Motorbike touring in Hanoi has become a consistently popular trend among young people passionate about travel. This is not only due to the freedom and open spirit it offers but also its significant cost savings compared to other means of transportation. If you’re dreaming of an exciting motorbike trip in Hanoi and want to equip yourself with the necessary knowledge and experience, let’s explore the detailed guide below from “Du lịch khắp thế gian” (Travel Around The World) for a complete and memorable journey.
Why is Motorbike Touring in Hanoi Appealing to Young People?
If you’re used to traveling by car or bus, you might be curious about what makes motorbike touring different and why it’s so loved by young people. Let’s explore the interesting aspects that this form of travel brings.
Defining Motorbike Touring
Motorbike touring is a form of independent travel where you plan your own itinerary, ride your own motorbike, and explore destinations in your own way. In this journey, the motorbike is not just a means of transport but also a loyal companion, joining you in overcoming every road and every challenge to conquer new lands.
Why is Motorbike Touring in Hanoi So Popular?
There are many reasons why motorbike touring in Hanoi has become an attractive experience for young people:
+ Convenience and Flexibility: Motorbikes are compact and easy to maneuver on all types of terrain, from crowded city streets to narrow rural roads. You can stop at any time to admire the scenery, take photos, rest, or explore interesting roadside attractions without being restricted by schedules or cramped spaces like when traveling by bus or car.
+ High Level of Autonomy: When touring by motorbike, you are completely in control of your journey. You are free to decide your departure time, destinations, routes, and sightseeing activities. Without having to wait for or depend on anyone, you can freely explore the world in your own way.
+ Opportunity to Immerse Yourself in Nature and Local Culture: Motorbike touring gives you the chance to immerse yourself in beautiful nature, fully experience the scenery on both sides of the road, from lush green rice paddies and majestic mountains to winding rivers. At the same time, you also have the opportunity to interact with local people, learn about the unique culture, and customs of each region.
+ Cost Savings: Compared to other forms of travel, motorbike touring is significantly cheaper. You only need to pay for gasoline, food, and some other incurred expenses. This is especially suitable for young people with limited budgets who still want to satisfy their passion for exploration.
A motorbike tour is both convenient and brings an exciting feelingMotorbike touring is both convenient and exciting
What to Prepare for a Hanoi Motorbike Tour?
To have a safe and smooth motorbike tour in Hanoi, thorough preparation is extremely important. Below is a list of essential items you should prepare:
- Motorbike: Choose a motorbike that is relatively new, in good working condition, and suitable for the terrain you plan to travel. Make sure the motorbike has been fully serviced, tires are in good condition, and brakes are working effectively.
- Helmet: Equip yourself with a standard helmet that fits properly and comfortably to protect your head throughout the journey. Choose a helmet with a visor to protect your eyes from dust and insects.
- Basic Repair Tools: Bring a simple repair kit such as a pump, tire patch kit, pliers, screwdrivers, wrenches, etc., so you can fix minor problems on the road yourself.
- Protective Gear: Choose long-sleeved clothing made of breathable, sweat-wicking material. Wear a protective jacket, gloves, sunglasses, shoes, or boots to protect your body from sun, wind, dust, and impacts. Avoid wearing clothes that are too loose or have many straps that can get caught.
- Personal Items:
- Jacket, scarf, gloves (especially if touring in winter or at night).
- Mask, sunglasses, sunscreen to protect your skin and eyes from the harmful effects of sunlight and dust.
- Common medications such as cold medicine, stomachache medicine, motion sickness medicine, bandages, antiseptic…
- Cash and important personal papers such as ID card/Citizen ID, driver’s license, vehicle registration…
- Snacks and drinks to replenish energy when needed.
- Support Equipment:
- Paper map or map application on your phone for directions.
- Portable phone charger to ensure your phone is always working.
- Camera, phone, or action camera to record memorable moments of your trip.
- Flashlight or headlamp if you plan to tour at night or go to dimly lit places.
Besides a good motorbike, you need to prepare a quality helmetBesides a good motorbike, prepare a quality helmet
Where to Rent a Reputable Motorbike for Touring in Hanoi?
If you don’t have a personal motorbike or want to experience different types of bikes, motorbike rental services in Hanoi are an ideal option. Especially if you come to Hanoi by public transport such as plane, train, or bus, renting a motorbike will help you be more proactive in moving around and exploring the city.
