Motorcycle and Car Rental in Vietnam

As in most Southeast Asian countries, the motorcycle, called a "motorbike" in Vietnam, is the most common form of transport. For tourists, it's also an excellent way to get to know the country better, see more, and feel absolutely free in terms of movement. But renting a motorcycle in Vietnam comes with some specifics. We tell you all about it in the article below, and to start you can watch our video about motorbike rental in Vietnam:

What license is needed for motorcycle or car rental in Vietnam

In Vietnam, on a completely legal basis, you can drive a rented vehicle using an International Driving Permit (IDP) that complies with the requirements of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. Previously, it was necessary to obtain temporary local permits, and no others were recognized in the country. Now you can calmly drive using a driver's license issued in Russia. However, the price for car rental remains quite high, from 40 dollars per day.

An IDP can be obtained from the Russian traffic police (GIBDD) based on existing national (i.e., regular Russian) license without exams. You just need to apply to the traffic police (GIBDD) or MFC, pay a state duty of 3200 rubles, and receive the ready IDP. It's even more convenient and cheaper to apply for it on the website gosuslugi.ru. You will have to visit the traffic police (GIBDD) to pick up the ready license. But don't forget that an IDP is valid only when presented together with your national license, i.e., you need to take both documents on the trip.

The categories of vehicles in the IDP are exactly the same as in your national license. Importantly, to drive a motorcycle or even a low-powered scooter, you need category A, having only B or higher is not sufficient. So, take care in advance to open the needed category, and only then apply for the IDP.

Of course, we cannot ignore the local realities of the country. Many police officers still don't know the new laws or pretend not to know, and act the old way, trying to fine tourists or take a bribe for driving without a license. You should be prepared for such a development and stand up for your rights. For this, it wouldn't hurt to carry a printout of the following law in Vietnamese:

How and where to rent a motorbike or car

• Motorbike or motorcycle rental

  Renting a motorbike (low-powered scooter) or a full-fledged motorcycle in Vietnam in tourist areas can be done on every corner. Almost all hotels, street rental shops, travel agencies, and stores are involved in rentals. Don't believe the sometimes-encountered information on the Internet that finding and renting a motorbike in Vietnam is harder than in Thailand. On the contrary, it's easier here.

  

  A security deposit is not always required here, and sometimes they are satisfied with a copy of your passport or just ask for the name of your hotel. However, the situation is gradually changing due to the increasing cases of motorbike theft from and by foreigners (meaning the rental owner ends up with nothing), and in some places they ask to leave your passport as a deposit. If you don't want to leave the document, just go to another rental. In our experience renting motorbikes, we never had problems with this, and if asked to leave a document as a deposit, we simply leave our internal Russian passport.

  Sometimes there is a difficulty in renting a motorbike for several days for a trip to other cities. But this problem is also easily solved by looking for another rental, for example, from a private individual. Ask about rental from the first taxi or moto-taxi driver you come across, they will organize everything for any period and in the best way.

  

  Before finally agreeing to take a particular motorbike for rent, be sure to check its functionality. Very often, motorbikes in Vietnam have a broken speedometer (not a huge problem, but a necessity if you travel long distances by map), missing or loose rearview mirrors (riding in dense traffic without mirrors is very uncomfortable and dangerous). It happens that even the brakes don't work or the engine stalls just after starting. A working horn is very important; it can really save you from an accident. Ideally, before renting, you should take a short test drive, riding the motorcycle at least a couple of hundred meters.

• Car rental

  

  Car rental in Vietnam remains expensive and not very popular, because renting cars to tourists was allowed relatively recently. Therefore, prices are quite high – from 50 dollars per day. But international rental companies have offices in the country, and you can book a car online while still at home and pick it up upon arrival at the airport:

  Car rentals are also available at major resorts Nha Trang, Mui Ne, on Phu Quoc, in Da Nang. Ask at the hotel reception or at street travel agencies, and they will organize everything for you.

How much does motorcycle rental cost in Vietnam

Rental prices vary from one rental place to another, so if the price seems high to you, walk 20 meters and you'll find a cheaper one. There's no point in overpaying. Motorcycles with manual transmission and semi-automatics are cheaper than automatics, and they are more reliable and powerful. For long-distance trips, it's better to take a manual or semi-automatic.

Here are the minimum rental prices for motorbikes from our personal experience at popular Vietnamese resorts (updated in 2026):

• Mui Ne - 80,000 dong / 3.04 USD.
• Nha Trang - 120,000 dong / 4.56 USD.
• Da Lat - 130,000 dong / 4.94 USD.
• Hoi An - 120,000 dong / 4.56 USD.
• Da Nang - 100,000 dong / 3.8 USD.
• Sapa - 100,000 dong / 3.8 USD.
• Phan Rang - 150,000 dong / 5.7 USD.
• Quy Nhon - 120,000 dong / 4.56 USD.
• Phu Quoc - 120,000 dong / 4.56 USD.

