[8D]
We entered Lao at Voeun Khan on Jan. 12, 2006 with 4 bikes (250 cc). After visiting the 4000 Phan Don, we crossed the Mekong to the West side at Ban Hua Kong at the West side of Don Khong island. From there, we followed small road through Mounlapamok, Soukhouma, visited the Wat Pou at Champassak. This is much more interesting than just driving crazy all the way from border to Pakse on # 13. Two friends who flied from the US, joined us in Pakse after driving rented bike during 2 days the whole way from Vientiane on # 13!
SALAVAN - ROUTE 9 / XEPON
From Salavan, going North to connect with Road # 9 there are 2 options:
(1) ROUTE 23: This trip requests a minimum of motorbike skill and can be done in one day. There are 2 major river crossings, where American planes have bombed big concrete bridges in the past. (Thanks to them, they didn't support reconstruction cost yet!!). Scenery of those collapsed bridges is spectacular.
The first crossing can be made easily in dry season driving the bike East of the bridge. For those too lazy to get feet wet, crossing in small boat cost 5000 Kips.
The second crossing, on the Xe Banghiang river, is impossible through the water. As there is no other option than crossing on small narrow boat, price has to be negotiated. Boat man request 300 Bahts per big bike, but can be cut down to 200 bahts. It is much secure to lay down the bike over the small boat, as there is story the big bike ever dropped in the river!! After river crossing, the road North of Tat Hai, is now very good up to Phim on road # 9.
(2) ROUTE 15: going from Salavan to Tahoy (not on GT-Rider map: please David correct). Should be close to Tapung on GT-Rider map). We didn't take that road, as we didn't know about possibility to continue up to Dong, West of Xephon.
XEPON
Later on, once arrived in Xephon via road # 23, we went to Dong, where we found a large road under construction going South. Engineer building road said this road is going up to Tahoy; work is already well advanced. This will be at least a good laterite road crossing great scenery. As we can see, little known OFF road are already up-graded before we have the time to enjoy them!! So, I believe that connection from Salavan to Dong by road 15 should not be too difficult.
XEPON / ROUTE 9 - ROUTE 12
Connecting road #9 with road #12 in central hill land Lao:
This is a real nice trip, passing through areas, which it seems, have never seen a "farang" before and neither big bike. (report from villagers??)
The crossing is quite challenging from the Silabury gold mine area until Xay Boua Thong, which is a new administrative district town (not on GT-Rider map: please David correct), just 2 Km, North of the small village of Nongthat village (which is on GT-Rider map).
From #9, take the direction of Silabury Gold mine at the intersection in Nabo village, just a few Km. West of Xephon.
Vincent, the French guy leaving there, who supplies the gold mine with food plans to re-open his "Bar Beer Dokkeo Gaillard" in the future he said. Vilabury is 42 Km North on a nice dirt road.
VILABOURY - XAY BOUA THONG
There is a major checkpoint at the gate of the city gold mine. Just explain that you go North up to Mahaxai and they will let you go.
Fill up gas here in the town and continue the road to the North. 10 Km out of town, turn right at the intersection in middle of rice field. There is only one house at the right corner and continue a few km until Masou village. There is a store in the village (drink and gas, but stock was empty) and just at the store make a sharp left turn. Don't continue the main "road' on the right of the store, which return to Vilabury (?).
3 Km after Masou village, is Non Dip village, just a few houses there. Just after a house in this very small village, there is a dirt road on the left, where there is a board (not very visible) with the mention of Xay Boua Thong. The road continues in a forest area and reaches the village Ban Say Boua Thong. There is a long school building in a field, which you leave on your left and you continue the way following the big hill on the right until Ban Pakhat.
The road continues in beautiful scenery until Ban Naphoa, and then reaches the bigger village of Phut Nadi, where gas is available.
The next 10 Km may be difficult for inexperienced rider as there are several sections with deep sand here.
Finally, the road reaches Nong That where the small road connects with a big laterite road. Here turn to the right and Xay Boua Thong is just 2 km away. There is a government guesthouse in the district office. Very basic comfort.
XAY BOUA THONG - ROUTE 12.
From here, just continue the good laterite road going North for 45 Km through Mahaxai (which in fact is ON road #12 and not a few Km South as on GT-Rider map) until connecting with road # 12.
It is possible to make the connection in one day for good riders. Other will have to spend the night in Xay Boua Thong.
