How to get around Vietnam

A country with spectacular beaches, mountainous regions, golden rice paddies and ancient Buddhist Pagodas, Vietnam is a compelling destination for discerning visitors. To explore the charming villages and the unique attractions there are multiple transport options such as by bus, train, motorbikes, cars, taxis, air travel and more. Make your visit a colourful and memorable one using a few of these options as you discover the allure of Vietnam.

Santi LLobet, Vietnam Train 1, CC BY 2.0 

Using Motorbikes

This is the easiest mode of travel if you are comfortable riding one and intend to spend some time in the country giving you time to study the transportation system in Vietnam. Be it the city areas or around luxury resorts in Vietnam, using motorbikes gives you the flexibility to get about without having the stress of doing too much planning during your holiday. Visitors can hire a motorbike if it is a short visit as the rates are very reasonable. Some visitors on long visits even buy a motorbike to travel through the country and sell it before they depart. Even groups of friends opt for motorbikes as getting around on them is convenient.

Taxi Services

Taxis are used by locals and visitors such as guests from Anantara Quy Nhon Villas to get about, especially during hot sunny days and are the next most used mode of travel. Whilst local taxi companies are offering good coverage, the most used service is Grab, similar to Uber in other parts of the world. However, charges on Grab in Vietnam are more reasonable. You are set to use Grab by downloading the app on your mobile device.There are 03 different services GrabCar, Grabbike, and GrabTaxi depending on your need. GrabCar will take up to 4 or up to 7 people. There can be times when calling a GrabTaxi is futile such as at peak times, as the taxi cannot get to you fast enough. Don’t panic as there are many local taxis, but if you are riding a local taxi always use a branded taxi which displays the branding.

Buses in Vietnam

These are the most used services for long-distance travel. Whilst many locals rely on this service, visitors using this service are less due to the communication barrier when doing long distances. However, visitors can split a long bus ride into two or three sleeper bus rides which may be acceptable if on a low budget.For certain attractions situated a long way from your accommodation, going by bus is best if no rail or air travel is possible.

Using Trains

The railway system in Vietnam had been originally constructed by the French and is of good standard though no major changes to the system had not taken place since then. The outstanding train service at present is the one between two important cities of the country, Hanoi and Hi Chi Minh City called Reunification Express which operates daily services between these two cities.Apart from being reasonably priced, the tracks cover about 3,000km around the country. This is a safe and comfortable mode of travel giving you glimpses of the scenic beauty of Vietnam, especially on the tracks along the coastline and over lakes. The train journeys should be booked in advance, especially for long-distance travel and sleeper train services which are quite comfortable.

Other modes of transport 

Motorbike Taxis – Variations of the usual motorbike taxis are prevalent in certain parts of the country such as bicycle Taxis, cyclos (a bike with a sidecar that is push-pedalled and pousse-pousse bicycles pulled along by locals. These are fun experiences for short trips and can be easily hailed on the street.Boat Travel – An ideal mode of travel to experience the famous Mekong River or other smaller rivers in Vietnam. You can hire a boat for an excursion of your choice.