How to Experience Vietnam Like a Local—By Motorbike
Vietnam is one of our favorite places in the world. The mix of heady smells, the frenetic energy in cities like Hanoi or Saigon, and the most hospitable people you can possibly meet, always makes it an enticing place to come back to. More than a decade ago, we visited Vietnam for the first time. It left a stamp on our hearts and over the years, has beckoned us to return. So, return we did. In fact, 2025’s trip would be the fourth time for me and the third time for Cam.
There’s no denying that there are endless things to do in Vietnam. Where do you even start? For one, you could just go and eat to your heart’s delight. Nothing wrong with that. You could explore all the famous attractions - Halong Bay, Cu Chi Tunnels, Sapa, Pu Quoc, etc. Also nothing wrong with that. I have to admit, that’s what we did our first time around. But what we also did our first time around that blew all those other attractions out of the water was take a motorbike tour around the countryside outside of the capital, Hanoi.
If you’re nervous about the idea. Don’t be. I’ll lay out the best, safest way to get out of the city, and see another side of Vietnam. The city has its wonderful charms but until you really get outside the hustle and bustle, even just an hour outside of Hanoi, you’ll start to see another part of the country’s authenticity that most tourists will never witness. The best way to do this is with a guided motorbike tour. We were lucky to meet Minh the first time in Vietnam. Minh runs a fantastic motorcycle tour company called Freebird Adventures.
Here’s all the reasons why a motorbike tour with Freebird Adventures is the best and safest way to explore the countryside:
Minh knows the countryside and backroads better than the back of his hand. He’ll take you to hidden waterfalls, caves only the locals know about, temples at the tops of mountains, and all sorts of other weird and wonderful places.
You won’t have to worry about building a route or itinerary. Minh takes care of all of that for you. Whether you want to do a day-trip or a 2-week trip, you can customize your tour however you want.
You get to choose a ride appropriate for you. Minh has a huge selection of bikes from scooters, semi-automatic motorcycles, to trail bikes. In our opinion, smaller and nimbler bikes are better, so we went with 125 cc semi-automatic Honda Waves.
Food and accommodation are all taken care of. You won’t have to worry about booking hotels or homestays. Minh finds the most unique places to stay at (mostly homestays with local ethnic minorities). When it comes to breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you’ll always be too full. Minh has a tendency to over feed you!
Finally, safety is Minh’s number one concern. Vietnam can be a harrowing place to ride a motorcycle. With Freebird Adventures, you start your trip outside the city centre - which is a great relief for those nervous about getting on a bike and navigating your way out of the city through crazy rush hour traffic. Furthermore, when you do get out on the roads, Minh takes it slow and steady. We rarely ever went past 40-50 km/h which was just fine for us. Minh always prepares you for how to ride your bike in a safe manner, whether you’re navigating traffic or a steep hill gradient.
When you start off a trip, you’ll get prepped outside of the city in a quiet town where you can get geared up (all safety gear, helmets, gloves, etc provided - although you can bring your own as well) and familiarize yourself with your bike.
Then, all you have to do is follow Minh and experience the adventure of a lifetime!
You’ll get to eat weird and wonderful foods - like these deep fried, salty stinkbugs that were freshly cooked for us!
You’ll get to experience breathtaking views.
You’ll get to challenge yourself in the best way possible, navigating off-road terrain.
You’ll get to stay in the wonderfully traditional houses and homestays.
Finally, you’ll meet incredibly lovely and open people. Many are ethnic minorities from the Hmong or Tai tribes. We rode up to a lot of outdoor parties/BBQs and literally everyone invited us in for food and drinks.
Taking a motorcycle trip around the countryside will be an unforgettable memory and experience that simply cannot compare with more touristy attractions. Consider Freebird Adventures the next time you find yourself in Vietnam and you won’t regret it!
