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There are no photos for this ride, they are locked in my friends attic in the London. I will be able to track them down on my next trip.
This ride is an excellent ride for those interested in the amazing culture of Laos. There is plenty to see, from the stunning cliffs and caves to the relaxed atmosphere of the islands in the south. The ride is generally flat and there is relatively little traffic. There are a great number of side trips to be had, not least a trip to see a section of the famous Ho Chi Minh Trail.
You can do this ride at a very much slower pace than I completed it. This ride was undertaken during my speed phase when everything had to be done at breakneck pace.
The usual warnings surround this ride as for most parts of Laos and Cambodia, when going off the main roads please be aware of UXO and mines. This area received some tremendous bombing during the 70's.
Vientiane - Paksan (145 Km)
The first leg leaving Vientiane heading south has some choices. There are a few guest houses, temples and other assorted places to stay, but nothing obvious. I made the mistake, feeling good after a night in a Laotian disco (strange places, please check them out - you will look on your local discotheque with a new found enthusiasm) to ride all the way to Paksan. The road is flat, the traffic is moderate, however for my first day's ride, it was a long ride. I passed a guest house in Tha Phabat and I believe that the monks are happy to put you up at Wat Pha Baat Phosan. I wish I had stayed around this area.
The road takes you east toward Vietnam. You get your first taste of Laos hospitality, the locals are friendly. I ate my first rodent gway tiow (noodle soup) on this stretch of road. I can report that the rodents didn't do anything to make me cycle any better or quicker.
The ride is definitely flat and also, rather disappointingly, dull. There is no great scenery, none of the wow moments of northern Laos or the breathtaking panoramic views of other rides. You will pass through some pleasant villages but nothing much to really captivate you. The riding is made good by the people along the way, their friendliness and welcome is second to none.
In Paksan I stayed at the 'motel' style accommodation on the far side of town. The cost of my room was $5 for the usual bare essentials. I did notice a couple of other guest houses coming through town. My evening was spent in the company of locals with them offering me the local firewater, eating their noodles and having a good time. I was definitely welcomed with open arms. My hosts wouldn't accept money for my food or drink either. All in all this town was extremely good to me.
Paksan - Tha Khaek (144Km)
The ride to Tha Khaek starts with good views over the Mekong river. You now follow the river most of the way down south, sometimes riding next to it, sometimes a little further away, but it is mostly present, giving the surrounding area a lush green feel. It also gives the ride a very flat track. Highway 13 is sealed, in good condition and here it is extremely flat. This is a direct contrast to the northern route 13 which hits some serious gradients.
There is accommodation at Pak Kading, I stopped and investigated and decided to go on, Pak Kading is only 40 Km from Paksan so I felt it would be a little too light ride for the day. Pak Kading is one of those pleasant small towns that you find in Laos all the time, a good place to stop for lunch, an excellent market to get some fruit and a few happy locals.
The ride passes through Hin Bin which also has accommodation. Tha Khaek is another 40 Km on. Turn right off the highway and ride to the water front. There is a couple of really nice places in town to stay. I stayed at the grand water front hotel for $5 (grand in past times) but there was also a few nice guest houses in town. I ate a splendid BBQ place and had a few drinks in a local club.
Side trip
I don't mention every side trip I take, mostly because they are obvious, but I stayed a couple of days in Tha Khaek. The trip was a days trip on highway 12 to a few caves and a river trip to the 'Tha Falang' which is where all the foreign residents used to camp on weekend in colonial days. Over all this is a good trip. You will have to give a local a couple of dollars to take you by boat, but this is really a good way to see the amazing countryside. The awe-inspiring mountains and the river are well worth a visit.
I will ensure I get my photos of this trip as soon as possible.
Tha Khaek - Savannakhet (129 Km)
This section of the ride takes you away from the Mekong. The road is still excellent, the traffic is light. There are a few trucks whizzing passed, a few songtheaws and a few buses, but nothing much to trouble the fresh or intrepid cyclists out there.
The road will fork at about 95 Km, take the left for Uthomphon and the right for Savannakhet. There is accommodation in both places. I chose the larger, some might say teeming, Savannakhet. This is an ideal bail out point for those wishing to cross back into Thailand. There is a bridge which will take you over to Mukdahan. I have not crossed it, but believe the formalities are simple.
Savannakhet is one of those border towns which you know benefits directly from a lot of cross border trade. It is lively and there are great places to stay. There is also a Thai Embassy for those looking to get a lengthy visa into Thailand.
Savannakhet - Songkhon (65Km)
This leg of the journey you will have a choice, you can either retrace your steps from the previous day to join highway 13 again or you can take the more direct route from town. I didn't get the road number but the south is well signposted from it. This road will pop you out on highway 13 with about 30 Km to go.
The ride itself is easy, plenty of refreshment and plenty of good, flat riding. There is again the same kind of traffic as the previous day. The roads are good, sealed and perfect for touring. My only complaint was that there is nothing much to look at through the day.
You leave the main highway at Pakxong and ride to Songkhon. Riding into the smallish Songkhon there is a guest house on the far side of town. Cheap decent place, the usual Laos countryside guest house.
Songkhon - Pakxe (165Km)
This leg is a monster stretch, but it doesn't have to be. I decided to cycle on all the way to Pakse however there are a number of points where you can stop and stay if you like. I saw some guest houses at the 100 Km mark and a couple in Sanasombun. I didn't stop, but you will have plenty of choice if you decide to do the sensible thing and rest before hitting Pakse.
The ride is about the same as the rest of the route south, lots of Mekong sightings, flat, a bit of traffic from lorries (trucks for our American brethren) and buses. The refreshments are plentiful, I ate a great bowl of noodle soup outside Khong Sedon, worthy of note because I saw the chicken killed and added to the soup. I didn't take pictures but it was a strange sight and feeling to be eating something so fresh.
Pakse is a good place to rest up. There are about 10 guest houses in town with a few cheap hotels. I have stayed in 2 places, one a guest house by the old market, the other a grand hotel on the other side of town (with the only 'disco' in town). I recommend the hotel as you wouldn't believe what you get for $10.
Pakxe - Champasak (40Km)
There are 2 ways to get to the historic (Angkor era) temple at Champasak. You can cross the river at Pakse and travel down the western side of the Mekong or you can follow route 13 and cross at a small village. I chose the latter and the sign posts are good. I crossed the Mekong for the first time on a long tail boat, itself a great adventure. I thought I was going for a swim with my bike at one point, but it was safe enough. The guy steering the boat found it all rather amusing. I noticed larger boats taking 3 motorcycles on the same route. Good luck to all that sail this way.
After the river crossing you are in the local town near the monuments. The ride out is about 7 Km. The temples are quite magnificent, on the day I went there was a festival at the foot of the temple structure which added to the atmosphere. There is quite a climb to the top and the locals take a few Kip for your bike parking, but all in all this is a good place to visit. The view at the top is excellent.
There are 2 options for cyclists, you can either carry on down to the Laos/Cambodian border and the laid back life of the islands or you can cross the border at Chong Mek and head into Thailand. The islands are a really great place to relax and see the dolphins of the Mekong, however the continued ride into Cambodia should be attempted with caution. The road is often reported in bad condition and the ride is a tough one. I will update this site with a ride which covers this route shortly.
To finish my ride I cycled to Chong Mek, upset the border guards on both sides by not wearing a shirt, then cycled on to Ubon Ratchatani. Ubon is a good place to visit, but I hopped on a train to Bangkok.
