The first full day of riding in Laos I spent on the Thakhek Loop, a very popular motorbike loop usually done in 3-4 days. I didn't intend to do the entire thing, however. I planned on sticking to it for as long as it is part of my route. In the middle of this loop is located a nice cave called Kong Lor Cave. Near the cave was a little village where I planned on staying overnight, but ultimately chose to stay an extra night.
Smooth Ride
It was dry season in Laos so weather was no longer a factor. It was such a relief I didn't have to worry about whether I would get soaked or see anything. I had a big meal to sustain me for the day and was ready to go.
I was making good progress this first day. The road on this loop was well maintained so it was an easy ride. I was really relaxed on the road and chipping away nicely. The landscapes were nice, but I was so used to riding these beautiful mountain roads in Vietnam I wasn't blown away. It was very different though, so I enjoyed riding it anyway.
Once I arrived at my destination, I grabbed a nice big meal and obligatory Beerlao. The Kong Lor Cave is rather popular these days so there are plenty of cafes and guesthouses in the village.
I visited the cave the next day, and it was a really cool experience. Unlike most caves where you walk on foot, in this one you go through on a very narrow and unstable boat. I wish someone had warned me otherwise wouldn't have taken my camera gear and phone with me. Fortunately, we didn't fall into the water, but there were at least two instances we almost did. This cave was very large and dark. It was a 15 min ride, and at times we had to get off the boat to help pushing it upstream. It was a shallow river for the most part.
Stark Contrasts
Next I was headed to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Vientiene was a little too far for one days journey so I stayed overnight about 100km before it. I got there easily without any setbacks. The riding up to that point was very uneventful. The road in Laos was decent, traffic was light and the weather was excellent.
I spent just one night in Vientiane since I arrived before noon, and I had a full day to explore the city. There is a large contrast between Vientiane and the rest of the country. Vientiane is incredibly developed relative to Southeast Asia. It's clean, has a nice infrastructure, loads of restaurants and plenty of luxury car dealerships. I was really shocked. Rest of the country, apart from Luang Prabang, is a complete opposite.
Vang Vieng
The place I was really looking forward to was Vang Vieng so I didn't waste much time in Vientiane and left early. The ride to Vang Vieng was a nightmare though. For the most part it was an unpaved road and very congested with traffic. On top of that it was hot as hell. Thankfully it was one of the relatively shorter riding days I had with 150km to go.
I spent over a week in Vang Vieng. It used to be this crazy party place that attracted a lot of backpackers. It got so bad that government shut everything down and now it's a lot more mellow place. There are still plenty of parties going on every day and drugs are easily available so I can't even imagine what was going on at its peak.
Vang Vieng is not just a party place. There is so much to do and it's a nice place to relax by getting a bungalow, enjoying some sunsets and stuff. There are many blue lagoons in the area, a lot of hiking and cool attractions. One of the main activities here is river tubing. You just get some beers, get on a tire tube and just spend a day flowing on this slow moving river called Nam Song whilst occasionally stopping at riverside bar.
While I was here I mostly did a bunch of rock climbing and riding on a dirtbike around the area. I could get my hands on a 250cc Honda CTR motorbike for just 25$ a day. Apart from that it was fun hanging out with people from the hostel and enjoying the local bar scene.
An Amazing Ride
Next on my list was Luang Prabang, a UNESCO world heritage site and very popular amongst tourists. It draws a lot of tourists due to its old town, culture and the nearby Kuang Si waterfalls.
Getting to Luang Prabang meant choosing between two possible routes - one being more easy to ride, but more congested and other being longer, but much more beautiful. I chose the longer one and it was a great choice. I was kind of spoiled by the Vietnamese mountain roads so I didn't expect to be so impressed by this route.
It was an incredibly windy road going high in the mountains. The landscapes were stunning. It was clear all the time so I was able to see everything from up high. At times I was passing through some small mountain villages, and everytime the local children would waive and yell "hello".
It was a long route so I had to split it in two days. I found an excellent little guest house midway high in the mountains and decided not to push forward, but rather stay there enjoying the stunning view with the sunset.
To be continued.