Road conditions Uttaradit - Nakhom Thai - Dan Sai - M. Loei - Nong Khai ?

**jimboy** · 23rd August 2011, 04:03 PM

I'm planning a trip over to Nong Khai next week. I would really appreciate a road report from someone local. Is the route over the mountains, from Dan Sai to Mueang Loei, passable at this time of year? Which way would you recommend to go from Uttaradit to Nong Khai? The routes through the national park areas look beautiful but are they passable on a sports bike during the rainy season?

Folks in Chiang Mai are telling me to put off the trip until after the rainy season. Only, I've got to spend a couple of weeks in Vientiane, and a throttle hand as itchy as chicken pox.

**sharpeyes** · 23rd August 2011, 09:33 PM

Hola. Ive just ridden my yamaha midnight star 1300 from vientianne to nakom phenom then up here to chiang mai. Via a few days at phu soi dao national park. Roads were superb. A bit wet at times. But no probs. Enjoy.

**jimboy** · 23rd August 2011, 09:41 PM

Sounds okay, then. That's encouraging. I was concerned the roads would be dangerously slippery and pot-holed.

I've got two more questions, if you don't mind. How long did it take you to cover the distance?

And, was fuel available roadside, or did you need to take a spare tank? I'm guessing my bike's range isn't going to be too good through the mountains.

**sharpeyes** · 23rd August 2011, 10:48 PM

Hola. Road conditions. Vary but in general roads were good. Re fuel. I generally look for for fuel approx every 100/ 120 klms and never had a problem at all even in national parks. I have a range of approx 200 klms then reserve. Enjoy. Gary.

**sharpeyes** · 23rd August 2011, 10:54 PM

Forgot. Re time taken. Difficult to say as i did come directly here had various overnight stops. Over two weeks. I would estimate. Two days. One overnight stop. Hope that helps. Gary.

**johngooding** · 24th August 2011, 07:44 AM

Chiang Mai, to Lampang, fill up at Shell station on No 11 leaving Lampang. Follow 11, fill up again at PTT after right turn when 101 becomes 11 again, start of new New carriageway, Den Chai area. Then pass Nakhon Thai, Dan Sai and fuel again at PTT, Phu Rhua.
Turn right bypassing Loei onto Wang Sappung and left to Udon. Several fuel stations on this stretch. Then just 56km North to Nong Khai. Total distance around 700km. All fast roads, mostly good surface, and very few damaged or potholed roads. Journey time for me between 8 and 9 hours including fuel and lunch stops, so can be done in 1 day. Loei is not such a bad place to stay if you wish to split it. While the roads do pass over some mountains, they are highways, not really steep and mostly easily negotiated bends, nothing like the Chiang Mai to Pai road.
Also apart from a couple of busy areas, such as around Lampang and Uttaradit, and after Wang Seppung, there is not much traffic. Altogether a pleasurable journey with some lovely countryside and views. If you do stop in Loei over night then you can take the river road (No 211) following the Mae Nam Khong river from Chiang Khan to Nong Khai, much slower than the Udon route, but beautiful; that road does have some surface damage, but is easily negotiated.
As you mentioned Nakhon Thai, I assumed you were not thinking of going from Uttaradit to Nam Pat, Na Heo and following the border road to Nong Khai. This does introduce some much smaller roads, some of which are in poorer condition, and would take much longer than the route above. Maybe better in the dryer season.