E-bike holiday Tips – How to travel to and in Vietnam

Traffic in cities like Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi can be chaotic, but once you leave the city center, the roads are quieter. In this article, you will find some tips on hiring an e-bike in Vietnam, but also about how to apply for your Vietnam visa .

Electric bikes are becoming extremely popular in Vietnam, and Vietnamese people are using them more and more in their everyday life, instead of scooters. Due to the increasing popularity of e-biking in Vietnam, it is becoming easier to plan a biking holiday in the country.

We all have in mind those Vietnamese streets full of scooters with at least 4 people on top. This cliché image is probably bound to disappear, however.

Hotels and homestays often have their own selection of bicycles and e-bikes to rent. You can hire them for a day trip, but also for longer periods. Furthermore, there are e-bike rentals in every town and some smaller villages, especially at touristic places. There is also an increasing number of cycling tour operators which provide you with all the necessary to discover the country: bikes, spare parts, advice on the best routes or guided tours.

Traffic rules are very different to the ones in UK. The most important one being maybe ‘the biggest/strongest vehicle has priority’. Thus, never try to overtake a bus or take the right of way, and above all, be careful and go slowly.

Hiring an electric bike is a great way to discover Vietnam, and it is much safer than using a scooter or a motorbike. Riding an e-bike will also allow you to discover the country at your own pace. While riding an e-bike may be safer than riding a scooter, it can be risky for the non-initiated.

What are the best routes? 

Now that you know where to rent an e-bike, the next question is where to go. All of Vietnam is beautiful, but of course there are places that are better suited for a cycling holiday. The big cities like Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi can be quite dangerous. 

Therefore, it is better to start from the smaller cities. Vietnam is a very big country, and it will probably not be feasible to see everything in one go, so it is better to pick a region and do a nice tour there. 

For instance, you can visit the south of Vietnam, around the Mekong Delta area, where you can spend 10 to 15 days easily. More centrally, you can visit the cities of Hué, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Da Lat. The roads between these cities are beautiful, often along the coast, and there is plenty to do.

If you land in Hanoi, which is in the north of the country, you can, for instance, cycle into the Sapa Mountains and take in the stunning views. You can do this, for instance, with the Ha Giang loop, the Sapa loop or the Cao Bang & Ban Gioc bike route. These are routes that allow you to see most of the region.

Apply for your Vietnam visa

If your cycling tour of Vietnam is going to be longer than 15 days, you will need to apply for a Vietnam visa. Fortunately, nowadays, this is something that you can do from your home in just a couple of minutes. No need to visit the consulate or the embassy. You just have to fill in a digital application form for the visa Vietnam and you will get your visa on your email inbox in a couple of days. Your Vietnam visa will be valid for 30 days from the chosen date.

Stay tuned for more cycling based travel tips, and enjoy your travels!