The Motorbike Diaries: Parking, Traffic Circles, and My First Gas Stop

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It was the weekend, and that meant only one thing: time to hop on my motorbike and dive back into the sea of two wheels that rules Saigon. I’d love to say things felt easier this time, but truthfully, I was still very much a rookie. Still, the ride brought me some important “firsts”—and each one taught me something new about life on two wheels in Vietnam.

Learning How to Park a Motorbike in Saigon

You’d think parking would be the easy part. But after six months of living a walking life in Ho Chi Minh City—where I never needed to think about gas stations or parking—figuring it out was another new adventure.

Most restaurants and shops in Vietnam use the sidewalk as a motorbike parking lot. It’s kind of like valet service, only much more informal. Every shop or café has a parking attendant who watches the bikes, organizes the rows, and hands you a ticket.

Here’s how it works:

1. Find a ramp that lets you bump up onto the sidewalk.
2. Ride down the pavement to the entrance.
3. Dismount, hand over your helmet, and accept your ticket.
4. Watch as the attendant scribbles your bike’s number on the seat in chalk.

Easy—except for the intimidation factor. My friend once tried to drive up a curb without a ramp and ended up smashing into a storefront window. Lesson learned: not all sidewalks are created equal!

Surviving My First Vietnamese Traffic Circle

My next challenge was even scarier: a traffic circle. And not just any traffic circle—the chaotic roundabout in front of Ben Thanh Market, one of the busiest in Saigon.

Cars, buses, motorbikes, bicycles, and pedestrians all merge at once in what looks like complete chaos. With my left thumb hovering over the horn and my fingers clenched on the brake, I took a deep breath and went for it.

Miraculously, I made it in and out without having to loop around twice. My first successful traffic circle! (Pro tip: the horn is your best friend in Vietnam. Use it early and often.)

This was taken when I was on a Xe-Om – there’s no way I could do this while driving myself!

My First Time Getting Gas in Vietnam

Baby Steps on Two Wheels

Afterward, I braved the midday heat and rode out to a friend’s house in another district. I made it at a granny’s pace, drenched in sweat and grateful to still be in one piece.

I may not have mastered parking, traffic circles, or gas stations with grace, but each rookie maneuver made me a little more comfortable on my motorbike. No air conditioning, plenty of sweat, and a whole lot of nerves—but I survived.

And in Vietnam, that counts as a win.