Travel to Vietnam

[kerryd]

After the "issues" we had with crossing from Thailand into Cambodia (nearly 4 hours at the border) and back (less than an hour) some of the gang want to take a trip to Vietnam now.

From what I can see, Thais (and Swedes apparently) can get a (30 and 45 day respectively) "visa exemption stamp" at the border. As a Canadian it seems I need to apply for an e-visa, which would be awesome but for the last 2 days every site I've looked at and every "e-visa" link I've tried has come up dead.
Including links from the Vietnamese embassy site !

But the major concern people have is getting their bikes in/out of the country. After the Cambodia trip last November we are kind of squared away on what we need for Thailand and Cambodia (and are set up on their electronic "Customs" application site so that part should be easy. (Just need about a dozen photocopies of the forms and Green Books and passport pages before we go again.)

So now I'm trying to find out what paperwork we need to get the bikes in and out of Vietnam. We're probably not going for 6 weeks or so, so it's not a rush. If we can get it done ahead of time (this time) and avoid a schmozzle at the border like we had when we went to Cambodia, that would be great.

Hopefully it's not a complex issue. Or one that requires having to "tip" a dozen people before finding the one who can does the work !

 

[Dodraugen]

You will need permits from an approved vietnamese travel agency and a guide during your trip.
Its not cheap - but if youre a group of riders you can splitt the costs and such get the costs down.

 

[MotoMaverick]

Thanks for the information on permits and guides being required for motorcycle travel in Vietnam, @Dodraugen. It's good to know those requirements in advance to plan and budget accordingly. While adding some costs, hiring a local agency and guides should also help make the border process and riding within Vietnam smoother compared to trying to navigate independently.

 

[LawrenceReilly]

I've had the same trouble with e-visa websites before, and it's super annoying when they don’t load properly. Sometimes, trying at a different time of day or using a VPN can help get around those issues.And honestly, for those long flights to Vietnam, flying business class can make a huge difference. It's so much more comfortable, especially after a long day dealing with all the border stuff and paperwork.

 

[DavidFL]

After the "issues" we had with crossing from Thailand into Cambodia (nearly 4 hours at the border) and back (less than an hour) some of the gang want to take a trip to Vietnam now.

From what I can see, Thais (and Swedes apparently) can get a (30 and 45 day respectively) "visa exemption stamp" at the border. As a Canadian it seems I need to apply for an e-visa, which would be awesome but for the last 2 days every site I've looked at and every "e-visa" link I've tried has come up dead.
Including links from the Vietnamese embassy site !

But the major concern people have is getting their bikes in/out of the country. After the Cambodia trip last November we are kind of squared away on what we need for Thailand and Cambodia (and are set up on their electronic "Customs" application site so that part should be easy. (Just need about a dozen photocopies of the forms and Green Books and passport pages before we go again.)

So now I'm trying to find out what paperwork we need to get the bikes in and out of Vietnam. We're probably not going for 6 weeks or so, so it's not a rush. If we can get it done ahead of time (this time) and avoid a schmozzle at the border like we had when we went to Cambodia, that would be great.

Hopefully it's not a complex issue. Or one that requires having to "tip" a dozen people before finding the one who can does the work !

Curious how you went. What was your solution?