Reading the thread "Sangklaburi to Mae Sot" got me thinking about my next visa run, anyone biked Burma recently?

 

Good/bad/route SVP.

yes, the Burmese bike it all the time.

Not farangs tho.

except on a few organised/guided tours.

But of trouble in Burma at the moment too,, parts closed to all international media/observers

Bit dodgy then, my I think I will chicken out until things improve. May go back to Vietnam instead, head along the hairy Laos road to Hanoi this time, buy a bike there and head north to the mountains. Fancy one of these Minsk AK47s like the Hamster had, but without the pink paint-job.

 

Gotta "boldly go"......... but not too boldly. 

 

PS I thought "boldly" wasn't a real word, but the spell check seems to like it.....

I rode from Kanchanaburi to Dawei in March. It was a bit of a hassle at the border, but ultimately Immigration let me go. It was a ball busting ride up and over the mountains on the new dirt road but the scenery was amazing, people were a little shocked to see me and the Soldiers at various check points needed some persuasion. The last 40 k's were on a sealed road through little villages where the people were very welcoming. I didn't ride much on the peninsula as distance were a bit far for what I wanted to do and see per day but I did meet two couples who were doing tours cross country on their bikes. By the way my original post was about motorcycling not cycling. 

5 hours ago, dictater said:

I rode from Kanchanaburi to Dawei in March. It was a bit of a hassle at the border, but ultimately Immigration let me go. It was a ball busting ride up and over the mountains on the new dirt road but the scenery was amazing, people were a little shocked to see me and the Soldiers at various check points needed some persuasion. The last 40 k's were on a sealed road through little villages where the people were very welcoming. I didn't ride much on the peninsula as distance were a bit far for what I wanted to do and see per day but I did meet two couples who were doing tours cross country on their bikes. By the way my original post was about motorcycling not cycling. 

 

How about accommodation and food, easy to find?

 

I assume you rode alone?

 

A "new" dirt road, how does that work, newly bulldozed?

Bit dodgy then, my I think I will chicken out until things improve. May go back to Vietnam instead, head along the hairy Laos road to Hanoi this time, buy a bike there and head north to the mountains. Fancy one of these Minsk AK47s like the Hamster had, but without the pink paint-job.
 
Gotta "boldly go"......... but not too boldly. 
 
PS I thought "boldly" wasn't a real word, but the spell check seems to like it.....

About 4 months ago Cuong Minsk acquired a job lot of retiring minsks from the VN army, I guess they were well maintained, although slightly higher price.

His paperwork is good for crossing into Laos then Thailand, even as far as Malaysia if you desire.

just back from a 10 day motorcycle trip, hard riding. easy to find food ( lots of fried rice or noddles) , accommodations .... ur still only allowed to stay at goverment approved places,

in 2 towns we were directed to these New hotels and were the first farangs to have stayed there.

 

Have done much of burma now by bike,boat, train, bus and plane in the last 4 years  (5 trips total)

have NOT been back to inle lake since 1994 and have no intention of heading back as all reports coming out say its a zoo full of tourists, not my cup of tea.

Burma

 

Safe travels

ps ;as to BICYCLING

have met now 4  singe guys doing it on their own and a friend of mine in Yangoon, runs tours, Uncharted horizons,