guide: useful information on Phu Quoc Island
Vietnam
10. Travel Sapa
Vietnam: tours, hotels, maps to Sapa Vietnam
11. Mekong
Delta Tours: cruise, hotels, tours in Mekong, Saigon
Other new travel sites
1. Vietnam Travel
Company: First Choice Tours in Vietnam
2. Hue Travel Guide:
guide, maps, tours in Hue Vietnam
3. Sapa Travel Tips:
Sapa guides, tourist information
4. Mekong River
Tours, Mekong Amalotus Cruise, Amalotus Cruise,
Amalotus Boat Mekong River
5. Amalotus.com,
Amalotuscruise.com, Amalotus Indochina Sails Mekong
River
6. Mekong
River Boats: Mekong Tours, Mekong River Tours
7. Hoi An Travel
Guide: Tours, maps to Hoi An
