To avoid being bothered, the basic rule is to buy a motorcycle with a Vietnamese plate. You can buy it in Vietnam, but you will also find in Laos or Cambodia no problem, because many “motorcyclists” end their trip and resell their motorcycle in these countries.
Some customs officers being corrupt, you will sometimes have to pay a bribe to spend with your bike. (See our tips to avoid problems with customs officers and the list of the most common border scams ).
It is theoretically possible to enter Thailand with a motorcycle from Laos or Cambodia, but it is very complicated. Indeed, your name must appear on the blue card, which involves lengthy steps in Vietnam to put the bike in your name.
In addition, the Thai authorities will ask you to fill out shipping information, a crew list, a passenger list and a temporary import and export form. In practice, it is very rare for travelers to continue their motorcycle journey from Laos or Cambodia to Thailand.
Cambodia border – Vietnam
You can cross by motorbike via one of these five border posts:
- Bavet / Moc Bai
- Kaam Samnor / Ving Xuong
- Phnom Den / Tinh Good
- Prek Chak / Xa Xia
- The Thanh / O Yadao crossing
Laos border – Vietnam
You can cross a motorbike via one of these six border posts:
- Sop Hun / Tay Trang
- Na Maew / Nam Xoi
- NamCan / Nam Khan
- Nam Phao / Cau Treo
- Dansavanh / Lao Bao
- Bo Y / Ngoc Hoi
Laos border – Cambodia
There is only one border post to cross on motorbikes:
- Veun Kham / Dom Kralor
Beware, although nothing legally prohibits passage with a motorcycle between Laos and Cambodia, corruption is a real problem at this border post. Some backpackers have been denied passage.
visas
Depending on the country, you may need a visa to enter the territory.
- Laos: You must obtain a visa on arrival valid for 30 days. It costs $ 30.
- Cambodia: You need a visa that will be valid for 30 days. You can get your visa on arrival ($ 30) or ask for an e-visa ($ 37) before arriving at the border (which avoids having to pay a “supplement” to the customs officer)
- Vietnam: You can stay 15 days in the country without a visa. If you plan to stay longer, you can apply for a 30-day e-visa (€ 25) before you arrive. You can also make a visa on arrival that can be valid for 30 or 90 days for one or more entries ($ 45 to $ 95). See our visa file for Vietnam .
You will find more information in our visa file around the world .
