
We all know that someone said that. Well they’re right. Sort of. We need to be environmentally and ethically responsible when we travel so here are a few ideas to help with that.
We travel to experience other cultures but the very travelling that we do affects the culture that we have come to visit. It’s a bit of a catch 22, but what can we do to prevent or slow down the development of this problem?
Here are a few things not to do when travelling in the Vietnam countryside.
They may be really cute or they may be annoyingly persistent. Either way, keep your cash in your pocket.
Why? These kids should be out at school so that they can have a brighter future than living hand to mouth on the streets.
There are plenty of charities that provide schooling materials or fund education programmes for children. Give your money to them it will create employment for a few in the charity and it will create a future for the kids.
These children can be ‘managed’ by delinquent parents or criminal gangs. This means you end up funding a cycle of evil that will never end. It may be tough love and hard, but it is best not to give.
RentABike supports Blue Dragon, who work with all kinds of street children, and you can, too. Take a look at Blue Dragon’s website.
In rural areas in Vietnam dental hygiene comes a long way down on the list of priorities. So, what happens if teeth start to rot or periodontal disease sets in? The kids will, at best, suffer for quite some time with awful toothache / pain until enough money and time can be found to get treatment. At worst, the kids will… well, we can imagine, can’t we?
Another result of this can be that these kids then learn that tourists give stuff away for free. A begging culture begins and before long dependence on tourism and lack of self-sufficiency start to damage the whole community, that was functioning reasonably well in the first place.
Give smiles, interact if anyone is interested, learn a bit about them if you can or let them learn about you. You are not in a zoo.
This is pretty obvious as, by now, we all know the harm that plastic bags can do to the environment in every stage of their life cycle. The main issue here is the incorrect disposal and the lack of awareness of the harms that is prevalent in small rural communities.
The larger community is only just coming to terms with all of this and finding innovative ways of managing the issue. These smaller communities simply have not chance so remove the bags from the equation and you are not contributing to the problem. It’s not hard; just take a reusable bag and a water bottle with you and we are all good.
The kids are at school to learn and not to get visits from you that interrupt their day or their concentration. How nice it may be for you to experience a gaggle of kids fawning over you, should be passed over. Even if think donating school materials or clothing is a good idea, why do you need to go in for an ego boost. Drop it off out of school hours or hand it over to a charity that can do that for you.
How many tourists have come before you and how much of the kids’ day has been taken away from them? If you have been herded to a shop to buy ‘gifts’ before visiting then who is benefitting from that? The kids?
Would you like your own kids to be interrupted several times a day whilst studying? I don’t think I can even go into a school in my home country without be thoroughly vetted. Can you? Think twice.
There is no need to be overbearing and impolite and take photos willy nilly without asking. It only takes a glance, a wink, a nod of the head and you can very quickly get the approval of the subject.
Better still, spend a moment with the subject. See if you can communicate and learn a little something. Show the subject the photo that you took (you probably have a digital screen right?)
When you look back on your photos they will be so much more pleasurable. What is more, if you show others and have a back story that goes with the image, it will come to life for them also.
If your intended subject does refuse, be polite enough to smile and walk away. Don’t go getting upset about a photo that you are unlikely to remember as not having taken. And, who wants a photo of someone who is clearly unhappy about being photographed?
If you are the tiniest bit adventurous in Vietnam, you can get yourself out to small places that have very little tourism, particularly if you rent a motorcycle. These are magic and are the real reason you should be out here, learning more about the culture and people.
However, you might forget that the locals are not on holiday, or free from schedule. They have to get up insanely early to go about their daily business. Whilst you are happily dozing, they are weaving, replanting rice, getting kids off to school, checking fish traps… and so on and so on..
Instead, why not go to bed early and then get up with the locals and find out what is going on. Take a camera and you’ll get some quality media.
Be noisy in the tourist destinations like Mai Chau, Sa Pa and Ninh Binh. Stay up late in the remote villages if you want, but be quiet. Anyway, what is there to do past 9pm in a lone stilt house in a paddy field with minimal electricity?
