Bonjour
J'envisage deux semaines au vietnam dans le nord, tour en moto de location.
Quelqu'un connait-il une de ses agences :
DISCOVERY INDOCHINA
OFFROAD VIETNAM
depuis novembre 2012, on a une nouvelle loi.
la police arrete plus souvent.
il faut avoir les papiers sur soi imperativement.
pas question de dire : je le ai oublies a la maison.
et l'amende est consequente
et la moto confisquee pendant 1 mois.
astuce : loue une moto 50cc type "supercub", sans permis
si vous n'aimez pas mes informations, ne les lisez pas, lisez autre chose, mais respectez les car elles serviront a d'autres
bộnjour, j, ai louer pendand un móis une môto a hanoi et pảrcourut le nord de hanoi , ba be, cao bang, frontiere avec la chine, nguyen binh, bao lac, meo vac , don van, ha giang, pho rang, bac ha, lao cai, sâpa, lai chau, sin ho, muong lay, dien bien phu, son la, moc chau, mai chau, hao binh, ninh binh, tam coc, hanoi, je nê me suis pas fait arrêter une seule fois par les flics , il font semblant de ne pas te voir donc les hístoires de controle permanent sont des hístoires.il ne faut pas non plus leur rouler sur les pieds.et pas bésoin de permis pour longer la riviere chinoise , je l, ai pảcourut trois fois sans probleme, la premiere fois car je suis passer devant les chutes sans les voir et ai continuer en me demandant ou pouver bien etre lé chutes , yves
j, ai louer une honda sl , je n, avait pas de guide a mon avis inutile , achete a hanoi un guide routier a la bibliotheque pres du lac cite par le lonely a 315000 d tres bien fait , il ya toutes les routes du vietnam non du guide .vietnam publishing house of naturale resources.environnement and cartography a la librairie thang long ,25 pho hang bac , hanoi .avec ca tu peut te debrouiller tous seul .pour le loueur je n, ai pas de conseil , le mien est une vrais catatrophe.yves
Pour dormir et bouffer dans les villages, c'est facile ? l'appro d'essence ?
Je suis habitué aux pays du maghreb (moto par les pistes) mais jamais mis les pieds en Asie.
Pour la navigation, GPS carto et bien sur boussole toujours.
bonjour, pas de probleme pour dormir dans les villes , il y a toujours un hotel mais il demande la photocophie du passeport et pour l.essence pas de probleme non plus .le soir tu rentre la moto dans la reception de l, hotel, la premiere fois ca surprend mais c, est a faire car la seule fois que j, ai laisser la moto dans le parking exterieur de l, hotel , au matin le pneu ar etait crever et la vis de ralenti du carbu completement desserer, regarde les contribution de larsay sur les circuit au nord du vietnam , c, est une vrait mine d, or , yves
16 EME boucle a moto faite dernierement en septembre avec des potes. Avons loue chez notre ami Hop, un Vietnamien francophone, ancien guide moto qui des loue des Minsk, Honda 250cc ou 125cc.
bonjour , tu diras bonjour a hop de ma part car c, est cher lui que j, ai louer la moto.pour moi tu ferait mieux de trouver un autre loueur a moins que tu aime etre emmerder avec la moto que tu loue , yves
rebonjour , et pour enfoncer le clou pendant que je voyager avec la moto , j, ai rencontre un couple qui avait louer une misk a hop il avait aussi eu des problenes mecanique avec la moto et hop leur avait dit en gros au telephone de ce demerder et de ne pas l, enmerder avec ca .et moi au milieu du parcourt comme les disques d, embrayage ete mort sur la moto il a fallut que je telephone 6 fois au minimum car ce cher hop me raccrocher au nez pour que il prenne en charge le changement des disques a ses fraits ce qui est normal car ce sont des pieces d, usures comme par exemple les plaquettes de freins , yves
je rentre de KonTum.
info, une jeune fille me rentre dedans...pas de blessure heureusement...que des degats materiels des 2 cotes.
mais la police arrive..
je montre mon permis VN, mon assurance et ma carte grise.
je dis a la police (je parle le VN) que je suis ok et que je repare la moto tout seul.
la fille raconte des mensonges a la police.
la fille est surprise que j'ai mon permis VN.
finalement la police embarque la moto de la fille car elle n'avait pas son permis.
moto confisquee au minimum 1 mois.
moi je repars, mes degats etant mineurs, je ne demande aucune compensation.
et vous apprentis motards, qu'auriez vous fait a ma place?
sans permis la police confisque automatiquement votre becane, et vous auriez paye la fille en question.
