Walking is recognised as a beneficial mode commuting for its public health and the environmental advantages. A modal shift towards walking and other active transport modes is considered as a key to achieving sustainable urban development. Most existing research on the walking, active travel and physical activity comes from car-dependent urban contexts rather than motorcycle-dominated cities. This paper examines walking behaviour and perception in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (HCMC), an exemplary Asian megacity where daily commuting heavily relies on two-wheel vehicles. It discusses (1) Key characteristics of the walking environment that might be perceived as difficult or appealing by commuters in HCMC and (2) Reasons people opt for motorcycle riding over walking for short journeys.

The paper presents preliminary results on the factors influencing walking in a motorcycle-dependent city based on a mix-method research design spanning 680 surveys collected from site visits and online, and 13 in-depth interviews with experts, urban planning authorities and residents in HCMC. We identify a need to consider micro-scaled factors, especially thermal comfort, and socio-cultural influences to understand what affects walking perception and decisions to walk in developing Asian cities to achieve a more comprehensive walkability assessment.