Sep 1, 20201 min read

A Country On Two Wheels

Updated: Sep 2, 2020

Why Is It So Popular?

When it comes to transportation, motorbike accounts for more than 85% of the total vehicles in Vietnam.

First of all, motorbikes are suitable for the Vietnam's infrastructure. Being small in size, they are easier to drive on narrow streets and alleys than cars. Furthermore, with a high volume of traffic everyday, motorbikes are faster to get around daily.

Second of all, they are economical, It is cheaper to own a motorbike than to own a car because the tax imposed on motorbikes is less than that of a four-wheel vehicles.

Moreover, motorbikes are convenient and flexible, people can easily and quickly pull in and go inside a shop or buy food from a street vendor.

Motorbikes also save space. Since the population in Vietnam is high, if everyone used cars to travel around, there would not be enough space and parking lots available.

Xe Ôm

In Vietnam, there are "motorbike taxi", a.k.a "xe ôm". If you ever visit Vietnam, make sure to download the app "Grab" to hail yourself an "xe ôm". Just like Uber, it is the most popular transportation service in Vietnam.

Xe ôm is a lot cheaper than taxi. However, always agree on a price before getting on one to avoid being scammed. If you don't speak Vietnamese, make sure to bargain as hard as you can since xe ôm drivers can easily double the price if you're not familiar with how it works.