Travel information Vietnam for motorcycle tours

Everything to sort out before riding through Vietnam: visa, entry without your own motorcycle, driving licence, the northern passes and the rainy season in the Mekong Delta.

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The essentials on Vietnam at a glance

Updated: August 2026

Visa: Visa-free for up to 45 days (DE, AT, CH); e-visa USD 25 (single) / USD 50 (multiple) for longer or repeated stays; Apply only through the official portal evisa.gov.vn
Passport: At least 6 months from date of entry, at least 2 blank pages
Best season: North Oct-Apr, South/Mekong Delta Nov-Apr; avoid the central coast Sep-Nov
Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND) - cash only at fuel stations and in rural areas
Time zone: UTC+7, no daylight saving time
Traffic: Right-hand traffic
Helmet & gear: Helmets compulsory for rider and pillion; Many local rental helmets don't meet the TCVN 5756 standard - bring your own helmet
Main route: QL1A as the north-south axis; mountain roads in the north narrow, some single-lane paved
Fuel: E5 RON92 and RON95 widely available nationwide; in the highlands only at scattered roadside stands
Intl. driving permit: Only an IDP under the 1968 Vienna Convention is recognised - the 1949 version (USA, Canada, Australia) is not

Entry

Visa and entry to Vietnam

Germans, Austrians and Swiss can enter visa-free for up to 45 days - longer or repeated stays require the official e-visa.

Visa-free (DE/AT/CH)

Stay: up to 45 days
Cost: free
Where to apply: applies automatically on entry
Validity: 45 days from date of entry

e-visa, single entry

Stay: up to 90 days
Cost: USD 25
Where to apply: evisa.gov.vn (online)
Validity: 90 days, 1 entry

e-visa, multiple entry

Stay: up to 90 days
Cost: USD 50
Where to apply: evisa.gov.vn (online)
Validity: 90 days, multiple entries

Ha Giang border-area permit

Stay: length of trip
Cost: USD 10
Where to apply: Immigration Office in Ha Giang City, or through accommodation/agency
Validity: for the length of the trip

Visa types for Vietnam with length of stay, cost and where to apply
Visa type	Stay	Cost	Where to apply	Validity
Visa-free (DE/AT/CH)	up to 45 days	free	applies automatically on entry	45 days from date of entry
e-visa, single entry	up to 90 days	USD 25	evisa.gov.vn (online)	90 days, 1 entry
e-visa, multiple entry	up to 90 days	USD 50	evisa.gov.vn (online)	90 days, multiple entries
Ha Giang border-area permit	length of trip	USD 10	Immigration Office in Ha Giang City, or through accommodation/agency	for the length of the trip

Your own bike

Bringing your own motorcycle - or renting locally?

Vietnam is one of the hardest countries in Southeast Asia for bringing your own vehicle - a carnet isn't enough, and almost all travellers ride rented motorcycles.

Checklist for the border

The Carnet de Passages is not recognised in Vietnam - not a valid entry document for private travellers
Your own motorcycle only through a Vietnamese travel agency with an official special permit (several weeks to months of lead time, approx. USD 800-1,000)
Practical route: rent or buy a motorcycle locally instead of importing one
When renting: ask for registration papers, a written power of attorney and photo documentation of the bike's condition
The rental operator's "insurance" covers only the vehicle - bring your own travel insurance with a motorcycle add-on
For Ha Giang (Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van, Meo Vac), also get the border-area permit, even with a rented motorcycle
The overnight police registration duty in Dong Van/Meo Vac is the accommodation's responsibility - make sure to check in with your passport

The biggest stumbling block isn't the motorcycle, it's the driving permit: without an IDP under the 1968 Vienna Convention, riding is treated as uninsured at a checkpoint - with consequences for fines, impoundment and, in the event of an accident, your insurance payout too.

Documents

Driving licence and IDP

Vietnam only recognises the International Driving Permit under the 1968 Vienna Convention - the 1949 version from the USA, Canada and Australia is not valid.

