Laos the Easy Way

Tour Information:

As the name implies, we ride only highway on this trip for 99% of the ride.  We’ll stay in comfortable hotels and enjoy local food for lunch and a variety of food for dinner.  The ride is designed to make a loop out of Vientiane in the easiest way possible.  A great deal of the stretches of road are extremely scenic and when you throw in a visit to Luang Prabang, Xam Nua and Phonsavan, you’ll get a taste of Laos you’ll remember for a long time – and the ride is great!

Day 1: Vientiane – Vang Vieng
Day 2: Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang
Day 3 Luang Prabang – Nong Khiaw
Day 4: Nong Khiaw – Sam Nua
Day 5: Sam Nua
Day 6: Sam Nua – Phonsavanh
Day 7: Phonsavanh – Vang Vieng
Day 8: Vang Vieng - Vientiane

Day 1: Vientiane – Vang Vieng

We depart out of Vientiane around 09:00 and make our way up to Nam Ngum Reservoir and ride to the Casino for a peak at a social evil frequented by Thai and Chinese tourists. We continue and meet up with Highway 13 and stop for lunch.  We start our ascent up in elevation and arrive in Vang Vieng mid afternoon and you have the option of an kayak or tubing trip on the Nam Song River before dinner.  Overnight in Vang Vieng.

Riding Time: 4 – 5 hours
KM: 200

Day 2: Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang

Leaving Vang Vieng by 08:00, we have ample time to stop along the way for photos on this, the most scenic drive in Laos.  We make our way to Phou Khoum for lunch and a look around the market.  From here, we ride over great elevation changes and small roadside villages.  Since we left early, we have plenty of time for photos along the second half of the day.  Our arrival in Luang Prabang is mid afternoon and after checking into the hotel, you have time to explore the center of town and the historical museums. 

Riding Time: 6
KM: 220

Day 3 Luang Prabang – Nong Khiaw

After breakfast, we continue north and make a stop at Pak Ou Buddha Cave for a short visit and then continue up the highway to our lunch stop at Pak Mong.  We track along the Nam Ou River from time to time and the scenery is quite good as well today.  A short time later we arrive in Nong Khiaw, check into the Eco Lodge and take a short boat trip up and back the Nam Ou River.  Overnight in Nong Khiaw

Riding Time: 4 – 5 hours
KM: 160

Day 4: Nong Khiaw – Sam Nua

Today is a longer ride to Sam Nua and takes us secondary highways in descent but not fantastic condition.  The ride is along the edge of the mountainous northern region and lunch will be in Vieng Thong.  We continue on after lunch to Xam Nua where we check into our hotel and hopefully meet the local MAG (Mine Action Group) representative to learn more about the area’s problems with UXO and mines.  Dinner tonight with the MAG field officer

Riding Time: 6 – 7 hours
KM: 320

Day 5: Sam Nua – Vieng Xai Cave City – Xam Nua

We make a short trip after breakfast to Vieng Xai and explore the cave city used by the Pathet Lao during the 2^nd Indochina war.  This is the birthplace of modern Laos and the cave tour is historical and very unique.  After lunch, we take a short  about 25 KM towards the Vietnamese border for a look at the remote sections of Laos and then return to Xam Nua with a stop at the Xam Nua waterfalls.

Riding Time: 3 hours
KM: 100

Day 6: Sam Nua – Phonsavanh

Backtracking a little today, we make a short side trip on an unpaved road for about 12 km to Suan Hin, the Stone Henge of Laos for a look at the formations.  They are in a beautiful forested area and this will be our only off road experience.  Continuing along, we turn south and hope that the morning fog has lifted on highway 6 as the views are excellent.  We stop for lunch in Nam Neun, a small town in a deep valley and then ride on south.  Before we meet up with Highway 7, we’ll stop in at Piew Cave, site of an American rocket attack on a cave that killed numerous civilians during the war.  We arrive in Phonsavan mid afternoon and check into our hotel.  We then ride a few kilometers south to Site 1 of the Plain of Jars for our own inspection of the site.  We return to town and a visit to the local MAG office is a must, the information on the area is quite excellent.

Riding Time: 6 hours
KM: 250

Day 7: Phonsavanh – Vang Vieng

We ride today on a rolling road over beautiful landscapes in the morning and return for a lunch stop in Phou Khoum.  We descend back down Highway 13 and have our second chance for good weather along this most scenic road and arrive in Vang Vieng in the afternoon.  Depending on the group, we can depart Phonsavan late as those that wish to go for another round of kayaking or tubing on the Nam Song River can do so, or simply relax in our riverside hotel.

Riding Time: 5 hours
KM: 220

Day 8: Vang Vieng – Vientiane

Today we make the final run into Vientiane and depending on your flights, can have lazy morning in Vang Vieng or depart early to make your connection.  The ride is easy and takes less than 4 hours.

Riding Time: 4 hours
KM: 150