Vietnam by bike

Motorbikes are a way of life in Vietnam, whether it’s a family of six squeezing onto one scooter or a man transporting every household item imaginable strapped to the back. That’s why when visiting Vietnam, travellers should do as the Vietnamese do.

Day 1: Dalat

Dalat is set high in the mountains and there are a plethora of local tribes here. I was lucky enough to pick up on travellers’ whispers about Mr Rot’s tour which offers a private motorbike experience back to his home village. I confidently volunteered to drive my own moped but unfortunately spent most of the trip crashing and speeding off into open fields. We started off eating deep fried cricket in sweet chilli sauce and drove our way through the mountains until we arrived at the village of the Cil people. We wandered into a modest, cement home of three women, all of whom had valleys of wrinkles in their faces and who passed around aged rice water.

Day 2: Dalat to Lak Lake

I woke up the next day to set out on my Easy Riders tour, where two experienced bikers pulled up like knights in shining leather to whisk us through the Central Highlands and onto the coast. Before we knew it, we were on the open road and waving adieu to Dalat as we headed for Lak Lake. I liked the freedom of riding on the back of the bike in comparison to driving my own. Not only were my driving skills miserable, but my focus (and my camera lens) could now be on the world around us instead of the road in front of.

As we drove toward Lak Lake, a man drove beside us, navigating his way through traffic with his wife freely sitting on the back, her legs hanging off to one side and a handful of dead chickens in tow. Families of five were squeezed onto a bike, sharing an umbrella, their faces buried into one another’s backs.

Day 3: Lak Lake to Buon ma thout

One of my obsessions in Vietnam was the makeshift, hole-in-the-wall barber shops that were set up in every nook and cranny. It was usually just a barber, a chair and a mirror. We came across an empty town that had retreated to go watch the local volleyball match. The setting couldn’t have been more picturesque; blue sky, marshmallow clouds, high mountains and a raucous crowd to keep the pace of the game moving fast. After playing around with some of the kids, we zipped our way through the highlands and wrapped up our day learning how to wrap our own spring rolls before retiring for the evening.

Day 4: Buon Ma Thout to Nha Trang

We set off in the morning and weaved through colourful Vietnamese traffic – drivers lugging mattresses, traditional taxis transporting local women whose headscarves signify their tribes, school kids on bicycles and the never-ending blasting of horns all about. Along the coast it was like we were transported to another world. Glass-like water with peaks crowned by mist that made the scene feel like Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings. We made our way into Nha Trang, stopping to enjoy a spicy corn on the cob in a little fishing village on the edge on town. The darkness started to set in as we watched little boats bobbing in the water, some of them bringing in the day’s haul. Thinking back, all the memories of being on the bike shuffle together like a collage and I recall the freedom that only a revved up motorcycle can bring. Vietnam was my first time getting on a motorcycle, and it won’t be the last.

SCOOT ABOUT SAIGON

Experience Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) with CBT Holidays who have a three-night holiday including airfares from $1298 with accommodation at the four-star Royal Lotus Hotel.

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