Here is something you need to know before your adventure trip with Vietnam Backroads - Vietnam Cycling Tours

Country roads are very narrow and bendy. There are many forks and crossroads in rural villages, but no traffic signal or sign. There are plenty of small concrete bridges without rails and holders. Bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles are the primary means of transport in rural areas. Women and children are very slow riders, but men and teenagers love speeding. The handlebars of your bikes become longer in comparison with the width of the paths.

01 - Do not ride close to the front rider

02 - Never block the path/road when you have stopped

03 - Do not ride off concrete paths. It’s intense, and you could get a fall.

04 - Ride with the traffic on a small back road!

Please ride on the ride side of the road and stay on a single line. Do remember, you are in Vietnam, not in the UK.

05 - Ride on a single line on country roads is save

06 - Whenever you stop to capture photos for any reason.

Do not stop so quick; say louder; stop so that cyclists coming up from behind can hear you so they can stop in time or pass you on your left-hand side. Once you stop, please place your bike on one side of the road as not to block the traffic (country roads are too narrow)

07 - Do not take a photo when cycling

08 - Do not turn your head back when you are biking

09 - Many little wooden/ concrete bridges have no rails and holders

you should walk better than ride! Path, track, and country back roads are also very bendy. You should ride slowly and keep riding on the right side to avoid bicycles, and the moped comes from the opposite direction. 

10—If wooden and concrete bridges are too small and narrow without rails and holders, please get off your bike and walk over.

11 - Most of the bridges in the countryside are very high in proportion to their length so that boats could get through. (Bridges are not too long but too high).

Balance your riding on your bike by moving your body rearward when you ride on a bridge slope. (go down from the top of the bridge) Do not use the front brake. The front brake is the left-hand brake

12 - Once you have noted that some mopeds are coming up from behind you!

Please do not turn your head back; keep cycling slowly and stay on the right side of paths and country back roads so locals who were riding bicycles or mopeds have more space and room to pass you (front riders) safely on your left hand. 

13 - How do you safely pass a local riding a bike/moped in front of you? 

It’s challenging and complicated for you to pass them! 14 - Sometimes, you come up from behind local riders riding their bicycle or mopeds very slowly in front of you, and they are also riding in the middle of a narrow path/ track. In case of this, you should say louder, “WA…WA… WA… (I’m passing you) other word is “ZO…ZO…ZO”. Then you can see locals on bikes/mopeds begin to slow down, and they keep riding on the right side to give you more space/ room so you can pass them quickly and safely on your left hand.