That said, it could be. As I’d find out once I’d left the insanity of Ho Chi Minh City—the dust, the crowds, the honking—and hit the open roads of the Mekong Delta, riding a motorbike or scooter in Vietnam, and indeed in the rest of Southeast Asia, doesn’t have to be a white-knuckle nightmare.
In fact, if you take the right precautions and allow yourself the time and space to ease into the rhythm of rural Asia, life on a scooter can be pretty sweet. “The roads here look chaotic, but they’re unbelievably slow,” says Jon. “Back home, there are rules, and people follow them. However, people drive quickly and a mistake can lead to a major crash. In Vietnam, mistakes are common, but the road speeds are so slow that you just get back up again, rub off some scrapes, and move on.
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“At Tigit, we have never had a new driver have a serious crash. They join the local speeds at around 25mph and just casually roll through the country. The real crashes have come from experienced riders who bring their ideologies and speeds from home. It just doesn’t work here.”
If safety is a big priority for you—and it should be—there are several things to think about before embarking on a Southeast Asia motorbike/scooter adventure. The first is protective gear. If you’re worried about crashing, you’ll want to bring your own gear. Western-quality helmets aren’t always available here, and if they are, they’re extremely expensive. And if you want gloves, boots, or any other protective clothing, buy those at home, too.