It is interesting to continue North up to road # 8. Roads connecting road # 12 to # 8 are much better off than roads in the Southern part of the trip. Those roads are now upgraded and will be concrete road soon (please David correct the map). There are major construction works along those roads for the huge Nam Theun 2 dam, which is built in the hills. It is possible to make a nice trip going up hills on the way to the dam, very nice scenery.
Construction of new bridge North of Nakai is just completed, so no more problem to cross the Nam Theun river.
http://lrally.photosite.com/Album1/101_DSC02928.html
KONG LOR CAVE
Road # 8 from Nam Phao to Vieng Kham is beautifull. Visit to the 7 Km long cave of "Tham Lot Kong Lo", which the Nam Hin flows, is a must. There are 40 Km of dirt road from Ban Na Hin (= Khoun Khan) on road # 8 to the cave. "Unfortunalely, this beautifull dirt road up to Ban Kong Lo near the cave will be up-graded soon. Even this remote village is connected to electricity!!
Can make the 2 x 7 km trip a small boat through the cave. No problem to find accommodation in village house. They offer full boarding with food for 5$ per day.
Back to road #13, at Vieng Kham, we continued up to Vientiane. Then crossed Thailand from Nong Khai, Udon, Surin and re-entered Cambodia at O'Smach. Thus is too much good tarmac roads. We were happy to find the dirt road from the border up to Siem Reap.
Total riding from P. Penh back to P. Penh was 3,300 Km in 2 weeks. I will recommend next time to put the bike on bus from Pakse up to Vientiane, then explore the Phonsavan area.
We still don't know if the connection from Paksan to Phonsavan is possible and "authorized" by the Lao authorities?
I has been working in Laos (Pakse) in 1994-95, then moved to Cambodia. Ten years later, I found Laos much better off that Cambodia today, while in the 90s both countries were about in the same mess!
We were surprised to find most of lao villages, even in rural remote area with electricity and the development of national road is much better in Laos as well.
The density of Land Cruisers by Km of street is much lower in Vientiane than in P. Penh. This may be a good indicator to explain the better development of Laos!!
By Philippe
pH
(Note from David: Excellent report Philippe. I've tweaked it a bit so it is easier to follow. Hope you don't mind.)
We entered Lao at Voeun Khan on Jan. 12, 2006 with 4 bikes (250 cc). After visiting the 4000 Phan Don, we crossed the Mekong to the West side at Ban Hua Kong at the West side of Don Khong island. From there, we followed small road through Mounlapamok, Soukhouma, visited the Wat Pou at Champassak. This is much more interesting than just driving crazy all the way from border to Pakse on # 13. Two friends who flied from the US, joined us in Pakse after driving rented bike during 2 days the whole way from Vientiane on # 13!
SALAVAN - ROUTE 9 / XEPON
From Salavan, going North to connect with Road # 9 there are 2 options:
(1) ROUTE 23: This trip requests a minimum of motorbike skill and can be done in one day. There are 2 major river crossings, where American planes have bombed big concrete bridges in the past. (Thanks to them, they didn't support reconstruction cost yet!!). Scenery of those collapsed bridges is spectacular.
The first crossing can be made easily in dry season driving the bike East of the bridge. For those too lazy to get feet wet, crossing in small boat cost 5000 Kips.
The second crossing, on the Xe Banghiang river, is impossible through the water. As there is no other option than crossing on small narrow boat, price has to be negotiated. Boat man request 300 Bahts per big bike, but can be cut down to 200 bahts. It is much secure to lay down the bike over the small boat, as there is story the big bike ever dropped in the river!! After river crossing, the road North of Tat Hai, is now very good up to Phim on road # 9.
(2) ROUTE 15: going from Salavan to Tahoy (not on GT-Rider map: please David correct). Should be close to Tapung on GT-Rider map). We didn't take that road, as we didn't know about possibility to continue up to Dong, West of Xephon.
XEPON
Later on, once arrived in Xephon via road # 23, we went to Dong, where we found a large road under construction going South. Engineer building road said this road is going up to Tahoy; work is already well advanced. This will be at least a good laterite road crossing great scenery. As we can see, little known OFF road are already up-graded before we have the time to enjoy them!! So, I believe that connection from Salavan to Dong by road 15 should not be too difficult.
XEPON / ROUTE 9 - ROUTE 12
Connecting road #9 with road #12 in central hill land Lao:
This is a real nice trip, passing through areas, which it seems, have never seen a "farang" before and neither big bike. (report from villagers??)
