I am trying to plan a bike trip in Northern Laos and am looking for possible itineraries that can be done within one week (Sat-Sun); start and finish in Vientiane or a trip starting in Vientiane and then dropping the bikes off in Luang Prabang, Udomxai or any other place that has an aiport.
look forward to seeing suggested routes
Previous trip for sharing:
Southern Laos
Day 1: Vientiane - Vieng Kham (a long day of tarmac trying to get to more remote and interesting areas);
Day 2: Vieng Kham - Nyomalat or Mahaxai (pleasant flat roads through karst mountains, apparently known as 'the loop');
Day 3: Nyomalat - Muang Phin/Sepon (a long, but doable ride over jungle paths; might be difficult in the rainy season); alternative: Nyomalat to Savannakhet
Day 4: Sepon-Tahoy (Long and somewhat unpredictable jungle ride; halfway is a town called Nong; wise to not try to push for Tahoy if you are not in Nong before lunchtime); alternative:Muang Phin - Toumlam/Salavan
Day 5: Tahoy-Salavan/Sekong (jungle, difficult when raining and presumably not recommended in the rainy season, Salavan-Sekong (tarmac) will take around 3 hours)
Day 6: Salavan/Sekong - Attapeu (can be done over tarmac or dirt road); or
Day 6: Salavan/Sekong - Champasak (going straight west: tarmac; gliding roads to Wat Phu; loop (easier when already in Sekong): beautiful mixture of tarmac, easy jungle and dirt roads over the Boloven Plateau. cross the mekong by boat at Champasak);
Day 7: (i) Attapeu - Pakse; (can be done over tarmac or dirt; the dirt road is virtually impassable during the rainy season); (ii) Champasak - Pakse (plenty of time to visit What Phu before heading to Pakse; drop off bikes in Pakse)
look forward to seeing suggested routes
Previous trip for sharing:
Southern Laos
Day 1: Vientiane - Vieng Kham (a long day of tarmac trying to get to more remote and interesting areas);
Day 2: Vieng Kham - Nyomalat or Mahaxai (pleasant flat roads through karst mountains, apparently known as 'the loop');
Day 3: Nyomalat - Muang Phin/Sepon (a long, but doable ride over jungle paths; might be difficult in the rainy season); alternative: Nyomalat to Savannakhet
Day 4: Sepon-Tahoy (Long and somewhat unpredictable jungle ride; halfway is a town called Nong; wise to not try to push for Tahoy if you are not in Nong before lunchtime); alternative:Muang Phin - Toumlam/Salavan
Day 5: Tahoy-Salavan/Sekong (jungle, difficult when raining and presumably not recommended in the rainy season, Salavan-Sekong (tarmac) will take around 3 hours)
Day 6: Salavan/Sekong - Attapeu (can be done over tarmac or dirt road); or
Day 6: Salavan/Sekong - Champasak (going straight west: tarmac; gliding roads to Wat Phu; loop (easier when already in Sekong): beautiful mixture of tarmac, easy jungle and dirt roads over the Boloven Plateau. cross the mekong by boat at Champasak);
Day 7: (i) Attapeu - Pakse; (can be done over tarmac or dirt; the dirt road is virtually impassable during the rainy season); (ii) Champasak - Pakse (plenty of time to visit What Phu before heading to Pakse; drop off bikes in Pakse)