Should you rent a car in Asia Should You Hire a Car in Asia? This can be broken down into two similar questions - do you need a car in Asia (in other words, will your holiday be ruined without one), and is it worth hiring a car in Asia - in other words, is car rental better value than using public transport? We'll weigh up both questions and give you a response generated by Chat GPT, together with our own curated opinion before finally giving a yes or no verdict at the end.

	country
🇦🇫	Afghanistan
🇦🇿	Azerbaijan
🇧🇭	Bahrain
🇧🇩	Bangladesh
🇧🇹	Bhutan
🇮🇴	The British Indian Ocean Territory
🇧🇳	Brunei
🇲🇲	Burma
🇰🇭	Cambodia
🇨🇳	China
🇹🇱	East Timor
🇭🇰	Hong Kong
🇮🇳	India
🇮🇩	Indonesia
🇮🇷	Iran
🇮🇶	Iraq
🇮🇱	Israel
🇯🇵	Japan
🇯🇴	Jordan
🇰🇿	Kazakhstan
🇰🇵	Korea, North
🇰🇷	Korea, South
🇰🇼	Kuwait
🇰🇬	Kyrgyzstan
🇱🇦	Laos
🇱🇧	Lebanon
🇲🇴	Macau
🇲🇾	Malaysia
🇲🇻	Maldives
🇾🇹	Mayotte
🇲🇳	Mongolia
🇲🇲	Myanmar
🇳🇵	Nepal
🇰🇵	North Korea
🇴🇲	Oman
🇵🇰	Pakistan
🇵🇸	Palestine
🇵🇭	Philippines, The
🇶🇦	Qatar
🇸🇦	Saudi Arabia
🇸🇬	Singapore
🇰🇷	South Korea
🇱🇰	Sri Lanka
🇸🇾	Syria
🇹🇼	Taiwan
🇹🇯	Tajikistan
🇹🇭	Thailand
🇹🇱	Timor-Leste
🇹🇷	Türkiye
🇹🇲	Turkmenistan
🇦🇪	the UAE
🇺🇿	Uzbekistan
🇻🇳	Vietnam
🇾🇪	Yemen

Asia is vast and wildly diverse. In some places, driving is a joy (think Japan’s mountain roads and New Zealand-style scenery in Taiwan). In others, the traffic alone could trigger a spiritual awakening or a nervous breakdown. This guide breaks Asia down into where you should get behind the wheel—and where you should absolutely leave it to the trains, tuk-tuks, and domestic flights.

🟢 Northeast Asia – Organised, Scenic, and Road-Trip Friendly

🇯🇵 Japan – ✅ Yes, if you want to explore beyond Tokyo

Japan’s cities don’t need cars (public transport is perfection), but renting a car opens up hidden Japan—hot springs in Hokkaido, samurai towns, Mt. Fuji lakes, and the Shikoku pilgrimage routes. Roads are safe, signage is excellent, and drivers are polite to a fault. Just be prepared for tolls.

🇰🇷 South Korea – ✅ Yes, great infrastructure

Self-driving is absolutely viable, especially on Jeju Island (which is built for road trips). Outside Seoul, the motorways are excellent, and everything is well signposted. Seoul itself? Leave the car and ride the subway.

🇹🇼 Taiwan – ✅ Yes for countryside

Taipei has perfect metro links, but the island’s east coast and mountain interior are world-class road trip territory. Incredible scenery, hot springs, tea plantations. Driving is calm compared to mainland Asia.

🇨🇳 Mainland China – ⚠️ Technically possible but not worth it

Foreigners need a temporary Chinese licence, signage varies, and traffic in major cities is chaotic and rule-optional. High-speed trains and domestic flights make driving unnecessary. Tibet or western China? Guided tours only.

🟡 Southeast Asia – Tempting, But Think Twice

🇹🇭 Thailand – ⚠️ Yes in the north, ❌ no in Bangkok

Chiang Mai, Pai, and the northern mountains are fantastic for scenic driving. But Bangkok is a permanent traffic jam with creative interpretation of lanes. Islands like Phuket or Koh Samui are okay for scooters if you’re confident, but not for nervous drivers.

