Vietnam North to South

MOTORBIKES
You will ride on a Kawasaki KLX or Honda CRF 150cc  There is a limited option to upgrade to a XR 250cc motorbike. 

DIFFICULTY AND OFFROAD
During this trip from North to South Vietnam, we ride neither at a high altitude nor through extremely desolate regions. We ride on light motorcycles which makes the trip suitable for those riders who have never undertaken an adventurous motorcycle trip before. The daily distances are not long which means we frequently have the opportunity to stop along the way to take photographs or to visit villages. 

What might well be difficult, however, is dealing with the extremely busy traffic in and around Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Only a small section of the tour goes over dirt roads and paths. These trails are not very difficult and are easily done without any off-road experience.

TOUR LEADER
This trip will be led by our local guide who also is the mechanic, with a small group. This person has been the permanent mechanic on our Vietnam trips for the past 12 years. He knows all the routes, hotels and restaurants well and speaks good English. A multilingual tour leader will lead this tour with a larger group. 

SUPPORT VEHICLE
A support car will accompany this trip starting from 4 participants This will be driven by our permanent local driver. The support vehicle will transport the luggage, spare parts, and tools. There is space in the support car for any companion passengers who do not wish to or cannot double up on a motorcycle.

ACCOMMODATION
During this tour, we stay in a mix of accommodations from semi-luxurious to simple homestays.

CLIMATE
The rainy season in northern Vietnam is from June to late August in southern Vietnam it is from June to mid-October. We plan our trips either before or after the rainy season. Nevertheless, the weather can override all forecasts, so on all trips one must be prepared for a rain shower.

CLOTHING
The following items are mandatory: helmet, motorcycle jacket with protection, gloves, a good hard-wearing pair of (motorcycle) trousers with protection and solid high (mountain) boots. It can be very warm in the lowland parts of the trip, especially in Spring and Autumn.
Accordingly, we recommend a protective summer motorcycle jacket.. One can wear extra clothing under one’s jacket as necessary. Furthermore, a good pair of sunglasses and a helmet with a visor that protects against dust are useful.

INSURANCE
Motorbikes have standard liability insurance. There is no option to insure damage to the bikes.
Damage caused by a rider needs to be paid at the end of the tour.

VISA
For most nationalities, it is necessary to apply for an online visa.

DRIVER LICENSE
As of January 1st, 2016, Vietnam permits most nationalities to drive if they have both an International Driving Permit (IDP) and their national driver’s license. A license without the IDP is not permissible and only the IDP model 1968 is accepted.