When someone who speaks fluent thai (similar to Lao'n) and has been to Laos at least three times asks if you want to go, you say hell yes! Our plan was loose and we pretty much just played it by ear everyday. This worked out pretty well I think. So two guys on KLX 250's leave Chiang Mai on a friday and head for the Chiang khong border of Laos Lunch with a friend in Chiang Rai first for some beta on directions. Smart and pretty OK let's get two flat tires before we even get into Laos and get them out of the way. No problems after these me at the Mee Kong River loadin the bikes to cross over into Laos looking back across the river at thailand friggin border customs and crap in laos took almost three hours lunch before we hit the road to the town of Namtha funny thing is when you leave thailand driving on the left you get into laos and drive on the right it was getting late so we checked out a couple rooms in Phouka but decided to press on nice view from the small guest house roadside carnage We got into beautiful downtown Namtha just in time for sunset this would actually be the best accommodations of the trip, who knew? day one of riding we chose something offroad that looked to follow the Namtha river for miles. welcome to dee jungle Peter asking this old dude for some info. I offered him a little money and he refused & said he owned a rubber tree farm nearby, proud people the road was pretty well used and had real bridges looking off the bridge it was right about here we found a small road that went up to a remote village some local guys on the way up a small river by the road heading into the village some of the more remote villages the people don't really approach you, some of them as we find out the road ended and we were now on trail we ran out of trail and had to turn the bikes around here between a drop off and a hill. We had no room to spare and it was a little hairy were out back on the main road the gps said there was a small lake up this side road, not. turned out to be a trash dump then on the way back we hit a traffic jam because of this we only had to wait about 30 minutes. some people had been there for 2 hours! day three comin
OK so the next day we are headed for the town of Maung Sing. This town sits just 12 kilometers from the China/Laos border. Personally I am pretty excited to be riding this close to China! We were at almost 5000 feet here but I am jumping ahead So on the way Peter says he knows of this village that is close to the main road we are on and it is pretty interesting. OK let's check it out- So just as we get there this guy rolls in with big panniers full of chinese ice cream! headlights on? check We each buy 10 bars and start handing em' out to the kids. Good idea or bad, hmmm? Ok at first then it turns a little ugly and they are getting grabby but still a hoot leaving the village On to Maung Sing & lunch. Being this close to China we think chinese food is in order lunch buddy more.....
No, here. http://www.laosgpsmap.com/ Has offroad but you have to be at 0.5mi to see the tracks. They don't have a physical map yet but should soon. We used GT Riders physical map for planning on the fly
You can see this dirt loop on the gtrider map. It goes from Maung Sing up and along a mtn ridge to Long. Then you can ride the road back to sing or continue down to Phouka all offroad. For me this was probably the best riding of the trip being so close to China. Unfortunately we would not complete it this trip, next time for sure!. We ran into this guy on some chinese 125cc bike. I could not believe we were at nearly 5000 feet here. You can see in the distance where we eventually turned around. We had to turn around head back to Muang Sing (100 or so kilos) as the sun was getting low. Not a good place to ride in the dark or have a mechanical issue. On the way back to MS day three of riding to Udon Xay coming up
Hi, I'm just following your route on my GT rider map. In the beginning I gather u meant Vieng Phoukha and then Luang Namtha
sorry slow & lazy to get this RR finished but here we go So it was an easy day ride to Udon Xay. We decided we would just take some roads off the main road and see some more villages etc lunch stop on the way back into somewhere off the main road. looked promising this kid looked at me like I was from outter space the GPS track ended but we kept going on past the village We ran into this villager who said his hut was up near the end of the road and to follow him if we wanted to, OK! they offered us something to drink but it was in some nasty kettle, decline. He said in the rainy season they rarely get out. Million dollar view?? then he says his wifes hut is further down the trail so we go to check it out. there were motorbikes but no one came out. I think they were a little freaked out about the space men on the way back out thru the main village we spotted this. They stick these low hp motors on these old trucks and chug around, slowly smoke house? I didn't get a picture but this pregnant villager came out to look at us. She blew a big snot bomb and went back into her hut. Just the kind of girl you want to take home to your mother :<) From here it was pretty straight forward to Udon Xay. Wish I could remember the hotel we stayed at, pretty decent Next day we were gonna try to make it to the t-land border crossing above Nan On the way some good stuff this road dead ended but was fun anyway these guys are everywhere. So if you get really hungry... rummaging for corn kernels just out of the corner of my eye I spot these guys working just off the road Down another back road to another remote village now this village was pretty cool. they had power lines brought in by some chinese company but after finishing 2 months ago still no power loved this guy! So the chinese contractors just left this tractor for whatever reason So just as were leaving this little Albino kid comes out. He can't see very well and is covering his eyes. He is half naked and really dirty. Peter tried to give him some peanuts but he couldn't see them real well and kept dropping them on the dirt, picking them up and eating them. This was a pretty sad moment, for me at least back down the road we go so I gotta take a piss and pull over. all of the sudden this woman pops out of the bushes across the road and goes running down the road mumbling something. Peter goes over to talk with them, said they were nice but there was something not quite right with the one (sitting looking at camera) that saw me pissin Our last village stop before crossing the river towards the border You see these kids all over walking/riding home from school River crossing south of Pakbeng this was pretty cool. this truck rolls on and now the back of the ferry is stuck on the landing, no problem. The truck backs up guns it forward and then slams on his brakes to rock us forward. It took about five times but got us going. Love the way they adapt to situations. In the states you would never get away with this, f'n safety rules! on the other side and on to the border Last gas stop before the border to get rid of our kip (lao banana republic money) this would turn out to bite me in the ass later Back in thailand and trying to make it to Chiang Kham before dark, not. Some cool stuff on the way though. Lots of mtn roads and stunning views. After riding over 300 kilos we pulled into town in the dark and found a decent place for the night last breakfast of the trip on the road towards Lake Phayao for lunch & bam, check point! Peter got offered to take one of the check point girls back home with him, he politely declined Lunch & coffee in Phayao. I didn't eat and candy bar'd it all the way home Looking back down at view of Phayao So that's about it. That last gas stop in Laos I lost my wallet, atm, credit cards and 50,000 kip. No worries man, it's only money!! Ride while you can YFF'RS and of course don't forget your genuine Giant Loop Saddlebag! (shameless plug for Dave and his peeps at GL)
Nice report, plus you've given me some ideas. Although one of u could speak Thai was there still a language problem( different dialect) . And how did u find your GPS maps overall, Gavin
I will be riding the north of Thailand in early 2012.....can't wait! This will be about my 10th trip and each one is better then the last. Jim
The bike is a 1969 .... titled as a '70...sandcast CB750. I also have a '69 diecast that I've owned since '69. Great bikes! When in Thailand I rent a CB400. Jim
