Vietnam by motorbike.

[albatross710]

I’m considering doing some motorbike touring during an upcoming trip to Vietnam and wanted to clarify the licensing and insurance situation.

I know many Australians have traveled there and done motorbike tours on various bikes, but the legalities can be confusing.

Licensing:

No local license is required for bikes under 50cc.

For bikes 50cc-175cc, you need either a Vietnamese license or an International Driving Permit (IDP).

However, Vietnam does not recognize IDPs from Australia or the USA, which complicates things.

Despite this, many motorbike rental shops will happily rent bikes (especially under 150cc) to Australians without checking for a local license.

Travel Insurance Concerns:

Qantas Travel Insurance (QTI) states that the rider must be licensed in the country they are riding in, which could be a dealbreaker for my annual policy.

Covermore only requires the rider to be licensed for motorbikes in their home country, but like all policies, it also separately states the general condition that travelers must comply with local laws and regulations.

Given that Vietnam doesn’t recognize Australian IDPs, this creates a gray area when it comes to insurance coverage.

For those who have done motorbike tours in Vietnam, how have you navigated the travel insurance and licensing issue? Are there any specific insurers that offer coverage despite the licensing gap?

Would love to hear your experiences!

 

[Scarlett]

Paging Messrs Clarkson, Hammond and May to the white courtesy phone.

Is there any way to ask:
1. The motorcycle rental agencies in Vietnam?
2. The Australian Embassy in Vietnam?
3. The Vietnamese Embassy in Australia?

I do wish you the best of luck finding a solution as it looks like a fascinating way to explore.

Another thought: can you get an online version of an IDP that is recognised in VNM? I know the issue with many countries recognising other nations is a simple bureaucratic difference in which version (date) of the international agreement they have signed.

Or even the Vietnamese Embassy (or consulate) to provide an official translation of your Aus licence. The IDP is generally the easier solution but I thought an official translation of the license, into the target country language, removes the need for an IDP.

 

[JackMiles]

Hiya albatross. I won't tell you I am an expert on this and can give you the final word but I've been to Vietnam a few times and have read a fair a bit on this topic, and, respectfully, I would say there is no grey area or confusion. If you have an AUS DL, you simply cannot ride legally in Vietnam and no insurance policy will cover you. (You can google the 1968 Vienna Convention but sounds like you might already be familiar with this.) So it comes down to your risk tolerance. If you simply get stopped for a license check, which you will fail, all that might happen is you have to return the bike to the rental agency, and pay a fine. The agency might also suffer some consequences. If, however, you're involved in an accident, particularly one involving serious injury to another party, then the consequences would escalate significantly.
I've read anecdotal reports that license checking has become more common on popular tourist motorbike routes like the Ha Giang loop.
(BTW, in my ignorance, I rented a motorbike in Vietnam way back in 2007 and they didn't ask for a license or anything. I say motorbike but it was actually more of a scooter type thing, don't recall the cc. It was tremendous fun but I would not take the chance again. Riding pillion is pretty fun too...)