Muang Sing---Xieng Kok---Muang Sing. Update Jan 2009.

Moto-Rex

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Muang Sing---Xieng Kok---Muang Sing

This is not a bad easy day ride from Muang Sing to Xieng Kok and back.
The mad muppets have ridden this area in more detail, and were a little more adventurous than me, but on my own and not having a GPS, I decided just to stick to the main road.

Just out town the tar turns to dirt and heads south to Xieng Kok 75km away.
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Hard packed dirt soon turns to sloppy mud, and this many sections like this.
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The road cuts through a beautiful valley with many banana plantations along the way.
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Theres many villages, but you dont see too many people, and when you do there not keen on having there photos taken.

Villages.
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I dont know how the locals get by in the wet season, this road must be a nightmare on a honda dream carrying two 30 kilo bags of rice.
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Arrived in Xieng Kok after a little slipping and sliding.
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Xieng Kok is located right on the mighty Mekong. I spoke to a boat operator who said you can take a boat to Xieng Dao about 40km down river. From there you can simply ride down to Houei Xai, without going all the way around by tar road. Could make a great loop.

Looking over to Burma, the river looks great here.
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All in all, it was a good day ride, and will explore some of the smaller tracks when I get a GPS.
I stayed in the Sing Cha Lean hotel, 50,000 a night, good value, secure parking and very clean.
They don't mind muddy boots and muddy blokes.

The Sing Cha Lean hotel.
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Muddy boots, no worries.
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Next day headed to Luang Namtha. Its a short 60km ride on a narrow tar road with stunning scenery.
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They where cleaning up a land slide which had happened 2 days before.
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I took this photo on the way to Muang Sing. This is the same landslide a few hours after it happened. Must have been a ripper, because it took all the power lines down on the other side of the road.
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These kids run the local 7/11 on the way.
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Arrived in Luang Namtra hungry, and headed to Manychan which was closed for lunch.....Marychan is a restaurant. :shock:
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Cheers Moto-Rex
 
Oct 12, 2005
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Great roads up there Rex. Thanks for posting and bringing back loads of memories for me. Lucky bugger you're back to Laos tomorrow for more riding. You sure know how to make your fellow GT-riders jealous. Good on you!!
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Rex, beautiful pictures and great report !! How did your KLX perform until now ?? What about fuel, how far can you go on one fill ? Cheers, Franz
 

KenYam

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Nov 2, 2007
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Top report and photo's, the roads, the roads, shit I definately brought the wrong bike to see Loas. I suppose bike hire there is pretty basic ?
 

Moto-Rex

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Gday KenYam, theres plenty of off road bikes for rent in chiang mai that you could take up to laos for a trip.
 

Auke

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Nov 10, 2003
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The trip from Huay Xai to Xieng Dao and on to Xieng Khok has been done before. According to the people who did it, it was not very difficult although it was not easy to find a boat in Xieng Dao to bring them up river. They were dropped of about halfway between Xieng Dao and Xieng Dok and then had to find their way to Xieng Khok. The screen shot of the GPS map for that area shows the track taken although the last part to Xieng Khok is difficult to see as the trail is close to the river.

XiengKoktoXiengDao.jpg
 
Jul 19, 2008
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Anyone done the Xieng Kok - Muang Sing road during dry season (late Feb)? I plan to take a mountain bike (bicycle) this way next month. Am I likely to encounter shite stretches of road like some of the above photos? Thanks.
 

Moto-Rex

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captain_bob wrote: Anyone done the Xieng Kok - Muang Sing road during dry season (late Feb)? I plan to take a mountain bike (bicycle) this way next month. Am I likely to encounter shite stretches of road like some of the above photos? Thanks.
Gday Captain Bob.
I just did the road about an hour ago and its nothing like the photos above right now.
Its been graded and is now dry and very dusty with some sections being 6 inches in bull dust. Also pretty rocky and rough.
I think you would have no problems at all on a mountian bike, as I seen a guy today on a normal bike having no trouble.
The farmers have been planting new crops so when you go in feb it should look great.
I took a few photos and will post them when I get back in 2 weeks.
 

Moto-Rex

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Update Jan 2009.

Here a few pictures from are recent ride from Xeing Kok to Muang Sing I did late January 2009.

There's no muddy spots anymore, just lots of dust.
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Even with all the dirt and dust in the air, these girls still manage to look a treat.
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Half way to Muang Sing is the small town of Nam Dai which translates to City of many pumpkins.
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City of pumpkins, what a place for Halloween.
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But there's more to Nam Dai than just pumpkins.
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Lots of greenery, even in the dry season.
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Rex.
 
Mar 15, 2003
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Moto-Rex wrote: [quote quote=captain_bob:wzhlulvo]Anyone done the Xieng Kok - Muang Sing road during dry season (late Feb)? I plan to take a mountain bike (bicycle) this way next month. Am I likely to encounter shite stretches of road like some of the above photos? Thanks.
Gday Captain Bob.
I just did the road about an hour ago and its nothing like the photos above right now.
Its been graded and is now dry and very dusty with some sections being 6 inches in bull dust. Also pretty rocky and rough.
I think you would have no problems at all on a mountian bike, as I seen a guy today on a normal bike having no trouble.
The farmers have been planting new crops so when you go in feb it should look great.
I took a few photos and will post them when I get back in 2 weeks.[/quote:wzhlulvo]

I second what Rex said. The road is now mostly like this;

NLaos70.jpg


Also very bumpy with many stones and rocks.
 
Jul 19, 2008
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Thanks a bunch for the road updates. I'm now taking a 110cc Suzuki Smash instead for my Laos trip (bought in Chiang Mai for 19,000 baht, fitted with knobbies and spares - Leo-spotted seat cover optional). Leaving tomorrow. Probably go that Huay Xai - Xieng Dao track first and hope to make Xieng Khok same day (secret trail or chuck it on a boat). Should be interesting =)

smash001a.jpg
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DavidFL

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captain_bob wrote: Thanks a bunch for the road updates. I'm now taking a 110cc Suzuki Smash instead for my Laos trip (bought in Chiang Mai for 19,000 baht, fitted with knobbies and spares - Leo-spotted seat cover optional). Leaving tomorrow. Probably go that Huay Xai - Xieng Dao track first and hope to make Xieng Khok same day (secret trail or chuck it on a boat). Should be interesting =)
Captain Bob
How's it going? You still alive & out there riding "The Smash" ok?