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Vietnam 14 days in 2024. Looking to advice and recommendations Vietnam 14 days in 2024. Looking to advice and recommendations
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SE Asia Includes Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, plus Indonesia
Photo by Helmut Koch, Vivid sky with Northern Lights, Yukon, Canada

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Yukon, Canada



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  #1  
Old 11 Oct 2023
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Vietnam 14 days in 2024. Looking to advice and recommendations
Hi, I'm looking to rent a smallish bike and spend 14 days touring Vietnam.
I'm aiming for a reasonably relaxed trip with a 60/40(ish) split between riding and being a tourist.
I'm thinking that the North or South and surrounding regions, I'd like a little bit of city with some beach/coastal routes.

Weather-wise, I don't like the cold or the rain so would be nice to avoid both as much as possible.

Does anyone have any recommendations time-wise, ideally I'd like to travel in late April-early May if possible.

As for locations I can research way once I have an idea of where and when, but again any recommendations are gratefully received!

Thanks for reading ;-)
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Old 11 Oct 2023
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May is getting into rainy season, as best I recall. I’d stick with April, and probably earlier than later in the month. You don’t mention heat and humidity, but since I happen to abhor both I’d spend my time in the north—the south is heating up by that time of year.

You also don’t mention any desire for mountain roads and scenery, which seems odd from my perspective, but it’s your trip, not mine. And you say nothing about historical interests or religious sites. So maybe clarify what you’d like to do and see….? So far, I’m picturing a leisurely ride along the northern coast, stopping at beaches, lounging under palm trees, and taking the occasional tourist cruise (worth doing at least once, by the way, whether at Halong Bay or elsewhere). Is that what you had in mind?

Two weeks is going to fly by pretty quickly, but I’d get antsy for some twisty mountain roads and inland jungle scenery before my time was up.

Hope that’s helpful.

Mark
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  #3  
Old 12 Oct 2023
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Gonna say the same stuff as in earlier Vietnam threads...

1) Longer-distance travel in Vietnam is much better done on public transport (flights, trains, sleeper buses, transfer shuttles). Riding in traffic is not gonna be a fun experience.

2) You can rent a bike or scooter pretty much anywhere. Google Maps, or any tourist accommodation's reception, will get you a scooter rental within a few blocks.

Prioritize things that are fun to do on a bike, and do the rest of the trip with all the major sites on foot or using public transport.

One thing I highly recommend is the Ha Giang loop up in the far north. I rented a Honda XR150 from QT rentals in Ha Giang, and can happily endorse them based on my experience. 3-4 days with plenty of possibly detours.

The Hue/Da Nang/Hoi An section in the center of the country is also very much worth a stop, and you can do the Hai Van pass on a bike - there are one-way tourist rides available where you get not just the bike, but a support/luggage truck. Out of Hue, a daytrip to see the old imperial burial palaces and the abandoned water park is a good one.
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  #4  
Old 18 Oct 2023
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Location: DinHo Ecotour (Mekong Delta, Vietnam)
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Late April to early May is a good travel time!
For renting a motorbike, you can do some search on Tigit or Style motorbikes site.
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  #5  
Old 21 Oct 2023
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Location: BKI, Sabah
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Definitely recommend Ha Giang Loop at the North of Vietnam.

Bike rentals, there are plenty of good ones as mentioned by others.

I used Dragon Bikes twice in Vietnam and the trusty XR150 is nice!
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