Preparing a journey Lao & Thailand ,

[Assurancetourix]

Next november, we will be two cyclists to make , I think and I hope, a beautiful journey with our MTB beginning and finishing in Sawang Daen Din in Sakon Nakhon province ;

Our journey will be about 25 days ; 17 days in Lao and 8 in Thailand .

We will go to Nong Khai ,

cross the Mae Nam Khong , Vientiane , Vang Vieng , Kasi, Phou Khoun Phonsavan ( Plain of Jars ) , Phou Khoun , Luang Prabang , Pak Nga , Oudom Xai , Boten ( want to see the chinese border ) , ( ( route 3 ) Luang Namtha , Vieng Phoukha , Houei Xai , where we will come back to Thailand ;

Chiang Khong , ( route 1174 ); maybe going to Phaya Meng Rai where an illustre TV member is living ...

After, in Thailand we have many options to comme back to I-San..

But I think the best route is this one

Chun, Pong , Chiang Muan , Song , Phrae , Uttaradit , Chat Trakan , Nakhon Thai , Dan Sai , Phu Ruea , Loei , Wang Saphung , Nong Bua Lamphu , Udon Thani , Sawang ...

From Phrae to Sawang it's a route I know very well I did it many times with my truck and also my MTB .

I need some informations about lao country because it's a too long time I didn't went there and also I went to Luang Prabang by plane, so I don't know the roads except some in Xayabouri province but we will not go there .

I think we can cycle between 80 and 120 kilometers each day

For example

Vientiane to Hin Hoeup ( route 13 ) ;about 95 km

Hin Hoeup -- Kasi ( we will not stop a Vang Vien ) 124 km

Kasi -- Nam Ming 115 km

Nam Ming -- Luang Prabang 55 km

One day and a half rest and visit the town ;

and so on ...

I don't ask you if it's feasable or not; I cycle more than 1.000 km each month since six years in Thailand ;

I'm asking you about accomodations GH, Resorts , in Lao ; not expensive , all along our route .

Our budget is maximum 1.000 baht a day for GH and meals and water for two people .

In Thailand it's possible ;I did it many times ; so I hope it's also possibble in Lao .

[CNXBKKMAN]

The crazyguyonabike website has lots of journals by people who have cycled a lot if not all of what you are doing. You should be able to get some good info.

[el jefe]

I've done most of what you've done in my dozen bike trips to Laos over the years, though I didn't stay in every town you have listed.

In general, guest houses in Laos are not as good a value as in Thailand, especially the cheaper ones. And in the smaller towns where there are very few options, the value is especially poor. But your budget is OK as long as you don't mind paying as much as 400 baht for a room in a guest house with a shared bathroom (and I'm sure you know you won't get an air conditioner). Food is also a little more expensive in Laos than in Thailand. But, if you eat breakfast and lunch in noodle shops and don't buy expensive snacks, you'll have enough money left over for a couple of beers with dinner.

Have a great trip!

[rebo]

Have a look at warmshowers.org.
Accomodation in Lao can become difficult since more and more Chinese tourists travel in their own cars.
Last year it happend some times that an accommodation was fully occupied at 03:00 pm, the next possible "hotel" I arrived at 05:00 pm was also full, so I had to spend the night in a paddy field hut.
After the second time I changed my timing system: Started cycling at sunrise to finish my 100 ... 130 km shortly after noon ...

[Assurancetourix]

@CNXBKKMAN ; I went there and don't understand how this website works..

@rebo I'm a member at warmshowers.org;

I received to or three demand for people cycling in Thailand; I gave my address, my phone number but nobody phoned to me ;

Maybe because I'm living in the countryside, not along a main road ..

About cycling, it's better to begin when the sun arise and finish at about noon ; so we have enough time for washing our clothes and have a little rest ..

@el jefe , you are right ; I don't like airco , only a fan and maybe in november in the north of Lao we will not have the need of a fan .

I'm leaving in a little village in E-San since eight years, I eat only E-San or thai food .

Thank you my friends for your answers .

[CNXBKKMAN]

Crazyguyonabike.com is a great website for touring cyclists. People write online journals of their trips just about everywhere in the world. Some of the journals are well written and a pleasure to read with great photos.

First go to the main page of the website . Towards the top left hand side, very close to "HOME"you see "journals".

Click on journals and all the latest updated journals come up. In the search box type in "laos" enter. Lots of Lao and Northern Thailand journals will pop. Read them at your leisure. Should get lots of good info

Actually just googling "crazyguyonabike journals". Should get you on the right page. Pop "laos" in the search box.

[CNXBKKMAN]

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=13197

Hope this link works? There are pages and pages of peoples tours in Laos. Above link should link is just one of them.

[MJKT2014]

It's been a while since I was in Laos, but we found finding accommodation difficult at times. We often ended in temple grounds, or the local village office compounds that were offered us free after talking to the right people. We also found bringing along a very lightweight tent or insulated mosquito net useful. we might even have just slept in this on the side of the road under local shelters.

[Assurancetourix]

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=13197

Hope this link works? There are pages and pages of peoples tours in Laos. Above link should link is just one of them.

Thank you ;

It looks like it's forbidden to cycle on all The friendship bridges;

It's also forbidden to walk but I have seen many thai or lao people who did that at Nong Khai ..

At Nong Khai it's not a real problem, we can ask a big truck driver , but in Houay Xai..coming back Thailand to Chiang Khong I think it will be more difficult .

If I can understand all I have read, the farang are forbidden on the ferries and the bicycles are forbidden on the bridge...

I will never abandon my MTB on a ferry which is at about ten kilometers from the bridge...

So, what to do ?

If it's really like that i will not go to Lao .

[Assurancetourix]

Edit;

It's possible to cross the Mekong from Vientiane to Nong Khai with a bicycle ; see photo here

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/pic/?o=k1&pic_id=2178773&size=large

Is it possible from Nong Khai to Lao ?

I don't know ...

But in Houey Xai it looks like it's forbidden .

[CNXBKKMAN]

Normally when you are not allowed cycle or walk across the bridge its because the authorities want you to use their bus. 10 baht, 20 baht whatever. More money for them. I have only taken my bike across at Nongkhai about 10 years ago and the bike went on the bus between the seats! Crazy. I call it the unfriendly bridge. Thai side said it was Lao authorities that dont want pedestrians or cyclists using it. Australia paid for the bridge and built it with a pavement for walkers. It would be a nice walk or cycle if you could.

Anyone used it recently. I bused across May 2014 but i didnt have my bike with me then.

[el jefe]

I'm not going to be much help either. It's been almost10 years since I rode across the Friendship Bridge. I've taken the ferry at Chiang Khong 7 or 8 times but not since the bridge opened. In the last two years I've only crossed at Nan, Tha Li, and by air in and out of Luang Prabang.

[rebo]

No problem to cross the bridges with a bicycle; did it several times already: The friendly officers will "ask" the driver of the next pick-up with empty load floor to give you a lift. Nobody rejects. Everytime after arriving the other side I offered the driver 50 THB for the lift, everybody rejected.

[Assurancetourix]

Thank you guys ;