Popular Motorbike Rental Locations in Hanoi
In Hanoi, motorbike rental services are very developed, and you can easily find motorbike rental shops and establishments throughout the city. Many hotels and homestays also offer this service to serve tourists. Motorbike rental prices usually range from 100,000 – 150,000 VND/day for regular scooters or mopeds.
To ensure safety and quality for your Hanoi motorbike tour, you should choose reputable rental locations with clear policies and good reviews from previous customers. Some suggested reputable motorbike rental locations in Hanoi:
- Mr Good Bikes: No. 10, Alley Thuy Khue St., Buoi, Tay Ho – Phone: 0343 506 996
- Hanoi Motorbike Rental: 41 Lang St., Thuong Dinh, Dong Da – Phone: 0943 990 886
- Zip Bikes: 449 Hong Ha, Phuc Tan, Hoan Kiem – Phone: 0982 060 554
- Gia Hung Motorbike: 28 Ngo Tho Xuong Alley, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem – Phone: 0936 345 123
You can also search for more Hanoi motorbike rental locations on travel websites or forums and motorbike touring groups for more options.
Tips for Renting a Motorbike for Touring Hanoi
To rent a satisfactory motorbike and ensure safety for your tour, you need to note some of the following tips:
- Don’t Be Greedy for Cheap Bikes: Motorbike rental prices that are too cheap often come with poor quality bikes, old bikes, unstable operation, and prone to problems on the road. Therefore, prioritize quality over price to avoid unnecessary troubles.
- Check the Bike Carefully Before Receiving: Before receiving the bike, carefully check its condition, especially important parts such as horn, lights, brakes, tires, chain, sprocket, disc… If you find any damage, immediately notify the owner to have it repaired or changed to another bike.
- Read the Motorbike Rental Contract Carefully: Understand clearly the terms in the motorbike rental contract, including bike type, rental price, rental time, location for delivery and return, deposit, necessary documents… Read the contract carefully before signing and keep a copy for reference when needed.
- Ask About Helmets and Gas Stations: After renting the bike, ask the owner about helmets (usually provided with the bike) and the nearest gas station to prepare for your touring journey.
When renting a motorbike, absolutely do not be greedy for cheap prices and remember to check the bike carefullyWhen renting a motorbike, prioritize quality over cheap prices and check the bike carefully
Ideal Time to Tour Hanoi by Motorbike
Weather is an important factor affecting the success of a motorbike tour. Therefore, choosing the right time will help you have a smoother and more complete journey.
Time by Season in the Year
Hanoi has 4 distinct seasons, each with its own beauty and characteristics.
- Spring (February – April): The weather is cool, with light drizzle, plants sprout buds, and flowers bloom. This is an ideal time to tour Hanoi by motorbike if you love a romantic, gentle atmosphere and want to admire the fresh natural scenery. However, pay attention to weather forecasts to avoid prolonged rainy days that cause discomfort.
- Summer (May – July): The weather is hot and humid, with intense sunshine and sudden showers. This is not a suitable time to tour Hanoi by motorbike because it is easy to cause fatigue, sunstroke, and affect health.
- Autumn (August – October): The weather is cool, pleasant, the sky is clear and blue, with little rain. Hanoi’s autumn is considered the most beautiful time of the year, very suitable for travel and exploration activities by motorbike. You can enjoy the fresh air, admire the falling yellow leaves, and enjoy autumn specialties.
- Winter (November – January): The weather is cold, possibly dropping below 10 degrees Celsius, with fog and drizzle. If you want to experience motorbike touring in Hanoi in winter, you need to prepare carefully with warm clothes, maintain your health, and follow weather forecasts to avoid severely cold days.
You can choose autumn or spring to tour HanoiConsider autumn or spring as ideal seasons for a Hanoi motorbike tour
Time of Day
- Daytime: If you are touring to suburban areas of Hanoi, you should depart early in the morning (around 4-6am) to arrive early, have more time to visit, and avoid the midday heat. Remember to return before dark to ensure safety, especially when traveling on deserted roads.
- Nighttime: Hanoi nighttime motorbike touring is also an interesting experience loved by many young people. If touring at night, avoid going during rush hour to avoid traffic jams and ensure safety. The suitable time for nighttime touring is after 10pm, when the streets are deserted and you can comfortably explore the shimmering, magical beauty of Hanoi at night.