🇻🇳 Vietnam – ❌ No

Driving yourself is not recommended. The road rules are more like road suggestions, motorbikes swarm like schools of fish, and overtaking etiquette defies physics. Use trains, flights, and private drivers.

🇲🇾 Malaysia – ✅ Yes (with ease)

One of the best in Southeast Asia. Modern highways, orderly traffic, multicultural food stops. Driving from Kuala Lumpur to Penang to Langkawi (car ferry) is a classic route.

🇸🇬 Singapore – ❌ No need

Tiny. Impeccable public transport. Driving is expensive and pointless as a traveller.

🇮🇩 Indonesia – ⚠️ Mixed

Bali is chaotic but manageable with a small car or hired driver. Java traffic is intense. Sumatra and Flores are for hardcore adventurers only. Most visitors hire a driver—it’s affordable and far less stressful.

🇵🇭 Philippines – ❌ Manila no, islands maybe

Manila traffic is among the worst on Earth. On quieter islands like Palawan or Bohol, renting a scooter or car is fine—just stick to daylight.

🟠 South Asia – Spiritual Journeys, Not Road Trips

🇮🇳 India – ❌ Strong no

Unless you’re spiritually prepared for cows, rickshaws, and trucks coming at you head-on while honking continuously, do not drive. Chauffeurs are inexpensive and essential. Trains and flights dominate long-distance travel.

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka – ⚠️ Possible, but better with driver

Roads are narrow and full of tuk-tuks and buses overtaking on blind corners. Hiring a car with driver is the norm and surprisingly affordable.

🇳🇵 Nepal – ❌ No

Mountain roads, landslides, and unpredictable conditions. Use jeeps with guides or domestic flights for trekking hubs.

🇧🇩 Bangladesh & 🇵🇰 Pakistan – ❌ Not self-drive destinations

Only try if you’re on a guided expedition. Roads and traffic are high-stress and not designed for independent travellers.

🔴 Central Asia – Adventure Territory

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan, 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan, 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan

⚠️ Scenic but remote. Possible if you’re doing a proper expedition with off-road 4×4 skills. Expect petrol shortages, mountain passes, and very few signs in English. Public transport is improving, but often informal.

🟠Middle East (Western Asia) – Roads of Gold… and Roads of Chaos

The Gulf states—UAE (Abu Dhabi + Dubai), Qatar (DOH), Bahrain (BAH), Oman (MCT)—are some of the best driving environments on the planet. Think immaculate highways, clear signage in English, modern petrol stations every 50 km, and superb rental infrastructure. Dubai, Doha, and Muscat practically expect you to rent a car if you plan to go beyond the city. Oman in particular is a road trip paradise, with desert dunes, wadis, and mountains that you can only truly explore with your own 4×4.

Do you need a car in Asia?

✅ Top 5 Places in Asia to Rent a Car

🇯🇵 Japan – beyond the cities
🇳🇦 Taiwan – world-class mountain roads
🇲🇾 Malaysia – smooth, modern highways
🇰🇷 South Korea – excellent for Jeju or countryside
🇲🇦 Northern Thailand – adventure without chaos

❌ Places You Definitely Shouldn’t

🇮🇳 India (stress and safety)
🇻🇳 Vietnam (chaos)
🇪🇬 Pakistan/Bangladesh (infrastructure and safety risks)
🇨🇳 Mainland China (bureaucratic and unnecessary)
🇵🇭 Manila (traffic dystopia)

✨ Final Takeaway

If the country has bullet trains, order and nature—drive.
If it has temples, tuk-tuks, and traffic that looks like a swirling reincarnation test—don’t drive.

Should You Hire a Car in Asia — or Not? Advice on this page has been written using Chat GPT, backed up by 20 years experience in the travel industry. This site is planned for full launch on 1st January 2026. Full terms, advice, FAQs, disclaimer etc to follow. UN flag is a placeholder