Dunno about Vietnam but in Thailand you can go to prison just for smoking a joint. Jail there is not the luxury resort it is here, look it up sometime you want to feel better about your life.
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Buying a bike and travelling around Vietnam
- Thread starter regder
- Start date
So, I have a bike in Vietnam! Bought a 2018 Honda XR150 with 12k km for $2800usd from saigonmotorcycle.com. Buyback option after 2 months for $600 less, same or a bit less than a rental would cost. Way more than I wanted to spend, but I feel a lot more comfortable with something that hasn't been cartwheeled a few times. Comes with an ok DOT helmet as well.
Iceman
Well-known member
Last year my work was planning on sending a bunch of us to Cambodia for a year. In the orientation they repeatedly told us to stay completely away from any and all drugs while there. They said if we got caught you may never come home.
They also told us to stay on the main roads only, too many left over land mines etc from the war to wander around.
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Didn't bring your own helmet? Ay carumba!So, I have a bike in Vietnam! Bought a 2018 Honda XR150 with 12k km for $2800usd from saigonmotorcycle.com. Buyback option after 2 months for $600 less, same or a bit less than a rental would cost. Way more than I wanted to spend, but I feel a lot more comfortable with something that hasn't been cartwheeled a few times. Comes with an ok DOT helmet as well.
lol, this is only part of a larger backpacking trip
Converted my license to a temporary Vietnamese license today (IDP isn't valid in Vietnam). Some confusion with the license translation where they forgot to include the motorcycle part. But I think (hope?) it's sorted.
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what is the process to convert your license to a temporary Vietnamese license ?
Pretty straight forward. Get a notary to translate your license to Vietnamese, be sure they include the motorcycle portion, cost me 220,000vnd (about $13cad). Bring in translation, photocopy of your passport, photocopy of your Canadian license, all original documents (not sure if necessary, but who knows in Vietnam) fill out a form, hand over 135000vnd ($8cad) and you get a slip of paper that says you have an B1 A2 license (A2 is unlimited size motorcycle). They will mail out an actual license to the address you put, I put the shop I bought the bike from so they can forward it to me, but supposedly the paper is enough. License is valid for the duration of your visa.
The large majority of travellers wing it and are ok, with only the occasional bribe here and there, but I figured just in case.
The large majority of travellers wing it and are ok, with only the occasional bribe here and there, but I figured just in case.
How long did it take to have all this done?
I got it done in an afternoon. A couple hour wait for the notary to translate my license and 15 minutes at the licensing office.
One thing I forgot is I think the temporary license is only available if you have a minimum 3 month Visa
Yeah been looking into it, did you have the business visa then? Or the 3 month tourist?
3 month multi entry tourist visa, got it through Vietnam Visa Pro.
Awesome, thanks so much. You wouldn't happen to remember the notary? Any last tips for the trip? I'm going to be riding up through Mae Hong loop, Ha Giang, and then down from Hanoi to Saigon.
Don't remember the notary, but there are a bunch of them, it was a couple blocks from the licensing office. Make sure you tell them you need the motorcycle portion converted, they only included the car on the first try, Had to do a mad scramble to run back to the notary and have them fix it on the spot, then run back to the licensing office just before closing. I have heard of others having the same. I went to the licensing office at 252 Ly Chinh Thang in Saigon, which was recommended on multiple sites.
vietnamcoracle.com has a bunch of detailed information for routes and where to go. Tigit and Saigon motorcycles are two reputable sellers/renters
If you don't know already, do not under any circumstances buy a Honda Win. The only people in Vietnam that have one are stupid backpackers.
Yeah the plan is to rent either semi-auto Honda Waves for the ride down to Saigon because they're cheap/easy to fix or maybe the XR150 if I can find a shop with them around Ha Giang.
The Wave is a good idea, they're absolutely everywhere in Vietnam. I really enjoyed my XR150, perfect bike for Vietnam if you want a motorcycle and not a scooter.
I would suggest shopping in Hanoi, you're going to find a lot more shops renting/selling bikes there. Pretty sure Tigit has an office there, and they rent/sell XR150's
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