et ensuite les problemes administratifs arrivent.
conduiriez vous une moto en france sans permis?
hier je me suis meme fait arreter pour controle de vitesse, mais heureusement j'etais a 50 pour 50km/h
si vous n'aimez pas mes informations, ne les lisez pas, lisez autre chose, mais respectez les car elles serviront a d'autres
bonjour, je croit que on est parti pour un debat qui est sans fin , si on fait que ce que les lois autorise le paradis serait sur terre et les hommes vivrait en paix, qu, elle economies , plus d, armee, de bombes nucleaires, d, armees, de polices , de juges , de prisons , de controleurs fiscaux, de coffres forts , d, armes, ect , bon pour revenir sur terre revenont sur le fait de conduire une moto au vietnam alors qu, il faut un permis vietnamien.c, est sur quie il faut prendre ses reponsabilite et s, avoir que en qu, a d, accident avec un autre usager de la route des problemes vont avoir lieux parfois , j, ai conduit des motos en inde , indonesie, laos , cambodge, nepal, amerique du sud ou je suis rester 12 mois de l, argentine au venezuela, ect , je n, est jamais eu des problemes serieux avec un tiers ou la police mais je me suis casser un doignt en taillande, fele un menisque de genoux au vietnam il y a dix ans a peut pres et j, ai ete de me le faire enlever six mois apres car je n, arriver plus a marcher, les circonstances de cet accident sont marrante apres cout.un velo c, etait mi en travert du chemin sur un petit pont , j, ai trop freiner de l, arriere , j, ai derraper, passer par dessus la moto , le parapet du pont et atterir trois metres plus bas dans l, eau .sur le coup , j, ai cru que je mettait casser la jambe avec la douleur.c, est le cycliste et sont copain qui m, ont sorti de l, eau.bon pour finir , conduire une moto est dangereux , pour prevenir tous danger , rester cher soi .tiens a propos de pont , je suis a dalat ou j, ai louer une moto , hier c, est une voiture qui est passer par dessus le pont et ai atterir bien 10 metres plus bas sur le toit, je n, ai pas vu l, accident lui meme mais me suis arrete car il y avait un attoupement , heureusement le conducteur n, etait pas mort mais blesser a la tete et a la jambe , donc meme en voiture c, est dangereux , au revoir , yves
- Il est officiellement interdit de conduire au Vietnam sans permis vietnamien,
- Nous sommes dans une situation bizarre où les loueurs de moto pullulent et en louent sans rien demander (à part le passeport, qu'ils ne vous rendent que si rien n'est arrivé à la moto, sinon, vous leur payez le prix fort)
- Donc, facile de trouver une moto MAIS si vous avez un problème sérieux entrainant la venue de la police, ça vous coûte cher (plus les petits rackets comme dans le virage juste avant d'arriver au marché de Can Cau du samedi, où la police locale établit un barrage, et c'est
200 000 dongs pour passer - en ce qui me concerne, le flic ne m'a pas embêté avec une histoire d'interdiction, il a tout simplement trouvé comme raison que j'avais loué une moto à Lao Cai, donc pas valable dans la région de Bac Ha 🏴☠️ )
- Toute personne louant une moto le fait à ses risques et périls
Méfiez-vous de la vie, car les ratés ne vous rateront pas!
Ben oui, mais on parle de problèmes avec la police, pas d'accidents. Et Francis Garnier et Cie n'avait pas de moto. En fait, j'ai toujours révê de me balader dans les montagnes du Nord à cheval ; si je résidais à Sapa, j'organiserais des balades à cheval pour ceux qui ne peuvent pas faire du trekking, ou pour les enfants suivant les parents.
Méfiez-vous de la vie, car les ratés ne vous rateront pas!
Hey everyone!
New to the forum, but not so new to Asia 😄
I’m Nico, from Switzerland, currently based in Bangkok. I love taking my motorcycle out to get lost in the mountains and small villages of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and more. I’ve been roaming around this area for a good fifteen years now, racking up quite a few kilometers—especially in northern Vietnam.
This time, I finally decided to tackle the Mae Hong Son Loop, clockwise. I’d been to Pai several times before, but oddly enough, I’d never done the full loop.
So, I’ll try to give you a little recap here, day by day, with the roads, stops, places worth checking out… and those that didn’t quite blow my mind 😅
I also filmed the trip, so I’ll post the corresponding video at the end of each day if that’s okay. If it’s not allowed here, just let me know, and I’ll remove them without any issue.
