cycle laos mahaxay-vilabury-xepon

[choudoufu]

will be bicycling from bangkok to nakhom phanom, then a bit of riding in laos
during the upcoming spring festival, jan-feb 2015. would like to get up into
the hills for a bit.

planning to ride lak sao-nakai-mahaxai. have read a few blogs on crazyguyonabike.
this part seems simple enough - some hills, some rough dirt, guesthouse in thaleung.

but i'm also considering continuing south from mahaxai-vilabury-xepon.
is this doable in jan/feb? is there any lodging along the way? i'd rather not carry a tent,
and it's not a one-day ride on a mountain bike.

i have the gt-rider map which shows 2 routes between panam and vilabury.
the northern route goes via bualapha, and the southern route via xaybuathong.

i've seen this post by moto-rex where he rides both routes over two days, staying in vilabury.

https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/showthread.php/36399-Thakhek-Vilabury-Thakhek-Loop

hoping to learn more........

--any more recent info, how are the roads and water crossings now?
--is there any lodging in bualapha or xaybuathong?
--any shops/stalls in villages along the way selling food or water?
--am i nuts to even want to try this on a bicycle?

any info would be appreciated!

 

[Javawa]

choudoufu;302732 wrote: will be bicycling from bangkok to nakhom phanom, then a bit of riding in laos
during the upcoming spring festival, jan-feb 2015. would like to get up into
the hills for a bit.

planning to ride lak sao-nakai-mahaxai. have read a few blogs on crazyguyonabike.
this part seems simple enough - some hills, some rough dirt, guesthouse in thaleung.

but i'm also considering continuing south from mahaxai-vilabury-xepon.
is this doable in jan/feb? is there any lodging along the way? i'd rather not carry a tent,
and it's not a one-day ride on a mountain bike.

i have the gt-rider map which shows 2 routes between panam and vilabury.
the northern route goes via bualapha, and the southern route via xaybuathong.

i've seen this post by moto-rex where he rides both routes over two days, staying in vilabury.

https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/showthread.php/36399-Thakhek-Vilabury-Thakhek-Loop

hoping to learn more........

--any more recent info, how are the roads and water crossings now?
--is there any lodging in bualapha or xaybuathong?
--any shops/stalls in villages along the way selling food or water?
--am i nuts to even want to try this on a bicycle?

any info would be appreciated!

Xaybouathong - the new Kopvilay GH on the main road (Rd. 1F) on the right side coming from the north
Boualapha - the Gin Duome Gh when you ride into town on your right hand side (at the market) and a bit further on (also on the right) the Government GH

Lak Xao to Gnommalath is good and on the south side it is now paved

Other areas - Haven't been there for a year or so and don't know the conditions of the road now after the rainy season (was good about a year go) but I plan to be there in a few weeks time and might be able to update the info after I get back