As soon as I saw all those whizzing motorbikes, I just knew I had to get on one. After a moment of insanity, when I thought I could drive one myself, I got a grip and started looking for other options. Turns out lots of people want to launch themselves into the organized chaos of Ho Chi Minh City’s motorbike madness.

There are a plethora of motorbike rental options, but I decided to sign up for a two-and-a-half-hour tour with what was advertised as “the first all-female motorbike tour company in Vietnam,” XO Tours.

At 9 a.m. the next day, a petite woman in traditional dress picked me up at my hotel on a sleek little motorbike. She introduced herself, handed me a helmet and instructed me to jump on behind her. Next thing I knew, she had sprung into the somewhat terrifying onslaught.

Only when you’re actually on a motorbike can you fully appreciate the skill it takes to participate in this complicated dance that miraculously seems to avoid constant collisions.

No question that in Ho Chi Minh City the motorbike is the preferred and fastest way to travel. And it’s not unusual to see both men and women in business attire heading for the office on two motorized wheels.