Vientiane Motorbike and Bicycle Rental in Laos

While this may be tricky for families, it would greatly benefit single or couple travellers, as renting a bike here will save you a lot of money and time moving around this beautiful city in Laos.
Renting a bike in Vientiane was suggested to me by another traveller whom I met in a local guesthouse where I was staying at.
Since I got there, I have been moving around with the local tuk-tuks in Vientiane, where every trip I made to one place cost me around US$2-$3.
After the recommendation, I got my Suzuki Smash 125cc motorbike for US$7 rental a day from one of the local shops around Quai Fa Ngum Road. This made everything so much easier.
Here’s the catch – When you rent a bike, they will ask you to leave your passport with them during your rental period, and you have a choice of two options.
If you think it is unsafe, you can leave a US$300 deposit with them, but that is a lot of cash to carry around.
I was sceptical at first, but when the owner went in and took out a bag of about 20 passports, I reluctantly gave him mine as I did not carry any USD with me.
Overall, it is safe from my personal experience. Hence it is entirely up to you to do this, and please do it with reputable bike rental companies here.
This is because the Lao police make random checks, and getting caught without the papers could lead to trouble. You should also always wear your helmet when riding around Vientiane too.
Gas prices are low in Vientiane, so moving around is not a problem. I even rode on my rented bike out of Vientiane for over four hours to visit Buddha Park and the most popular tourist site, The Golden Stupa or That Lung Stupa.
Prices are reasonable and cost around US$1 to $3 per trip. They are also relatively safe, as I used them for my first two days in Vientiane until another traveller advised me to rent a bike instead.
Video of Jumbo (Tuk Tuk) rides around Vientiane, Laos.
Most of the time, you would rent the bike to travel to various sites in and out of Vientiane, like visiting temples.
Requirements for renting a motorbike in Vientiane;
- First, this information is based on 2009; prices have increased since then.
- Generally, you need to know how to ride a bike
- No driving license is required, just a passport
- The alternative is to give a US$200-$300 deposit if you do not want to leave your passport.
- Bike rentals cost from US$7 to $35, depending on the size of the bike
- Bicycles cost about KIP10,000 (US$2) a day
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Vientiane Jumbo is a larger version of a tuk-tuk. |
- Always rent from a licenced bike rental business
- Always wear your helmet when riding; not only does it save lives, you risk getting stopped by local enforcement there.
- Ride cautiously, not recklessly, and on the correct side of the road
- Be careful of the local tuk tuk’s and jumbo’s there
- Always give way to the locals, and don’t toot your horn as and when you like
- Apologize if you have made a mistake or done a wrong turn
- In any accident event, go to the nearest police station to make a report
I was confident that renting a bike here and moving around made my travels much more accessible and time-consuming. I recommend doing this if you know how to ride a motorbike or bicycle.
And if you are visiting Vientiane for long periods, you are much better off renting a motorbike or bicycle in Vientiane, there as it is much cheaper in costs and easier to get around. Have a great time in Laos.
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