About Binh Phi - Owner & Founder of Vietnam Motorbike Tours Club

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Binh Phi is the proud owner and founder of the Vietnam Motorbike Tours Club (BM Travel Adventure). He was born in a small rural village in Bac Giang province in the northeast of Hanoi. When he was a child, he enjoyed watching TV shows with beautiful places and landscapes of Vietnam. As a poor child inspired by these shows, Binh had a burning dream to set his foot on every part of Vietnam that he watched on television and determined to put all his efforts to realize that dream.  

He then quickly realized education and expertise is the only way to get there. Having learned and worked hard for years, Binh passed the national entrance exam and get admitted into Hanoi University, one of the leading universities in Vietnam in foreign languages and tourism training.

With a great passion for travel, Binh soon set the goal to become a tour guide so that he had the chance to travel all over Vietnam for free and introduce his beautiful country to international friends. At University, Binh pursued English and Spanish majors in order to acquire an extensive understanding of Europe and its culture.

He then realized that though Vietnam had so many things to offer to tourists - from gorgeous landscapes, excellent cuisine to unique cultures and hospitable people, most travel agencies hadn’t yet tapped the full potentials of Vietnam’s tourism and been able to offer a truly authentic and diverse travel experience to international tourists. 

Binh was also well aware of the tourists’ demand to not only travel but also learn about local culture, the ethnic minorities and the majestic destinations of Vietnam. Despite huge potentials and great resources, most local travel companies hadn’t invested enough in research in order to develop new, diverse tourism products that truly align with the requirements and expectations of travelers. Binh felt that he was the person to fill the gap.

It was in 2008 when a friend asked Binh about a motorcycle road trip to the mountainous areas in the north of Vietnam that he came up with the idea of Vietnam Motorbike Tours Club. After years of travelling solo on two wheels to some of the most remote and isolated places of Vietnam where local ethnic villagers still preserve their unique customs and culture, Binh had gained a deep understanding of the routes and roads and been well aware of the once-in-a-lifetime experience and the stupendous landscapes and views that these trips offer. 

What is more, as a person who was born in a small rural village he deeply sympathized with the struggles that local people are having. Striving for the development of new travel experience for international tourists, he has long embraced the idea of tours that can give his clients both exciting and meaningful experiences like those that he had the chance to have. He also highly emphasizes the authenticity of experience and the values of giving back to the local community and believes that exploring remote areas, staying at a homestay rather than a fancy hotel and eating at local restaurants should be a big part of a journey. 

Vietnam in general and the northern area, in particular, has been a magnet for travelers all over the world. To fully understand and admire the beauty of nature, people and landscapes here, a motorcycle off-road tour is a perfect choice.

With the passion for a deep understanding of the off-road motorbike trips and routes, Binh took a bold decision – establishing Vietnam Motorbike Tours Club, a rendezvous for international tourists and local tour guides who share the same interests in off-road tours and passion to introduce Vietnam to the world.

With our great vision, passion and pride, Vietnam Motorbike Tours Club are confident to offer a wide range of motorbike tours services that enable travelers to gain a fine understanding of and an authentic, exciting experience in Vietnam. 

Travel Tips from BM Travel Adventure

We share with riders some useful tips from our founder, also an off-road aficionado, Binh Phi before you set off on the tour with BM Travel Adventure:

While you are driving in Vietnam’s streets or off-road routes: 

1. If you are an expat:

If you are an expat living in Vietnam, the chances are you may get familiar with the chaotic traffic here. But keep in mind the rule of thumb while you are driving here: There are almost no rules.

2. If you are the first-time traveler:

(i).  Prepare yourself with the sea of vehicles as several million motorbikes flood Vietnam’s big cities’ streets every day. There are almost no rules here in Vietnam.

(ii). Get used to the honkings. Vietnamese people have the habit of honking the horn while driving. It does not necessarily mean that they are not patient. For many local drivers, they honk as a way to let others know that “you are in my way and I want you to move” or “I’m coming towards you and you may not see me”. It may sound hard to believe but honking is sometimes considered as a friendly hello to someone we know while we pass them.  

Basic traffic laws in Vietnam

+ Drive on the right, cross the road on the left

+ Wearing helmet is required in any case.

+ Honking is allowed for both car and motorbike drivers. It is necessary especially in mountain roads with many bends and fog.

Should and should not:

+ Be courteous while driving, avoid any collision.

+ Be polite to the traffic police. They wouldn’t pay attention and stop unless you violate the law.

+ Respect local culture. You are not encouraged to give money or candies to local children in the mountainous area or touch children's heads.

+ Be confident when driving, especially when we travel in crowded cities with a great volume of vehicles. Do not be too nervous and tense. Drive on your lane and follow the law. Local drivers are skillful.

+ Keep appropriate distance with other vehicles to make sure there is always a safe distance between you and them.

+ Give way to big vehicles such as trucks or buses to ensure safety for you and them as these vehicles occupy a large space of the road.

+ Signal if you intend to turn right or turn left. 

+ Be friendly with other drivers when they greet you.

+ No alcohol while driving.

+ In most roads in Vietnam, speed limits are 25 to 80 km/h for motorcycles. So remember to conform to rules and not drive too fast. Drivers who exceed the permitted limit will be deprived of driving license and have their vehicles kept in 15 days.

+ Be careful with children and animals on the road. You are likely to encounter some buffaloes, cows, dogs, chickens or pigs walking on rural roads. For big cattles like water buffalo, it’s better to give way and wait for them to leave.

+ Be careful with the oil spilled on the road, especially when we are driving downhill in the mountains. The slippery road is very dangerous and can cause accidents 

+ In each curve, especially when driving down the pass we should slow down rather than driving fast and applying brake suddenly because in these curves there are sand and gravel. 

+ In case you are stopped by the traffic police, try to speak English to them gently and wait for our guide to come back.

Things to bring along on a motorbike trip

Please check out What to know before booking for more details. 

Other considerations when joining an off-road tour in Vietnam:

+ Always bring raincoats because the weather in some parts of Vietnam is constantly changing.

+ When entering the offroad and single track, it is advisable to use both front and rear brakes. Slow down, keep one foot on the motorbike, and the other on the ground when needed. We shouldn’t keep both feet on the motorbike because it is easy to fall off.

+ When riding on the asphalt road, we’d better also use both brakes because mountain roads are very slippery.

+ When driving through curves, we should drive on our lane to avoid being overtaken by other means of transportation. On the mountain roads, we often encounter bends that shapes like Z or S or A.

+ Try to give way to local drivers in the highlands areas because sometimes they cut bends and go on our way. 

+ Choose dirt bikes with disc brakes, of 150cc or above

+ Do not choose motorcycles that are too old because they are not safe to travel on singletrack.

+ Do not buy or rent cars like Honda 110 or scooters. It can save money but not time.

At the Vietnam Motorbike Tours Club, we put a lot of effort to make sure that you have a perfect experience with us and a memorable time in Vietnam. Our goal is to deliver tours made out of expertise, experience, and passion and also help as many ethnic minority people as possible. 

Ready to book the first Vietnam motorbike tour of your life? Check now: https://vietnammotorbiketoursclub.com/vietnam-motorbike-tours.htm