Motorcycling – Cushiest Way to Explore Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia - the land of motorbikes and scooters! Small motors nimbly, smoothly move on streets. In spite of Luang Prabang, Ho Chi Minh city or Chiang Mai, it is easy to ride a motorbike around streets and even small lanes, reveal indigenous cultural features in a peculiar way.

Having low cost and compact design, easy to control, motorbike become the most common mean of transport in Southeast Asia countries. Motorbikes appear everywhere, every corner, used by both locals and foreign travelers for transfer. 

Moving by motorbike is truly flexible and convenient to explore cities, villages, fields or coastal areas. In addition, by traveling in the way of native residents, you will obtain authentically local experiences. On two wheels, it is possible to drive to ways and corners you want, stopping at anytime and anywhere to snap unique moments or take interesting conversations with locals. One day on a motorbike threading over the most hidden parts will bring fascinating experiences during your journey. 

So, when traveling in an area in Southeast Asia, you can select a motorbike as a companion and simply go. This lists below will show you some ideas for Southeast Asia discovery on motorbike. 

Yogyakarta – Indonesia

So many travelers reach Yogyakarta only to contemplate sunrise in Borobudur – the greatest Buddhism monument in Indonesia. However, many other hidden parts in this area you may not know and desire to discover. Yogyakarta city seems to be a typical slice of Indonesia with endless rice paddies, rustic villages and meandering road systems. 

You can visit this famous Hindu temple, Prambanan, as crossing over Kaliurang town, lying on the foot of the volcano Merapi. Scenery of this place can be beyond very much your imagination. Except the traffic jam in the entrance of the town, remaining things are all smooth.

Luang Prabang – Laos

Do you want to ride around appealing streets in this ancient city? Just simple, walk to a motorbike rental shop, take one and ride. Luang Prabang is a peaceful city with lovely 2-story blocks of dwellings, quaint small houses, colorful tuk tuks and long queues of monks walking moderately on bare foot to beg for alms in the quite atmosphere. Perhaps you will be excited as encountering an old temple quite Chinese in style. Bring along a map if it is necessary for you.

Getting out of this safe and sound city toward surrounding areas, more challenges are waiting travelers to conquer. You can head to Kuang Si and Tad Sae, two superb, emerald waterfalls. The roads are relatively convenient. Passing over jungles, many beautiful landscapes will disclose.  

Ho Chi Minh city - Vietnam 

Traffic in Vietnam always make a deep impression on any oversea traveler first time stepping on this country. Amazing. Incredible. Thousands of motors moving smoothly in narrow space among disorderly whistling noise; and patience of residents in traffic jam are unforgettable images. 

You can take a Saigon Vespa tour to get around the city. Classic but graceful Vespa scooters will take travelers to discover incredible street food, to original bars, restaurants and lovely hidden streets. This is a great way that helps you find less well-known places and enjoy real local cuisine. If you are impossible to ride, you can sit in the rear position and comfortably sightsee streets. 

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is located in a highland of Thailand so this city has a natural beauty actually mind-blowing. The region is dominated by forests, strawberry fields, rivers, streams and many other ecological sites.

You can trek 14.5 km to reach the mountain top and visit the sacred Wat Phra That temple – one of the most renowned spots in the city. However, paying attention that you can encounter the traffic congestion, especially at the end of the day.

Or, you can liberate and ride motorbike to visit historic places in the central Chiang Mai city. Let reach Buddhism pagodas built since the city newly established (about 700 years ago). If it is hot, you can take some breaks, rest, enjoy the “pad Thai” dish then continue your journey.

 Photo: Peanuts or Pretzels

Sumatra, Indonesia

If having scanty time, you can get to Maninjau – the lake formed from the crater of the former volcano in Sumata, Indonesia. Around the lake is small fishing villages, rice fields, schools and mosques. Here, you are never stuck in traffic. 

Koh Lanta, Thailand 

Koh Lanta is an island district in Thailand. Not famous like Koh Phi Phi or Phuket, but it is an ideal destination for excursions by scooters or motorbikes. On the island, though the way is just only 26 km long, you still can have a lot of awesome experiences: local life, fabulous scenery and traffic. 

Almost the streets have pavements, safe and not crowded. Spend all your day to contemplate the stunning beach like paradise or visit the old quarter, where retains memories of the island. You can admire traditional houses lying near the sea, nice café and peaceful space. 

