SEA Adventure Ride

My daily dairy of the SEA Adv Ride

D minus 1

Final check on bike (Camel). Mileage 28830.3 km

D Day (10 Jan 2011)

Straight ride from Sitiawan to Chomphun Thailand
Good road with some potholes along route 4 Thailand. Beware of U-Turns!
Day travel 854.7 km
Fuel RM 94

D + 1 (11 Jan)

Ride Chomphun to Nakhon Sawan
At Prachuap Khiri Khan there is a junction to Mynmar border crossing
Cool weather from Suphan Buri onward and upward route.
Flat countryside, padi field dominates the countryside view
Day travel 753.4 km
Fuel 1243.20 Baht

D+2 (12 Jan)

Nakhon Sawan to Chiang Mai ride
Take route Tak to Li and to Chiang Mai. Sharp corners all along
O/nite Lux hotel Chiang Mai @ 600 Baht/nite
Eco tourism area; plenty for outdoor activites
Day travel 482 km
Fuel 620 Baht
There are many tourist here

D+3 (13 Jan)

Ride Chaing Mai to Chiang Khong, Thailand.
Road works from Kheong to Chiang Khong. Beware!
ATM machines plenty, just register your card before you leave Malaysia. Every transaction the bank take 150 Baht
Choose hotel or guest house along the Mekong River not in the town.
Best check where is the landing place, immigration and custom hut a day before cross Laos border
Day ride 343 km
Fuel 800 Baht

D+4 (14 Jan)

Enter Laos
Border cross from Chiang Khong,Thailand to Houei Xai, Laos via ferry
Sort out passport first at the immigration, stamp out of Thailand.
Then, give back the temporary import/export paper you get from Sadao custom Thailand when first enter Thailand from Bukti Kayu Hitam Malaysia.
Chiang Khong custom say, you are clear to go cross border into Laos. No paper was given. I was confused. Last Malaysian bikers cross this border were given some papers. T took my chance to cross regardless.
Fee to cross by ferry 500 Baht. Pay at the ticket counter (a small shack on the right side of the ramp)before embark ferry and get into line to board. No worry the workers there will help and point out where and what to do.
Drop Camel here while trying to put down the side stand. It slippery ramp. Be careful,
The crossing took about 25 minutes roughly
Once across, park bike near a restaurant.
Sort out paper for the bike with Custom first. Counter 5 this time. Show passport and bike document. The Laos custom will give a permit to bring bike inside Laos. Stamp and get signed as directed by the Custom Officer.
Then get bike insurance. No worry, the insurance guy will always be there to follow you a n insist take their insurance. Take sufficient insurance days.
Then, ride toward passenger ferry terminal about 1 km away from where you land with the bike. Here the immigration post is located. Fill up entry Laos slip and get it stamp. All in order now, you are free to ride into Laos.
Ride from Houei Xai - Luang Namtha -Boten - Oudom Xai
Very dusty and dirt roads. Too many sharp corners
Country side like Mindanao
Scenic view
At Boten, Laos an entry to China.
Day travel 348 km Fuel 820 Baht

Note; Journey to Oudom Xai
* Mountainous area, winding roads through out
* Road under construction program PRC/Laos. Many women workers from PRC I think and lived in the kongsi houses
* Local look like Chiese China. Very white complexion and sharp small nose and small build
* Mountain rice
* Not many schools
* Boten, from out of nowhere suddenly you see many high rise buildings near the border. The town is dominate by the Chinese PRC
* Green Ecotourism