Known as Ho Chi Minh city since the late 70’s the city is still often referred to as Saigon by pretty much everyone…even VC vets we’ve spoken to! Saigon is a busy, bustling, crazy kind of place, it almost makes you feel like you can’t get your breath at times. With the worlds largest number of […]
Vietnam
The ultimate guide to Vietnam by motorbike: Advice from a 7 week adventure!
When thinking of the romantic idea of starting up your engine and riding across the length of Vietnam there are generally two schools of thought. Firstly that it’s the stupidest idea ever. The roads are wild, bad and dangerous and most riders are woefully inexperienced. The second is the opposite. That this is the adventure […]
Heading to Cat Ba island and doing amazing Ha Long bay on a backpacker budget! (Plus spending a night in the hospital!)
After spending 7 long weeks in Vietnam on motorbikes we both loved at hated this country! We had had the best and the worst of times here, some amazing adventures and some hard and gruelling days. Before leaving there was time for just one last exploration. We were in two minds whether to bother with […]
Trekking with H’Mong minority hill tribe through the rice terraces and mountains of Sapa. A highlight of Vietnam
Travelling the length and width of Vietnam we came across all walks of life, weathers and landscapes. But in completing our original task of riding from Saigon to Hanoi we knew we had one last adventure left, and it turned out to be the best. After 2 gruelling but amazing days on the bike, passing […]
Staying with a local tribal family in a bamboo house in Yen Bai, Vietnam. A true off the beaten track adventure made possible by our motorbikes!
After initially being underwhelmed by Hanoi after our 2000 mile and 6 week journey from Saigon we knew we needed to get back on the bikes. Riding through some of the most isolated and authentic areas of Vietnam had spoilt us in many ways, leaving us craving that adventure once again. Heading up to the […]
Hanoi: Not love at first sight, but city that grew on us over time to eventually feel like home!
After reading so many glowing reports on Hanoi we were looking forward to hitting the city after an almost 2000 miles journey from the chaos of Saigon on our bikes. Finally completing our original challenge of riding through Vietnam from one major city to the other it felt like a strange mixture of emotions rolling […]
Riding around the amazing Phong Nha National Park: Exploring the worlds largest caves and the jungle lined Ho Chi Minh Trail.
After the busyness of the cities in Vietnam and the heat of the costal roads we set off on our bikes for a two day ride along the Laos border in some of the most remote and beautiful terrain the country has to offer. Riding for hours along the jungle lined Ho Chi Minh trail […]
Exploring the often overlooked karst landscape of Ninh Binh, A short ride from Hanoi but a world away from the city!
Sitting just 90km south of Hanoi the beautiful Karst region of Ninh Binh Vietnam is often described as Ha Long Bay without the water. Being so close to both the capital and the famous bay itself it often gets over looked by travellers either keen to make more ground up on the first leg of […]
Twisting and turning around the Hai Van Pass: The perfect coastal road that clings to a mountain!
When we originally made plans for South East Asia one of the things we wanted to do was motorbike around Vietnam. After watching that famous Top Gear episode we knew just how much the country had to offer and how much riding a bike would allow us to see. Having finally, and somewhat miraculously, gotten […]
Visiting the My Son ruins, the ancient Champa temples that narrowly survived the Vietnamese war
By now everyone knows about the Angkor Wat ruins of Cambodia, the highlight of the ancient world in South East Asia. But it must come as no surprise that they are not the only UNESCO listed historic sites in the region. My Son ruins, of Champa origin, might not have the grand scale of Angkor, but […]
A guide to Hoi An, Vietnam. The lovely town that tourism spoilt!
Hoi An Vietnam was one of those places that whilst travelling through Vietnam kept coming up time and time again, each person we spoke to seemed to come to the same conclusion, a nice place but actually quite horrible in many ways. Knowing how frustrated we get at being constantly shouted at to buy things, called […]
How to Avoid the Mui Ne Police Trap, Vietnam…For Mui Ne Motorbike Rental & Backpackers Touring Vietnam
So, you are riding your bike through Vietnam and having the time of your life on this epic journey. Along the way you have been greeted with smiles, waves off Police and generally been treated well. Now you come to Mui Ne to take a break by the sea, explore the huge sand dunes and […]
Ganh Da Dia: The Giants Causeway of Vietnam (Only without the hordes and with added sun!)
When we set off riding from Saigon to Hanoi (and on to Sapa) on motorbikes there was a few obscure stops along the way we wanted to make. Having your own transport gives you the complete freedom to stop off at the places others just breeze passed in their uncomfortable sleeper buses. Ganh Da Dia […]
Exploring Vietnam’s Central Highlands on a Motorbike and Discovering the Amazing Dalat Waterfalls!
Heading up to DaLat from Mui Ne the real adventure on our motorbikes was to begin, after being underwhelmed with the touristy coastal town we were ready for a real look into what makes Vietnam so special. Taking the winding mountain roads across lush green landscapes, riding through tiny villages and of course enjoying the beautiful […]
Discovering the real Vietnam with Jack Tran tours. An insight into the lives of the Fishermen, Rice farmers and War veterans on an unforgettable day!
One of the things we love to do whilst travelling is interacting with local people, hearing their stories and getting to know their way of life. Sometimes though it can feel hard to break down the barriers of culture, language and suspicion that can prevent us from really getting below the surface of a country […]
