Pattaya - Laos (Bike) - Routes?

[IsaanFam]

Hi

 

I am going to take a ride on my motorbike from Pattaya to Laos this month and looking for some route ideas.

 

So far, my favorite because it looks like the best direct route while avoiding the BKK nightmare.

 

331 from Pattaya

304 through Prachin Buri

2 at Nahkon Ratchasima all the way to Udon.

 

Should be doable and all the roads are toll free as far as I see. I am riding a 900cc, any advise on how long this will take and how many stops I should see forward too? Basically, I enjoy 30min pauses every 2 hours and would probably max. drive 5-6 hours per day.

 

[chrissables]

If you have time and want to see some countryside try this. I have rode this route on my  PCX and  Versys.

 

331 - 304 north 

Turn towards Phanom Sarakham  and up the 3076 to Nakon Nayok leading to road 33  and a right on 3222 joining 3224 at Kaeng Khoi.

Continue north 2089 - 2275 to Phetchabun (you can also get on the 21 if you want a faster ride).

Overnight at Phetchabun. then north on 21. (take a detour up to Phu Hin Rong  Kla to ride the switchbacks, 2331 and back) Continue north on 203 - 2014 - 2114 to the Laos border, head east until Nong Khai. 

Far more fun than Korat - Udon - Nong Khai and great views.

[DonaldBattles]

Do not attempt to go to Luang Prabang entering Laos from Nan Province. The road is impossible and land slides.

[thaiguzzi]

34 minutes ago, chrissables said:

If you have time and want to see some countryside try this. I have rode this route on my  PCX and  Versys.

 

331 - 304 north 

Turn towards Phanom Sarakham  and up the 3076 to Nakon Nayok leading to road 33  and a right on 3222 joining 3224 at Kaeng Khoi.

Continue north 2089 - 2275 to Phetchabun (you can also get on the 21 if you want a faster ride).

Overnight at Phetchabun. then north on 21. (take a detour up to Phu Hin Rong  Kla to ride the switchbacks, 2331 and back) Continue north on 203 - 2014 - 2114 to the Laos border, head east until Nong Khai. 

Far more fun than Korat - Udon - Nong Khai and great views.

Yeah, concur, anything but the dreadful No. 2 from Korat ALL THE WAY to NK - absolute dreary motorway horribleness.

[chrissables]

5 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

Yeah, concur, anything but the dreadful No. 2 from Korat ALL THE WAY to NK - absolute dreary motorway horribleness.

I have done it in a day on my PCX 10 + hours of boredom! 

 

The route i suggested is slow, but far better.

[thaiguzzi]

9 minutes ago, chrissables said:

I have done it in a day on my PCX 10 + hours of boredom! 

 

The route i suggested is slow, but far better.

Chris, I don't even enjoy the No. 2 KK - UD on my 950cc Guzzi…, let alone Korat - UD...

[Kerryd]

The route is easily pretty easy but beware as it is the rainy season now and there could be issues with flooding in some areas. As well, even if there isn't flooding the roads can get quite messy with traffic coming from unpaved side roads (leaving lots of slick mud all over).
Ride with caution.

From Pattaya, it's about 665 kms to Nong Khai according to Google Maps (and where you actually start/stop). Easily doable in a day depending on your riding style and ability to navigate through traffic.
No tolls and the roads are pretty good (I just came down from Nong Khai in April, just before Songkran).
The section of the 304 in Prachin Buri that goes up through the mountain is a bit narrow, usually has construction work going on, and lots of slow moving traffic in the form of big trucks (up and down). 

There are gas stations all over but I don't know what your mileage is like (or your fuel capacity). The easiest thing to do is plot your route on Google Maps, then search for "PTT" (or whatever gas station you prefer) and check the distances. 
One the Harley, I know I can do at least 195km on a full tank at normal speeds so I usually plan my stops between 170-190 kms apart where possible.

