Exploring Vietnam: Choosing the Right Transportation

Vietnam features a range of terrain, from mountains, rice paddy fields and hills to sandy beaches, waterways and huge cities. Many travellers choose to start their journey in the capital of Hanoi and finish in Ho Chi Minh City, which is on the opposite end of the country. This journey provides the opportunity for travellers to experience a huge range of Vietnamese cultures. Often the most efficient way of travelling around the country is to use the same transport as the locals do – on two wheels. However, there are a huge number of options available for those wishing to see the country from every angle.

Bicycle

Cycling is a great way to see this vast and beautiful country, particularly when travelling in towns and cities. It is possible to buy a good bike within Vietnam but those looking for a long-distance cycling experience may benefit from bringing a bike of their own, as well as the spares and tools required to keep it functional. Due to the vastly varying terrain across the country it’s best to choose a mountain bike, although a hybrid will cope with journeys via main roads.

Vietnam is a deceptively large country, and the benefit of travelling by bike is that you can put it on a train or a bus and travel through the rural areas via public transport. Bikes can also fit onto many of the buses, although it is important to check beforehand which of the services offer the space for such large items.

If you’re a novice when it comes to travelling on a bike it may be beneficial to choose a company that specialises in cycling tours as a means of keeping you on track throughout your trip. There are a number of international tour groups but it is possible to choose a local company if you’d like a more traditional experience.

Public transport

There are many forms of public transport in Vietnam, some of which are very efficient and, more importantly, very cheap. The cheapest of all are the buses, which can be found almost anywhere in Vietnam. Larger bus services offer interprovincial travel options, providing tourist-friendly journeys between cities. Often high quality, these buses can be found at the major bus terminals around most cities. Local buses are not usually as comfortable and will only travel shorter distances within provinces or cities. However, this is the cheapest option in bus travel.

For those nervous about the local bus system and are looking for a more comfortable journey it’s possible to choose Footprint Travel. This runs the length of Vietnam and tickets can be purchased in advance based on your destinations of choice. Extremely cheap, they are perfect for those wishing to see the country without worrying about transport.

Of course it is also possible to travel by train, and the national railway, the “Reunification Express”, follows the same north to south route as the buses. Relatively comfortable and safe, the railway is a great way to save on flight costs and offer sleeper carriages for those travelling through long sections of the 40-hour train line.

Boat

You’ll miss out on a large part of Vietnamese culture if you don’t explore parts of the country by boat. There are a number of boat tours around the country but Ha Long Bay is one of the most popular destinations for travellers seeking boat travel. Famous for one, two or three day boat trips, the area provides scenic views of the limestone islands. The Mekong Delta is perfect for seeing parts of Vietnam from the water. There are a number of motorised boats that provide local transportation through the waterways but it’s also possible to choose larger Mekong cruises, which provide longer and more comfortable water travel.

Car & motorbike

Travel by car is one of the safest and most efficient ways of seeing Vietnam. However, due to the nature of the road systems it’s not necessarily safest to drive yourself. There may be rules on the roads but to a first time driver the driving system can seem chaotic and confusing, particularly when you’re driving through somewhere unfamiliar.

The alternative to driving yourself is to hire a driver. Available across the country in almost all towns and cities, most drivers charge very little per day and can be booked to drive hire cars, which are also easily picked up in most locations. Hotels are the easiest places to find hire cars, but the best prices will be found in the budget hotels or guesthouses rather than the more expensive accommodation.

A good alternative to travelling by car is to travel by motorbike, which can be rented from almost anywhere in the towns and cities, including cafes and travel agencies. Renting motorbikes is one of the cheapest means of travel but many hire bikes come without insurance. If this is the case then it’s important to make sure you sign a valuation agreement to ensure you know how much you’ll need to pay if it’s stolen.

Thanks for your sharing your experience – “Susie Dent – a Footprint guest blogger”