West Central Laos Motorbike Tour
This is a write up and a bunch of photos from a motorbike tour I did not too long ago in dusty old Laos. I was doing a visa run from Thailand over Christmas, and I started this trip on Christmas Day 2024 from Vang Vieng. This should help anyone else who’s thinking about doing something similar.
Here’s a link to a map of the route.
I actually started in Vang Vieng and not Xanakharm, like the map says.
The route for this Laos motorbike tour is a bit out of the way, but I’ve been to Loas before, and I wanted to go somewhere different. Originally, I was planning to go from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, then head east to the Plain of Jars. I couldn’t find a good route, though, and I thought I’d have to double back on myself. So when I got to Luang Prabang, I just decided from there to go west on an unplanned adventure.
I always like travelling in Laos. I find people are very relaxed, in a similar way to Thailand. They’re friendly, but they’re also kind of nicely not that interested in you. So no one fusses over you or anything, which is nice. At the same time, there’s heaps of room for adventure and big areas of countryside to explore. People also still live in very traditional ways there in the rural areas, and it often feels very relaxed and sort of homely in the villages. It’s often nice just to hang out in places in Laos and not do very much.
General Points
A couple of pointers first. One is that you need a warm jumper and a decent pair of trousers. It doesn’t get cold, but you go high up enough a few times for the temperature to drop a bit. Download Google Maps for offline if you’re using a phone for navigation as well because you’ll lose signal in a few places.
I actually didn’t give myself enough time. I ended up driving longer each day than is probably best. It would actually be better to give yourself more time so you could stop more and relax a bit. It would probably be better to adjust the route or go slower so you don’t have to rush so much.
I also only mean to suggest this trip for people who have a license and motorbike experience. Motorbikes are always dangerous, and there are also a few busy stretches on this route. There are also long distance stretches. I think it’s only appropriate for people with experience.
Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang
The first day, I did a fairly long drive up to Luang Prabang from Vang Vieng. 183km total. 6-8 hours.
Vang Vieng to Kassi is quite dusty and there are a few too many trucks for it to be called fun. It’s not dangerous, but it’s noisy lorries and dust quite a lot. At the same time, the scenery is good. The Vang Vieng style landscape continues for a while, and then it becomes more broken hills.
After Kassi, most of the lorries go. It’s a nice drive after that, up and over a big mountain pass. There’s a big climb with amazing stretches of totally trashed road. The potholes are like quarries. After you go over the top, there’s a nice drive through a rural area. The road is also much nicer after the scramble to the top of the hill.
The last part of the journey, when you get nearer Luang Prabang, is quite busy.
Overall, it’s a nice drive, but the lorries mess it up a bit.
Luang Prabang is a very special place, which you’ll see when you get there. Most people will probably want a few days there.
Luang Prabang to Ban Phonsai/Hongsa
126km
So, I changed my plan on my route entirely in the morning, and I got up in the morning and went over on the ferry to the other side of the Mekong.
From there, you have a really nice drive all day on the road to Ban Phonsai.
It’s all very rural with mountainous scenery. The road is also perfect with very little traffic and virtually no heavy traffic. Nice bends, a smooth surface and a good drive all round. Look at the photos for yourself. Most of the route follows a ridge so you are looking down at the view all the way.
It took me about 5 hours to get to Ban Phonsai, including finding a hotel for 25 mins.
Just be careful because the drive is long with lots of uphills that drain fuel. Make sure you stop earlyish for fuel after you cross the Mekong. The area is sparsely populated, and it’s not that easy to find fuel. I found a local wood shack bottle petrol shop about half way. It is sparsely populated, however, so be careful you don’t run out. The second half of the route is where it’s hardest to find fuel.
I stayed at Vinudda Guesthouse. Some karaoke went until very late, and it wasn’t that good a standard because the guy singing was totally smashed. Otherwise, it’s a simple place where you can find a hotel. The people are friendly.
Hongsa to Ban Na Le
172 km slow 6-9 hours
The first part of the day is on a small country lane with lots of potholes. There’s no heavy traffic, though, and it’s a nice drive. Again, the route follows a ridge for the most part, although it also drops into lower areas. Again really nice views and a nice drive all round. You pass through a lot of villages, and there are quite a few people around. It’s nice to stop and try some of the chicken barbecues and see what’s going on a bit.
After you get to the main road at Xayaboury, it’s a dusty lorryfest for about 2 or 3 hours. The trees on either side of the road are dusty all the way to the top, and it’s generally a mess. You think it’s gonna last all the rest of the day, but then you pass a random bunch of police who wave and say hi. Then the road surface is better and it’s a nice drive again. The lorries die off a whole bunch, and they all disappear into fields to fetch things and head back to Xayaboury.
I spent all day stopping for cups of tea and things, so I wasn’t just on my bike the whole time. I was absolutely stuffed. I got to Ban Na Le, and it’s a nice village. I had a walk around, and went up to the shop for a couple of Beerlaos and some chicken. It was the cassava harvest, so everyone was quite busy, and they were all working until dark. There were lots of tractors going around with entire families, or otherwise just lots of people, on them.