DAY 1 — Chiang Mai → Doi Inthanon → Mae Chaem → Khun Yuam
I left Chiang Mai after renting a Honda ADV 160 from Pop Motorbike. Not exactly an Africa Twin, but for what I had planned, it was more than enough.
Quick hotel note: I stayed at the Lanna Thaphae Hotel before leaving. Around 30 € per night, super well-located, and probably one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept in. A crucial detail for any motorcycle road trip, obviously.
The plan for the day was pretty straightforward:
Head toward Doi Inthanon… and see what happens.
Flawless Swiss organization.
First stop along the way at Wachirathan Waterfall. A really nice waterfall, very easy to access, but don’t expect to channel your inner Indiana Jones—it’s crowded, touristy, and swimming isn’t allowed. Still, it’s a pretty stop along the way.
Next, up to Doi Inthanon.
The road climbs steeply, and my little 160cc started to realize that carrying my 80 kg to Thailand’s highest point probably wasn’t part of its youthful dreams. I was maxing out at 34 km/h in some spots.
But it made it. Good little bike.
The summit is nice—the forest is beautiful, and it’s cool—but I have to admit, it didn’t completely wow me. Glad I went, but not necessarily the highlight of the day for me.
Because then comes Route 1192.
And that’s *much* more my thing: small mountain roads, beautiful scenery, hardly any traffic… the kind of road where I usually start taking way too many unnecessary detours just because a little side road “looks fun.”
Stopped in Mae Chaem for a bite to eat, then headed to Khun Yuam to finish the day.
A little over 200 km in total.
Khun Yuam is… quiet.
*Very* quiet. 😅
A cute little market, a couple of cafés/restaurants, and zero chance of ending up in a club until 4 AM. But after a day on the bike, it was perfect.
Stayed at the Mit Khun Yuam Hotel, around 20 € for a small but very decent room.
All in all, a solid first day and a pretty relaxed start to the loop. Part of this leg is mostly about getting out of Chiang Mai and really diving into the mountains, in my opinion.
Because for me, the really interesting stuff starts over the next two days…
And a few slightly questionable route decisions will also make an appearance 😅
If anyone’s planning the Mae Hong Son Loop, feel free to ask your questions—I’d be happy to answer!
I also filmed this first day, so for those who’d rather see the roads and landscapes than read my rambling, here’s Day 1 😊
DAY 1 VIDEO
I’ll post the next part in the coming days with Day 2: Khun Yuam → Mae Surin → Mae Hong Son.
And that’s where it starts getting *really* fun. 😉
That’s all for now! Looking forward to contributing as much as I can to the forum!
I’d like to ride from Mahajanga to Morondava, sticking as close to the coast as possible—using roads and tracks—in September 2026. If you’ve got any suggestions, let me know! 😉
hi
I’m planning a 10-month trip to South America, and I’m looking into options for shipping a motorcycle to Buenos Aires by air or sea. If anyone has any info, thanks in advance!
christian
Hello everyone.
I'm looking for campsites around BOLZANO (South Tyrol) for early September.
I'll be on my motorcycle with a small tent.
I've noticed that some campsites have exorbitant prices.
If you've traveled through the Dolomites by motorcycle or otherwise and camped there, I'd love any tips on places and prices where I can stay for one night or several.
Thanks to all of you, and happy travels.
I’m starting to think about a trip that’s really close to my heart: Algeria by motorcycle, specifically the southern part of the country. It’d be for January 2025, and I’ve got two main questions:
Is it possible for an individual on a motorcycle to travel freely, outside of any organized tour, or does the regulation require some kind of supervision in the Algerian Sahara region?
Is the Hoggar massif accessible by road or by (rideable) tracks?
Beyond the official recommendations, I’m really looking for your firsthand experiences.
Thanks so much for your answers, and sorry if my questions are a bit newbie!
I just realized I’ve been registered on VoyageForum since... March 28, 2012 😊. Yet, I’ve barely participated until now.
August 1, 2026, will mark a somewhat special milestone: 5 years on the road.
We left Switzerland on August 1, 2021 with a simple idea: let chance decide our direction. We placed a bottle of wine on a world map, spun it... and it chose our first destination.
A year later, when we arrived in Morocco, we faced a new choice: continue toward Africa or head to Asia. This time, a tarot card game made the decision. Since then, we’ve tried to keep this journey as open to the unexpected as possible.
Today, that adds up to about 120,000 km, 46 countries, and over 1,800 days on the road—mostly by motorcycle, but also by sailboat, train, bus, hitchhiking, or on foot when adventure calls.
