The cost for each itinerary might be very different from the others. The number of people in the group, means of transportation or type of bike and your specific expectations are the deciding factors. Offroad Vietnam offer three types of motorbike adventures (fully guided, semi-guided and self guided) to work with your budget. If you want to enjoy Vietnam in a different way and have a total freedom of mind, book a guided trip, if you travel on budget then consider a semi-guided trip or just bike hire on a self guided trip. A local guide makes a very big difference and with him you will see a REAL VIETNAM off the tourist trails!

Most of our tours are private and personalised, can be customised before and during the journey, taking into account actual road and weather conditions and also your change of expectations.

Offroad Vietnam organizes all-inclusive full package tours. The only exception is at the request of travellers who wish to upgrade their accommodation for something more luxurious (but not always possible!). We know our prices are not cheap, but we guarantee to deliver the best balance of cost/quality and if you still hesitate, check out how satisfied our customers felt after the rides. The following are provided on standard motorcycle touring, special tours are subject to modifications.

Contact us for current prices of 2013/2014 touring season. Deposits and payments can also be in Canadian Dollars, British Pounds, Euros and Australian Dollars. Below are the cost details of a typical guided trip:

Including:
- Motorcycle(s), spare parts and all fuel;
- Tour guide/Translator/Mechanic (He's three in one!);
- Standard hotel (double, twins or triple shared room) and/or homestay (sleeping bags, mosquito nets, sheets, pillows...are provided);
- Third party motorbike insurance;
- All food (Vietnamese food, Western food costs extra);
- All entrance fees, permits, tickets, boat trips, ferries, bamboo rafts, etc;
- Bike shipping and tour guide's travel back to Hanoi (for Ho Chi Minh trail/highway trips);
- Offroad Vietnam provides support. We are with you along the way;
- Vietnamese tea and rice wine.

Not including:
- Personal expenses, personal medical insurance;
- Drinks other than tea and local rice wine;
- Single room supplement if you request a single room;
- Motorbiking protective pants, jacket, gloves, helmet, rain gear and other safety equipment at favourable rental rate;
- Train or flight tickets before and after your tour;
- Breakfast on the departure day and dinner on the return day;
- Accommodation and food in Hanoi;
- Tips.

* Add-on services such as support truck (170$US/day), airport transfers and hotel room booking and Vietnamese visa approval letter (20$US/person)...are available at an extra charge, on top of tour prices.

There is no guarantee about weather conditions, tours can be delayed but there is no refund if cancelled.

* Note:
- We never have any hidden cost, if you brake part(s) when you ride, we have uploaded a price list here and this is all what you have to pay.
- If you ride double, there is a small discount.
- Costs are not the same everyday. To make it easy, we calculated and charge equally per day.
- As a way to say "thank you", we won't ask deposit for returning customers and you definitely get a discount on your next tour(s).
- You can start a ride and we post an update on our update page to get more people for you. This type of trip usually has riders with different riding experiences (from novice to competent off-road riders) and if you care about strangers in the group, you'd better book a strictly private tour.

The price will be different if you select different bike options, please indicate this in your request to have a correct quotation.




- Option 1 (Honda XL motocross 125-250cc): Great suspension, front and back drum brakes, kick/electric starter, 4-stroke engine, 11-18 hp, full spare parts support, imported brand new from Japan. These bikes have new engines 125-250cc with electric starter installed in late 2011 and are now working almost as new.

- Option 2 (Honda Baja, XR enduro 250cc or SL 230cc): The best shocks, front and back disc brakes, electric starter, 4-stroke engine, 20-28 hp, full spare parts support, imported second hand from Cambodia or Hong Kong. After major upgrade in late 2011, many new genuine parts or even engines were installed, they are in very good conditions.

- Option 3 (Honda road/dirt bike 125-160cc): Very smooth shocks, front disc brake, kick starter, 4-stroke luxury sport, 13.8 hp, very powerful bike, full spare parts support, imported brand new from Indonesia, the most reliable bike. After the major upgrade and fine tune in late 2009, all bikes were replaced with a new 160cc piston. Spare parts price is also uploaded to give you an idea of replacement fees.

- Option 4 (Honda moped scooter 100-125cc): Good shocks, drum/disc brakes, no saddle bags, front basket, electric starter, 4-stroke engine, ~9-11 hp, full spare parts support, made in Vietnam, very reliable.

- Option 5 (Russian road bike Minsk 125cc): Very basic bikes, smooth shocks, drum brakes, saddle bags, kick starter, no battery which means everything works only when the engine starts, even no speedometer, 2-stroke underpowered engine, 10 hp, full spare parts support, imported brand new from Belarus (Russia), not really reliable. None of our clients has chosen to ride a Minsk since May 2007!

At the end of each tour program, we have a contact us link that allows you to send your request for that specific tour. Please provide us as much information as you can and we will get back to you shortly.

