In Thailand and Vietnam it’s quite common to rent a scooter as a means of exploring. Some people even choose to traverse the entirety of Vietnam from north to south or south to north like this. It isn’t rare practice there to purchase a scooter upon your arrival and then sell the same one to another traveler before your departure. If the idea interests you, here is a guide I found with more information.

I did not go full backpacker and buy a motorbike, but I had my fair share of rentals. In this quick guide I’ll give you my favorite places to ride and a couple pointers and how to stay safe.

Let’s get started!

Sunflower Fields in Lopburi

Lopburi, Thailand

Lopburi is a province situated in central Thailand whose capital, Mueang Lopburi, is a historic city known for its ancient Khmer ruins, rich history as a former royal capital, and the famous Prang Sam Yot (a temple inhabited by a gazillion monkeys).

I recommend seeing the temple. If you’re adventurous go ahead and play with the monkeys. If they climb on you just chill out, but be aware that they typically don’t like to be forced off of someone. I advise not to wear any jewelry at time to peak too much of their interest. One of them took a liking to my necklace and crystal pendant and didn’t want to let it go, so I was kind of stuck with a monkey on my shoulder for a while. Locals typically don’t advertise such reckless activity but I couldn’t help it. Sometimes you have to just be the crazy one.

To the sunflower fields……

There are plenty of fields in the area, all with different names. Some are further from the city than others. The general objective is to ride down the road with flowers as far as the eyes can see on either side of you. It’s like going down the yellow brick road in the Wizard of Oz and the vibrant colors surrounding you represent a fantasy land.

You can also tour the farms themselves and even go during the sunset. It can be scorching hot during the day, so walking through the fields under the blazing Sun is pretty intense. Visiting later in the day is a good alternative if you don’t want to deal with the heat.

Areas around Paradise Cave

Quang Binh, Vietnam

So yeah, this is my personal favorite out of the 3 places I’ve chosen to discuss. Vietnam is the pinnacle of cruising through hilly landscapes. The main attraction of this gorgeous region of the country is Paradise Cave. It’s Asia’s longest dry cave and wondrous in every sense. The massive underground beauty is known for its otherworldly limestone chambers and millions-of-years-old stalactites and stalagmites that form natural sculptures resembling different figures.

Besides paying a visit there, you’ll want to check out the neighboring areas that are ripe for exploration. The scenery is majestic. I couldn’t hype it up enough.

You can join a tour or rent your own scooter. I ended up joining a tour and it was really fun riding with other people just like me, with the same lust for cool scenery. I loved every minute it.

During your ride, you’ll zip through a mystical looking world of emerald rice paddies, limestone mountains (karsts), and forests. It’s a fairly easy ride down paved roads and backroads through a vast and open landscape. The low lying clouds and fog add to the experience too. I can still remember the smell in the air, feeling like I was in a far-away land. I literally was, but you get what I’m trying to say. Some places just make you see things differently.

Pai

Mai Hong Son, Thailand

The town of Pai has changed a lot over the years due to more tourism, but the nature is still so pretty and a sweet getaway. The hipster (once more hippy) mountain town is a very popular destination on a well known backpacking route, and home to basically the best night-street-food-market ever created in my humble opinion.

Riding a motorbike here can dangerous though. It’s the best way to get around, but be careful.

I’ve seen quite a few people hurt because they were going too fast around winding roads or more slippery terrain without having received proper training (or they had no experience on a 2-wheeled motor vehicle). You can actually take classes in Thailand for things like this, which is nice. To avoid the future scrapes and scars on your legs, take precaution.

With that little disclaimer out of the way, Pai is gorgeous. It’s like a happier, sunnier Vietnam, figuratively speaking (and somewhat literally). Passing through Pai means rolling by lush rice paddies, cafes with mountain views, bamboo bridges, green scenery, grazing animals, hot springs, local villages, unique temples, and experiencing freedom.

It’s definitely a vibe and there is a lot to see. Spending way more time here than you previously planned is not far-fetched.

Furthermore, many destinations you might want to visit are ways away, so plan to be riding for a while. Honestly you won’t want to get off the bike if you actually enjoy it, and really you don’t even need to have a destination in mind. You can just wander if you want. The choice is yours!