My road trip thru Nothern thailand, laos and Cambodia

[phuketrichard]

Finally finished going thru the 20 gig's of photos

Left phuket with my trusty Honda civic and traveled north to Bangkok-Mae Sot-Mae Sariang- Mae Hong Son-Chiang Dao than up along the Burmese border.
Fantastic scenery all along the way.

Very little traffic, for 2 days we passed less than 5 cars/day ( maybe 20-25 pick up trucks ) on these roads in an 8 hour day. Some of the roads are hard packed dirt an in places it is very steep.
From Chiang Dao- Wiang Haeng-Doi Ang Khong, Few roads we drove on i don't think they had ever seen a car on, across to Fang before ending the Thai part at Chiang Khong for the ferry across to Laos.

Some really super small roads an if u want to see the mtns in Thailand , this is the place to head

Laos
Took the ferry across to Ban Houay Sai- Luang Namtha-Luang Prabang ( i have done this route twice now an its beautiful, small villages an much of the time ur in the clouds and driving on the ridge tops). From LP took route 1 over to Phonsavan and the Plain of jars. If ur in Laos an have not been, go, unreal to see these jars, (especially site 3, were the jars are in the center of a cow field) also seeing the massive bombing conducted during the 60's. Back to Route 13 before a stop in Vang Vieng, Much nicer than the precious year as the town shuts down (all music must be off ) at 10 pm. Plenty of ok, inexpensive places to eat overlooking the river and great places to stay (we had a room for only $14/night overlooking the river) Much of the backpacker crowd has moved on ( no idea where but....) and the Chinese/Korean's have replaced them. Down to Vientiane for a few nights to revisit old places and take a rest.

Drove than down all the way to Surin for the night an next day entered Cambodia via Osmach ( the easy border to cross with ur car or motorcycle)
few days visiting friends and of course Angkor Wat again before heading down to Phnom Penh. Than it was off to Kep visiting GF's sister who lives there, very quiet ( ie boring) place hasn't changed much since i was first there in 2008.
back to PP an off to the gf's home in Svay Rieng

Back to Phnom Pehn than for a week watching the pre election rally's.
Off to Battambang - Pailin, where same as last time I over shot the Cambodian customs an immigration, (for some reason they just raise the pole and u drive thru) and ended up in Thailand with no exit stamp from Cambodia or entry stamp to Thailand, so had to back track, The border is very loosely run and controlled.
From there it was an easy run to spend the night in the hills after having the exhaust pipe fixed for 300 baht, before the next day heading to Hua Hin an than back to phuket

35 days 7,200 kms, car ran great and it was a wonderful trip.

You will have to click the link to see my Photos an hope you enjoy :-)

http://phuket.zenfolio.com/f475905242

PS; you will not find pics of food, beer bottles, hotel rooms/bathrooms, or bar girls :-)

[seasia]

Thanks, will look at your photos later,have seen some of your others before, very good.

[phuketrichard]

thanks for the great report and all the photos - you just missed us...! alt=clap2.gif>

Thanks

US?

where? :-)

[phuketrichard]

sorry, drove thru Pai an had lunch and left,

Hanging out in a town that is full of backpackers tourists is not what i enjoy.

Town has just gotten to much on the Banana pancake trail for me now

[craigt3365]

What an amazing experience. Would love to duplicate some day. I've done most of it before, but by public transport. Thanks for sharing!!!

Sent from my GT-N8013 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[theblether]

I've just gone through all your photos Richard, so intriguing. I kept going back and looking more deeply into many of them. I'd seen people talk of the Plain of Jars on another topic, that was the first I'd seen a photo. Excellent stuff and thanks very much.

[Paangjang]

Really enjoyed your photos. Thankyou. I did a similar trip a few months ago but didn't include Cambo. I think i've been to most of the places you covered on this trip. Out of the places you mentioned i would say my favorite town would be Chiang kong. I make weekend trips there sometimes. Another one of my favorite Mekong destinations is Tha Kaek, i guess that would of been a bit out of the way for your trip.

Which was your favorite town and why?

[phuketrichard]

Thank you all

I of course love everywhere ( i really enjoy Cambodia) , but northern Thailand was really unique,

want to head back up there an get further out

north of Doi Mae Salong up to Thoed Thai, Mae Moh, Mong Khao Lak; also want to explore the area north of Mae Suai towards Doi Chang

If only there was a sea up there, i would move, but am addicted to the sea here

Places i really liked in by country

Mae Sariang, Mae Hong Son, Doi Ang Khang ( amazing views), Chaing Khong,

Luang Prabang, Phonsavan, Vienatine,

Siem Rep, Phnom Penh, Kampot

Reasons are varied from great people to amazing scenery, Some places just feel right .

[Phronesis]

If only there was a sea up there, i would move, but am addicted to the sea here

My personal conundrum. If only there was a right hand reef break in the mountains near Phi.

