biking in vietnam

Hi All!

I'm going to southeast Asia this winter and was wondering if anyone had any tips for biking in Vietnam. I'm by no means a competitive cyclist - I can ride a bike and do often, just not in spandex and logos. So for an amateurish person, any routes or general advice? Anything is appreciated!

Thanks :)

For routes and inspiration have a look at www.crazyguyonabike.com there are loads of journals there.

I cycle a lot in Vn (about 4 months last year alone) and love it. Some find it too manic and the people too challenging, but I reckon it is a wonderful place to cycle once away from the big towns and the main north south Hifghway 1.

You need to be more specific with your plans before it is worth answering your post in any detail.
Wil you be taking a bike (local ones are usually pretty bad)?
How long cycling (days, weeks, months, etc)?
Daily distances?
Like mountains?
Like isolated rural areas or more touristy areas?
etc, etc?

I spent 3weeks cycling around the Mekong delta in march and it was great.
As it's a delta it's very flat, the only hills you'll have are bridges. It was very easy to find quite roads and keep off the highways with the help of googlemaps.
You will not Ned to bring cooking or camping equipment as food and accommodation is available everywhere and cheaply, so you can travel lite.
We toured with our own bikes, if you by a cheap bike in Vietnam it will not last, but I did meet someone who did. He brought it for $100, the chain broke after a week and he sold it for $80 and took the bus.
If you like hills try the north if you like beachs and can put up with a lot of trafic then the coast may be OK

Hi there,

Thanks for the advice! I'm just getting my feet wet thinking about the route - the Mekong Delta sounds more like my style. I ride long distances along flat roads frequently but am not sure I'm up for the challenge of many hills or mountains. I would definitely rather avoid high-traffic areas in favor of rural locations.

Thanks!

Edited by: pirmelenge

There are two sets of maps that you will find helpful, both available from Fahasa bookshops. They are:

1. Tap Ban Do Giao Thong Duong Bo , Nha Xuat Ban Ban Do [Vietnamese Road Atlas,Cartographic Publishing House], updated 2012. Most maps are 1:500,000, with some around major cities at 1:160,000. Costs 210,000 dong.
2. Travel Map of Vietnam 1:1,250,000, Nha Xuat Ban Ban Do [Cartographic Publishing House]. It is a fold open map with the southern half of VN on one side and the northern half on the other, updated annually and shows some main routes not in VN Road Altas. Costs 25,000dong.

Warning: Place names on maps can be vastly different from names on km posts and what the locals commonly used. For example, Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh v Saigon, Dien Xuan v Dat Set, Tra Lien v Khanh Le. Do take this into account when travelling.