Planning a 10-day bike hire in Ho Chi Minh City? How to work out your petrol bill
Travellers renting a bike in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City can estimate fuel costs from daily distance, mileage and the current petrol price.
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Travellers planning to hire a bike in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, would do well to work out 10 days of petrol costs in advance. A bike is handy for sightseeing, visiting cafes, shopping and running small daily errands. How much petrol it uses depends on the daily distance, the bike's mileage and traffic.
Start by estimating how many kilometres you will ride each day. At 5 km a day, 10 days comes to 50 km. At 15 km a day it is 150 km, and at 20 km a day it is 200 km. Those planning to move around the city a lot could cover 300 km in 10 days at 30 km a day.
Next, mileage. Suppose a bike uses 2 litres of petrol per 100 km. Then 200 km would need about 4 litres. This is only a sample to explain the calculation. Actual consumption can vary with the bike's model, the condition of the engine, the weight of the riders and the state of the roads.
Ho Chi Minh City can have crowded roads, signals and frequent braking, which can push fuel use up. It is therefore sensible to set aside a little extra in the 10-day budget. Keeping tyres properly inflated, riding at a steady speed and avoiding leaving the engine running unnecessarily can help keep fuel consumption in check.
The method is simple. Divide the total distance by 100 and multiply the result by the bike's petrol consumption per 100 km. This gives the figure in litres. Then multiply that by the current price of petrol per litre.
For example, if a 200 km trip needs 4 litres and petrol costs 22,000 Vietnamese dong a litre, the estimated petrol cost for 10 days comes to 88,000 dong. This price is only an example. The actual rate should be checked at a petrol pump.
When hiring a bike, do not look only at the rent. Keep petrol, upkeep and other applicable costs in mind too. Check the bike's condition, wear a helmet and follow the licence rules that apply in Vietnam. Planning this way will make it easier to keep track of expenses during 10 days in Ho Chi Minh City and to avoid unexpected costs.