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Food & Accommodation

Vietnam's food is famous world-wide, and no wonder! Pho is the first thing you learn about. Fresh ingredients, subtle spices and exciting menus highlight the perfect time to wind down after a great day's riding or driving.

We are familiar with all the regional specialities. Dive into local markets and experience local fare, while come dinner time kick back and enjoy a feast of exotic, delicious and tempting dishes.

Any tour will involve a wide variety of accommodation and will include a mixture of hotels, inns and private houses. As we tour through remote areas of a developing country, it is to be expected that accommodation is not five-star. Nevertheless, everywhere we stay is clean, comfortable and the best standard available. You are in Vietnam not for luxury, but for a different experience.

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Travel Documents

Insurance
All riders and pillion passengers must hold appropriate international medical insurance with emergency expatriation. We provide third party (very little coverage so you can consider this is not included) insurance but not your own.

Driving licence
We don't request a motorcycle driving licence to ride on our trips. However, a valid motorcycle driver's licence is recommended in order to claim insurance should there be any accident.

Formally, no licence is fully valid in Vietnam, even an international driving licence, as it needs to be officially translated (at Vietnamese Embassies or in Vietnam). The question of having or not a motorbiking driving licence mainly concerns your insurance. On the other hand, if you are working in Vietnam under contract for at least 6 months you could easily get a local driving licence.

Traffic police generally don't stop Westerners in Vietnam to check licences simply because they don't speak good English or feel confident to deal with it. In addition, in the same time they can deal with many other Vietnamese people. Mui Ne in Southern Vietnam have been the only exception where they started checking licences.

Informally, many recent international driving licenses which include Vietnam in the country list are accepted by the traffic police on the road.

Passport and Visa
You must carry your passport with you at all times during the ride and you must have a visa for Vietnam valid for the duration of the tour. You must also take with you on tour the yellow arrival/departure paper which you will be given on arrival in Vietnam. We need to register with local police every night.

Contract
Please contact us for more extensive terms and conditions. We accept no responsibility for any accident or injury, lost or damaged baggage occurring during the tour.

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Motorcycle Tour Planning Tips by Nancy Brotherton

Before you head for the road, there are some touring tips and tricks that will help you get the most out of your trip without all the worry and fuss. Organization is essential when you want to get the most out of your adventure.

First and foremost in planning your tour is understanding your riding style. Asking yourself these questions will help you determine what kind of touring style you prefer. Do you like to ride in a group, stopping when they stop, or do you prefer making the decisions? Do you like long leisurely rides on winding country roads or do you like the thrill of speeding down the highway at breakneck speed? Do you like to ride for as long as you can without stopping or do you enjoy stopping and seeing the sights? Do you mind going through cities during rush hour with heavy traffic? Do you like to begin a journey with no destination in mind and just follow the road where it takes you? All this and more will determine the route you plan to take and what you will pack.

After you determine what your riding preferences are then you can start to plan your trip. If you like long winding country roads and leisurely riding, you will probably want to go as little interstate as possible. If you like to be in charge of where and when you stop, you may want to go alone or with a few well known friends. With the invention of the Internet and GPS systems, there is an abundance of information available on routes, hotels, restaurants, and sights along any route to any destination you may choose. You can even check out the local traffic situations in areas that you will be visiting. By being familiar with your route through research or personal experience, you can determine the best places to stop to eat, take a break or rest for the night. You can also stop when you feel like stopping and take pot luck.

To save time and keep away from the morning rush hour traffic in most towns or cities, you may want to plan your evening stop at a hotel at the end of town, so that in the morning you are going away from traffic instead of towards it.

Keep in mind that 100 miles doesn't sound like a lot, but on winding country roads, it can take much more time and effort than straight highway riding. If the weather is hot and sunny, remember to stay hydrated and stop often to stretch. Also keep in mind that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, so be sure and have a good idea where you will be when riding, so that you aren't blinded by the sun's setting or rising. It may be a good time for you to take a break.

One method to keep organized and keep papers together for an extended trip is to put each day's event information, such as hotel confirmations, routes, mileage, tickets, etc. in an envelope with the date and location marked on front. When you stop for the night, you can look at the next day's information and feel comfortable knowing where you are and where you are going. Peace of mind and feeling in control is worth it's weight in gold.

Always carry extra cash, hidden in a safe place, in case you have to pay for a service you didn't plan on. For example, a fellow rider had towing insurance, but couldn't get her service to send a tow truck. They had to go with a local service and pay up front with cash, because the local service didn't accept credit cards or checks.

Make sure and bring a camera along so that you can record your trip and remember unique places and new friends you make along the way. Another way to make sure you remember your trip is to take a small road journal with you. At the end of each evening, write down how you felt and what you saw. If the roads were terrible and it stormed most of the time, you may rethink the route or time of year for your next road trip.