Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia Overland Tour

- Ride the orginal Ho Chi Minh Trails in jungle

- Remote

- River crossing, boat trip

- World Heritage Sites

- History and Cultures 

Hanoi - Pu Luong

There will be a quite interesting riding getting out of city. Then we can hit speed on Ho Chi Minh road through stunning countryside to Pu Luong. You will see a part of Cuc Phuong national park and huge rice fields with limestone background. The Pu Luong, belonging to Cuc Phuong mountain range, the largest remaining area of lowland limestone forest in northern Vietnam, is an important example of Limestone Karst, ecosystems renowned for their complexity, richness and beauty. The nature reserve is home to endangered animals, including Langur of which less than 300 remain in the world. We spend our first night in hospitable Thai family. Enjoy dinner with some local dishes and try rice whisky, all tiredness seems so far away!

– L,D

– Thai family

– Distance : 190 km

– Highlight : Pu Luong national park, Thai villages

Pu Luong - Xam Nua

Follow Ma River then turn left for real mountain windy road to Na Meo border crossing. It takes about an hour and half for existing Vietnam and entering to Laos. Here we are in Laos with beautiful scenery of limestone karts, rain forest. We will make a stop to visit Vieng Xai, the headquarter of Pha Thet Laos during the 2nd Indochina 2 War. There are about 480 caves were used by the Pathet Lao during the Second Indochina War to shelter from American bombardment. Sunset will be good time to make last ride to Sam Neau the town in mist.

– B,L,D

– Xam Neau 1* hotel

– Distance : 230 km

– Highlight : winding road, Vieng Xai the Pha The Laos headquarter

Xam Nua - Phonsavan

The market in Sam Neua is small, unassuming but interesting. Early morning, in opaque mist, the locals are getting filled up into market square. Not very a touristy spot, but you can find many colourful textile stuffs. Pick up simple breakfast with bread, let’s get on bike again. Beautiful windy road, ride your motorbike with some stops in local hill-tribe villages along route no 6. Lunch in a restaurant in Nam Neun village before heading on another 95 km to Muong Kham, stop to visit Tham Piew cave – where about 400 people were killed during the second Indochina War by a rocket from American Jet on 24 Nov 1968. Then continue another hour to Phonsavan the new capital of Xieng Khoang province.

– B,L,D

– Xieng Khoang 3* hotel

– Distance : 240 km

– Highlight : winding road, cave, H’mong village

After breakfast, we ride to Site 1 of Plain of Jars for our first look at the mysterious site. It gets its name from the hundreds of stone jars scattered across the landscape, ranging from 1-2.5 meters in height. There is considerable speculation as to the origin of the jars. Then we head to Muong Khoun. Enjoy our first road-break! Muong Khoun was once the capital of XiengKhoang Province. There is time to visit temples such as Wat Chom Phet and Wat That Phoun, built at the same time as That Luang in Vientiane. Depending on time, we can also visit some colonial buildings and old Lao Military Base that was seriously damaged by American bombing. Our destination today is Muang Vieng Thong where we overnight. This town located on dirt road no.10 – was also a branch of Ho Chi Minh trails. Now, the main traffic comes from logging trucks. The road is still under construction with a mixture of gravel and tarmac. This remote town has never been an attraction on a tourist map. That’s why we are here!

- B, L, D - Local guest house

- Distance: 260 km/~70 km dirt-road

- Highlight: Plain of Jars, Muong Khoun old town, countryside road

There will be the shortest distance of riding today. Ride the last part of road no.10 on brand-new paved distance then turn off for Na Hin. Just before Na Hin, we stop at the Sala Viewpoint for a panoramic look over the karst limestone formations. Lunch in Na Hin and we take an excursion to Khong Lor cave, there will be a cruise on 7.5 km long underground river. After dinner, we join in a Basi ceremony. It is a good-luck ritual in Laos tradition. That will be a rare occasion you could witness and be a part of a ceremony in Laos.

- B, L, D

- Na Hin Resort 3***

- Distance: 110 km paved road

- Highlight: boat trip, limestone forest, Basi ceremony

Time to say farewell to our lovely hospitable family in the resort, we are riding south over the Nakai Plateau. There is a good road from Na Hin to Lak Xao – a commercial town near the Vietnam border. Then we have all way long from Lak Xao to Na Kai is unpaved. Road condition is not too bad, mostly gravel. Some parts are really quiet and deserted. We’ll stop along the way to look over the resettlement villages from the massive hydroelectric project. It is also interesting to see plenty of trees sunk into the water in huge areas around the main dam of the electric project.

