Everything you lot demand to know close riding a motorbike some the Thakhek Loop inward Central Alos.
For most travellers on the “Banana Pancake” trail, the terrain betwixt Vang Vieng as well as Si Phan Don (the Four Thousand Islands) holds piffling of interest.
An absolute shame because many direct keep no thought that the Thakhek Loop is 1 of the best things to create inward Laos!
The typical backpacker crowd is normally looking for the debauchery of tubing on the Nam Song River, as well as the happy shakes of Don Det.
Typically alone those amongst to a greater extent than fourth dimension upward their sleeve, or a thirst for adventure, tend to halt off at the villages as well as towns inward Southern Laos. For the ones that do, many are rewarded amongst the Thakhek Loop.
Centrally located betwixt Vientiane as well as Pakse, the somewhat industrial town of Thakhek is a logical stopover signal to interruption upward the long journeying heading south.
Many abide by themselves hither to tackle the Thakhek Loop, a 450km motorbike journeying that ventures into the mountains as well as farmlands on the outskirts of the city.
We took our motorbike beasts on this direct a opportunity as well as it became 1 of the highlights of our six weeks inward Laos.
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We arrived inward Thakhek, coming together upward amongst some friends who were also interested inward riding the Thakhek Loop. After a quick chat to 1 of the friendly owners of a motorbike rental store inward town, nosotros were fully loaded amongst a pocket-size map as well as suggestions of a guesthouse or 2 to cheque out every bit good every bit some caves non to miss.
A once-over on our bikes to brand certain they were inward working order, which is 1 of tips for renting a scooter inward Southeast Asia..
Riding The Thakhek Loop
Here is the itinerary nosotros followed for our direct a opportunity on the Thakhek Loop, including where nosotros stayed as well as what nosotros did.
Day 1 – Thakhek To Thalang
Early the adjacent morning, nosotros laid off on the Thakhek Loop. It was a exceptional day, because Lesh was celebrating her 30th birthday. Quite a milestone.
Barely 5km out of town nosotros were greeted amongst stunning limestone cliffs as well as greenish pastures. The route was inward expert status as well as nosotros broke upward the ride amongst numerous stops for pictures.
Our foremost halt was Tham Ene, 1 of the caves recommended to us on the Thakhek Loop. After a quick discussion, nosotros decided to go “all-out” as well as pay for the boat tour through the cave, every bit opposed to the uncomplicated walk. It was worth every penny!
Tham Nang Ene is a 1km long cavern that has a current running through it. With our affable Lao guides, nosotros boarded 2 small, plastic boats as well as laid off into the darkness.
The limestone formations within the cave were stunning. Our guides sang songs as well as paddled some the obstacles blocking our way, until nosotros reached a signal where nosotros were out of options – nosotros had to deport the boat over some rocks.
So nosotros lifted, as well as dragged, as well as heaved, as well as hoed until nosotros could force the boat dorsum into the water. Then continued on our merry way to the other terminate of the cave.
We reached the mouth, as well as thus clambered to the top, stopping to drinkable some “fresh” cave H2O along the way. Stomach bugs live damned, nosotros quenched our thirst as well as thus headed dorsum for the furnish journey.
With cave unwrap 1 out of the way, nosotros made expert timing inward arriving at the hamlet of Thalang, where nosotros checked into the Phosy Thalang Guesthouse, amongst our ain personal bungalow on the river.
Well, non quite a river thus much every bit a pocket-size trunk of stagnant liquid. But waterfront is what nosotros volition telephone phone it as well as it was peaceful.
The nighttime crept on as well as nosotros did our best to eat every driblet of Beerlao inward the fridge. When nosotros had accomplished this, at that topographic point was zero else to create except top out, amongst the sounds of torrential downpour to live our sleeping soundtrack.
Day 2 – Thalang To Khong Lor
Day 2 began groggily, as well as nosotros awoke to uncovering the pelting had non permit up. We had breakfast as well as discussed whether nosotros should proceed on, despite the bad weather. We knew that somewhere along the route, the route would plough into gravel, as well as from that into roadworks.
We weren’t certain how bad of a status our path would be, but that didn’t matter. Crappy weather? Dodgy roads? Unsuitable bikes? Now that sounds similar an adventure! Quick, pack our materials as well as let’s get back on the Thakhek Loop!
Not fifty-fifty shouting distance from our guesthouse, the route changed to gravel. The measuring slowed down, as well as nosotros kept our concentration on high alarm to avoid the imposing potholes.
We climbed height as well as the route briefly became paved again, luring us into a faux sense of security. Rounding a corner, that safety was vanquished every bit the route narrowed dramatically as well as the surface turned to dirt as well as mud.
We dodged our way through what nosotros assumed was the worst of it, heading through a pocket-size hamlet as well as and thus climbing a steep hill.
