Car Rental in Halong (2026) - Driving Guide & Best Rates
Rent a car in Halong for hassle-free exploration, discover top hotels, scenic drives, and must-see attractions at your own pace.
Driving Requirements
Vietnamese law requires foreign visitors to hold either a Vietnamese driver's license or an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention. Your home country license alone is only valid for 3 months from your entry date, after which you must obtain a Vietnamese license.
Vietnamese law sets the minimum driving age at 18 for motorcycles under 50cc and 18 for cars. However, rental companies typically require drivers to be at least 21-25 years old, with some charging additional fees for drivers under 25.
Vietnamese law requires all vehicles to have basic third-party liability insurance (TPL). Rental companies typically provide this mandatory coverage. But often offer additional collision damage waiver (CDW) and theft protection as optional extras.
Rental companies universally require a credit card in the driver's name for the security deposit, which varies by company and vehicle type. Debit cards are generally not accepted, and the deposit amount is typically held on your card until the vehicle is returned.
Vietnam drives on the right side of the road. Visitors are often surprised by the prevalence of motorcycles and the informal traffic flow - right turns on red are generally prohibited unless specifically signed, and vehicles entering from the right typically have priority at uncontrolled intersections.
Helpful Tips
Pick up at Van Don Airport (VDO) if you're flying in, only two rental desks but cars are ready curbside, otherwise head to Bai Chay city center where every major brand has a branch and you can walk between counters to compare.
Walk a full circle with the rep and photograph every scratch on the bumper and alloy. Most Halong fleets are older hatchbacks and companies like Avis Vietnam will mark pre-existing damage only if you insist.
Google Maps works fine on the new coastal highway and Bai Chay bridge. But download the offline map for the limestone backroads to Sung Sot Cave because mobile signal drops inside the karsts.
All Halong rentals run on RON95; fill up at the Petrolimex station on Ha Long Road before returning, every company here uses full-to-full, and prepaid fuel is rarely offered.
Daytime parking is plentiful at Bai Chay pier lots (hourly fee), overnight choose the guarded hotel lots in Hung Thang ward, street parking near the night market is tow-away after 22:00.
Driving Warnings
Motorbikes often drive against traffic on one-way sections of Tran Quoc Nghien and Le Thanh Tong streets near the ferry terminals - this is illegal but common, and visitors who assume oncoming traffic follows the posted direction risk head-on collisions.
Speed cameras are active on National Route 18 between Halong and Hai Phong, with fines starting at 800,000 VND for exceeding 60 km/h in the 50 km/h zones near Cai Lan port - rental companies will pass these charges to you weeks later.
During summer months (June-August), sudden fog banks roll in from the bay reducing visibility to under 50 meters on the Bai Chay Bridge and DT10 coastal road - local drivers don't reduce speed, making this a high-collision period.
Traffic police set up random checkpoints on the DT338 bypass road where they specifically target rental cars for document checks. Ensure your international driving permit is valid for Vietnam and matches your passport exactly or face immediate vehicle impoundment.