I stayed at guesthouse I don’t know the name of, and it was good with a restaurant as part of the place. It’s just past the centre of the village on the left hand side. Seems to be busiest place in the village. Ban Na Le is a good place to stop.
Ban Na Le to Kenethao (via Ban Pang)
7-10 hours
The first part of this leg (to Kengsao) isn’t that interesting. There were a few lorries on the road, but not too many for me. It’s just not that much to see. You draw up alongside the Mekong around Pak Lay.
At Kengsao, I turned off west towards the Thai border to do a rural loop around to Kenethao via the Ban Pang area. It gets interesting here because it’s all just a dirt track for the whole north to south part of this section. The first part is tarmac, and it all looks like a road on Google Maps, but isn’t.
The first third of the road is very bad, but after that it’s much nicer. Some of the first third is difficult to drive on. One section is very bad indeed. Just rocks really. I had a Honda Wave, which is all terrain but only to a point. I don’t think an automatic would make it! After you get past the first third, it gets better. Just be aware that the first third is difficult on a Honda Wave.
This photo is from the start of the road. It gets much worse than this.
You’re pretty out of the way on this route. You drive through all these villages with huge, pottery water containers. Some of the houses are also the traditional stilt, wooden houses, and the villages seem very quiet. There are a few people around, who all say hello as you head through.
The dirt road spits you out at the southern end onto tarmac into Kenethao.
Leave as much time as you can for the rural loop part of this route if you go the same way as me. The going is slow. I stayed at the Minta Guesthouse in Kenethao, and I got a really good room for 200k.
Kenethao to Ban Na Dan
You go on every road width and surface type if you go the same route as me.
You start out on a dirt back road, which is quite a nice ride. That takes you to Veunkham, where there’s a ferry across the Mekong.
Then not long after that, you’re on a tarmac normalish road with light traffic. That takes you to Xanamkhan, where G Maps took me to what it said was a main road.
But it only used to be a road a long time ago, and your trip turns into Stand By Me. Instead of a main road, you’re on a tiny little footpath next to the Mekong. You’re right on the limit of what your scooter rental agency will be happy with. There are sections of bare rock and things like that. There are no people, and you even have to duck under bushes at a couple of points. Really, it’s probably not recommended.
This goes on for an hour or so, and then you’re on a wider dirt road.
I saw an old rusty billboard, so this small little track must have once been a major route.
Around this area, you’re right next to the Mekong. You can walk down to it, and get some nice photos. After that, you’re on a big old national highway leading to Vientiane. Then you turn off that to go north towards Ban Na Dan. I was on a really wide and smooth dirt road that turned into a tarmac road. It’s a road in progress, and it will probably be finished with the standard 20mm of tarmac by the time you get there.
Then you follow this road on the way towards Vang Vieng, looking for a good gusehouse.
I’m not actually sure where I stayed. I think it was Ban Na Dan.
I went out for dinner and ended up at a local nightclub, which was unexpected. The people from the restaurant I had dinner at took me with them. Most people were aged about 13-17, and it was a pretty crazy night. Nice to spend some time with people from the area and to see what goes on. The people I was with didn’t speak much English, but they still took me out with them all evening. The guy at my guesthouse also shared a bit of local moonshine and offered me a green coloured egg.
Ban Na Dan to Vang Vieng
The last day is kind of just a ride in to Vang Vieng. You can stop and have a look at the rock formations at Keng Kikhouay. These are nice to look at. There are other things to do here, like boat trips and I’m not sure what else. It seems to be quite a popular holiday place, for Laos people mainly.
I tried to go Stand By Me again and to go cross country to Vang Vieng the north of Keng Kikhouay on another unknown road. I got some nice photos from the area, but I couldn’t make it on the Honda Wave. Again, it was just rocks, but this time it was also steep. Also the distance was actually something like 70 km, so I thought I wouldn’t make it.
You’re not allowed to drive a scooter on the Laos China Expressway, so you have to follow the old road that winds alongside. It’s quite a long distance, and there’s not a great deal to see. After Keng Kikhouay, it’s mainly just a case of getting back.
I handed the scooter back in, and they said everything was fine!
The place I used was Motorbike Rental Phout. The bike was totally reliable, and it came at a good price. I’d go to these guys again, for sure.
I also stayed at Vang Vieng Queen’s hostel, which is good if you’re looking for somewhere cheap with some other travelers to talk to.
Final Thoughts
I did long, full days of driving, and I covered a long distance. It was fun, and some parts of the journey were quite an adventure. There’s also some really nice scenery. The nicest parts of the scenery were on my second and third days. After that, it was more about exploring the villages and places that are quite far out of the way.
A good idea might be to stop somewhere in the second part of the trip to do a day’s hike. Just pick the most interesting place.
I also have an article about digital nomadding in Laos for anyone who’s interested.
