Jump up on multiple MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION around Hanoi!
RIDE A SCOOTER OR A MOTORBIKE
Sounds scary? Well, not at all. If you are accustomed to the crazy traffic of Hanoi and have a strong belief that crossing the road in Vietnam is just a piece of cake, then don’t be afraid to get on a scooter or motorbike and go for a ride!
Trust me that riding a scooter is no different from riding an electric bicycle. It is, without doubt, not so difficult.
If you just want to give it a try to get around Hanoi by riding a scooter/motorbike, renting one can be a good idea. Ask the receptionists in which hotel you are staying for more information about motor rental service there. If that service is not available in the hotel, you can find a lot of shops offering it in some main streets such as Hang Be, Ta Hien, Luong Ngoc Quyen, Dinh Liet, Hang Bac,… (Old Quarter). You will be asked to leave a deposit and a copy of your passport before getting a motorbike. Depending on the types of motorbikes and scooters, it would cost you from $5 to $35/day.
If you are interested in having a road trip outside Hanoi for months, you had better purchase a scooter/motorbike (ranging from $200-$800). When you buy a motorbike, you will get the keys and a blue card (the ownership card; no need to transfer it into your name). Don’t forget to carry your International Driving License in the trip. In order to make your road trip go smoothly, you should buy a data-only sim card for 3G to get access to the internet. If you want to buy a local sim card to contact with your friends, it is easy to get one without showing your passport. You can buy them in almost everywhere, from the telecommunication stores to the tiny booths or stalls on streets.
TAKE A TAXI OR A MOTORBIKE TAXI
You can take a taxi or a motorbike taxi anywhere you want. In Vietnam, you don’t have to spend time finding a queue area taxicab stand since taxis are ubiquitous here. Just wave your hands to signal the taxi to stop. Average taxi fare in Hanoi: 11 000 vnd (Taxi 1 km, normal tariff)
Motorbike taxi (Xe ôm) is common, too. Just need to approach the people sitting on motorbikes in the street corners with a small white board saying “Xe ôm” and experience the chaotic life of Hanoi. Be careful that some taximotorbikers could take you to a “Need for Speed” game at the speed of light. Tell him or her to slow down when you feel unsafe. The fare is based on negotiation. Check out the price before getting on and don’t hesitate to haggle as much as you can.
UBER? Why not. It is totally possible to Uber in Hanoi. To Uber, you have to buy a local sim card (without showing your passport) in almost everywhere, from the telecommunication stores to the tiny booths or stalls on streets. Insert the card, get a new phone number with +84, download Uber, and go with it. If the motorbiker/driver cannot speak English, don’t worry, you can try speaking Vietnamese “Đón tôi đang ở |don-toi-dang-o| ….(your address/pickup location)…. Cảm ơn.” It literally means “Pick me up in …. Thank you”. If you are not sure about saying the address correctly to the driver, send him/her a message.
Uber fare: 3700 vnd/km (Uber Motorbike); UberX (max size: 4 people) 4999 vnd/km; Nearest Black (max size: 4 people) 9579 vnd/km; SUV (max size: 7 peoople) 9597 vnd/km.
TAKE A BUS
Taking a bus to travel in Hanoi takes a lot of time and the price is ranging from 7000 vnd to 9000 vnd. Go to timbus.vn/ (Vietnamese) type the arrival, the destination and pick an option among “the shortest distance”, “a minimum number of stops”, “don’t need to walk much” in the left column. Or you can Googlemaps and click on the bus symbol.
TAKE A CYCLO
If you are finding a kind of transportation to get a general view of the Old Quarter, cyclos, three-wheeled vehicles, are highly recommended. Cyclo drivers cycle from behind and offer you a ride with you sitting in the front. If you want to try cycling a cyclo, just ask the drivers for that. The price would range from 50 000 – 100 000 vnd/hour-ride and depend on how far the distance would be and how good you are at haggling down. Cyclos are ubiquitous in the Old Quarter so it is, without doubt, never hard for you to find them.
Riding a scooter is a fun and thrilling experience. Travelling this way looks so peaceful and adventurous.
I would love to ride a scooter or motorbike in Vietnam! It’s one of the icons to Vietnam, so it would be a fun experience to try. Just like jeepney in the Philippines or tuk tuk in Thailand!
ahh I don’t think I’d ever be able to ride a scooter in Vietnam!! Just crossing the street for me was a challenge haha I don’t think I’d be able to navigate those chaotic roads on my own. I’m far too clumsy!
Very interesting!
I do agree with all of the ideas you’ve offered for your post. They are really convincing and will definitely work. Nonetheless, the posts are too short for novices. Could you please lengthen them a bit from subsequent time? Thanks for the post.