Ever tried to cross the street in Hanoi’s rush hour? Motorbikes or scooters are everywhere! They are much cheaper than any car, don’t take up so much space and can be very versatile with a bit of skill and creativity. I’ve seen families with 3 kids, people carrying furniture or even a cow on their scooters. I find motorbike taxis exhilarating and would recommend for anyone to try out hiring a scooter when exploring the area. Though, be aware of tourist traps and scams. Here is my advice to rent a motorbike in Asia.
No license or ID? No worries, mate!
If you don’t have a bike license (or any license really), you won’t have any trouble to rent a motorbike pretty much anywhere in Asia. I don’t think I’ve ever been asked to show my driving license, not to mention I acquired my bike license only recently. In some instances I didn’t even need to provide any form of ID or deposit (talk about trust for a stranger).
Though, some places (especially Thailand and Vietnam) will ask you to leave your passport as deposit. Ask if you can leave any other ID (I’d ne’er hand over my passport unless I really have to). Keep an old passport if you can, it’s worth a try anyway. Don’t let them take a copy of or hold your credit card either. That’s just asking them to buy that diamond necklace you always wanted.
Where to Rent a Motorbike From
Even though they might be slightly more expensive – we’re talking 2 bucks or so – I’d checkout the hotels’ own or recommended rental place first. The competition is huge and Tripadvisor reviews are super important for most businesses. So they have a reputation to loose and wouldn’t want you to leave bad feedback for your stay. Checking review sites or simply asking fellow travellers for advice will also help. You might even find buddies that are keen to join the ride.
All bike rentals in Asia look dodgy compared to what you know from home. Though, you should still get a rental agreement & get offered a helmet.
How Much Does it Cost?
Rental prices are super cheap. The daily rate to rent a motorbike in Thailand is about $8 – $12. Vietnam is a little cheaper at like $6-$8 and in the Philippines you can hire a bike at around $12.
Some places might ask to pay a deposit, but normally you only pay the daily rate and off you go.
Checklist Before Leaving
Be sure to check your bike! Take photos or even a video of all sides. Make sure the guy sees you’re taking footage so they can’t easily blame you for existing damage or scratches. If they don’t let you take photos or try to be pushy for you to take off already, leave and find another place. Remember you’re in Asia. Scamming tourists is every day practice in many places. As cheap as it is to rent a motorbike as expensive it can get for any dent as little as it may be. Often, the cheapest places pretty much count on you scratching it or try to make you pay for existing damage. In severe cases they might follow to then steal the bike and charge a ridiculous price for the whole thing.
Check the tires, breaks (just saying ..) and lights. Get the phone number and address of the shop in case you do break down or you need to get in touch. I always mark the location on my phone if I hire off the street since most places look the same.
Off you Go
The tank will most definitely be empty, but should have just enough to get to the next petrol station. The guy (or girl) might offer a bottle of fuel, which will cost at least 4times the price of a petrol station and gets you no further than 10k despite what they say. So go to a petrol station. Most of them will serve you and you pay what the locals pay.
Even if you’re a frequent rider, take extra care. Watch for sand & obstacles on the road and slow down in every turn. Wear a helmet even though most people including the locals don’t. Looking cool is pretty important for Instagram, staying alive more so in general. You can get an open helmet so doesn’t get too hot and wear sunnies (you don’t want a bug shooting right through your eye ball)
Get off the main road and explore. Preload the area on google maps on your phone and mark locations of places you want to go. GPS on maps works without any wifi or phone reception, so you always know where you are.
Wherever you go, don’t leave the bike unlocked. Park outside a restaurant or anywhere where it isn’t easily carried away without anyone noticing.
