Travel by motorbike, on pillion or renting your own

We've found riding pillion on the back of a motorbike taxi to be the quickest, easiest way for short-distance travel. Vietnamese drivers watch out for each other, and we've never come close to having an accident, after hundreds of trips. Just ask for a xe om ("say-OM"), and your destination is minutes away, all for a few thousand dong (most trips in Saigon and Hanoi are 7,000 VND, roughly 50 cents USD).

Outside of large cities, metered taxis will not be found, and private cars are still a relative rarity. The reason for the popularity of the motorbike is simple: tax on the purchase of new autos is 200%, so the buyer will pay three times the sticker price of the car. Chinese motorbikes can be bought new for as low as $300 USD, so they're the preferred mode of transportation for virtually everyone in the country.

Driving your own rented motorbike can be an effective way to get around a locality. We encourage you to walk around Hanoi or Saigon first, to get an idea of what you're in for. Essentially, motorbikes come at you from all directions, and there are thousands of them. Always expect a lone motorbike to come at you from the wrong direction, and observe that in most instances, motorbikes do not stop for red lights. You'll need an international license, rated for motorcycles.

A popular motorbike is the 125cc (but powerful) Russian Minsk, which can get you up mountain roads faster than just about anything in Vietnam. In cities, try to park your bike at a designated area, where you'll pay a small fee for someone to watch your bike (stolen bikes are a daily occurrence). The time of your arrival will be chalked on your seat.