Should you rent scooters abroad? In my opinion, they’re life-changing. Some people may think I’m exaggerating, but I’d say they’re really one of the most incredible inventions that humanity has managed to come up with in its illustrious time on this earth. Yes, as I’m writing it, it’s possible I’m going a little far. Fire was a pretty big one. So was the wheel. But then again, would those have even mattered were it not for the geniuses that harnessed their powers to create the one and only great, humble, stupendous scooter?

I’ll stop with my romanticism and get into why you’re here- which is to be convinced that you should rent scooters abroad. If you’re not convinced by the end of these three reasons, there may be something clinically wrong with you. Or perhaps you’ve had bad experiences with scooters in the past. Or never even ridden one- in which case, I’d suggest a foreign country may not be the best place to start. In that case, I’d recommend you stop here. Because if you stick around, you may just be too convinced and not able to stop yourself.

1- Enjoy Unmatched Freedom and Flexibility

Freedom and flexibility are the main reasons why you should rent scooters abroad. This is true especially when you’re traveling for a short period of time. Why?

Scooters allow you to go wherever you want, whenever you want. Gone are the hours searching for the best types of public transit in the area you’re in. Gone are the times when- if you like to plan last minute like me- you miss the last bus back and are stranded for the night. Unless, of course, you want to drop the big bucks on a cab.

With a scooter, the world is at your fingertips. If you’re on the way to your destination and see a beautiful lookout point for photos, or else an enticing restaurant- well, by all means stop and check it out. Allow your spontaneity to take control. There’s no bus driver on a tight schedule to object to it.

Scooters are also great for navigating and parking in denser, tighter, more congested areas that would be hell for a car. Overall, you really have no downsides here.

2- Save Money While Traveling

You may be saying to yourself, ‘hey, this all sounds good, but I’d still rather just have a car’. First of all, regardless of the cost, excuse me for saying that this is lunacy. Unless of course, you have a family (even then honestly, load ’em all up on the back, you may lose one or two kids but still worth it in my opinion). Anyway, scooters are better than cars for all the reasons listed above. And just cooler.

But, if you’re still preferential to a car, allow the pricing to sway you. In most destinations, you can get a scooter for a small fraction of what a car would cost you to rent. Depending on where you are, they’ll cost anywhere between $5 and $60 for a day if you take time to look for a cheap but good option (the $5 scooters being mainly from Southeast Asia, a haven for scooter riding).

This isn’t even taking into account parking and fuel costs that will be significantly reduced throughout the course fo your trip. These combined with the overall price of the scooter means that you get to spend on other exciting activities, or else save if you’re smart/boring.

3- Have a More Authentic Experience

Authentic is one word for it. Cool is another. There’s something about zipping around on a scooter that makes you feel like a superhero. That’s true wherever you are, but even more so when you rent one in the most beautiful places on earth.

There are some destinations where I’d even go as far as to say a scooter is necessary to achieving the full experience. The obvious example of this would be the Amalfi Coast. Riding those windy roads on an Italian Vespa will make that experience a whole lot more special. I can easily say that when I did it, it was one of the most incredible travel experiences I’ve ever had (if that intrigues you, you can read more about it here).

But it certainly isn’t limited to the Amalfi Coast. There are many other places in the world where scooters are popular, and indeed often the first choice of the locals for transportation. That’s where another element here comes into play. When you’re in one of these places, riding a scooter can help to immerse you into the local culture. Southeast Asia is a prime example of this- you won’t believe how many scooters you’ll see there.

Conclusion

Scooters can offer many incredible advantages to your travel experience. Freedom, flexibility, cheapness, coolness… I mean, what’s missing, really?

Just make sure to do it safely. Seriously. If you’ve never ridden one, I’m not saying it’s impossible to learn quickly because it definitely is. But just have a good head on your shoulders, and pay attention and don’t be overly confident. And try and find a place that has a small lot for you to practice in first.

Wherever you go, hopefully I’ve given you all the reasons you need to finally go and rent that scooter! I promise that it won’t disappoint.