Suggested Popular Hanoi Motorbike Touring Routes
Depending on your destination and touring time, you can choose different routes. Below is a suggested Hanoi – Ba Vi touring route, one of the routes loved by many motorbike tourers:
– Route 1 (shortest): Hanoi – Thang Long Avenue – Lang Hoa Lac – Tay Son – Xuan Khanh – Ba Vi (about 50km). This route is the shortest, easy to travel, and suitable for day trips.
– Route 2 (longer, many attractions): Hanoi – Xuan Thuy – Highway 32 – Phung – Son Tay Town – Xuan Khanh – Ba Vi (about 60km). This route is longer but passes through many attractive tourist destinations, suitable for 2-day 1-night tours.
Other Hanoi touring routes you can refer to:
- Hanoi – Dai Lai Lake (Vinh Phuc): About 50km, suitable for weekend getaways and relaxation.
- Hanoi – Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc): About 80km, mountain pass route, majestic scenery, suitable for exploration and conquest tours.
- Hanoi – Moc Chau (Son La): About 200km, long route, many beautiful natural landscapes, unique culture, suitable for long-day tours.
- Hanoi – Ninh Binh: About 100km, explore historical sites, famous scenic spots such as Trang An, Tam Coc – Bich Dong, Hoa Lu Ancient Capital…
Locations outside the city center like Ba Vi have quite easy roadsSuburban areas of Hanoi like Ba Vi offer relatively easy motorbike routes
Most Attractive Hanoi Motorbike Touring Destinations
Hanoi and its vicinity have many attractive tourist destinations, suitable for motorbike tours. Below are some suggested Hanoi touring destinations by category:
Daytime Touring Destinations Near Hanoi
+ Dong Mo – Ba Vi: About 40km from the center of Hanoi, Dong Mo is a large eco-tourism area with clear blue lakes, green forests, and many attractive recreational activities such as boating, fishing, camping, cycling… Combined with Ba Vi National Park, this is an ideal destination pair for a weekend tour.
+ Ba Vi National Park: About 55km from the center of Hanoi, Ba Vi National Park is a famous destination with majestic natural scenery, cool climate, and biodiversity. Coming here, you can explore primeval forests, conquer mountain peaks, visit cactus greenhouses, Thuong Temple, Ao Vua… Especially in November, you will admire the brilliant beauty of wild sunflowers blooming all over the roads.
+ Ham Lon Mountain – Soc Son: About 40km from the center of Hanoi, Ham Lon Mountain is a familiar weekend destination for Hanoi youth. This place has a quiet, fresh space, pristine natural scenery, and many interesting activities such as trekking, camping, BBQ… If you are a trekking enthusiast, try conquering Ham Lon peak to see the panoramic view of Soc Son mountains from above.
An ideal touring, camping, and picnic spot near the capitalA great location near Hanoi for motorbike touring, camping, and picnics
+ Viet Phu Thanh Chuong: Located on the road to Ham Lon Mountain, Viet Phu Thanh Chuong is a unique architectural work, recreating the cultural and artistic space of traditional Vietnam. Coming here, you will admire ancient houses, communal houses, temples meticulously restored, enjoy folk art, and learn about national history and culture.
+ Bat Trang Pottery Village: About 15km from the center of Hanoi, Bat Trang Pottery Village is an interesting destination for those who love ceramics and want to learn about the traditional pottery making craft. Here, you can visit pottery workshops, watch artisans making pottery, try your hand at pottery making, and buy unique ceramic products as gifts.
+ Tram Mountain: About 25km from the center of Hanoi, Tram Mountain is a small mountain but with beautiful, peaceful natural scenery. Coming here, you can climb mountains, admire the scenery, camp, have picnics, and enjoy the fresh, tranquil atmosphere.
+ Perfume Pagoda (Chua Huong): About 50km from the center of Hanoi, Perfume Pagoda is a famous religious relic complex, attracting many pilgrims and visitors every festival season. Coming to Perfume Pagoda, you will not only pray for luck and worship Buddha but also admire the majestic and poetic natural scenery of Huong Son mountains.
