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Cycling Vietnam has grown immensely in popularity in recent years. There are countless group tours offering this experience, but often they can be quite pricey. Exploring Vietnam doesn’t have to be expensive, and the country is perfect for a solo trip whether by motorbike or bicycle.
Cycle or motorbike touring is essentially using this mode of transport to explore a country. Unlike a city-based stay, a cycle tour is often considered a self-contained form of travel. This means you’ll be carrying a tent, food and a portable kitchen of sorts. In my opinion, touring on two wheels is a fantastic way to get out of the large cities and see the real side of a country.



I rode the length of Vietnam while on a longer mission to cycle from Türkiye to Thailand. Of the many countries I passed though, Vietnam was a particularly special experience on bike and easily my favorite country of the trip.
In this guide to cycling Vietnam I’ll share some of the many reasons I think you should consider cycling Vietnam, in addition to some of my favorite cycling routes in Vietnam.
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- 9 Reasons Why You Should Cycle Vietnam
- 1. Discover magnificent hidden landscapes
- 2. You’ll meet the friendliest of locals
- 3. Find your own slice of paradise along the coast
- 4. Sleep in the best camping spots on earth
- 5. Enjoy the incredibly affordable cost of living
- 6. Eat some incredible street food
- 7. Get so much more out of your Vietnam itinerary
- 8. Fall back in love with the simplicity of travel
- 9. Feel the freedom
- Everything you need to know before you cycle Vietnam
- 3 best routes to cycle Vietnam
9 Reasons Why You Should Cycle Vietnam
Despite the crazy city streets of Hanoi and Saigon, once you get out to the rural areas, you’ll find it to be incredibly peaceful. Vietnam is often described as a ‘long country,’ and as such the landscape varies massively.
From rainforest and hills in the north, to sandy beaches and mountains in the middle, and swamps and mangroves in the south. Vietnam really has it all, and, in my opinion, this diversity of nature is best explored slowly. Cycling gives you exactly that: a slow appreciation of the country.

2. You’ll meet the friendliest of locals
While on a cycling tour of Vietnam, you’ll find people to be incredibly inquisitive and friendly, especially as you go deeper into the rural areas. When I was cycling Vietnam, there were many occasions when people in their cars would pull up next to me for a chat. Some people even gifted me drinks and snacks to keep me fueled throughout my journey.
3. Find your own slice of paradise along the coast
With over 3000 km of shoreline, cycling along the coast not only allows for great views but offers a lovely sea breeze.
Vietnam can be super hot and humid, and staying coastal allows ample opportunity to jump in the sea for a cool down.

4. Sleep in the best camping spots on earth
Some people prefer to stay in hotels instead of camping, but in my opinion this just isn’t the way to experience Vietnam. As you go through your cycling tour of Vietnam, you’ll find some perfect spots for wild camping. Finding a camp spot at the end of the day and being close to nature is all part of the experience of cycle or motorbike touring.

5. Enjoy the incredibly affordable cost of living
Whether you are visiting Vietnam from Europe, North America or Australia, Vietnam is incredibly affordable. You can travel further for less and not have to worry about budget. Hotels, food and activates are all relatively low cost, and traveling by bike or motorbike will decrease your outgoings even more.
6. Eat some incredible street food
Whether your method of travel is cycling or motorbike, it can be quite exhausting at times. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find that all that cycling results in one growing immensely hungry very quickly.
One of my favorite things about Vietnam is the abundance of fresh food literally everywhere. Dive head first into Vietnamese street food culture and you won’t regret it.

Take a Bahn Mi sandwich for US$1, a rice dish for US$2 or a bowl of Pho soup for US$2.5. And we can’t forget about the legendary Café Sua Da, Vietnamese iced coffee sweetened with condensed milk.
7. Get so much more out of your Vietnam itinerary
Vietnam is well known as a backpacking region, which means the cities have been gentrified in many ways. But traveling by bicycle or motorbike, you’ll be exposed to so much more than if you were to take the bus of even drive. When cycling Vietnam, expect to see the traditional way of life. Eat the no-frills street food and interact with the people of Vietnam.

8. Fall back in love with the simplicity of travel
When traveling this way, you will really learn to live basic and appreciate the little things. It’s a simple but fun rhythm to get into which is more or less along the lines of: eat, cycle, eat, cycle, eat, sleep, wake up and do it all over again.
9. Feel the freedom
With your own set of wheels, you really can go anywhere on your own accord. The freedom of being in an unknown place and having the ability to travel spontaneously is a really uplifting feeling. It’s satisfying to arrive in a new city and already have your mode of transport to get around.

Everything you need to know before you cycle Vietnam
When is the best time of year to cycle Vietnam?
From my research, the best time of year to visit Vietnam for a bicycle or motorcycle trip isn’t exactly clear cut. As the distance between the north and south is over 1600 km, you’ll find that climates can vary a lot. This means whatever the season, you can craft an ideal cycle route with favorable weather conditions.

However, you should still be aware of the seasons in Vietnam. Generally speaking, Vietnam experiences its wet season from May to November, while between December to February the North can experience a mild winter with cooler weather and occasional showers. The south records consistently higher temperatures year round, with April and May being slightly hotter at temperatures often exceeding 40°C (104 °F).
What should I bring on a Vietnam cycling tour?
Some people may want to take their own bicycle with them on the plane or even ship their motorbike. While both options are plausible, it is absolutely possible to fly into Hanoi or Saigon and gather the gear you need here before setting off. The basics you will need is a tent, sleeping matt, gas stove, a bike of some sort and basic supplies of food and water.
3 essential Vietnam apps for every cycling tour
There are a few handy mobile apps to help you along the way when cycling Vietnam, from navigation to tracking and saving your statistics.

1. Komoot
Very good for route planning, Kamoot is a free app allows you to plot a route utilizing local roads and tracks. Use it to your advantage and create your own path. It’s also good for checking distance and incline or decline.
2. Polarsteps
Apps such a Polarsteps will track your route and plot it in real time to a map for your friends and family to follow. It offers an interactive way to keep everyone who is worried about you (and that’s probably most people) updated with your whereabouts.
3. Strava
Strava is the best way to track your stats and physical output. It’s a great option for logging distance covered and duration of route. Like Polarsteps, Strava also offers location sharing feature so you can share your journey with friends and family.

For more of the best travel apps to save you time and money, don’t miss our ultimate guide to travel apps.
3 best routes to cycle Vietnam
1. Ha giang loop: 400 km
Given the hilly nature of this region, expect this route to take 3-5 days by motorcycle or a week to ten days by bicycle. During the winter months, this area can experience mass flooding, so this is a better cycle route for the summer months. The hills could make this the most physically challenging route when cycling Vietnam, but the landscape is spectacular and offers a truly unparalleled experience.

2. Hue to Hoi An: 130 km
This section of the central coast offers a range of interesting sights, from the historical ancient capital of Hue, to a winding mountain pass road with spectacular views and a coastal section along a silky sand beach. This route finishes in the magnificently preserved ancient town of Hoi An, one of the star attractions of any Vietnam itinerary.


3. Nha Trang to Mui Ne: 250 km
The resort town of Nha Trang is a nice place to check out. Lean in to the tourist scene and enjoy the high-quality restaurants and nice beaches. Take the coastal route south, where you will journey into the hills as you travel down to Mui Ne.

Just north of Mui Ne, you’ll pass through one of the most bizarre landscapes in Vietnam. The road cuts through a mass of desert-like sand dunes before arriving at the charming fishing village of Mui Ne. After cycling in the sun, you really do deserve that quick ocean dip!

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