The chaotic traffic in Vietnam is like nothing I’ve experienced before. It’s almost comical how vehicles swerve amongst each other, without accidents—for the most part. And yet, if travelling to Vietnam, most if (not all) travellers will need to use bus transportation at some point. Which begs the question, is it safe to take a bus in Vietnam?
Before travelling to Vietnam, I came across worrying information about taking busses. Specifically other travellers warning of unsafe driving from bus drivers, including on sleeper busses. For the sake of this article I’m going to focus on my own experiences.
Travelling through Vietnam was a beautiful part of my trip through Asia. It’s culturally rich and diverse. Cultures and foods can have noticeable changes just with a few hours drive. Experiencing different regions of Vietnam, is essential to experiencing the country altogether—which is why it’s important to take a bus in Vietnam.
Positive Experiences of Bus Transportation
While travelling via bus in Vietnam, I had a range of experiences. My first trip was travelling with Sapa Express from Hanoi to Vietnam, which I booked on 12go.com. Anyone that has done this drive would know it’s a difficult road. Drivers sacrifice visibility by speeding around corners and blindly passing other busses. There were a few moments of alarm, which I nearly saw other bus collisions.
With the high-elevation of Sapa and the mountains, road conditions can vary from wet, dry, to windy, foggy or even icy. And, the road itself in some spots only has the capacity for a bus and a half, which is why two busses beside each other can be dangerous. This could put even experienced drivers into a precarious situation. Despite all of these variables, this drive was the best bus transport experience I had in Vietnam.
The drive back to Hanoi was about the same, and the next ride from Hanoi to Cat Ba, was similar. In general, driving in Vietnam is nothing like driving in other countries. There are vehicles all over the roads, going different directions and different speeds. Some drivers lay on the horn almost non-stop whereas others rarely use it. These are the non-negotiable of getting on a road in Vietnam.
Unsafe Situations Taking a Bus in Vietnam
When it was time to leave Cat Ba, my partner and I booked the same company but directly to Ninh Binh this time. However, we found quickly realized they put us on a different company’s bus. After leaving the ferry from Cat Ba, the driver’s assistant who spoke english left the bus and we received no more communication from the bus driver.
I wasn’t sure how long the drive would be, so I checked Google Maps to see driving suggestions, although while trying to follow, the bus I was on seemed to go very different directions. Specifically, the directions on my phone showed following highways straight through different cities, whereas the drive would circle around the city and pick up and drop off random people.
A major red flag was when the driver would pass vehicles on single lane roads, by driving in the wrong lane. I suddenly felt like I was on a video game, but without the controller. The driver was constantly honking, speeding up, passing, or slowing down. And, when the driver pulled up to an intersection at a red light, he would drive into the left-turn lane. As the light counted down, and switched to green, he would speed up and pass the vehicle and get back in the right single-traffic lane.
Next though, the driver opened just the small window beside his seat and smoked a cigarette on the bus. I’m not a fan of cigarette smoke, but the absolute weirdest thing happened next. The driver started clipping his finger nails while driving. Yes, while driving. He was using nail clippers. I thought it was bad enough when people are using their phones while driving, which he was also doing, but it seemed too low key with everything else that went on.
There were positives to this ride though, we somehow—probably from the insane driving—ended up at the destination of Ninh Binh exactly when we were supposed to (around four hours). The bus also dropped every passenger off along the main street at their hotel (magic). And, we did get one break, which was at a convenience store that had snacks too. Yum.
Should You Take a Bus in Vietnam?
When I first got off that horrible bus ride in Ninh Binh, I never wanted to get on another one again. However, after time passed I knew taking a bus in Vietnam was the only way to explore certain areas. There are trains and planes, but they don’t have the same span, or price point.
Even Vietnam’s news outlet has called sleeper busses dangerous, however it still doesn’t mean every ride is dangerous. Unfortunately, accidents can happen anywhere at any time, in any country. Out of the four bus trips I had in Vietnam, three were completely fine. Even on the last one, there wasn’t actually an accident, it just felt unsafe due to the driver’s behaviours and actions.
What might be helpful to keep in mind, is that most of the inner city driving in Vietnam is quite relaxed and slow. By relaxed, I mean Vietnamese drivers aren’t yelling out of the window at each other from road rage. They’re actually completely aware of everyone else on the road and accept the way it is. I can’t say the same for most drivers in my home country of Canada. And, when Vietnamese drivers are honking, they’re just making everyone else on the road aware of their presence, it’s more about safety.
Many people travelling are on a tight budget, and travelling through Vietnam by bus is often the cheapest transportation. It’s important to be aware of your surroundings and take care while travelling, always.
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