A clear yes! We had a lot of fun with the small and light XR150s. Of course, you might wish for a little more power at one point or another, but in the end, they’re quite enough. Especially on the small narrow streets of mountain villages, the paths of mountainous regions, or on the bridges and between the rice fields on the hillside, a small agile bike is very comfortable. Some ways to the accommodations are limited to a small width and would be hardly accessible with a bigger vehicle.
As already mentioned above, we were on the way with little luggage and have rejected to carry a tent. Accommodations are everywhere, even in the most remote areas. There is always a guesthouse in the closer surroundings. They are called ‘Nhà Nghỉ’ and are local, mostly family-run, cheap (3, – to 10, – Euro for a double room, often including breakfast) accommodations. As a rule, they are neat, clean and comfortable and the nice family connection is usually part of it. A few are also pure ‘love hotels’, but this is quickly recognized. Either by the facilities or if the accommodation is charged by the hour ;)
By the way, the price is often still negotiable, and it is always advisable to check the room beforehand. This is quite common, also with the locals. In some regions there is also the variant of the ‘homestay’, these accommodations can vary both in price and in the type of accommodation. Sometimes it is simply a common sleeping room, mattress dormitory, but more and more often it is a well-equipped guesthouse and frequently it resembles a small hotel complex. In the tourist areas you can find everything you can imagine, from ‘Nhà Nghỉ’ to hostel, hotel or high-end hotel.
Something to eat can be found everywhere and at any time of the day. Typical food stalls offering of course noodle and rice dishes like Pho Ga/Bo, the famous Vietnamese noodle soup with chicken or beef, which as breakfast is a good basis for the day. Bún Cha, grilled pork is available on every street corner and Bánh Mì, the sandwich baguette, or Goi Cuon (summer rolls) or also Cha Gio (fried spring rolls) are a popular snack in different variations always and everywhere.
Fresh fruits and juices are also abundant, depending on the region and season. Bia, beer, the Vietnamese like and drink a lot, although it is not cheap compared to all other food. Very common is also rice wine, which is often home-brewed. So, the physical well-being is provided for. The food is good, but in our opinion, it does not come close to the Thai cuisine.
In general, we are not the people who just lie on the beach for days. Nevertheless, probably it is in the nature of things that as a motorbike traveler feels rather more attracted by the mountainous regions. Vietnam offers here many beautiful roads with little traffic if you go off the main routes. It has quite a good infrastructure in the more remote regions, which makes it easy to get supplies and find accommodation.
This makes traveling pleasant and uncomplicated, so it’s ideal even if you don’t have much experience. As usual, we prefer the non-touristic areas, which does not mean that we do not visit one or the other sight. However, we have also consciously avoided some places as for example the famous rice terraces in the north of Vietnam, Sapa. Fantastic rice terraces are everywhere in the mountains, you only have to let yourself drift and then the pleasure is all to yourself without the commercial hustle and bustle.
