Travel Vietnam - Bike-packing in Vietnam: why not?

If you are still hesitating about your plans to visit Vietnam, this article may help you decide.

Photos courtesy of Emanuel Hansenberger and Fabian Seiler

Emanuel Hänsenberger, 24, and Fabian Seiler, 25, from Switzerland, who were also inspired to come to the Southeast Asian country by a tourist’s video on Youtube, spent 4 weeks traveling over 1700 km from Hanoi to Saigon by motorbike.

“I’m a bike fanatic, and I heard that Vietnam is great to travel by bike,” said Hänsenberger.

They bought two Honda Wins on their third day in Hanoi and started the trip southwards.

“We didn’t have any specific plan, except from that we didn’t want to spend too much time in touristic places. So no schedule, we just decided spontaneously.” Hänsenberger recalled.

"What impressed me the most was the people, like it was very easy to build friendships and have an emotional bond in a short time with a lot of them," said Hänsenberger.

“I have always had a fascination for Asian countries and their cultures, and as I didn’t know much about Vietnam, it would be more for me to discover.”

We visited Ninh Binh, Vinh, Phong Nha (Quang Binh), Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, and Da Lat,.. where we stayed at least one night in each place."

(When) we couldn’t speak English or French to the locals, we used Google translator or drawings,” Hänsenberger recalled the language issues on the way.

Hänsenberger and Seiler couchsurfed in Vinh City, Nghe An Province.

Source: http://e.vnexpress.net