Travel by Car

Because of the hazardous road conditions described in the bus section, we don't recommend driving your own car. The Vietnamese essentially have no enforceable road rules, and your chance of hitting a motorbike is pretty good. Call the police, and your car will be impounded.

Overall, it's better to hire a car and driver, which should cost you around $25 USD per day. For mountain travel in the Sapa region, a good bet is to hire a Russian jeep, equipped to handle muddy, rocky dirt track, with a driver experienced in local terrain.