Beauty of the special houses of Ha Nhi ethnic minority people

Houses made from soil, which are cool in summer and warm in winter, share this special architectural feature of Ha Nhi ethnic minority people in Y Ty Commune.

Houses of Ha Nhi ethnic minority

Houses of Ha Nhi ethnic minority

Every year, after each crop, Ha Nhi people often build new houses to replace those that are old and deteriorated. After selecting suitable soil samples, they put them  into moulds and then use a pestle to squeeze the soil in as tightly as possible, which helps to create a firm wall. The wall is between 40-50 cm thick and 4-5 metres high. The average area of the houses is from 60-80 square metres.

Houses of Ha Nhi ethnic minority

Houses of Ha Nhi ethnic minority

After that, they install the parts for the roof. Previously, they used to go to the forest to collect Alang grass for roofing, therefore, when a family began building the roof for the new house their neighbours traveled  to the forest with them to help gather the grass. The grass layers are then weaved into a roof which is up to 50cm thick.

Houses of Ha Nhi ethnic minority

Houses of Ha Nhi ethnic minority

Bat Xat District has been focusing on tourism development, with tours to places such as Muong Hum and Y Ty, thus, more tourists have come to Y Ty and have had a chance to see these special houses.  However, recently, many local households have replaced the grass rooves with corrugated iron roofing sheets, so that currently, fewer than ten houses with grass rooves are left in Y Ty Commune.

Source:dtinews 

ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA would like to recommend Motorcycling adventure in Northern Vietnam tour.The mountainous area of Northern Vietnam has long been famous for its beautiful scenery and great diversity of ethnic minorities. With our adventure motorcycling trip you will make a big loop to experience all the bests that area can offer. Starting in Hanoi you will explore Northwest before jumping into Northeast, back to Hanoi after a day relaxing in Ba Be Lake. The perfect itinerary and the support crew ensure you get the most out of the trip in terms of comfort, enjoyment and adventure. Along the way we encounter dramatic landscapes and sweeping panoramas as the rural population goes about its business. Highlights include the terraced valleys of Sapa, beautiful Ban Gioc Waterfall and many different colorful minority groups.

Beautiful Ha Giang

The raw beauty and impressive mountain ranges of Ha Giang Province in the far North of Vietnam is the scene which no one can easily forget.

Quan Ba Twin Mountain

A local house

Lung Cu flag tower

Local people in colourful dresses

Standing on the curving Ma Pi Leng Pass, Nho Que River runs between the mountain

Ethnic children

Typical dishes of Ha Giang

  

October and November is when backpackers flock to Ha Giang because of blooming flower fields. Ha Giang is well-known for its impressive yellow daisies and buckwheat flower fields.

Source: dtinews.vn

ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA would like to recommend Motorcycling adventure in Northern Vietnam tour.The mountainous area of Northern Vietnam has long been famous for its beautiful scenery and great diversity of ethnic minorities. With our adventure motorcycling trip you will make a big loop to experience all the bests that area can offer. Starting in Hanoi you will explore Northwest before jumping into Northeast, back to Hanoi after a day relaxing in Ba Be Lake. The perfect itinerary and the support crew ensure you get the most out of the trip in terms of comfort, enjoyment and adventure. Along the way we encounter dramatic landscapes and sweeping panoramas as the rural population goes about its business. Highlights include the terraced valleys of Sapa, beautiful Ban Gioc Waterfall and many different colorful minority groups. 

Highlights: 

• Stunning scenery
• Stunning Pha Din Pass and Tram Ton Pass
• Terraced valley of Sapa
• Ban Gioc Waterfall
• Babe Lake
• Colorful ethnic minorities

Ultimate Road Trip: Vietnam's Northern Loop

Written by Adam Hodge 

Anyone who has been to this country (and even some of those who haven't) will no doubt be skeptical about the words "Vietnam" and "road trip" in the same sentence. It's true: In a city like Hanoi, the traffic can make you freeze up like an opossum. But outside of the cities, where vehicles are few and far between, the scenery is unforgettable, the culture vibrant, and the road trip experience unparalleled.

Driving the legendary Northwest Loop is the best way to get a glimpse of the rural side of a country in the throes of relentless, voracious development. In the less-visited north, you can explore the Vietnam of rice terraces, karst formations draped in verdant jungle, purple mountains, and thundering waterfalls.