[itchybum]

So you can drive into and through Cambo.....so many people in various threads saying no can do and such.

Care to tell of the paperwork required to enter and exit without hassle?

And any hassles on the road from police in Cambo with Thai plates ?

[onionluke]

The catholic cemetery in Laos looks very similar to Chinese graves I come across in Hong Kong , often up on hillsides. Thanks for sharing your excellent photos .

[Phronesis]

Richard

Thanks for posting the link to your photos. I have poured over all 20 Gig of them and, to my astonishment, noticed that there is not a single shot of a wild creature. Not one...despite 7500km and three countries.

Did you actual get any shots of wildlife (and didn't upload them) or should I assume that every living animal and insect North of Grung Thep has be captured and eaten?

[phuketrichard]

i saw birds, lizards and a few dead animals for sale alongside the road in Laos but that was it.( plus cows, chickens, ducks and dogs)

I think most everything has been eaten unless u get way back into the jungle

Care to tell of the paperwork required to enter and exit without hassle?

And any hassles on the road from police in Cambo with Thai plates ?

The Catholic cemetery was really cool as it was half catholic an half Chinese an i also though it looked like the one in HK. Its the only catholic cemetery i saw in laos

Every time i enter Cambodia, (6, 7 times now in past 5 years) i go in thru either Koh Kong ( from Trat) or via O'smach (south of surin.)

Legally ur supposed to get permission in advance form Phnom Penh but i never have and never had any trouble.

They will not let ur car in at Poi Pet or Palin, no trouble exiting there thou

If u enter at koh kong they take your Thai export papers and also charge u 100 baht /day ur tell them how long going to stay.

If u enter at Osmach there is never any problem.

Last years i went ( did just abut the same trip but went a few different places ( http://phuket.zenfolio.com/p408083573 ) and was stopped once in Laos for speeding ( cost me $5) and once in Shinoukville for running a red light an had to pay $20.

this trip was never stopped anywhere. And the only thing with Thai plates u get is people asking if i was from Thailand :-)

[itchybum]

i saw birds, lizards and a few dead animals for sale alongside the road in Laos but that was it.( plus cows, chickens, ducks and dogs)

I think most everything has been eaten unless u get way back into the jungle

Care to tell of the paperwork required to enter and exit without hassle?

And any hassles on the road from police in Cambo with Thai plates ?

The Catholic cemetery was really cool as it was half catholic an half Chinese an i also though it looked like the one in HK. Its the only catholic cemetery i saw in laos

Every time i enter Cambodia, (6, 7 times now in past 5 years) i go in thru either Koh Kong ( from Trat) or via O'smach (south of surin.)

Legally ur supposed to get permission in advance form Phnom Penh but i never have and never had any trouble.

They will not let ur car in at Poi Pet or Palin, no trouble exiting there thou

If u enter at koh kong they take your Thai export papers and also charge u 100 baht /day ur tell them how long going to stay.

If u enter at Osmach there is never any problem.

Last years i went ( did just abut the same trip but went a few different places ( http://phuket.zenfolio.com/p408083573 ) and was stopped once in Laos for speeding ( cost me $5) and once in Shinoukville for running a red light an had to pay $20.

this trip was never stopped anywhere. And the only thing with Thai plates u get is people asking if i was from Thailand :-)

Thanks, great first hand info.

I want to drive to Angkor some time soon.

[anotheruser]

sorry, drove thru Pai an had lunch and left,

Hanging out in a town that is full of backpackers tourists is not what i enjoy.

Town has just gotten to much on the Banana pancake trail for me now

Yet you somehow live in and enjoy Phuket?

[phuketrichard]

yep, kamala where 85% of the people that live here were born here, still has a small town feel

Never see backpackers here at all. they head to kata, chalong and Patong

[angiud]

Amazing trip and beautiful pictures Richard.

I will go one week on the mountains around Fang in November, will be wonderful!

[phuketrichard]

Thanks :-)

BTW; this is the trip done last year, many of the same places but diferent photos, and some other ones as well ( like Banteay Chhmer in Cambodia, a beautiful seldom visited temple), Koh Ker, Preah Vihear, and the floating village of Kampong Phluk on the Tonle sap lake,.. http://phuket.zenfolio.com/p408083573

West of Fang is amazing!!! take the road that hugs the border

Edited September 17, 2013 by phuketrichard

[angiud]

I'll explore West of Fang, for one week, base here.

[phuketrichard]

see if u can get from Fang heading west to Nong Tao an than head north all along Burma to Pang San Khrua back to Mai Ai

ON the gt riders map says very steep/dangerous re u on a bike or car??

Make sure u go to Doi Ang Khong, fantastic views

[angiud]

We'll go with a 4x4 SUV, looking for altitude butterflies mostly (yes I know...). But nature, animals, people, views too. Early November.