Plan your trip
Easy rider or self-drive: which is right for you?
Both are genuinely fine choices — there is no wrong answer. Take the rider if you have never handled a manual motorbike; self-drive if you have, and you want the freedom of your own throttle.
What "easy rider" actually means
You sit on the back. I — or another rider, on bigger groups — handle the bike, the gears, the road. Your hands are free for photos and your attention is free for the scenery instead of the next blind corner. No riding skill or licence needed.
What self-drive actually means
You ride your own bike, provided as part of the trip or rented independently. The first day of my off-road route is dirt track, which is a different skill to a paved mountain pass — worth knowing before you commit, not on the day itself.
Cost comparison
On my trips, self-drive is consistently cheaper than easy rider — you are not paying for a second rider's time and fuel:
| Trip | Easy rider | Self-drive |
|---|---|---|
| The Classic Loop | $230 | $190 |
| Off The Map | $275 | $245 |
Going fully independent — no guide at all — bike rental alone runs $7–$21 a day; see the full rental price table or the full cost breakdown for food, fuel and lodging on top of that.
Skill and licence requirements
Easy rider needs nothing from you — no licence, no riding experience. To self-drive your own bike in Vietnam you legally need a 1968-convention International Driving Permit covering motorbikes, plus your original national licence. Without both, your travel insurance will not pay out if anything happens, and police checks along the loop are common. The safety guide covers what actually causes accidents on this loop, whichever option you choose.
Where self-drive is the wrong choice
If you have never ridden a manual motorbike, this is not the place to learn — I will say that plainly even though self-drive is the cheaper option for me to sell you. Take the rider, and switch mid-trip later if you decide you want to try.
Which one for which traveller
- Never ridden a manual bike: easy rider. This genuinely is not the place to learn.
- Confident, experienced rider wanting freedom: self-drive.
- Experienced rider, but nervous about narrow mountain roads with drops: easy rider is still a reasonable choice — experience and comfort are not the same thing.
- Want photos without stopping to balance a bike: easy rider.
You can switch between the two mid-trip if you change your mind — it is not a decision you are locked into on day one.
Next step
Not sure which is right for you
Tell me honestly what riding experience you have and I will give you a straight recommendation, not just the option that costs more.