Huai Meng waterfall and bridge over the Kong

ianyonok

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Dec 9, 2008
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Out and about yesterday to check a few places out....

On the way to a waterfall near Bahn Saew (between Chiang Saen and Chiang Khong), I came across this sign near a big new road under construction. Several parts of the countryside have been cleared for this new road, including chewing right through hills etc. So 14.5 klms of 4 lane highway to connect the 1129 at Bahn Saew to the 1098 near Tha Kho Bong. With the new bridge at Chiang Khong, a quick route is being constructed for traffic from / to Chiang Rai. So, more roadworks to come, including the lovely section alongside the Kong from Huai Yen to Chiang Khong. It will be sad to lose that nice quiet road.

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Some nice tracks to follow after the waterfall near Huay Nam Yen on 4037.

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Then after checking out a couple of forest parks, I tried to find a shortcut over the mountain from Bahn Khiu Kham to Chiang Khong, but after falling off, trying to get up a rather steep slope with loose wet stones, I went back to the road. I'll try that later when it's dry and I have company..
So, next it was off to Huai Meng waterfall. You can't miss this sign when coming north from Chiang Khong.

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I'd tried to get to this waterfall before on a road bike, but not possible. It was fine on the dirt bike, 6.5 klms from the main road. No-one around and right out in the jungle. All the paths were overgrown, so I climbed through the river and waterfall to check it out. I'd been rained on, so already wet.

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This waterfall drops about 20m over a long series of cataracts. Then I came to this face and climbed up to the top. Not particularly high at about 10m but just great when there is no-one around......

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View from the top

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No leeches around because this a limestone rock area. But I kept away from these furry fellas.

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ancient dinning table and chairs..?

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After coming back to the main road I went down through Chiang Khong and checked out progress on the bridge. It is due to open on the auspicious day of 12/12/2012. I doubt it will be fully operational by then, but they will have to have the ceremony with a date like that...
The approach road.

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This will be the Immigration and Customs checkpoint we'll all be going through to get on the bridge.

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This nearly made me fall off the bike laughing. Just typically Thailand. Cruising down a good condition small road near the bridge at about 40 kph and without warning I get to this........ would have been a soft landing anyway......

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Then 1st gear paddled my way back to the main road through several klms of slippery, sticky, tiring, red mud, in the rain. Good exercise is dirt biking....
This is the new bridge over the Kham river, just south of Chiang Khong, should be finished this year. Another bridge, about the same, over the Kham, is being built just west of Chiang Saen and will be the last part of the new road from Mae Chan to be finished, in a few months.

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It rained a lot during the day, so by the time I got back, I think I had trenchfoot.....

Another great day out..........

Best wishes
Ian
 
Jul 25, 2010
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Well done Ian. I did a 420 K loop around CNX on Sunday just for a little romp and managed to stay dry all day. Such is the luck of the draw.
 
Jan 9, 2011
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Thank for share Ian.
Never been thinking of any signboard with such accuracy measurement, :geek1: 6.515km :

ianyonok;280532 wrote:

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I'd tried to get to this waterfall before on a road bike, but not possible. It was fine on the dirt bike, 6.5 klms from the main road.