Vietnam motorcycle tours

From twisty tarmac roads to rocky hill climbs and winding singletrack, the riding terrain on our Vietnam motorbike tours is certainly varied! That said, there is little to no sand, infrequent ruts and our tours are scheduled during the dry season to avoid the worst of the muddy conditions. So while the terrain can be challenging in places, surface under-tyre is usually quite consistent hard dirt & gravel. This actually makes the riding quite suitable for novice dirt bike riders and we always have the option to avoid the more technical sections if needed.

The riding in Vietnam is just beautiful. Whether you’re an enduro pro or relatively new to the off-road scene, you’ll have an absolute blast riding in Vietnam!

Rolling hills, terraced rice paddies, flowing rivers & waterfalls – the scenery in Vietnam is simply breathtaking. No two days feel the same on our motorbike tours in Vietnam and the clouds will often roll into valleys as you’re riding high above, transforming the entire feel of the place. It’s a beautiful country and the motorcycle is without the best way to explore it properly!

One of the oldest cultures in Southeast Asia, Vietnam has been heavily influenced by both the Chinese culture and that of the French, as well as that of the neighbouring Khmer & Champa cultures. The Vietnamese language also reflects this mixture of diverse influences such as a mix of grammar and tonality from the Thais and Chinese.

Although many people may think of Vietnam as being a Buddhist country it is officially an atheist country. For those who are religious it is more accurate to say the majority of citizens are not simply buddhist but uphold a system of beliefs known as Tam Giao which is a kind of triple religion, a mixture of Buddhism, Christianity and Cao Dai.

Vietnam is home to one of the world’s earliest civilisations and amongst the first to develop an agrarian society. In more recent history, Vietnam has become synonymous with the Vietnam War. Colonised by the French in 1887 they remained in control until the Battle of Dien Bien Phu (we ride through here on our Laos-Vietnam motorbike tour) in 1954 where the French finally withdrew. This allowed the division of the communist North to be officially divided from southern Vietnam, formalised by the 1954 Geneva Conference. From that point on, the US supported south was ruled by Ngo Dinh Diem’s regime in Saigon, while the Ho Chi Minh’s communist government ruled the north from Hanoi.

The Vietnam War (also known as the Second Indochina War) raged from 1955 until 1975, during which the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, supported by the US military, was defeated, meaning that Vietnam was unified under communist rule. Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in remembrance of the communist war time leader who died in 1969.

The communist rule was later relaxed as Vietnam struggled to cope with post-war economic hardship, made worse by the conflicts with China and the Khmer Rouge conflict in neighbouring Cambodia. This has since led to the economic growth of private businesses as well as improved international relations which continues to the present day.

If you’re a foodie you’re going to absolutely love the traditional dishes we’ll enjoy throughout of Vietnam motorbike tours. Many of the dishes here have a French influence, without losing the classic Asian flavour and fragrances. Think delicious noodle soups, sticky caramelised pork cooked on the BBQ on beds of sticky rice, incredible seafood, spicy herb-filled baguettes accompanied by zingy salads, crunchy pickles & peanutty dipping sauces.

No trip to Vietnam would be complete without trying one of the country’s most famous dishes, ‘Pho’. Traditionally eaten for breakfast, pho is a rice noodle soup, made with chicken (Pho Ga) or beef (Pho Bo), bone broth and fresh herbs. With most meals in Vietnam you can then add a sauce to jazz it up a bit, for example lime, chilli or hoisin.

Not forgetting of course the extremely strong, almost nutty flavoured drip coffee – the perfect punch in the face to wake you up ready for a day of beautiful motorbike riding through the Vietnamese hills!