Choosing the right motorbike trip (Ha Giang or alternatives)
"Driving a motorcycle is like flying. All your senses are alive".
Duration: one day, two day, three day, four day, five day and one week options available
Departure time: morning
Physical activity: Easy to moderate
Road Conditions: paved back-roads, some extended bad sections, light traffic
Travel Style: - Cultural immersion and active adventure
Scenery: mountains, rivers, rice terraces, minority villages, remote borderlands
Connectivity: Wifi - None, Mobile coverage - good.
Departure time: morning
Physical activity: Easy to moderate
Road Conditions: paved back-roads, some extended bad sections, light traffic
Travel Style: - Cultural immersion and active adventure
Scenery: mountains, rivers, rice terraces, minority villages, remote borderlands
Connectivity: Wifi - None, Mobile coverage - good.
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Background:
Vietnam is blessed with having some of the most incredible mountain passes and beautiful driving roads in all of Asia. Right now, the two rides that everyone talks about are the Hai Van Pass, the coastal road in central Vietnam made famous by the British TV show Top Gear and the Ha Giang Loop, the backpackers go to adventure. While both are extremely beautiful, here’s why we think that you shouldn’t rule out some of the many amazing alternatives. ETHOS do offer the Ha Giang Loop, but as more and more people choose to do this, the beautiful scenery has become magnet for backpackers hostels and scooter tours in big groups. The once quiet roads are now crawling with the numerous sightseeing trips that travel the same stretches of tarmac each day. Novice riders are given impromptu lessons, a set of keys and let loose on tours that rarely consider personal safety. There is usually no minimum standard for safety equipment provided, and experienced riders are usually left staggered by the poorly maintained vehicles and lack of protection offered. The tour companies offering these trips rarely have licences and accidents have become more and more common. There have been a number of traveller deaths over the past few years and without insurance, the medical bills for those injured are usually astronomical. Safety can be improved by only permitting fully licensed travellers to drive, while those without licences and international driving permits travel can enjoy road trips as passengers together with experienced driver guides. |
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Culture and Landscape:
Riding a motorcycle is itself experiential, but there is scope for so much more human interaction and positive community based tourism when on a road trip. In is in this regard that ETHOS excel and differ from anything else in the region. We choose to spend time with local tribal communities as opposed to simply riding past them. Good times become more immersive and rewarding for both travellers and locals. After hours of stunning views, it will always be human interactions that remain in your memory.
Big group tours rarely appropriately involve local tribal communities, often perceiving them as nothing more than a photo opportunity.
Where tourism does not empower and support local communities, it can become detrimental and unsustainable, and that’s where strong community based tourism comes in. We want to assure deeper cultural exchanges and introduce you to the real Vietnam.
Having travelled extensively throughout Vietnam by motorbike ETHOS offer stunning motorbike trips, along what we believe are some of the greatest riding roads in Vietnam.
With mountain passes and scenery that will blow your mind, our trips use real, well maintained motorcycles, award winning guides, and good quality safety equipment. We stay in tribal homestays and visit some of the most incredible villages. We are recognised in many international guide books as well as the Guardian newspaper and many other magazines. ETHOS are endorsed by the national tourism board for Vietnam and feature on blogs in multiple languages. We have secured TripAdvisor certificates of excellence for every year since we’ve been open, meaning that you know you’re booking something truly special when you choose our services.
Riding a motorcycle is itself experiential, but there is scope for so much more human interaction and positive community based tourism when on a road trip. In is in this regard that ETHOS excel and differ from anything else in the region. We choose to spend time with local tribal communities as opposed to simply riding past them. Good times become more immersive and rewarding for both travellers and locals. After hours of stunning views, it will always be human interactions that remain in your memory.
Big group tours rarely appropriately involve local tribal communities, often perceiving them as nothing more than a photo opportunity.
Where tourism does not empower and support local communities, it can become detrimental and unsustainable, and that’s where strong community based tourism comes in. We want to assure deeper cultural exchanges and introduce you to the real Vietnam.
Having travelled extensively throughout Vietnam by motorbike ETHOS offer stunning motorbike trips, along what we believe are some of the greatest riding roads in Vietnam.
With mountain passes and scenery that will blow your mind, our trips use real, well maintained motorcycles, award winning guides, and good quality safety equipment. We stay in tribal homestays and visit some of the most incredible villages. We are recognised in many international guide books as well as the Guardian newspaper and many other magazines. ETHOS are endorsed by the national tourism board for Vietnam and feature on blogs in multiple languages. We have secured TripAdvisor certificates of excellence for every year since we’ve been open, meaning that you know you’re booking something truly special when you choose our services.
Notes:
New regulations specifically targeting foreigners flouting Vietnamese laws are now in place. Most bike rental places will tell you that this is no issue, but it is. Any travellers caught violating traffic rules are liable to be hit with fines. If you are doing any tours on the back of motorbikes, don't forget to check your travel insurance.
New regulations specifically targeting foreigners flouting Vietnamese laws are now in place. Most bike rental places will tell you that this is no issue, but it is. Any travellers caught violating traffic rules are liable to be hit with fines. If you are doing any tours on the back of motorbikes, don't forget to check your travel insurance.
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