Scooter Rentals in Ho Chi Minh City

If someday you will be in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, do not think that your only options for getting around are walking and public transport. You can always rent a scooter in Ho Chi Minh City on our website and explore Vietnam’s biggest city the way locals do — on two wheels. Saigon spreads across a huge, flat sprawl from the colonial-era centre to the modern towers of District 1, with the Chinese quarter of Cholon, the Cu Chi tunnels and the mangroves of Can Gio all reachable from the city, and a scooter is by far the fastest and most flexible way to move between them.

The city is built around the scooter: millions of them fill the streets every day, most shops and hotels expect you to arrive on one, and parking is everywhere. That said, traffic in the centre is genuinely intense, with dense swarms of scooters at every junction, so it takes a little confidence to join in — going slowly, avoiding the worst of rush hour, and watching the flow before crossing a big intersection will get you comfortable fast.

Top 10 things to see in Ho Chi Minh City by scooter

1. Notre-Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office — the red-brick French colonial cathedral and the ornate post office beside it, both in the heart of District 1.
2. Reunification Palace — the former presidential palace, a striking piece of 1960s architecture and Vietnam’s modern history in one stop.
3. Ben Thanh Market — the iconic covered market with its clock-tower entrance, good for a browse and street food.
4. War Remnants Museum — a sobering, essential stop for understanding the Vietnam War from the Vietnamese perspective.
5. Cholon (Chinatown) — a maze of temples, markets and shophouses west of the centre, including the atmospheric Thien Hau Temple.
6. Bitexco Financial Tower — the sail-shaped skyscraper with a skydeck looking out over the whole city.
7. Jade Emperor Pagoda — one of the city’s most atmospheric temples, thick with incense smoke and carved wooden statues.
8. Cu Chi Tunnels — the famous underground tunnel network from the war, a longer ride northwest of the city and well worth the trip.
9. Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve — a quiet, green escape of mangrove forest and wetlands southeast of the city.
10. Bui Vien walking street & Saigon riverside — the backpacker strip by night and a calmer riverside stretch by day, both easy to combine on a scooter.

What do you need to rent a scooter in Ho Chi Minh City?

Required documents vary between rental companies, but common rules are as follows: you should be at least 18 years old; for a 125cc machine an A1 licence is usually expected, while larger scooters call for a full A-class motorcycle licence. Foreign visitors should carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) together with their home licence — strictly, a Vietnamese-recognised motorcycle licence is required to ride legally, so check the terms of the specific provider on the booking page. Most companies also ask for a deposit, paid in cash or by card and refunded when you return the scooter in good condition.

How much does it cost to rent a scooter in Ho Chi Minh City?

Scooter rental in Ho Chi Minh City starts from around 120,000 VND per day and runs up to about 320,000 VND per day for a larger, newer automatic model. As Vietnam’s largest city and a year-round travel hub, prices here are driven more by tourist demand than by weather, though there is still a seasonal pattern:

• December–April (dry, high season) — the driest, most comfortable months and the busiest with visitors, especially around Tet: expect roughly 180,000–320,000 VND per day.
• May and November (shoulder season) — the turn of the wet season, with moderate demand and prices around 150,000–230,000 VND per day.
• June–October (rainy, low season) — frequent afternoon downpours keep demand lower, so rates fall to the cheapest of the year, often from 120,000 VND per day.

In short, you will pay the most in the cool, dry months around the turn of the year, particularly close to Tet, and the least during the height of the rainy season if you don’t mind the occasional afternoon storm. Booking a few days ahead is worthwhile around Tet and other major Vietnamese holidays, when demand across the whole city spikes.

When to book a rental scooter in Ho Chi Minh City?

Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical wet-and-dry climate rather than four seasons: the dry season runs roughly from December to April, with the least rain, the most sunshine and the busiest tourist crowds. The wet season runs from May to November, bringing warm temperatures and short but heavy afternoon downpours most days, with September and October typically the wettest. Riding is still very possible in the wet season — showers tend to be intense but brief, so many riders simply wait them out under an awning. If you want the driest riding conditions, aim for the dry season; if you want lower prices and don’t mind a daily rain jacket, the wet season works well too.

Local traffic rules

In Vietnam you ride on the right-hand side of the road. A helmet is compulsory for both rider and passenger, and the police do enforce it. Speed limits in built-up areas are typically 40–50 km/h. There is effectively zero tolerance for drink-driving. Ho Chi Minh City has some of the busiest traffic in Vietnam, with dense scooter swarms at every major junction, especially during rush hour in the early morning and late afternoon — we strongly advise avoiding these peak hours until you feel confident. Ride at a steady pace, move with the flow rather than against it, use your horn lightly to signal your presence, and take intersections slowly, following the lead of scooters around you rather than waiting for a clear gap that may never come.

Types of scooters available

On our website you can rent the following types of scooters: classic scooter, Vespa, moped, motoroller, motoscooter, with a sidecar, with automatic or manual gears, three-wheeled scooters, large, maxi-scooter, touring, scooters with a windscreen and a roof, underbones, electric scooters.

Models of scooters available

On our website you can hire scooters from the following manufacturers: Adly, Aeon, Aprilia, Piaggio, Bajaj, Benelli, Beta, BMW, Derbi, Gilera, Honda, Kawasaki, Kymco, LML, Malaguti, Peugeot, PGO, Suzuki, SYM, TVS, Vespa, Yamaha.

Which insurance is provided with my rental scooter?

Usually basic third-party insurance is included in the rental price. If you wish to have more protection you can purchase additional CDW insurance, which limits your risk to the amount of your deposit. If you wish to rent a scooter without a deposit and with zero risk, you will need to add full insurance to your reservation.

Extra services available

When you make an online scooter reservation you can also order the following extra services and equipment: integral helmet, GPS navigation, intercom, unlimited mileage, top case, side cases, boots, jacket, gloves, individual guide or tour, map, full insurance, one-way rental, delivery to your hotel, delivery to Tan Son Nhat Airport, delivery to the Saigon river port.

Why use BikesBooking.com?

• Find the best deals for scooter hire in Ho Chi Minh City;
• Compare prices of scooter rental companies;
• Read reviews of previous customers;
• Reserve a scooter online with the Best Price Guarantee!

Most of our moped rentals in Ho Chi Minh City have many years of experience and will provide you with a well-kept scooter, helmet, lock, top case, GPS, insurance and friendly service. The number of companies we work with is increasing every day, so if you want to rent a scooter in Ho Chi Minh City, just use the search form at the top of the page. Have a nice trip!