Perfume Pagoda is also a touring destination many people add to their itineraryPerfume Pagoda is a popular destination for motorbike tours from Hanoi
Hanoi Motorbike Touring Destinations at Night
+ Hoan Kiem Lake Pedestrian Street: Hoan Kiem Lake is the heart of Hanoi, and Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian street is a must-visit destination when touring Hanoi at night. At night, Hoan Kiem Lake becomes shimmering and magical with brilliant lights, a bustling atmosphere, and many street cultural and artistic activities. You can stroll around the lake, admire the scenery, enjoy street food, and immerse yourself in the bustling atmosphere of the pedestrian street.
+ Hanoi Old Quarter: Hanoi Old Quarter at night has a quiet, ancient, and romantic beauty. Dim yellow lights, quiet small streets, and small, pretty shops create a unique space, different from the daytime hustle and bustle. You can stroll around the Old Quarter, explore small alleys, enjoy egg coffee, lemon tea, and feel the slow pace of life in Hanoi at night.
You can stroll around the Old Quarter to feel the peaceful atmosphere hereExplore the peaceful atmosphere of Hanoi Old Quarter at night
+ Nhat Tan Bridge: Nhat Tan Bridge is a new symbol of Hanoi, especially beautiful and impressive at night. The brilliant, constantly changing LED lighting system makes the bridge shimmering and magical. Standing on the bridge, you can admire the panoramic view of the city at night and enjoy the cool breeze from the Red River.
+ Long Bien Bridge: Long Bien Bridge is a historical witness of Hanoi, with ancient, quiet, and nostalgic beauty. At night, Long Bien Bridge becomes quieter, and the dim yellow lights further enhance the ancient beauty of the bridge. You can stop on the bridge, admire the Red River at night, and feel the quiet, peaceful atmosphere.
This is a favorite nighttime entertainment spot for young peopleLong Bien Bridge, a popular nighttime spot for young people in Hanoi
Suggested Hanoi Motorbike Day Trip Itinerary
If you only have one day for a motorbike tour in Hanoi, you can refer to the following suggested itinerary:
+ Morning:
- 7:00 AM: Depart from Hanoi to Ba Vi.
- 9:00 AM: Arrive at Ba Vi National Park, visit the pine forest, the Old Church, and the camping area.
- 11:30 AM: Have lunch and rest at Ba Vi National Park.
+ Afternoon:
- 1:30 PM: Visit Thuong Temple, Ho Chi Minh Temple, and Bao Thien Tower.
- 4:00 PM: Pack up and move down the mountain.
- 6:30 PM: Return to Hanoi and rest.
+ Evening:
In the evening, you can explore more of the capitalExplore Hanoi city in the evening after a day trip
- 8:00 PM: Explore Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian street, Hanoi Old Quarter, and enjoy street food.
- 9:30 PM: Night tour across Nhat Tan Bridge and Long Bien Bridge, admire Hanoi at night.
- 10:30 PM: Enjoy grilled corn and iced tea by West Lake.
- 12:00 AM: End your Hanoi day trip.
Important Notes When Touring Hanoi by Motorbike
To ensure your Hanoi motorbike tour goes smoothly and safely, you need to remember some more notes:
+ Check the motorbike carefully before going: Make sure the motorbike is working well, fill up with gas, check tires, brakes, lights, horn…
+ Comply with traffic laws: Drive in the correct lane, at the right speed, wear helmets properly, and do not drink alcohol while driving.
+ Choose a suitable motorbike: If going on long roads or difficult terrain, choose a manual or semi-automatic motorbike with a strong engine and high ground clearance. If traveling in the city or on flat roads, a scooter is also a good choice.
+ Bring enough papers: ID card/Citizen ID, driver’s license, vehicle registration…
+ Prepare good health: Make sure to get enough sleep and eat well before touring. If you feel tired or sleepy, stop to rest.
+ Follow the weather: Update the weather situation before and during the trip to have appropriate preparation.
+ Keep in touch with friends and relatives: Especially if touring alone, inform your relatives of your itinerary and keep in touch regularly to get support when needed.
+ Bring enough cash: Not everywhere can pay by card, so bring enough cash to spend on incurred fees.
+ Maintain environmental hygiene: Do not litter indiscriminately, protect the natural landscape and local culture.
In the evening, you can explore more of the capitalEnjoy Hanoi's cityscapes and culture after your motorbike tour
Hopefully, with the above experiences and detailed instructions, you will have a truly memorable and complete Hanoi motorbike tour. Wish you a safe journey and wonderful experiences!