Our guiding thread isn’t just the motorcycle, but service exchanges. Instead of simply passing through countries, we try to stop regularly to lend a hand to the people we meet. So far, that’s about 600 days of volunteering.
Over the years, we’ve:
renovated a house in Croatia
made earth bricks in the Moroccan desert
helped sail a boat through the Greek islands
looked after houses, dogs, horses, a camel... and lots of other animals
worked at a street art festival in Morocco
created videos for local associations and projects
worked the grape harvest on the Tibetan plateau
been accredited as "media" for the World Nomad Games in Central Asia
Some of the moments that have stuck with us the most include six months in China, a night spent on the Great Wall, the Pamir Highway, the Silk Road, three months in Taiwan, and the incredible encounters in the mountains of Central Asia.
We travel on Falkor, our lucky dragon—a 2014 BMW F800GS that’s been with us since the start and is starting to have some great stories of its own.
While we share our adventure on Instagram, Polarsteps, and YouTube, that’s not why we’re here. The forum’s rules about promotion are clear, and I totally get them. If I’m finally taking the time to write, it’s mostly because after five years on the road, I thought our experience might be useful to other travelers.
Happy to chat about:
preparing for a long motorcycle trip
visas and borders
the Silk Road and Central Asia
riding in China (with or without a motorcycle)
volunteering and service exchanges while traveling
gear, daily life on the road... or just the unexpected moments that make long-term travel so special
Looking forward to swapping stories and hearing about your adventures too! 😊 Greetings from Thailand, and happy to chat! ✌️
Hello, I’m retired and planning a roughly 3-week motorcycle trip (1200gs). The dates aren’t set in stone yet, and everything’s open to discussion—I’m pretty flexible with the planning.
hi
planning to ride through Rajasthan on a motorcycle in January 2027 and I’d love to hear about the road conditions.
I’ll be riding with a buddy on a Royal Enfield that I’ll rent in Delhi.
Thanks for your tips!
hi there
I’d like to ride the RN 12 by motorcycle in September.
I’d love to know the main challenges—I ride a 300cc and do enduro in France.
Thanks for your tips!
I’m planning a motorcycle road trip to Armenia and Georgia in September 2026 or May 2027. I’m looking for one or more riders (male or female) who’d like to explore these countries with me.
Along the way, we’ll visit Cappadocia, the capitals Yerevan, Tbilisi, Sofia, Skopje, and other cities—we can finalize the route and roadbook later.
This trip requires experience with long motorcycle journeys, as we’ll cover around 7,000 km over 5 or 6 weeks (or more, depending on sightseeing and time spent).
I don’t expect dozens of applicants, since motorcycle riders are few and far between on this forum, but I’m putting this out there anyway.
Hi, I’d like to take a 15-day "break" to get away from the surrounding hustle and bustle.
Why not explore the Peloponnese!
I’m not particularly drawn to museums, ruins, or monuments.
I want to experience local life—small villages, seaside spots, beaches, and the interior if the landscapes are extraordinary.
Ideally, coming from Athens, I’d take a bus or train to get as close as possible to a starting point, then rent a scooter (125cc) to explore by taking secondary roads or even coastal paths. I’d stay in 2-3 places for a few days each to discover their surroundings.
Do a loop.
What do you think would be the ideal itinerary?
From Athens, the best option would be to take either a flight or a bus to Kalamata. Rent a scooter and head either west or east. Is there a tertiary road (very lightly trafficked) or a path where I can ride slowly, take it easy, and enjoy the scenery without being bothered by traffic? I’d like to go all the way to Monemvasia, still hugging the coast. I need to find a way to avoid returning to Kalamata to drop off the scooter and catch a flight—maybe a small town where the train stops so I can head back to Athens.
Thanks in advance for your tips.
I want to rent an off-road style motorcycle to get around the coast during my trip to Ecuador. I’m only finding options in Quito. Do you have any suggestions for me?
Hi there,
I’m planning a sidecar trip to South America for 4 or 5 months at the end of this year.
I’m looking for info on shipping my vehicle by sea—possibly to Uruguay or another destination, as I haven’t finalized anything yet.
How do you get visas for the countries I’ll be crossing: Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, and Chile? Are they e-Visas, obtained at the border, or through embassies?
Where can I get vehicle insurance?
Lastly, if any bikers want to join us (my partner and me), we’re open to that possibility too.
Patrick
I’ve got 15 days off in June and I’m pretty undecided about where to go for a motorcycle road trip. Two strong desires are pulling me in different directions: Corsica or Norway.
