Phonsavan to Tha Vieng to Tha Thom

M

mactbkk

0
Jul 18, 2008
86
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Following from a Lao friend up in Phonsavan regarding the road conditions:

due to on-going road construction,
the road is open from:

5 to 7 AM
12 to 1 PM
after 5 PM
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We came down this road in early December 2008 and did run into several not too lengthly delays because of the new construction. BTW, a Vietnamese company has the contract for this job.

Had planned to visit Tha Thom in early April but now may give it a miss.

Mac
 
Boy that sounds like fun. Is there that many paved roads yuo can travel on with a street bike?
 
Ray23

Nothing much at all paved shortly after you pass through Muang Khoune on towards Tha Vieng. Hard packed dirt and gravel, then might well hit the construction areas, I don't know how far they've progressed.

If you plan to go all the way south to Paksan, reckon a street bike, if you're meaning a 150 cc type, might have troubles, especially if there's rains. FYI, we were in a 4WD pickup (with apologies, again, to the forum, great information and fun reading, I'm just a coward!).

If you plan on returning back to Phonsavan and get delayed, there is a guest house at Tha Vieng, and another at Tha Thom. Both a bit rustic I'm told.

Mac
 
Sounds likew mihgt be better to rent one of the dirt bikes, no the street bike is a Dragstar :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
mactbkk wrote: Ray23

Nothing much at all paved shortly after you pass through Muang Khoune on towards Tha Vieng. Hard packed dirt and gravel, then might well hit the construction areas, I don't know how far they've progressed.
Mac
Click to expand...
The construction may take some time. In Muang Khoune at the start of the the road there is a sign which indicates that 70 km. road will be upgraded with a starting date of October 2008 and completion date of October 2012
 
I rode thru here a few weeks ago. The joy of a dirtbike is you can get around the bamboo security poles with a few words in Vietnamese and while keeping an eye where the diggers are - power past. The danger is pretty high doing this but you can also sit for 2 hours in the sun and wait.

Locals are doing it on step thru bikes. The guesthouses in Thathom and Tha Vieng are not so bad.

Give me a ring Ray, I'll hook you up with wheels.
 
Pakkan to Thathom:

At one point the road is very muddy from water draining down the side of a mountain.
Shortly after that there is an area where the road goes down. At that point the hardpack
road surface is covered with fine powder...and it is very slippery. Hence, I crashed!
Quite passable for trucks; okay for road bikes but very dicey for a street bike!
Mud.jpg


Few river crossing...all easily passible in the dry season, even with a street bike.
Riverx-ing.jpg


Other than the above, the dirt roads are fine for a street bike
goodroads.jpg


The only GH I saw in Thathom, but surely other accomodations can be arranged.
GHThathom.jpg


The Thatom GH had electricity fittings in my room, but they were turned off.
I was provided with 2 small candles (look on table). At 160-Bt/night I felt ripped off;
maybe electricity was available for an extra fee ;-)
GHcandles.jpg


Dirt roads from Thathom to Mouang Khoune were not a problem. (Feb 2007)
 
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