- B, L, D

- Local guest house

- Distance: 160 km/~ 80 km dirt-road

- Highlight: fun road, villages

We ride east further towards the Vietnam border and then go south into Savannakhet Province. We ride over the Ho Chi Minh Trail but it’s been upgraded and easy to ride but dusty. Our first dirt-ride to Bualapha is along Hin Namno National Park – which is considered to have the same value of geology and geomorphology as Vietnam’s Phong Nha national park. Easy to realize that there are stunning limestone mountains surrounding your view. There is a big river crossing, hopefully, the water does not flow too hard. Have lunch in a small local food shop with traditional Laos’ Pho (noodle soup), then we continue to Villabury. From here, riding turns into even more interesting. There are more big trees, villages, and river crossing (small). A section takes us on a 25 kilometer stretch of bad road and one river crossing by a remote village. Spend a night in a nice, clean local hotel.

- B, L, D

- Local hotel

- Distance: 200 km/~100 km dirt-road

- Highlight: river crossing, jungle view

Today will be on the most original part of Ho Chi Minh trail - the eastern leg in Laos. Enjoy breakfast, we start riding on a good paved road to Xepon then Dong, near the Vietnamese border, and make a short stop at a museum of war junk being put together in Dong. There are tanks, bomb shells that have been abandoned since 1972 when American troops withdrew from Southeast Asia. Then we continue on Ho Chi Minh trail. The road turns into fast packed gravel/dirt. You will see a couple of km of an old rock road that had been fenced off. And that is a section of Ho Chi Minh trail that is being preserved. Have lunch in Nong, there is also one small museum with tanks & a lot of bombshells. From here we start another section of the Ho Chi Minh Trail and the riding is sometimes difficult as there is no real road, only track. Along the southern edge of the difficult track, we’ll stop at a remote village and spend a little time seeing how life stands still in remote Asia. Getting close to our destination, the road is rocky, enjoy the bump!

- B, L, D

- Local guest house

- Distance: 180 km/~100 km dirt-road

- Highlight: museum, single track, jungle track

Now it takes only about 1 hour to ride from Ta Oi to Salavan on a new paved road. Then head to Attapeu by continuing on the less traveled road via Salavan, the majority is dirt road and bull dust road. We stop in Sekong for a simple lunch. After lunch, we continue driving along the Sekong River, a waterway that the Northern Vietnamese used to transport supplies to Southern Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Just before Attapeu, we could drive through town to Paam, an Alak village for a visit (this is optional!). Here, you can see a Russian surface-to-air SAM 2 missile that has been left next to the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Take a walk around the village, you may be able to watch women weaving in their homes. Alax textiles can be bought in this shady village. We then return to Attapeu for the night.

- B, L, D - Hoang Anh Attapeu 4* hotel

- Distance:230 km/~80 km dirt-road (depending on option)

- Highlight: fun riding

Feet dry? There will be many river and water crossing along the ride today. We ride the most southern off-road area of Laos and come out by King Fisher Eco Lodge for lunch before continuing the ride to Khong Island. En-route, visit the Khmer archeological site of Oum Moung, then cross the Mekong River by ferry boat to Khong Island. The area is well known by its islands spreading out on the Mekong before it enters Cambodia. We check in well before dark and have plenty of time for a cold drink on the river.

- B, L, D - Local hotel

- Distance: 190 km/~110 km dirt-road

- Highlight: 4000 island region, crossing river, fun riding

Take an easy start today. Board a traditional boat to visit the surrounding islands of Done Ket and Done Som. Continue to Done Khone Island and hike along its ancient railway built by the French in 1897 to visit the Sumphamith Waterfall. Continue by boat to Ban Nakasang and drive to Khone Phapheng Waterfall, the largest cascade on the Mekong River which is 6 km wide at this point.

- B, L, D

- Local hotel

- Highlight: boat cruise, waterfalls

After breakfast, we head to the border of Cambodia and cross the Mekong River by local ferry then we will get on the paved road to ride to Stung Treng. There will be a ride on the unpaved road and a very difficult part of the trip from Stung Treng to Beng Meancheay. Very jungle and fewer villages on the way. Preah Vihear dates back to the beginning of the 11th century. It dominates the plain from its prominent position in the Dangrek Mountains at an altitude of over 700m. The temple is located near the Thai border and was previously occupied by the Thais. It has recently been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. Explore this historic temple and take in the sweeping views from the summit over Thailand and Cambodia.

