Vietnam, a low cost do-it-yourself trip, all the tips for traveling by motorbike, where to rent it and how, which cities to avoid and which foods to prefer to live in contact with the locals.
If you are travelers with an unsustainable spirit of adventure, nature lovers, explorers and looking for places that are not yet contaminated, the Vietnam is for you. Especially to those who are looking for one low-cost destination, without however wanting to give up all those experiences and opportunities that every trip brings with it.
As you have already read in my post Vietnam: 5 things to do, the country offers the opportunity to explore the beauty of the places and its people in their authenticity. Always with respect and respect for the local culture.
I spent just over three weeks in Vietnam, falling in love with the country day after day and with a note of melancholy upon leaving. Read my tips for a low-cost trip to discover an extraordinary land.
Motorcycle
Traveling by motorcycle will allow you to enjoy every corner of the country in total freedom and at an extremely low cost. This is why many travelers opt for this. The common trait is from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minnh (north-south) and vice versa, covering about 2000 km. Be careful when choosing the bike: due to their popularity, the market is now inflated and often travelers who have come to an end resell it so take into account the high running-in. We spent around $ 280 (around € 250) to buy a motorbike which we then resold in Hanoi for £ 240 (around € 215). The cost of gasoline amounted to $ 80 (about € 70) to cover the entire journey.
The bike more like is theHonda Win100: we didn't think he would ever make it on a trip like this, yet he endured the weight of two backpacks and people for three weeks. However, given the suboptimal conditions, we had to carry out several repairs, thus spending several hours in Vietnamese garages. Fortunately, you will find at least one mechanic along each street and, above all, you will have the opportunity to meet local people. Often, while the mechanics were intent on getting our Honda back on track, we were invited to have lunch with the family and rest at home.
Avoid organized tours
Avoid highly organized packages: in Ho Chi Minh they will offer you excursions to the Mekong Delta and ai Cu Chi tunnel, while in the north you will be invaded with tours to Halong Bay and a visit to the Phong Nha caves). We decided to rely on the bike and discover some of the places independently; which allowed us to save a modest sum. For example, for one day tour at Phong Nha cave you will be asked for at least $ 70. The bike allowed us to have almost zero impact on transport and pay only the entrance to the individual quarries, saving two thirds on the price and free to manage the time.
Avoid tourist cities
Similarly to the point above, the advice is not to avoid the top cities: highly touristy and completely inauthentic. Between these Mui Ne to the south, Nha Trang, e da Nang in the center, both on the coast. Unfortunately they are very popular among tourists looking for pure fun and relaxation, but in my eyes they turned out to be anonymous as they were prey to the accommodation infrastructures and transformed into real “parks” at the mercy of tourists. As you walk through the streets of Mui Ne, don't be surprised by the signs and menus in Russian, given the high influx of such tourists.
Prices in these locations are above the country average. We opted to stay overnight in a seaside resort adjacent to Mui Ne, not developed from a tourist point of view but Vera.
Street food
Lo street food in Vietnam, as in many other parts of the world, it is a great source of savings. For $ 1 (about 90 cents) you can eat the typical Vietnamese baguette with eggs and meat, typical for breakfast. There are several variations based on the area and it's quite satisfying. If you travel in the way, along the way you will find kiosks of local people dedicated to cooking. For less than $ 2 (about 1,80 cents) you can eat pho (the local noodle soup with meat), noodles and the inevitable Vietnamese coffee: filtered coffee with the addition of condensed milk.
You smile
THEhospitality and kindness of the Vietnamese people will leave you amazed. As you walk down the street, order food, bargain, ask for directions: people will give you smiles all the time. Smiling is, in my opinion, a passepartout in Vietnam. Since we were aiming for a low-cost and out-of-the-ordinary trip, driving every day for at least seven hours, we immediately became familiar with the local customs: the motorbike gave us endless adventures in the villages: when we stopped to ask for information or a place to eat , people did not hesitate to prepare two more dishes for us.
Traveling low-cost in a conscious way it is not only a weapon to save money but above all to grasp the infinite facets of a culture in order to identify as less foreign as possible.