Only as well as thus were our nightmares realised when the route earlier us became a descending shitfight of deep mud, puddles as well as sudden corners.
For 500m or thus nosotros negotiated this volume of quicksand, witnessing fifty-fifty four-wheel-drives go stuck inward the slush.
An hr as well as a one-half passed yesteryear earlier nosotros finally made it onto sturdier terrain as well as nosotros celebrated, despite our filthy clothes (and inward my case, slightly-damaged motorbike from the 2 times I dropped it).
The residuum of the ride was uneventful inward comparison, as well as nosotros arrived inward the hamlet of Khong Lor only inward fourth dimension for sunset beers yesteryear the (actual) river.
Day 3 – Khong Lor To Thakhek
The argue for us spending the nighttime inward Khong Lor was thus nosotros could cheque out the cave of the same name. The same river that nosotros enjoyed beers yesteryear the nighttime earlier flowed through the cave for 7km.
Here, you lot could direct keep a motorised boat downward the entire length of the hugger-mugger chamber, through caverns that rose upward 50m higher upward your caput inward huge, cathedral-like halls.
Sections were lit up, but for the most business office the alone vision you lot could bask came from the illumination of our supplied headlamps.
Massive stalactites, stalagmites, columns as well as pillars were seen everywhere as well as the ride took us over an hr to ambit the other entrance.
A pocket-size hamlet is located at the far terminate of the cave, the river forming their alone agency of access. After an all-too-brief stopover, nosotros started the cruise dorsum to the beginning.
We did non wishing the trip to end, thus nosotros managed to convince our boat driver to halt off at 1 of the sandy banks within the cave thus nosotros could go for a quick swim.
Treading H2O 3km deep within a cave inward almost absolute darkness was a surreal sense – 1 that nosotros volition non forget inward a hurry.
The entire trip took us over 3 hours, as well as nosotros were left amongst the 200km ride dorsum to the town of Thakhek. Not actually a occupation inward normal circumstances.
However every bit before long every bit nosotros left the town of Khong Lor at some midday, it began to pelting quite heavily. So heavy that nosotros had to halt inward a friendly local’s shed as well as hold off out the storm. This took over an hr as well as the slippery roads made for ho-hum riding on the lastly business office of the Thakhek Loop.
Climbing through to a greater extent than windy roads nosotros could alone imagine how picturesque the scenery must be, were nosotros non completely engulfed inward clouds.
Joining the highway, nosotros contemplated stopping for lunch, but amongst to a greater extent than ominous tempest clouds creeping upward inward the distance, nosotros decided to give it total trammel dorsum to our master copy starting point.
Before darkness vicious on us, nosotros were checked inward to a guesthouse as well as were showered as well as dressed inward dry out clothes.
Laos is such a beautiful country, amongst thus many dorsum roads as well as villages to explore. We couldn’t imagine non taking the fourth dimension to consummate the Thakhek Loop.
The expert friends nosotros enjoyed the direct a opportunity amongst added to the excitement felt during our 3 days as well as 450km. Sitting dorsum inward Thakhek drinking a mutual coldness beer as well as laughing close the treacherous route nosotros survived, the pelting nosotros managed shower in, as well as the sensational caves nosotros explored felt every bit though nosotros had earned every chuckle.
Many people lack the fourth dimension or wishing to investigate this pocket-size town as well as its infamous motorbike loop. It is such a shame. Don’t live 1 of the people who misses out on this epic journey!
Where To Stay On The Thakhek Loop
There are a few dissimilar places to remain on the Thakhek Loop, but these are the ones nosotros chose as well as what nosotros recommend.
Phosy Thalang Guesthouse
- Address: Located inward the hamlet of Thalang, on the principal road. You’ll consider it.
- Pricing: 60,000 kip- Double room bungalow, amongst individual bathroom.
Ask them close their river tour. It costs 500,000 kip for a boat trip that tin direct keep upward to six people. The tour goes deep into the jungle to consider ethnic villages as well as remote swimming holes.
Organise your accommodation on Booking.com before you lot larn out Thakhek inward high season.
Easy Boy Guesthouse
- Address: Located yesteryear the river inward town.
- Pricing
- 40,000- Small Double room, amongst real uncomplicated individual bathroom
- 50,000- Double room, amongst individual bathroom
- 60,000- Twin room, amongst individual bathroom
- Check them out on TripAdvisor.
Price Of Things To Do On The Thakhek Loop
Tham Nan Cave
Entrance – 20,000 kip
Boat trip through the cave- 50,000kip
Kong Lor Cave
At the principal gate;
Entry to the grounds: 2,000k each person
Motorbike parking: 3,000k per bike
At the entrance of the cave;
Boat- 100,000 per boat
Entrance to the cave- 10,000 per person
That’s it for our guide on how to ride the Thakhek Loop inward Central Laos. Let us know what you lot call back of this epic trip when you lot consummate it inward the comments below!
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