Whilst we at Petrolheads Welcome are mainly focussed on European motoring adventures, sometimes we feel the need to share some wider world experience. So, here’s a little first-hand experience of motoring in (part of) the Far East.
We have rated each of the following: 10 = a great place to drive, 0 = don’t even think of driving there (get a local taxi to do it for you).
Vietnam
This is not the place for a relaxing drive in your precious motor!
We spent a few days in Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by the locals. The roads can best be described as bedlam. Not many years ago, there were few cars and millions of push bikes and small motorcycles.
Now nearly all of the push bikes seem to have disappeared at the same time as cars have become affordable. Consequently, the number of small motorbikes and scooters has also increased massively. Add to that no such thing as lane discipline and you have a recipe for disaster.
However, the one saving grace is that average speeds are very low, so that disaster is avoided. If you’re a pedestrian, you have to stride across the road, safe in the knowledge that everyone will drive around you as you part the waves in biblical style. Just as well really, because you will find scooters driving up the wrong side of the road, on the pavement and ignoring all traffic lights.
Another saving grace is the use of horns… to warn people of approach rather than to rebuke, i.e. opposite to the popular way in the UK and other European centres.
A drive south into the Mekong Delta didn’t ease the situation. The same forms of driving and riding, but perhaps now with more ridiculously overloaded scooters. Families of four per bike are commonplace. We even saw a concrete park bench astride a Honda Step-Through with the rider sitting on it to secure it in place!
Further north in Da Nang and Hoi An, the roads are much quieter and perhaps a little more inviting for the average Petrolhead. The lack of lane discipline and other motorcycling misdemeanours are still very much in evidence, but on much quieter roads. The only exception in our view was night driving where motorcycles with no lights and riders wearing black do their best to add to traffic accident statistics, but seem to get away with it… or maybe we were just lucky in not seeing the carnage.
Score: Saigon = 1, Outside Saigon = 4 (0 at night)
Singapore
If you like the cleanliness and modernity of Milton Keynes, you’ll enjoy Singapore. Whilst some consider its tourist charms to be somewhat sanitised (when compared to say Bangkok), that’s reflected in seemingly safe roads and road users with manners. It’s also not a huge place and thus not one we consider worthy of a ‘warning’.
Score = 8 (we haven’t driven enough there to be sure of a 10)
Thailand
Thailand remains possibly the most popular Far East venue for western tourists, of both the affluent and the backpacker styles. Add to that a similarity to parts of Vietnam and you have a mixture of driving ‘entertainment’. Bangkok displays much of the style of Saigon, albeit not quite so many motorcycles on the pavement. That’s probably because the pavements are too uneven for pedestrian safety and so motorcyclists would be in even more danger! Need we say more?
Driving ‘up country’ or on the roads of the many tourist islands will reveal another mixture. This time more of variable road surfaces, rather than simply variations of traffic or driving styles. A seemingly good road can suddenly peter out into a dirt track with immense pot holes (the monsoon rains don’t help much in this regard). If you’re a dirt track motorcycle rider, you might want to increase our scores below:
Score: Bangkok = 2, elsewhere in Thailand = 4
Malaysia
We have only driven to and from Kuala Lumpur and Sepang (where the motor racing circuit and airport reside) and so we can’t offer a wider view.
The good news is that this is one of the best driving experiences in the Far East. The roads are in good condition and for UK-based drivers, they drive on the ‘correct’ side of the road. One simply has to keep an eye out for motorcycles and scooters that like to undertake (mainly using dedicated lanes, it has to be said).
Naturally, the roads around Sepang International Circuit become very busy for race meetings and so queuing is normal. Queueing would be less of an issue if the local police didn’t close off exits/slip lanes with no obvious reason why, at least to our eyes.
If you want to remonstrate with a police officer, the good news is that many of them speak English, but we’ll wish you luck with that!
Score: 7 (5 on race days)
Japan
What’s not to like?
Right-hand drive cars, excellent roads, polite people and plenty of classic and supercars to add to the mix of motoring fun.
It’s not surprising perhaps that the country that pretty much took over the motor manufacturing industry of the world in the latter part of the 20th Century, should provide an excellent base for driving.
You need have no fear of exporting your precious metal to Japan for some 2-wheels or 4-wheels pleasure.
Naturally, the capital Tokyo and other major cities are busy, but that’s no different to home. We haven’t driven in the farthest reaches and smallest settlement, but we’d be surprised if it’s not good driving there too.
Score: 9
Hong Kong
It’s unsurprising that this ex-British colony (until 1997) offers right-hand drivers a dose of Far East familiarity.
The signs are all dual-language (with English first). The roads are wide and in good repair. Watch out for the fog in springtime, especially if you’re tackling the switchback road up to The Peak.
The Chinese have invested heavily in the area, especially in shipping, and thus the land infrastructure has also benefitted. Many of the vehicles wear two number plates. Such vehicles are able to also drive unhindered into mainland China. We haven’t been there (yet) but doubt there’s much change in road quality, for a few miles at least!
Score: 8 (Hong Kong is too small to justify a higher score)
Feel free to argue with our ratings and add to or comment on our views.
Of course, if you’ve prepared your car for trans-continental rallies, you can pretty much ignore all of the above!
