Hi to all
I'm planing to cross the border from china to vietnam on the end of december .
My plan is to buy a motorbike and travel in north vietnam . I will try to continue with the same bike to lhaos , thailand ,kambodia , thiland , malasia .
I'm looking for tips on buying a motor bike in vietnam and tips about traveling in south east asia.
thanks
oren

Oren

For what it is worth.......

My understanding is that you have to be a resident of Vietnam to buy and register a motorbike in Vietnam. I also understand some tourists get around this by having the bike registered in the name of a local, however, I have also heard some stories of tourists being ripped off by the "legal owner" of their bike as they chose the wrong local. If it was not registered in your name, I doubt you would be able to take it out of the country.

Legally, you require an international drivers licence to drive in Vietnam, however, I have never had mine checked.

Advice from locals in the south is that the city police are inventive in their interpretation of the law (and also subject to negotiation of the fine), whereas the highway patrol are straight down the line...no negotiation and official receipts issued. don't know about the police in the north.

It is also compulsory for both driver and pilion to wear helmets. This law is blatantly ignored in larger urban areas and extreme remote rural areas, and obeyed on the main roads where they think a highway patrol is operatng (watch for bus drivers flashing headlights -police ahead- and "rocking" their right hand -all clear-). I got stung for not wearing a helmet (as pillion)...it cost me 20,000 dong (3 days wages for the waitress where I was eating breakfast, $1.76 Oz for me).

Have a look at Greg Frazier's "Minsking, Uncle Ho and Snake Wine" under Travellers' Stories. I enjoyed it.

John



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BTO APAW
One day I'm gunna......

__________________
BTO APAW
One day I'm gunna......