Not sure if this will look right, but I've set a route in Google that I use, that has gas stations "starred" along the way (a lot of the other stars are for other routes, gas stations, hotels, return trips or points of interest). Sometime the gas station you use going one way isn't accessible when you are coming back.
https://www.google.co.th/maps/dir/12.9258079,100.9123856/17.8664983,102.7211482/@15.4718001,102.9036104,7.83z/data=!4m25!4m24!1m21!3m4!1m2!1d101.0552608!2d12.9705003!3s0x3102c190d62609ab:0xae49c2ba1b22c070!3m4!1m2!1d101.4851537!2d13.7390731!3s0x311ce5d5f0a3ed5b:0x71a14f081f6df7b6!3m4!1m2!1d101.7060584!2d13.9425346!3s0x311cf4cc545aebc9:0x80469c1b1bc82308!3m4!1m2!1d101.8469829!2d14.1130118!3s0x311c6460f8c0a447:0x8910f615d44d8448!4e1!1m0!3e0?hl=en
Basically I would start with a full tank (or fill in Amata if I'm under a full tank), then stop in Prachin Buri (170kms), Korat (190kms), Khon Kaen (130kms) and then Nong Khai (170kms).

Last December I was heading to Chiang Mai. Left Pattaya early in the morning and was in Khampaeng Phet (about 560 kms) just after lunch but could have been there earlier (major traffic jams in downtown Saraburi because I missed the bypass and got turned around in Lop Buri because of the monkeys and missing a turn on a roundabout). If I'd have pushed it, I could have made Chiang Mai (890 kms) but I wanted to stop in K.P. to visit some historic sites anyways. Took about 3 hours the next day to get into Chiang Mai. 

 

(Note, I don't ride like a "raped ape" and try to pass everyone else on the road. I also don't spend a lot of time at gas stations. On that trip to CM, the first two stations I stopped at all I did was fill the bike and then keep on riding. At the 3rd station I took a bathroom break and waited until I was in K.P. before having lunch. A lot of people I know will spend 30 minutes at every gas station and take 8 hours just to get to Khon Kaen which is barely 500kms away but between stops they drive like it's Death Race 2020 ! Counting breaks and traffic, I think I average about 90-95kms/hr, even though I try to do around 120 when the conditions are good. I like to leave early in the morning (like 5-5:30 am) so I can get out of the city (including Amata) before the traffic gets annoying.)
 

Edited August 6, 2018 by Kerryd

[Able]

Good advice given up above.

Avoid 2 road. It's not only boring it's in need of repair in a lot of stretches which makes for an uncomfortable ride.

The route taking you up via Phetchabun is well recommended. Remember that It's rainy season and you are very likely to get wet whatever route you take.

As suggested, stay over for the night and take a couple of days for the journey if you have the time available. Phetchabun is a stunning area to ride through, take your time an enjoy the views.

2 road is boring as anything on an MT10, I avoid it like the plague.

[Proboscis]

Not the best time of year to be driving a bike on the roads in Laos. In the rainy season, the road to Louang Prabang can get washed away but that is not your biggest problem, which is the lack of visibility and the lack of skills of the local drivers. I have driven in many parts of the world and the only place where I have been really frightened by the lack of care has been on the main roads in Laos. I used to drive a bike in Vietnam but I stick to a four wheel drive in Laos.

[NCC1701A]

interesting to read about other peoples riding styles for long distance.

I have a Kawasaki 650 VERSYS. I use google maps to locate and plan every stop so I don't split my attention from riding worrying about when or where to stop. And this divides the trip up into three or so parts which helps with making the sometimes boring or difficult trip seem shorter. I use bluetooth headphones so I can hear Miss Google maps telling me what to do. AIS has good coverage.  

 

The best system for me is to ride 100 kilometers or so and stop at a PTT and drink some water and rest for 15 minutes. 

