When in Rome, do as the Romans do, so goes the ancient saying. Generally, this is good advice to follow in any foreign country so not to make any faux passes or further out oneself as a visitor. In Southeast Asia, this involves a motorbike/scooter. Watching the locals whiz through rush hour traffic nonplussed while tourists struggle to even cross the street on their own two feet is a sight to behold. Combine the thrill of open air riding with sometimes inaccessible public transport and topped off with the wallet-lightening cost of around $5 daily plus gas, and it’s no surprise that riding a motorbike is atop the list of many travelers to the region. It’s like riding a bike – only faster, more dangerous, and may result in loss of limbs or life. Rev your engine.
The majority of travelers that ride do as their first experience. Sure, one could continuously pay a motodop driver to take them around daily, but those costs add up. Second, as someone who is taller than most people in the region, a local’s idea of weaving and squeezing into space is neither the most comfortable nor accommodating. Ergo, here lies the ever-present hostel or bike rental shop. They may ask for a passport, but try to use instead an old ID or some document with a photo on it. No sense in leaving a passport. Keep in mind that unless you have motorcycle/additional travel insurance, your home insurance may not cover any costs resulting from accidents, such as colliding with a cow, or being forced off the shoulder due to a wrong-way driving semi. Strap on your flimsy, wholly unprotecting helmet and dig your flip flops into the footrests. Let’s explore how to drive.
As stated, a scooter is essentially a larger, faster, heavier, and more dangerous bicycle. As the majority of rentals will be automatic, there’s no need to focus on shifting gears. Only grinding them. The speed in increased by revving the throttle on the right handlebar and hand breaks serve to prevent a crash. The turn signals and lights may or not work, so take the Vietnamese method and constantly blare the horn. Saying hello? Honk. Passing? Honk. Notify your party to stop? Honk. Racing? Don’t even think about letting go of the horn. The average rental will be around a 125cc engine, or have a top speed of 100km/60mph. Above that pace, the mass Honda Waves may quite literally fall apart. For $5 a day, do you really expect a Ferrari?
Most riders won’t have any problems if they avoid the big cities and learn first in the smaller towns. Going in blind to drive in Bangkok or Hanoi is like being a hemophiliac and then fighting MMA. You will get hurt. Horror stories are abound in the region – too many have the infamous thai tattoos – a burn from the exhaust pipe or nasty bruises from skidding out on the road. Sand and rocks mean danger for the bike and without knowing how to handle uneven terrain, there likely will be problems. However, learning away from traffic and slowly building up to congestion will be easier for the learner. I generally err on the side of caution and am constantly on my horn, due to learning in Vietnam. The Cambodians and Thais are more laid back so I’m sure I was quite the scene. Before long, you’ll feel comfortable weaving through traffic on the highways and overtaking larger cars. Other drivers are masterful within the organized chaos and will be able to read your path, so long as is it’s constant. Hold your ground save for trucks, and succeed. It’s an addition to the Southeast Asian experience that, when handled properly, can turn the trip from extraordinary to unforgettable. Numerous travelers also purchase bikes and go on to either circumnavigate the region or bike the Ho Chi Minh trail from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh. Others simply ride on a daily or weekly basis, to avoid paying for one or paying off border guards to cross checkpoints. Either way, it’s an aspect I firmly believe should be integrated into traveling Southeast Asia.
I rode motorbikes throughout my initial trip, but all rentals were done in short-term fashion. Here’s a list of memorable and not-so-memorable biking experiences on the road.
Battambang, Cambodia. My first rental, after driving around a few backstreets to practice, was to head out into the countryside to visit a cave. However, an intersection bisected the road. In the middle of a left turn, I hit the gas too quick and subsequently braked hard. Lurching forward, the bike began to tip. I jumped off and caught it to slow the fall, but still had wiped out in traffic. Luckily, everyone drove around me as I hauled the bike to the side to check our damage. No bruises and a slight crack on the mirror. Success. Not long after, I would be weaving in traffic and pushing the odometer until the bike rattled. This was necessary due to night falling and the headlights not functioning. Quite literally racing the sun.
Kep, Cambodia. Experiencing developed and non-developed segments of a town. Riding on a dirt road before arriving seaside and taking advantage of fresh asphalt. Again, testing the speed and fragility of the bike while dodging livestock and fruit vendors on the side. Never had I felt more alive that in that stretch of pavement riding to find an atm, as the only one in town didn’t work.
Ko Lanta, Thailand. The entire gamut. Exploring jungles and hidden beaches during the day and driving in the darkness at night. Long stretches of the island were unlit and roads were okay. You watch your speed until a fellow hosteler wants to race. Not the smartest idea, but we gunned down semi-lit stretches going 100km/60 mph and weaving around other bikers. I won. Then, having the bright idea to ride back during a monsoon without eye or other protection. I was okay, no damage, but driving with next to no visibility was idiotic. Also, speeding throughout in torrential rains and destroying the DWR coating on my rain jacket.
Nan, Thailand. Driving a bright pink Honda into the hills without a map or directions. I intended on traversing to the Lao border but was held by time. As a result, took the bike into various hill tribe villages and met a few surprised, but friendly villagers. Seeing this traditional way of life and employment was an incredible experience. There’s nothing quite like maxing the throttle on an empty road that’s been recently constructed. Note – make sure to write Nan in Thai. All but one of the bus station workers didn’t know what it was until the manager helped me book a bus ticket.
Save owning a motorbike here, I see my next trip further pushing my comfort zone. Perhaps the Monkey Run sponsored by the Adventurists – one week of North to South in Morocco. No map, driving the Sahara. Excellent.
Dispatches by Alec 