Corsica has been a dream of mine for a long time: legendary roads, stunning landscapes, a unique vibe, and the perfect mix of sea and mountains. At the same time, I’m wondering if 2 weeks might be *too much* for Corsica—risking feeling like I’ve seen it all too quickly, especially on a bike.
Since I also have an extra week free in May, I could use that specifically for Corsica. Maybe splitting it into two trips would make more sense? If so, which routes or regions would be the most interesting to plan for a 7-day trip?
On the other hand, Norway is *super* appealing. The landscapes look incredible, totally different from anything I’ve experienced, and it’d be a real “wow” trip. I know 15 days is still short for such a vast country. Getting all the way to the North Cape seems pretty much impossible in that time, but I’m curious about what realistic routes could be planned.
So I’m wondering:
Is it better to save Norway for next year, take 3 weeks off, and do it *properly*?
Or are 15 days enough for a first amazing taste of the country?
I’d love to hear about your experiences—whether it’s Corsica (ideal duration, routes) or Norway (what’s realistic in 2 weeks on a bike).
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Hello,
I'm thinking of buying a used small motorcycle to travel around the country for a month and a half.
I've done this in other countries without putting the registration in my name—is that possible in Guinea given the apparently frequent checks, or do I have to go through the paperwork?
Thanks.
Hello,
My dream is to ride Route 66 by motorcycle. I have a disability—while I’m not in a wheelchair, my walking mobility is reduced.
The ideal scenario would be to have a motorcycle driver and ride as their passenger on an organized trip.
Are there any guides or services like this offered by travel agencies?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Hello,
I’ve got a plan with a friend to go on a motorcycle road trip in 2028 or 2029, starting in Santiago de Chile and ending in Ushuaia, for about a month.
Has anyone done a trip like this before, and what’s the best time of year?
I’ve heard there can be quite a bit of wind depending on the season.
Thanks for any tips!
Cheers,
PA
I'm seriously considering heading to Nepal to do some nice motorcycle loops... my goal is also to do the Kailash Yatra round trip from Kathmandu, in a small group with a guide, in May '26... but here's the thing—I'm solo! So if you're up for sharing a similar adventure, hit me up... Cheers, Frankoys
It's all in the title: I'm heading to Krabi soon and want to rent a scooter for a few weeks, but after reading comments about all kinds of scams, I'm reaching out to ask where and how (read: *the right way*) to rent one.
Thanks for your tips and advice.
Hello everyone! Like every year, a winter migration is on the horizon (revised plan): this time, it’ll be Dakar, or even Abidjan, via Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal.
Looking for an experienced motorcyclist or pillion rider—small build preferred—on a GSA 1250 with a comfy seat and luggage setup, available from early November to late December 2025. I’d like to plan the trip together (important to me) to make sure we’re on the same wavelength.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Didier
Looking for travel companions to ride from France to Senegal by motorcycle.
I’m Paul, 37, and I’ve already done a bit of riding in Morocco.
For now, I’m solo, riding a 1998 SUZUKI DR 650 with some basic gear to keep things smooth. I’ll have a tent so we can do a few nights under the stars.
We’ll need to coordinate departure dates—"ideally in November."
I’m currently checking out routes to take. Any tips would be welcome! :)
I’m heading to Vietnam and Laos with a buddy next week for a month.
We’re thinking of renting motorbikes, especially to do the Ha Giang Loop. We don’t have an international license, just our Belgian one. Is that enough? If not, is it risky?
In November, we’re planning to do the Ha Giang loop and the RC4 by motorbike without a guide. 😎
We’re looking for a decent place to stay/rent in Ha Giang.
If anyone has any info, we’d be really interested.
Hello! We’re planning a motorcycle trip that will include a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau in June 2026.
We’re unsure (still debating) whether we should stay at a hotel on-site and get to the memorial with an Uber (leaving our bikes at the hotel) and book a guided tour, or base ourselves in Kraków and take a tour that includes transport.
One thing’s for sure—we’d prefer a guide in French since we don’t speak English 😅.
Could you share your experiences or advice?
I understand we need to book online rather than on-site.
Thanks in advance for your replies!
Hello,
Next October we’re planning to ride the Ruta de la Plata by motorcycle—a historic Spanish route that runs from Gijón to Seville, also known as the N630.
Has anyone here already ridden it?
Unfortunately, I’m worried that parts of the N630 may have disappeared or merged with the A66 motorway, forcing us to ride long stretches of highway, which we’d rather avoid.
Thanks in advance for any tips or details about this route!