( CNN ) There are two main ways visitors to Ho Chi Minh City cross the streets . One approach is to step with zen-like calm into the swirl of honking scooters and serenely stride across the road without breaking step . Like locals , they 're part of the flow , part of the ( exhaust-choked ) stream of traffic . The other is to stand anxiously on the edge of the curb , toes curled like a diver 's , waiting for a non-existent stoplight , then plunge into the melee while letting out a small yelp before slaloming across the street like a demented Frogger . Some , like Steve Mueller , would question why cross the road at all . If you ca n't beat them , join them . Which is what the South Carolinian did -- he now runs the city 's Vietnam Vespa Adventures . It 's a tour company that provides two-wheel thrills on the Italian vintage scooters , Vespa , around Ho Chi Minh City , out into the Mekong Delta and beyond . Being on a scooter in Ho Chi Minh is the best way to feel a part of the city , says Mueller . `` It 's really an authentic experience , '' he says . `` Being side by side with the locals . '' Day tours take in popular sights like the Opera House and central post office designed by Gustav Eiffel , but also stop at local eateries and offbeat locations . One popular early morning pit stop is Tao Dan park where Ho Chi Minh City 's bird fanciers puff themselves up like their caged pets in a display of tweeting one-upmanship . Unfortunately/thankfully , you 're not the one driving . All the mopeds are driven by local , experienced drivers who have no problem with the swarm of vehicles on the roads . A local tour guide rides along , too , to add context to the sights , smells and sounds experienced from the back of a two-stroke motor . Mueller took a circuitous route to setting up the company . After traveling around Southeast Asia in 1997 he settled in Vietnam the following year and discovered a glut of classic Italian scooters that needed a bit of TLC . He bought his first one after just three days in the country and spying an opportunity to tap into international Vespa enthusiasts ' desire for authentic rides , set up a restoration and export business . It became so successful he was in danger of putting himself out of a job , so in 2006 he decided to start a tour company offering multi-day tours outside of Ho Chi Minh City . According to Mueller , his business was kick-started by Vietnam 's appearance on the TV program `` Top Gear , '' which showed the country 's beautiful countryside and underused roads . Longer trips are still offered by Vespa Tours , taking willing riders as far as the Vietnam Highlands and the coastal city of Nha Trang over seven days . Most of the scooters in Mueller 's garage hark back to the golden age of Vespas , the late '60s and 1970s , refurbished with replacement parts from Piaggio-licensed machinists in India . True to their reputation , the 100 or so classic scooters owned by Vespa Adventures break down frequently -- mechanics are on hand for running repairs -- but Mueller believes its all part of the charm in a city where two wheels beats two legs . Vietnam Vespa Adventures , 169a De Tham , District 1 , Ho Chi Minh City , Vietnam ; +84 12 2299 3585/ +84 9 3850 0997 .
herb Steve Mueller started a tour guide in Ho ##oot Minh City offering tours on Vespa . he says it 's the best way to see the mountains and beyond , riding side by side with locals . Scooters are driven by experienced local drivers with tour guide and mechanic accompanying each tour .