The route to Luang Prabang was a spectacular 2 day journey and is one of my favorite routes on this entire trip. The road was in excellent condition with very little traffic on it going really high in the mountains. I kept going up and up while occasionally stopping and looking back on the road I had just ridden far in the distance. The area was really underdeveloped. People lived in small wooden shacks in some of the villages I passed through. I was always amazed by the children in these little villages when they would instantly recognize that I am a western traveller and yell "hello". I had so much joy riding these 2 days in this area.
The guest house I stayed overnight on this route had a stunning view. It was worth spending a night there just to enjoy the sunset. It went very well together with some Beerlao.
Luang Prabang
The following day I enjoyed riding just as much as the day before and the ride was excellent all the way to Luang Prabang. I was there during Chinese New Years so staying in Luang Prabang cost me extra. I barely found free accommodation.
Despite massive tourist crowds, Luang Prabang is worth exploring. It has a lot of culture, old historical buildings, amazing food and so many activities in the area. About 30 kilometers away is the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen called Kuang Si. I had it marked on Google Maps 2 years before actually visiting Laos.
I also spent two days exploring the rural areas on a dirtbike I rented. It was much more expensive than in Vang Vieng though. It was worth it anyway as it allowed me to get away from the crowds and explore some areas rarely visited by tourists. The guy I rented the dirtbike from gave me some solid advice on some off roads I could take.
Unwinding In Nong Khiaw
My last remaining days in Laos would be spent in Nong Khiaw. It's a tiny laidback place near a river further north. I booked a shack with a hammock and spent almost a week relaxing there. Nong Khiaw is relatively undiscovered. It's a beautiful place surrounded by green mountains, and you can experience some gorgeous sunsets there.
My time in Laos was over. It was a pure joy travelling in it on a motorcycle. I would, however,like to return in the future and do a slow boat tour across the country. I think it would be a wonderful experience. Anyway, the border to Vietnam was about 2 days journey from Nong Khiaw.
Back To Vietnam
To get to the border I had to make my way through the mountains. Luckily the Chinese have built some top quality roads in Northern Laos. Making it to the border was a breeze.
The altitude at times was high enough to start messing with the engine on my motorcycle. Up till now I had absolutely no trouble with the motorcycle. It didn't break once and had made it through some rough terrain. At times it was losing some power going up hills and whenever I took it to a mechanic it would always run without any hiccups, so I could never get it fixed. In hindsight though, I probably should have adjusted the carburetor for better air intake. It wasn't a huge issue, but it bothered me whenever I was high in the mountains.
The northern border between Laos and Vietnam was small and mainly used by locals. I had no trouble crossing it. I imagined crossing these small border would be much more difficult, but no one tried to stop me, give me any trouble or extort any money from me. Apart from paying for my visa when I was entering Laos, it didn't cost me anything.
Northern Vietnam
I was back in Vietnam. This time I was way up north and my plan was to visit SaPa first. Strangely, the road on Vietnamese side was pretty rough Usually it is the other way around. It added some extra time to my day.
Once I reached some civilization, it was smooth sailing. It was already afternoon and I had no idea where to stay the night. I stopped for a break in a city called Muong Thanh which was the first city after crossing the border and looked at some hotels there, but they all seemed way too expensive considering the location. The road ahead looked very windy on Google Maps so I wasn't sure if it's a good idea to keep riding. There was a town ahead within reach that had some guest houses so I just kept pushing forward.
It ended up being a nice evening ride. The countryside in Northern Vietnam is beautiful. I reached the town in about 2 hours and found a newly built guest house for just under 8$. It was time for some Vietnamese Pho and Hanoi Beer so I found a local eatery and, accompanied by some locals, had a lovely dinner.
To be continued.