Come on over. Have fun. Enjoy the Vietnam countryside! But, just have a thought about what impact you are having on the locals. Are you adding to their lives in some small way. It may only be that you are increasing custom to a small shop, or having a laugh and a joke with some locals but that is enough. So, long as you are not negatively affecting anyone, there is no harm.
86B Đ. Trần Phú, Phường 4, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam (appointment only)
Tax Code: 0105306316
International Tour Operator License: 01-2010/2022/TCDL-GP LHQT
15a Ng. 12 Đ. Đặng Thai Mai, Quảng An, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam
© 2025 Rentabike Vietnam. This site is subject to copyright. No unauthorised reproduction is permitted.
Engine Type
air-liquid cooled, twin cylinder, DOHC, boxer engine
Displacement
1255 cc
Bore X Stroke
102.5 mm x 76 mm
Ignition
FI
Fuel System
fuel injection
Compression Ratio
12.5:1
Starter
electric
Gearbox
6-speed
Front Suspension
BMW Motorrad Telelever; stanchion diameter 37 mm
Rear Suspension
single-sided swing arm with BMW Motorrad Paralever
Front Brakes
dual disc brake, floating brake discs, diameter 305 mm, 4-piston radial calipers
Rear Brakes
single disc brake, diameter 276 mm, double-piston floating caliper
Front Tyres
120/70 R19
Rear Tyres
170/60 R17
Wheelbase
1514 mm
Seat Height
850 mm
Ground Clearance
790 mm
Kerb Weight
249 kg
Fuel Capacity
20 litres
Dimensions
2207 mm (L) x 952.5mm (W) x 1430 mm (H)
Engine Type
air cooled, OHC, single cylinder
Displacement
149 cc
Bore X Stroke
57.3 mm x 57.8 mm
Ignition
CDI
Fuel System
20 mm piston valve carburettor
Compression Ratio
9.5:1
Starter
electric with kick starter backup
Gearbox
5-speed
Front Suspension
telescopic fork, 180 mm axle travel
Rear Suspension
single shock swing arm, 150 mm axle travel
Front Brakes
dual piston caliper, 240 mm disc
Rear Brakes
mechanical drum
Front Tyres
90/90 19
Rear Tyres
110/90 17
Wheelbase
1362 mm
Seat Height
825 mm
Ground Clearance
243 mm
Kerb Weight
129 kg
Fuel Capacity
12 litres
Dimensions
2091 mm (L) x 811 mm (W) x 1125 mm (H)
Engine Type
liquid cooled parallel-twin four stroke
Displacement
470 cc
Bore X Stroke
67 mm x 66.8 mm
Ignition
PGMI – FI
Fuel System
fuel injection
Compression Ratio
10.7:1
Starter
electric
Gearbox
6-speed
Front Suspension
41 mm SFF-BP USD Forks
Rear Suspension
Prolink Mono with 5 stage pre load adjuster
Front Brakes
dual 296 mm discs with 4 piston calipers; ABS
Rear Brakes
240 mm disc; ABS
Front Tyres
110/80R19M/C (59H)
Rear Tyres
160/60R17M/C
Wheelbase
1445 mm
Seat Height
830 mm
Ground Clearance
180 mm
Kerb Weight
199 kg
Fuel Capacity
17.7 litres
Dimensions
2,155 mm (L) x 830 mm (W) x 1,410 mm (H)
Engine Type
single cylinder, DOHC, liquid cooled
Displacement
286 cc
Bore X Stroke
76 mm x 63 mm
Ignition
Full Transistor Digital
Fuel System
PGM-FI electronic fuel injection
Compression Ratio
10.7:1
Starter
electric
Gearbox
5-speed
Front Suspension
43 mm telescopic upside down
Rear Suspension
Prolink Mono with 5 stage pre load adjuster
Front Brakes
Rear Brakes
220 mm disc, single piston caliper
Front Tyres
80/100 21
Rear Tyres
120/80 18
Wheelbase
1455 mm
Seat Height
880 mm
Ground Clearance
285 mm
Kerb Weight
142 kg
Fuel Capacity
7.8 litres
Dimensions
2230 mm (L) x 820 mm (W) x 1200 mm (H)