I wear full riding gear so jumping into a air conditioned 7/11 is sort of important. This also helps me with staying alert on the road.

 

I fill my tank in the morning and so far I never needed to refill during the same day. 20.5 liter tank.

 

The maximum I would ride a day would be 400 kilometers. For me that would be a very long ride. There comes a point where I am tired and lose focus and that equals death in Thailand. Wow that sounds dramatic.

 

And yes Highway 2 is boring and sometime bumper to bumper. I rode from Hua Hin to Korat with my Thai girlfriend on the back during Songkran. We were sharing the margin with every car in Thailand. 

 

Radar loop:

http://weather.tmd.go.th/kknLoop.php

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2018 by NCC1701A

[Mangkhut]

Lately the only thai/lao border that let thai plated bikes into Laos is Chiang Khong/Huay Xai. The rest now requires a permit from Lao authorities and you need to be in a group of at least 5. 

[thecyclist]

Did it by bicycle taking the following route :Pattaya, Prachinburi through Khao Yai National Park to Pak Chong on to Chaiyaphum, Nong Bua Lampoo, Udon, Nongkhai. 

[DonaldBattles]

On 6/2/2018 at 4:43 PM, tomas557 said:

That must be either ages ago or very old stock. 3 litres of mont clair is now 1115 baht.

 

23 hours ago, Proboscis said:

Not the best time of year to be driving a bike on the roads in Laos. In the rainy season, the road to Louang Prabang can get washed away but that is not your biggest problem, which is the lack of visibility and the lack of skills of the local drivers. I have driven in many parts of the world and the only place where I have been really frightened by the lack of care has been on the main roads in Laos. I used to drive a bike in Vietnam but I stick to a four wheel drive in Laos.

 

I recently completed a 200km drive in Laos all of the roads are bad with big and deep pot holes filled with water. RECOMMEND YOU WAIT AND GO IN JAN. WHEN THE ROADS ARE BETTER. The 18 wheel Chinese trucks have destroyed the roads on the way to Vietnam.  The turn east at Luang Nam Tha. There are many of them. The Chinese cars also are all over the middle of the roads. A bad scene. However, I think that Luang Prabang is one of the most beautiful cities in Asia and well worth a 3 day visit. Remember this was the capital of French Indochina for 200 years.

[NCC1701A]

here is another radar loop that looks into Laos and Vietnam.

 

http://weather.tmd.go.th/sknLoop.php

 

 

 

 

[Briggsy]

On 8/6/2018 at 8:56 AM, DonaldBattles said:

Do not attempt to go to Luang Prabang entering Laos from Nan Province. The road is impossible and land slides.

Really I did this in 2015 and it was a good road, must have deteriorated. I rode Sri Racha - Loei - Saiyabouli - Luang Prabang - Udom Xai - Nan - Sri Racha.

 

I have taken my bike to Laos 4 times. The in-outs were Chong Mek - Chong Mek, Tha Li - Nan (above), Nong Khai - Beung Kan & Chong Mek - Mukdahan. I believe some of these places of entry may no longer be available for bikes or have more stringent conditions.

[DonaldBattles]

3 hours ago, DonaldBattles said:

 

 

I recently completed a 200km drive in Laos all of the roads are bad with big and deep pot holes filled with water. RECOMMEND YOU WAIT AND GO IN JAN. WHEN THE ROADS ARE BETTER. The 18 wheel Chinese trucks have destroyed the roads on the way to Vietnam.  The turn east at Luang Nam Tha. There are many of them. The Chinese cars also are all over the middle of the roads. A bad scene. However, I think that Luang Prabang is one of the most beautiful cities in Asia and well worth a 3 day visit. Remember this was the capital of French Indochina for 200 years.

Should have been 2000 km trip not 200. I started working in Laos in 1990 and fell in love with the wonderful people. I always enjoy visiting. I am fluent in Thai so it was not difficult to learn about 50 Lao words to communicate.