National driving licence with a motorcycle category
International Driving Permit (IDP) under the 1968 Vienna Convention - not the 1949 version
For rental motorcycles over 175cc: category A2 on your home licence, or the corresponding IDP entry
Passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity
Always carry a copy of the vehicle papers and the power of attorney with a rented motorcycle

Season

Best time for motorcycle tours

The north runs on a different calendar than the south - combining both regions means planning around two rainy seasons, not one.

Best season: Oct to Apr, staggered by region

Rideability by month and region
Region	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
North / Ha Giang Loop	Jan: Rideable, with limits	Feb: Best riding window	Mar: Best riding window	Apr: Best riding window	May: Rideable, with limits	Jun: Rideable, with limits	Jul: Rideable, with limits	Aug: Rideable, with limits	Sep: Best riding window	Oct: Best riding window	Nov: Best riding window	Dec: Rideable, with limits
Central coast / Hai Van Pass	Jan: Rideable, with limits	Feb: Best riding window	Mar: Best riding window	Apr: Best riding window	May: Best riding window	Jun: Best riding window	Jul: Rideable, with limits	Aug: Rideable, with limits	Sep: Not rideable	Oct: Not rideable	Nov: Not rideable	Dec: Rideable, with limits
South / Mekong Delta	Jan: Best riding window	Feb: Best riding window	Mar: Best riding window	Apr: Best riding window	May: Rideable, with limits	Jun: Rideable, with limits	Jul: Rideable, with limits	Aug: Rideable, with limits	Sep: Rideable, with limits	Oct: Rideable, with limits	Nov: Best riding window	Dec: Best riding window

Best riding window
Rideable, with limits
Not rideable

Dry season in the north Oct-Apr, in the Mekong Delta Nov-Apr; avoid the central coast during typhoon season Sep-Nov.

Matching departures in Vietnam The best window is Oct to Apr, staggered by region. See the tours that start within it. Tours in Vietnam

Roads & tracks

Roads and passes: north, coast, delta

Three very different kinds of road: narrow mountain tracks in the north, a wide pass road on the coast, and flat levee roads with ferries in the Mekong Delta.

Ha Giang Loop: Dong Van - Meo Vac (Ma Pi Leng Pass, QL4C)

20 km

Condition: Paved, very winding mountain road through the Nho Que Gorge, narrow in places and without crash barriers
After rain: Repeated landslides in heavy rain (20 to 200 tonnes of rock per event, according to the provincial authority) - closures usually last 6 to 36 hours until cleared, with a detour via Yen Minh (about 80 km extra)
Daily distance: 80 to 120 km
Fuel: Fuel stations in Dong Van, Meo Vac and Yen Minh; only scattered canister sellers in between
Passes & altitude: Ma Pi Leng Pass, approx. 1,500 m
Permits: Ha Giang border-area permit required (see Visa)

Hai Van Pass (National Route 1A, Da Nang - Hue)

21 km

Condition: Wide, well-built pass road; barely any truck or bus traffic since the tunnel opened in 2005
After rain: Fog and wet surfaces near the summit, especially in the rainy season from October to January - reduced speed needed, but technically unproblematic
Fuel: Fuel stations in Da Nang and Lang Co at both ends of the pass
Passes & altitude: 496 m at the highest point, gradients up to 11 degrees
Permits: none

Mekong Delta: levee roads and ferries around Can Tho and Vinh Long

Condition: Flat network of narrow dike and levee roads, linked by ferries across the larger river arms; former ferry crossings such as Vam Cong have since been replaced by bridges
After rain: Slippery mud from the fields on the levee roads; in the rainy season (May to October) sections are sometimes flooded, especially in August and September, with delays to ferry crossings
Fuel: Fuel stations in every larger settlement along the main routes
Permits: none

