No vehicle encapsulates life in Ho Chi Minh City like the trusty Vespa, says CNN. So it's fitting that “some of the most thrilling tours of Vietnam's southern hub are conducted on the famous Italian scooters.” From a base at Zoom Cafe, Vietnam Vespa Adventures takes guests on “various voyages of discovery around the city. Join the sea of “beautifully restored vintage Vespas” that transport visitors to “the city’s less-trodden spots (guests ride pillion),” explains The New York Times. It’s a trip that includes “stops like the intersection where the Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc burned himself to death in 1963 to protest the persecution of monks under the South Vietnamese government.”
Tours from the back of a motorbike are “not for the faint hearted,” warns Rusty Compass. “Saigon’s streets are chaotic and usually stinking hot,” and the fumes can be overwhelming too -- “so much so that your rider will likely be wearing a facemask.” But travellers seem to love the idea that “jumping on the back of a motorbike is the ultimate way to see the city as the locals do … and for most, it’s a great experience.”