Our edition · Vietnam
Vietnam on Your Own
“Vietnam on Your Own” is the complete ebook that plans your trip from A to Z. North to south without a tour: trains, buses, drivers, legal motorbiking, 2/3/4-week itineraries, full budget.
The guide is currently written in French — an English edition is in the works.
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10 chapters · 10,000+ words · instant download · 14-day guarantee
You're planning your first independent trip
The guide starts from zero and turns every unknown into a simple procedure: rental, first roads, first bookings. The method behind our Namibia guide, applied to Vietnam.
You want to avoid the expensive mistakes
Misunderstood insurance, the wrong season, overrated stops, an underestimated budget: the classic traps are well known — and all avoidable when you know where to look.
You don't have 60 hours to cross-check everything
Contradictory forums, dated blogs, sales brochures: we did the sorting and the checking. You get the ordered, actionable digest.
Table of contents
The contents, chapter by chapter
10 chapters that follow the real order of your preparation: decide, book, drive, live the trip.
- 01
Why Vietnam on Your Own
A country easy to travel alone without a rental car: trains, buses, flights, drivers and ride-hailing, and three truths to accept.
Independence without driving: the winning combination · The bay, Hoi An, Ninh Binh at the right hours · Three climates, never good everywhere at once · Roads, the trip's first risk
- 02
When to Go: Three Climates, One Direction
The climate of the north, centre and south, the month-by-month direction table, Tet and public holidays.
March-April: the only time good almost everywhere · October-November: ideal in the north, rain in the centre · Tet: a major festival, a logistical puzzle · When to book sleepers and cruises
- 03
Getting Around: Train, Bus, Plane, Driver and Ride-Hailing
Each mode of transport, indicative prices and traps, and a “which mode for which trip” table.
The Reunification Express leg by leg · Sleeper buses: pros and night-time caution · Car with driver, the overlooked tool · Ride-hailing, taxis, cyclos: avoiding scams
- 04
Motorbikes and the Road
What the law says (international permit, helmet, zero alcohol), insurance that doesn't cover you, easy riders and the Ha Giang loop.
International permit compulsory, motorbike category essential · Travel insurance and two-wheeler accidents · Easy rider, driver or handlebars: who does what · Ha Giang in practice
- 05
Itineraries: 2, 3 or 4 Weeks
Three day-by-day routes with the transport for each leg, seasonal variants and what we advise against.
2 weeks: Hanoi, Ninh Binh, the bay, Hue, Hoi An · 3 weeks: north to south with Ha Giang and the Mekong · 4 weeks: adding Phong Nha, Da Lat, Phu Quoc · Never exceed the 45-day exemption
- 06
Where to Sleep
Guesthouses, boutique hotels, homestays, cruises, resorts: indicative prices, the right neighbourhoods and our 20-night formula.
From €12 a double to a villa with pool · Homestays in Ha Giang, Sapa, Ninh Binh and the Mekong · Our 20-night formula: ≈ €730-1,470 for two · Passports, noise and accommodation scams
- 07
The North: Hanoi, Ninh Binh, the Bay, Ha Giang and Sapa
The signature chapter: our method place by place, choosing a cruise and two typical days.
Hanoi on foot in two days · Ninh Binh by bike: Trang An at opening, Mua at sunset · Ha Long or Lan Ha, day or night: how to choose · Ha Giang and Sapa: seasons and method
- 08
The Centre and the South
Phong Nha, Hue, the Hai Van Pass, Hoi An, Da Lat, Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong and Phu Quoc.
Phong Nha caves by season · Hoi An before 8 am and after 9 pm · The Mekong in two days · Phu Quoc from December to April
- 09
The Detailed Budget, Line by Line
Every item in dong and euros, three complete profiles for two people over three weeks.
Flights, domestic transport, easy rider, cruise · The 3-profile table: ≈ €1,770 / €3,160 / €6,180 for two · Where to save, and where never to · Dong, ATMs, cards and bargaining
- 10
Health, Safety, Formalities and Checklists
The chapter to print: 45-day exemption, e-visa, vaccines, dengue, tainted alcohol, real risks, official sources and checklists.
45-day exemption (for French citizens), e-visa up to 90 days on the only official site · Vaccines, mosquitoes, water: official recommendations · Roads, storms, theft, scams: the real risks · Checklists: documents, health, gear and the last ten days
Sample pages
Judge for yourself
Chapter 1 — Why Vietnam on Your Own
Independence without a rental car
« In Vietnam, independent travellers almost never rent a car to drive themselves. Independence is built differently: long distances by night train, sleeper bus or domestic flight, medium trips by car with driver, cities on foot or by ride-hailing. »
Chapter 4 — Motorbikes and the Road
The awkward question
« Many travel insurance and assistance policies exclude accidents that happen while driving without a valid licence for the country. Read your policy before renting a motorbike: it is the only check that matters. »
Chapter 7 — The North
Choosing your cruise
« The route makes the quality: ask which areas the boat covers, not just its name. Fewer cabins means fewer people kayaking. And between June and October, ask about the refund policy if the bay is closed for a storm. »
The order form
The complete guide
Guide « Vietnam on Your Own »
North to south without a tour: trains, buses, drivers, legal motorbiking, 2/3/4-week itineraries, full budget
44 €
- 10 chapters, the complete method
- Day-by-day itineraries
- Printable version (PDF via Cmd+P)
- Complete checklists
Secure payment by Stripe · Instant download · 14-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked.
How it works
- You pay on Stripe. Card, one-time payment; your card details never touch our servers.
- You download right away. The link appears on the confirmation page and is also sent by email.
- Not for you? 14-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked: email admin@tech-bharat.com, full refund within 48 working hours.
Start by exploring for free
Before you go
Readers' questions
What format does the guide come in?
Right after payment you receive a download link: the full guide in HTML, readable on any device and printable to PDF in one click (Cmd/Ctrl+P), plus the chapters in Markdown to read wherever you like. No proprietary app, no subscription.
Is the guide available in English?
Not yet: the guide is currently written in French, and an English edition is in the works. Prices, routes and checklists are of course language-independent — but if you don't read French, we recommend waiting for the English edition.
Is it up to date for 2026?
Yes: the price ranges, local rules and advice reflect the 2026 situation. The fundamentals — itineraries, driving or transport, logistics — change very little from year to year.
What if the guide isn't for me?
A simple guarantee: 14 days, money back, no questions asked. One email to our support is enough — full refund within 48 hours. We'd far rather refund you than leave a disappointed reader.
How is this different from the free pages?
Our free pages (the Vietnam country page, destinations, field notes) give you the panorama. The guide gives you the complete, ordered method: day-by-day itineraries, a line-by-line budget, detailed driving and logistics, and every checklist. It's the digest we wish we'd had before our first trip.