
Vietnam is overwhelming for most people. New sights, new smells, new faces, new customs, new language. But one of the biggest things to adapt to is the traffic. The most common form of transport in Saigon, and across Vietnam, is motorbikes. There are lots of them. 8.5 million of them scooting about Ho Chi Minh City every day, to be exact. So it’s not surprising that most newcomers to Vietnam are anxious about hitting the wild Vietnamese roads. Learning to ride a motorbike will transform how you are able to explore the city, while also just being a great travel skill to have. Here is a great resource for motorbike lessons in Ho Chi Minh City.
Learning to ride a motorbike in Vietnam
I taught myself to ride an automatic bike by following these steps, slowly building up from mastering crossing the street to driving by myself. However, for many the idea of learning by themselves is daunting. How great would it be to have a fluent English speaker to guide you at your own pace and help you gain confidence on the roads? Amazing, right? Well, let me introduce you to Ride With Me Saigon.
What is Ride With Me Saigon?
Ride with Me Saigon is a motorbike riding school based in Binh Tan District (between D1 and D2) of Ho Chi Minh city. The motorbike school do small group or private motorbike lessons. They cater specifically to expats who are new to driving a motorbiking with one-to-one lessons in English.
Motorbike lessons in Ho Chi Minh City
Ride With Me Saigon teach you how to ride a motorbike through a simple 3-step process, all done in one lesson. By the end of the 3 steps you should be confident enough to take a new rental motorbike home with you, and if you aren’t then the tutor will suggest you come back for a follow-up lesson. Everything is done at your own pace, with safety kit like protective helmets provided.
Step 1: Getting on a motorbike
A motorbike lesson with Ride With Me Saigon starts in their off-road parking lot. The instructor will teach you how to use the basic controls of a motorbike as well as safety procedures, like how to brake safely.
Step 2: Practice
Now you know how to turn on the motorbike you need to practice riding it. Your first time practising will be done in an enclosed area, free from other motorbikes to allow you free reign of the bike without fear of bumping into anyone. Your instructor is there to guide you and support you throughout this whole stage.
Step 3: Getting out there
The final step of your lesson is getting out onto the road. To ease you into it you are first taken into the quiet streets around Binh Tan district, and you are lead through the traffic by your instructor. The whole of this step is done with the guidance of your instructor, including shadowed driving around a quiet neighbourhood.
The Lowdown
Book a motorbike lesson in Ho Chi Minh City at Ride with Me Saigon via Facebook.
500k for a private lesson ($21)
DC Motorbikes5K2 Đường số 1, Phường 26, Bình Thạnh, Hồ Chí Minh
✍ For more information on motorbiking in Vietnam, including day trip routes, check out my Complete Guide to Motorbiking in Vietnam.
Lexy
Blondes teaching blondes to drive motorbikes. Yaaaay! 🙂