START IN HANOI

Hanoi

The Northwest Loop begins in Hanoi. If you're going to tackle this route in a car or truck, it's best to get a 4WD. Most of the route is sealed, but heavy rains can occasionally wash small rocks and debris onto the road in the mountains. And speaking of rain, since you're in the mountains all bets are off when it comes to the weather. It's true that Vietnam's dry season runs from October until April, but if you try this during "rainy" season in the summer months you can still get away with it. And remember, as you get higher up, the temperature will drop, so you may use both the A/C and the heater in the same trip.

But be warned, the small twisty roads were drawn into the hills for the pleasure (and ease) of two-wheeled travel. The trip can be done on a 125 cc semi-automatic "motoscooter," which are incredibly easy for even non-riders to get a handle on quickly. You can rent one in Hanoi for less than $10 a day from an outfitter like Flamingo Travel, who provides helpful English-language service. Flamingo also provides guided tours for those who don't want to tackle the country alone.

HIT THE OPEN ROAD

After you've explored Hanoi's bustling Old Quarter (the Essence Hanoi is a great boutique hotel option) and filled up on Hanoi's legendary street food, it's time to brave the traffic on the highway from hell out of the city. This is a straight-shot, get-it-over-with drive to the first stopover. Look on the bright side: You will never again complain about traffic back home. Just under 30 miles southwest of Hanoi on Highway 6, you'll have the chance to turn left onto a skinny two-lane secondary road. Take it! This is what you've come for. The road weaves its way through rice terraces, bypassing the truck-heavy main drag. You'll meet up with H6 again soon enough, which you'll take the rest of the way to Mai Chau.

Motorcycling Mai Chau

Once in Mai Chau, take a day or two to explore the surrounding countryside, which is home to many of the White Tai ethnic minority. The lush, rice paddy-filled valley is a world away from the noise of Hanoi, the horns and hawker shouts replaced with gurgling irrigation rustling leaves. Here you'll find one of the best accommodation options in northern Vietnam: the terrific Mai Chau Lodge.

When you leave Mai Chau, you will follow weaving valley roads and mountain switchbacks up H6 to Son La. The journey is not far, but you will stop so frequently to take in the view, so budget extra time. A good idea is to break up the day with pit stops in the small towns you'll find on the way, where you can refill with Vietnamese iced coffee or pho.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

After Son La, you can head directly to the big city in the north, Sapa, but you'd be wise to head to Dien Bien Phu on the QL279 turnoff instead, where you can view the site of one of the most decisive and game-changing military victories in modern history. DBP is where the French rule of Vietnam came to an ignominious end—think Custer's Last Stand in Indochina. Walk around Hill A-1, and then visit the ranks of unmarked graves in the war cemeteries. It's a grim reminder of the war-torn history of the beautiful surroundings.

Motorcycling Northern Vietnam

On to Sapa, the center of northern Vietnam. A former French hill station, the town overlooks a valley of waterfalls and rice paddies, and frequently finds itself in puffy white fog as clouds roll into the town center. This is great place for trekking and mountain biking. Trekking Sapa leads multi-day tours around the area, showing off the natural beauty and the culture of the local Hmong hill tribes. For a place to stay, try Thai Binh Sapa.

Motorcycling Northern Vietnam

It will take a solid day to drive back to Hanoi from Sapa, so it's wise to break up the trip into two pieces, sleeping the LaVieVuLinh ecolodge homestay near Thac Ba Lake on the way back. If you have time, though, spend an extra couple of days and head east to Ba Be National Park. This remarkable area is up for UNESCO status as a World Heritage Site, but is seldom visited because it is tough to access using public transportation. The park plays host to countless species of fauna, including bears, tigers, and the king cobra. Stay in one of the stilt-house homestays in Pac Ngoi village, which cozies up to the shores of Ba Be Lake, the freshwater centerpiece of the park.

ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA would like recommend Motorcycling West to East Northern Vietnam tour.This motorcycling trip reveals a different route to get from Son La to Thac Ba. It offers adventurous riders stunning scenery and great tribal culture exploration. The route is not yet popular thus you do not share the roads with other tourist but mainly share the roads with the locals who are on their Honda to the farm. The perfect itinerary and the support crew ensure you get the most out of the trip in terms of comfort, enjoyment and adventure.

Highlights: 

•     Stunning scenery
•     Challenging roads
•     Thac Ba Reservoir
•     Colorful ethnic minorities