How to Use Our Maps

Google Maps on VietNomad

VietNomad is all about helping you get the most out of your adventure in Vietnam. Drawing on more than 20 years’ touring experience, we’ve created a huge selection of custom Google route maps that we include in all out travel guides and tour itineraries. 

What You'll Need

The Google Maps App is the #1 navigation app on both the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. It’s accurate, easy to use and, best of all, free! Aside from the app, you’ll want to make sure your phone is connected to the internet via a data sim card with 3G/4G capability from a local provider. While wifi is widespread in Vietnam, even in more remote regions, you definitely want the ability to be able to access Google Maps wherever you are.

VietNomad - How to Use Our Maps

Optional Accessories

Additionally, there are a few optional accessories riders like to use to make their journeys more convenient. Just bear in mind that none is without its disadvantages.

using Maps and a phone holder and charger
using Maps and a phone holder and charger

Phone Holder

  • You can ride and check your map hands-free!
  • On a sunny day, your phone'll get really hot.
  • If it rains, your phone will be hard to use; if it's not waterproof, it'll die!
  • It's easy to forget your phone when you park your bike. This makes it a tempting target for opportunistic thieves.
  • If you drop or, worse, crash your bike your phone's in big trouble.

Charger

  • Coupled with a phone holder, one of these will keep your phone charged while you ride.
  • Depending on the charger you buy and the model of your phone, it's possible you could overcharge and damage your phone's battery.
  • The majority of phone chargers can't be used in heavy rain.
  • If left working for too long, your charger may deplete your bike's battery. This is an especially big issue if your bike doesn't have a kickstart.

Earphones

  • These are great for taking phonecalls and listening to Google Maps audio instructions, and even listening to music, while riding.
  • Riding a motorcycle using earphones is illegal in Vietnam, and for good reason: they can be very distracting. It's actually one of the things local police often stop foreigners for.

Bluetooth Earphones

  • As above, with the added advantage of being completely invisible when worn with a helmet of pretty much any sort.
  • Again, illegal. And you're not going to be able to operate a pair of bluetooth earphones very easily when they're inside your helmet.

How to Use Our Maps

All our tour itineraries, destination guides and route guides contain maps, that we work hard to keep up to date. Conveniently, each route’s distance is calculated automatically by Google, so the distance you see in-app will always be pretty accurate.

Accessing Our Maps

Find the map on the corresponding blog post, then click the WINDOW BUTTON to open the map in the Google Maps App. It’ll appear as a LAYER—an interactive overlay. You’re good to go! If you want to get rid of it, simply open the LAYERS TAB and click on it.

VietNomad Maps Guide - window button
VietNomad Maps Guide - layers button
VietNomad Maps Guide - click to close

Layers

All maps we create use LAYERS of their own: for example, one layer that shows the route, one that shows landmarks and another that shows restaurants and cafes. All are handy, but they can leave the map a little cluttered, so if you’re reading a map while riding it can be a good idea to turn off all but the route layer.

VietNomad Maps Guide - full route map
VietNomad Maps Guide - same route minus stopoffs

How to Choose Which Layers are Shown

Choosing which layers are shown on your map is easy. Just click the route you’re taking, then click VIEW MAP LEGEND. You’re then free to select what information you’d like shown and what information you’d like hidden using the list of checkboxes in the MAP LEGEND.

VietNomad Maps Guide - view map legend
VietNomad Maps Guide - map legend

Saving a Map

Unfortunately, Google doesn’t really allow you to save a map: it seems they prefer to have users access maps exclusively through their app. Luckily, if you want to access a map again, say, if you closed the app accidentally, you can always open it again on its corresponding VietNomad post. Alternatively, you can use the SHARE BUTTON to save a link to the map on your email, Whatsapp or Messenger account.

Can't find the map you're looking for?

If you lose the map you were going to use, you can use the search function on this site to find it again. Alternatively, drop us an email mentioning the route you’re looking for and we’ll send you over a link!

A Small Selection of Route Guides and Itineraries