The crossing is quite challenging from the Silabury gold mine area until Xay Boua Thong, which is a new administrative district town (not on GT-Rider map: please David correct), just 2 Km, North of the small village of Nongthat village (which is on GT-Rider map).
From #9, take the direction of Silabury Gold mine at the intersection in Nabo village, just a few Km. West of Xephon.
Vincent, the French guy leaving there, who supplies the gold mine with food plans to re-open his "Bar Beer Dokkeo Gaillard" in the future he said. Vilabury is 42 Km North on a nice dirt road.
VILABOURY - XAY BOUA THONG
There is a major checkpoint at the gate of the city gold mine. Just explain that you go North up to Mahaxai and they will let you go.
Fill up gas here in the town and continue the road to the North. 10 Km out of town, turn right at the intersection in middle of rice field. There is only one house at the right corner and continue a few km until Masou village. There is a store in the village (drink and gas, but stock was empty) and just at the store make a sharp left turn. Don't continue the main "road' on the right of the store, which return to Vilabury (?).
3 Km after Masou village, is Non Dip village, just a few houses there. Just after a house in this very small village, there is a dirt road on the left, where there is a board (not very visible) with the mention of Xay Boua Thong. The road continues in a forest area and reaches the village Ban Say Boua Thong. There is a long school building in a field, which you leave on your left and you continue the way following the big hill on the right until Ban Pakhat.
The road continues in beautiful scenery until Ban Naphoa, and then reaches the bigger village of Phut Nadi, where gas is available.
The next 10 Km may be difficult for inexperienced rider as there are several sections with deep sand here.
Finally, the road reaches Nong That where the small road connects with a big laterite road. Here turn to the right and Xay Boua Thong is just 2 km away. There is a government guesthouse in the district office. Very basic comfort.
XAY BOUA THONG - ROUTE 12.
From here, just continue the good laterite road going North for 45 Km through Mahaxai (which in fact is ON road #12 and not a few Km South as on GT-Rider map) until connecting with road # 12.
It is possible to make the connection in one day for good riders. Other will have to spend the night in Xay Boua Thong.
It is interesting to continue North up to road # 8. Roads connecting road # 12 to # 8 are much better off than roads in the Southern part of the trip. Those roads are now upgraded and will be concrete road soon (please David correct the map). There are major construction works along those roads for the huge Nam Theun 2 dam, which is built in the hills. It is possible to make a nice trip going up hills on the way to the dam, very nice scenery.
Construction of new bridge North of Nakai is just completed, so no more problem to cross the Nam Theun river.
http://lrally.photosite.com/Album1/101_DSC02928.html
KONG LOR CAVE
Road # 8 from Nam Phao to Vieng Kham is beautifull. Visit to the 7 Km long cave of "Tham Lot Kong Lo", which the Nam Hin flows, is a must. There are 40 Km of dirt road from Ban Na Hin (= Khoun Khan) on road # 8 to the cave. "Unfortunalely, this beautifull dirt road up to Ban Kong Lo near the cave will be up-graded soon. Even this remote village is connected to electricity!!
Can make the 2 x 7 km trip a small boat through the cave. No problem to find accommodation in village house. They offer full boarding with food for 5$ per day.
Back to road #13, at Vieng Kham, we continued up to Vientiane. Then crossed Thailand from Nong Khai, Udon, Surin and re-entered Cambodia at O'Smach. Thus is too much good tarmac roads. We were happy to find the dirt road from the border up to Siem Reap.
Total riding from P. Penh back to P. Penh was 3,300 Km in 2 weeks. I will recommend next time to put the bike on bus from Pakse up to Vientiane, then explore the Phonsavan area.
We still don't know if the connection from Paksan to Phonsavan is possible and "authorized" by the Lao authorities?
I has been working in Laos (Pakse) in 1994-95, then moved to Cambodia. Ten years later, I found Laos much better off that Cambodia today, while in the 90s both countries were about in the same mess!
We were surprised to find most of lao villages, even in rural remote area with electricity and the development of national road is much better in Laos as well.
The density of Land Cruisers by Km of street is much lower in Vientiane than in P. Penh. This may be a good indicator to explain the better development of Laos!!
By Philippe
pH
(Note from David: Excellent report Philippe. I've tweaked it a bit so it is easier to follow. Hope you don't mind.)