Sections with length, surface, condition and daily distance
Section	km	Surface	Condition	After rain	Daily distance	Fuel	Passes & altitude	Permits
Ha Giang Loop: Dong Van - Meo Vac (Ma Pi Leng Pass, QL4C)	20	–	Paved, very winding mountain road through the Nho Que Gorge, narrow in places and without crash barriers	Repeated landslides in heavy rain (20 to 200 tonnes of rock per event, according to the provincial authority) - closures usually last 6 to 36 hours until cleared, with a detour via Yen Minh (about 80 km extra)	80 to 120 km	Fuel stations in Dong Van, Meo Vac and Yen Minh; only scattered canister sellers in between	Ma Pi Leng Pass, approx. 1,500 m	Ha Giang border-area permit required (see Visa)
Hai Van Pass (National Route 1A, Da Nang - Hue)	21	–	Wide, well-built pass road; barely any truck or bus traffic since the tunnel opened in 2005	Fog and wet surfaces near the summit, especially in the rainy season from October to January - reduced speed needed, but technically unproblematic	–	Fuel stations in Da Nang and Lang Co at both ends of the pass	496 m at the highest point, gradients up to 11 degrees	none
Mekong Delta: levee roads and ferries around Can Tho and Vinh Long	–	–	Flat network of narrow dike and levee roads, linked by ferries across the larger river arms; former ferry crossings such as Vam Cong have since been replaced by bridges	Slippery mud from the fields on the levee roads; in the rainy season (May to October) sections are sometimes flooded, especially in August and September, with delays to ferry crossings	–	Fuel stations in every larger settlement along the main routes	–	none

Fuel

Fuel and range in Vietnam

E5 RON92 and RON95 are available nationwide at fuel stations - in the northern highlands, the gap between stations is filled with roadside canister sellers.

E5 RON92

Availability: nationwide, including small rural stations
Payment: cash only

RON95

Availability: in cities and on most intercity roads
Payment: cash only

Canister/bottle sellers

Availability: remote mountain routes in the north (e.g. Ha Giang Loop)
Payment: cash only, more expensive than at the pump

Fuel grades, prices and the longest legs between stations
Type	Availability	Payment
E5 RON92	nationwide, including small rural stations	cash only
RON95	in cities and on most intercity roads	cash only
Canister/bottle sellers	remote mountain routes in the north (e.g. Ha Giang Loop)	cash only, more expensive than at the pump

Safety

Safety on the road in Vietnam

The local emergency numbers are different from 112 - police, fire and ambulance each have their own number in Vietnam.

Emergency numbers

Police 113
Fire brigade 114
Ambulance 115
National rescue hotline (natural disasters) 112

Health

Health and insurance

Standard travel insurance often only covers motorcycling up to 125cc - larger machines need a separate policy.

Travel insurance with a motorcycle add-on that covers the actual machine you ride (engine size)
Proof of a valid IDP within reach - without it, an insurer can refuse to pay out after an accident
Mosquito protection (DEET) against dengue fever, year-round and nationwide
For longer stays in the rural north: consider vaccination against Japanese encephalitis
Travel medical kit with wound disinfectant - road rash from falls is the most common injury on the loop

Most standard travel insurance policies exclude motorcycling over 125cc or require a valid licence matching the machine - clarify both in writing with your insurer before booking, not only after an accident.

Money

Money and cash in Vietnam

Cash is practically the only way to pay at fuel stations and in rural areas - cards only work in cities and larger hotels.

Cash (VND)

Where: everywhere; the only option in rural areas

ATM (Visa/Mastercard/UnionPay)

Where: cities and larger towns

Card payment

Where: hotels and restaurants in cities, almost never at fuel stations

Typical prices and means of payment
Method	Where
Cash (VND)	everywhere; the only option in rural areas
ATM (Visa/Mastercard/UnionPay)	cities and larger towns
Card payment	hotels and restaurants in cities, almost never at fuel stations

Packing list

Packing list for Vietnam

Only what this trip adds beyond your usual motorcycle touring kit.

Your own TCVN- or ECE-certified helmet (many rental helmets don't meet the standard)
International Driving Permit (IDP) under the 1968 Vienna Convention
A printed copy of the Ha Giang border-area permit
Rain gear for the rainy season in the Mekong Delta or the typhoon season on the coast
A Viettel SIM or eSIM for network coverage in the mountain regions of the north
Enough small VND notes - fuel stations and rural guesthouses take cash only
Wound disinfectant and plasters for road rash on gravel sections

Motorcycle tours through Vietnam

Two very different routes: the mountain passes of the Ha Giang Loop in the north and the flat waterways of the Mekong Delta in the south.

All tours in Vietnam

Written by

Pravin Rohra

Product manager for the Asian market

German, English
Last checked: 29.08.2026

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