On average, the price rarely exceeds 150,000 dong (approximately 5.7 USD). If it's more expensive, just look for another rental.

Where and what to refuel the motorbike with

Motorbikes are refueled with 92 or 95 gasoline. It is designated in Vietnam exactly the same as ours – simply by numbers.

You can refuel at large gas stations, similar to ours. At gas stations, there is staff who refuel your vehicle. The money for refueling is also handed to them; there's no need to go to any cashier.

There is also the possibility to refuel at "private" roadside gas stations, which are essentially a large bottle of gasoline or fuel poured into plastic containers, but refueling there is more expensive.

The fuel tank capacity of motorbikes is 3-4 liters.

The cost of a liter of gasoline in Vietnam is from 21,000 dong (approximately 0.8 USD).

Where to park the motorbike

If you are worried about the safety of the rented vehicle, it's better to park the motorbike in paid parking lots. Parking cost is from 2,000 to 10,000 dong. In some places, parking is simply a local resident who looks after the bikes and you pay him directly, and in other places, it's a parking lot with tickets that you receive when you park and return when you pick up the bike. Sometimes local residents won't even let you park the motorbike until you pay them, although this is illegal. Of course, you can drive 20 meters and park nearby, but there's no guarantee that it won't be intentionally damaged in your absence.

At night, it's best to park the motorbike at the hotel parking lot, which in most cases is absolutely free.

A bit about road traffic and rules in Vietnam

It should be understood that a motorcycle is the most dangerous type of wheeled transport, and in Vietnam it is doubly dangerous. Road traffic here is very chaotic, almost no one follows the rules, everyone crosses into oncoming lanes, no one ever yields to pedestrians.

Nevertheless, traffic is generally slow and not that dangerous, it's not difficult to get used to. The most important thing is to restrain yourself and not to speed, not to exceed the flow speed.

There are many unmarked intersections here, which don't look like intersections at all. At such intersections, even locals don't always know who should yield to whom (and you must yield to those on the right), and everyone merges into a single stream and somehow disperse. The advice here is one: at every intersection, be extremely attentive and yield to everyone. In general, priority signs like "Main Road" and "Yield" are almost non-existent here, and priority is usually determined by signs "Intersection with a minor road" or "Junction with a minor road," which are installed in advance before the intersection.

When entering and moving on "roundabouts," the rule also applies to yield to everyone on the right, even when you are on the roundabout. Also, Vietnamese love to organize one-way traffic, so carefully watch for "no entry" signs ("brick").

And one more thing, motorbike drivers should always drive on the right side of the road. At any moment, a bus or truck might jump onto the road, and it doesn't care that a motorcycle is driving in the opposite lane, it will just honk for you to get off the road. So it's better to always keep to the right side. By the way, in some places, there is a separate lane for motorcycles, and on some roads, signs prohibit motorcyclists from entering the second lane and beyond.

And finally, one more piece of advice for safe motorcycle riding in Vietnam: remember that the most important button on a motorcycle is the horn. In Vietnam, everyone honks on the roads, and not because they are in a hurry. It's because there are many (in our opinion, almost all) inattentive drivers and pedestrians on the roads who, moreover, don't know the rules. Therefore, everyone honks to warn of their movement. And don't be shy: honk in any case when it seems the traffic situation might be threatening. This really helps make driving safer. See more about traffic specifics in Vietnam...

You should also know about some specifics of local traffic rules regarding motorcycle (also motorbike or scooter) movement, for which you can be fined:

• A maximum of two passengers is allowed.
• Speed limits are set at no more than 40 km/h in the city, and 60 km/h outside the city. Speed is measured by radars, just like in Russia.
• There is a fine for not retracting the kickstand (side stand).
• Using the horn at night is prohibited.
• Aggressive driving in the form of frequent lane changes is prohibited.
• Talking on the phone while driving is prohibited.
• Driving without a helmet is prohibited. The fine, although small, only 30,000 dong, will attract the attention of the police, and they will surely "turn inside out" all your documents to find more violations.
• Motorcycles cannot be positioned side by side on the roadway if it hinders the passage of other vehicles. For example, if you want to ride next to your friends to chat a bit, you may be fined. You must ride only in a chain, one after another, not side by side.
• Towing or pushing a motorbike (using another vehicle) is not allowed.
• Wheelies are not allowed.