Hanoi Motorbike Food Tour: Three Rides Compared

Scooter, Vespa or Private Half-Day

The comparison below shows ride type, duration, group size, pickup, what you eat and drink, and the catch on each listing. Prices are per person and are the lowest option on each listing. All three include free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.

The scooter ride is the shortest and the private half-day is the cheapest, while the Vespa evening is the longest with a four-course dinner built in.

You Ride Pillion, the Driver Is the Guide

You never handle the bike yourself. Hanoi Backstreet Tours' page describes the setup as pillion behind a licensed driver after a safety briefing. The scooter listing goes further and states a helmet and rain poncho are included, along with the limits: riders over 118 kg (260 lbs) cannot take part, and luggage or large bags are not allowed.

The Vespa ride comes with a professional guide and Vespa driver.

• Helmet included on the scooter and private half-day listings
• Weight limit 118 kg (260 lbs) on the scooter tour
• No luggage or large bags on the scooter tour
• Reviewers rate the scooter ride 5.0 for guide and 5.0 for transportation from 253 reviews

The Questions to Ask Before Booking

The Vespa listing does not state a helmet, so ask the operator at booking. Group size is capped at 15 travellers on the Vespa night ride and on the private half-day, and the scooter listing does not state a group size. All three take free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

Dish by Dish Across the Three Rides

The scooter tour works through a rice paper grill, bún chả, bánh cuốn at Thanh Vân, bún bò Nam Bộ, nem nướng and mango jelly, with a snail stop at Quan Ốc Đi Tự. The Vespa evening adds bánh gối, spring rolls, local doughnuts and BBQ seafood across its four courses, plus phở in Ngu Xa village and an egg coffee stop. The private half-day passes the Opera House, Big Church and Tran Quoc Pagoda on its way to the same snail address and a Train Street coffee.

Treat Train Street As a Bonus, Not a Promise

On the scooter tour, Train Street is the last stop, listed as optional with an extra fee for a beer or coffee, so confirm at checkout what the fee covers. The private half-day ends with about 45 minutes at Train Street Coffee, and its own listing says a train is not guaranteed. The Vespa evening does not include Train Street at all.

The wider situation matters here. In 2025 the Hanoi Department of Tourism told travel businesses not to organise tours to the trackside café street, the cafés trade against standing safety bans, and the city and the Ministry of Construction agreed in early 2026 to reduce passenger rail services through the strip, according to Vietcetera. Hanoi Backstreet Tours' page notes the street "was closed recently".

Barriers and checkpoints can block the entrances on any given day, so go in treating the stop as a bonus. If you want a legal sit-down alternative, Hoa Xá café inside Long Biên Railway Station opened in 2023 as an official option, and the walking Hanoi food tours page covers which foot tours still list a stop.

Dress for the Wind, Budget for the Holidays

Bold Travel's rider found February chilly on the back of a bike and suggests jackets and scarves from December to February. On money, the scooter listing charges a $10 surcharge on Tet, 30 April, 1 May and 2 September, while the two Viator listings state no extra charges in their product data. Both scooter and private half-day include a rain poncho, so a drizzle does not end the ride.

On food, tell the operator about allergies or vegetarian needs in advance. The Vespa itinerary says the guide accommodates special dietary requirements, and the private half-day accepts vegetarian, vegan and allergy requests.

• Jacket and scarf from December to February, per Bold Travel
• $10 holiday surcharge on the scooter tour only
• Rain poncho included on the scooter and private half-day rides
• Tell the operator about dietary needs in advance on all three

Foreigner on a Bike in Vietnam?

The question does not come up on these tours, because you are never the one riding. You sit pillion behind the driver for the whole tour. Renting a bike to ride yourself is a separate matter and is not covered here.

Walking tours stay in the Old Quarter. A motorbike tour covers more ground, with stops at the Opera House, West Lake and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum area between food stops. It holds a 5.0-star rating from 253 reviews.

The listing sells it as 7 tastings, which it breaks down as 5 to 6 foods, drinks and 1 dessert, with the last stop at a Train Street café. The price includes free hotel pickup and drop-off, a helmet and a rain poncho. It suits travelers who want Hanoi traffic from the safest seat, behind an experienced driver, alongside the food.

A $10 surcharge applies on Tet, 30 April, 1 May and 2 September.

The listing names these stops and foods. Vendors can change:

• Rice paper grill and bún chả
• Bánh cuốn at Thanh Vân and bún bò Nam Bộ
• Nem nướng (grilled pork sausage)
• Snails at Quan Oc Di Tu
• Mango jelly as the dessert
• Passing the Opera House, West Lake and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum area
• A last stop at a Train Street café, marked as an extra-fee stop. A passing train is not guaranteed

The price covers the ride and the food. A few things are not included.

• Included: an English-speaking guide, a scooter with a driver, and free hotel pickup and drop-off
• Included: a helmet, a rain poncho, 5 to 6 foods, drinks and 1 dessert. The listing counts 3 drinks in the inclusions and 2 in the highlights, so confirm at checkout
• Not included: tips (optional)
• Not included: the $10 holiday surcharge on Tet, 30 April, 1 May and 2 September
• Extra-fee stop: the Train Street café at the end

Not suitable for

• Anyone uncomfortable riding on the back of a scooter in city traffic
• People over 260 lbs (118 kg), because the listing marks the tour as not suitable
• Travelers who can't wear a helmet or sit pillion

What to bring and wear

• Closed-toe shoes and long trousers are safest on a bike
• A light jacket, since it gets breezy on a moving scooter
• Nothing bulky, because luggage and large bags are not allowed
• An empty stomach for the foods and the dessert

Book it if you:

• Want to cover more of the city than a walking tour allows
• Want hotel pickup and drop-off included in the price
• Are comfortable riding pillion behind an experienced rider
• Want food and sightseeing rolled into one evening