- B, L, D

- Local hotel

- Distance: 230 km

- Highlight: jungle track, fun riding

Today we will have an amazing ride along the jungle and exotic villages in the remote area of Cambodia. A few hours before we hit Siem Reap, we may stop to explore the losing temples in Koh Ker.

- B, L, D

- City River 3* hotel

- Distance: 270 km/~140 km dirt-road

- Highlight: jungle track, villages & mountain view

Breakfast at hotel and today we will visit the temples of Angkor by private van because in the motorbike tour is not allowed to ride in the Angkor area. Angkor Wat and Banteay Srei temple in the morning, lunch at a local restaurant, and afternoon visit to Ta Prohm and Angkor Thom city where Bayon Temple is located.

- B, L, D

- City River 3* hotel

- Highlight: Angkor Temples

After a delicious breakfast, get back on the bikes and pick up some chaotic traffic in Cambodia. We will start our ride through the highway to reach the Angkorian Bridge in Kompong Kdey. We will then ride a motorcycle to one of the most hidden temples of Cambodia the Prasat Preah Khan. These old ruins are also a must see place for motorcycle travellers in Cambodia.

- B, L, D - Local hotel

- Distance: 250 km

- Highlights: ruined temples, fun riding

Take the dirt road then cross the ferry at Stung Trong. Keep riding along the Mekong River to Kratie. We enjoy the scenery, the village along the river. The last ride to Stung Treng will be on a sealed road. We could stop at Prek Kampi to take the boat trip to the spot for Irrawady Dolphin. If we missed the dolphin in Laos, we won't miss the chance to see the dolphin at Prek Kampi as they mostly show up at this spot.

- B, L, D

- Local hotel

- Distance: 230 km

- Highlight: river view, boat trip

Today, an early start from Stung Treng will be needed. The road between the Stung Treng junction and Ban Lung is mostly unsealed but is currently being rebuilt, including a long diversion around the proposed new hydro dam. Then we have a brand new paved road to the Vietnam border. Take it easy on last ride to Pleiku City. Ribbon road runs through massive coffee & rubber fields. There will be some good points to have an open view in the middle.

- B, L, D

- Ialy 3* hotel - Distance: 290 km

- Highlight: fun riding

Ride 40 km on a good paved road to Phu Cuong waterfall in Chu Se district. This waterfall flows on the cooled lava rock of a dead volcano millions of years ago. The water column is about 45m high. In the rainy season, water spreads out just like a horizontal silver screen, steam rising from everywhere. After a while in heaven, we are back on the road across Ea So National Reservations. Many different villages of Giarai, Bana people welcome you to take a road break and get few photos with the kids. Get lunch somewhere, we head to the east to our destination of Quy Nhon – a young beach city. There will be a nice beach hotel with swimming pool today.

- B, L, D

- Hai Au 4* hotel

- Distance: 250 km

- Highlight: fun riding, jungle road, ethnic villages

Keep riding along our coastline till Hoi An. We do not just stick on road no.1, turn off & get back from plenty of backroads closer to the coast. Traffic somewhere will be busy but that is what you have used to handle after many days.

- B, L, D

- Thuy Duong 3* hotel

- Distance: 330 km

- Highlight: coast road

Full day exploring the World Culture Heritage site of Hoi An, the old town, a unique combination of architectural monuments of various forms: residential house, assembly hall, communal house, pagoda, shrine, temple, water well, bridge, wharf, market...has been preserved intact. Hoi An is a good example of a symbolic oriental city in the Middle Age, so wonderful with its aged and traditionally maintained habits and customs. The town is now an excellent model of a living museum of architecture and urban lifestyle.

- B, L, D

- Thuy Duong 3* hotel

- Highlight: Hoi An beach, Old quarter

There are many options for today. Spend all day enjoying Hoi An (tailor shops, shopping, go diving, ...) or we move soon to another new destination: Da Nang. Da Nang is also a tourist hot-spot in Central Vietnam with My Khe beach, Linh Ung temple, Monkey mountain... Ride the last 40 km to Da Nang for departure.

Tour ends!