Sleeping bus: a vehicle, a bed, Vietnam

Three rows of two-tier bunks, journeys lasting 27 hours, shared flip-flops, and honking as white noise: a guide to the most Vietnamese mode of transport.

Our journey to discover Vietnam continues by delving into some peculiarities related to the various collective transport options offered by this country. If you are unsure of Vietnam's geographical location within Southeast Asia, I suggest you take a look at digital maps. Its elongated shape somewhat resembles our boot, although, unlike Italy, Vietnam is not a peninsula. Despite having an extensive coastline, 80% of its territory consists of hills and mountains, and it directly borders Laos, Cambodia, and China.

If you are planning a trip to this part of the world, I recommend carefully considering the time of year and planning your itinerary accordingly. Asia does not experience our conventional four seasons. In fact, it only has three: cold, hot, and monsoon. Local summer holidays, for example, take place between March and April, as it is the hottest time of the year. This seasonal fragmentation, although seemingly well-defined, varies depending on the geographical location of any place within the nation. Indeed, precisely because of its elongated shape, but also its significant altitude differences, it is possible to encounter completely different climates even when moving only 100 kilometers.

What is a sleeping bus: an ideal bed for those under 1.5 meters

The most Vietnamese mode of transport is certainly the sleeping bus, a coach specifically designed for sleeping.

On this extraordinarily useful means of locomotion, both for horizontal and vertical routes, you will not find the classic seats. This coach has been designed with passenger comfort in mind, provided, however, that you are not taller than one and a half meters.

Try to imagine three rows, arranged on two levels, of semi-reclined berths where you can ensure a semblance of privacy using special fabric curtains. If you consider yourself a person with a strong spirit of adaptability, you might try to adopt this travel solution and thus have a very meaningful experience. Sleeping bus routes usually vary between 6 and 27 hours. Yes, you read that correctly: there are routes that last more than a full day and can be challenging even for the most seasoned travelers.

Practical tips for booking and life on board

Perhaps due to the length of the journeys, every berth on sleeping buses is equipped with a USB socket for charging your phone or headphones.

The best website to check schedules, route dates, compare prices, and services offered by various companies is definitely 12go.asia. Many buses also offer Wi-Fi on paper, but when booking online, you might receive automatic messages stating that the service may or may not work, leaving everything to chance.

A journey through local customs and traditions

Traveling this way in Vietnam is an anthropological experience in itself.

It might happen that you are boarded onto a first bus that takes you to a second company base, where you will then be sorted onto other vehicles based on your final destination.

It is common practice for every driver to have their trusted service station, where you can eat a hot meal at any time of day or night. In these roadside eateries, you will certainly find a table with tea and pipe tobacco. This is usually the table reserved exclusively for industry workers who settle down while waiting for their meal, smoking from what appears to be a bamboo bong. So, train your patience if eating with the smell of smoke bothers you because, in this part of the world, people still smoke everywhere.

The no-shoe rule and the flip-flop lottery

Another absolute peculiarity of sleeping buses is the strict prohibition of wearing shoes on board. Upon boarding for the first time, all passengers are given a plastic bag to store their footwear. At each intermediate stop, travelers will have access to communal flip-flops that they can use outside the vehicle during the stop.

At this point, you have two options: either you choose to put your shoes back on every time, or you take a chance by searching through the pile for a pair of flip-flops that fit your feet adequately. This could take several minutes and is a real lottery.

What makes the journey even more unpredictable are the stop times, which almost always remain a total mystery. Generally, the bus departs when the driver is satisfied. Those who are there, are there, and for those who aren't, too bad. During the journeys, the white noise that will lull you into the arms of Morpheus will surely be the constant sound of the horn.

If you think your city is chaotic and noisy when traffic is jammed, I invite you to enjoy the spectacle of a Vietnamese intersection. If you've seen the film "Così parlò Bellavista," you'll remember the scene related to the hooked-cross traffic jam where, seeing no way out, office manager Cazzaniga is invited for a coffee by his driver. Vietnam, when it comes to unregulated intersections, can offer even more original spectacles than those presented in Luciano De Crescenzo's famous film.

Road priority: the law of the strongest on two wheels

In large cities, cars are not the dominant force, but rather motorbikes.

The motorbike, in Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia, constitutes a veritable physical extension of the population. As soon as one is tall enough to touch the ground with their feet, everyone learns to ride. The result is that the number of motorbikes in circulation is impressive, and if you try to cross the street, you will have to pay attention to them, never the other way around.

The concept of personal safety requires strong autogenic training from all travelers who decide to explore these areas. If you are not ready and decisive enough, you have only two real options: do not cross or risk being hit, and I assure you that this is not petty rhetoric at all.

I hope I have provided you with some useful insights to best prepare you for navigating the roads of Vietnam. Tiziano Terzani, when asked "why do you travel?", replied that for him it was a way to escape from what he knew. The author, a great lover of Asia, claimed to be constantly searching for what he did not know. For him, traveling was a way to escape from home to look for home. I don't know with absolute certainty if Terzani ever traveled on a sleeping bus. But if he did, I'm sure he felt at home, at least a little.

Practical tips for the sleeping bus

Where to book: 12go.asia is the go-to website for schedules, prices, and comparing companies.

Journey duration: 6 to 27 hours – consider carefully before choosing the longest routes.

On board: shoes forbidden (plastic bag provided), USB socket per berth, Wi-Fi not guaranteed.

Tabishi's advice: bring your own slippers – the communal flip-flop lottery isn't for everyone.

Tabishi Travelwear: comfort for endless journeys

Surviving a 27-hour journey on a sleeping bus requires a strong spirit of adaptation, but also the right clothing. Tabishi offers organic cotton thermal undershirts and t-shirts, soft and breathable. They are the ideal clothing for traveling light and comfortably, from one time zone to another.

FAQ

What is a sleeping bus?
A coach with semi-reclined, two-tier bunks instead of seats, designed for sleeping during long journeys.

How long do the journeys last?
From 6 to 27 hours, depending on the destination.

Where can I book?
On 12go.asia, which allows you to compare schedules, prices, and services of various companies.

Why can't shoes be worn on board?
It's a strict rule: a bag is provided upon entry to store them, and communal flip-flops are available at stops.