http://adventurevacationtrip.com Off the Beaten Track Adventure Travel in Asia Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:32:39 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Day 5 Part 2 (Xam Neua to Phonsavan) I had wanted to visit the tourist office to get some directions to the Suan Hin (Sao Hin Tang). But the staffs were out for lunch so I decided to find the stone garden myself. There are a couple of Hintang signboards (white stone ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/northern-laos-loop-9-journey-day-5-2-xam-neua-to-phonsavan Day 5 Part 1 (Xam Neua to Phonsavan) Often known as the birthplace of Lao PDR, Vieng Xai is home to the former Pathet Lao headquarters. In Vieng Xai, the Lao communist movement built an extensive network of caves to shelter themselves from the constant bombings during the Second Indochina War ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/northern-laos-loop-8-journey-day-5-1-xam-neua-to-phonsavan Day 4 (Nong Khiaw to Xam Neua) If Luang Prabang is the most visited provincial capital in Laos, then Xam Neua (or Sam Neua) has got to be the least visited provincial capital in Laos. There are not many sites in Xam Neua to entice the tourist to travel to this ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/northern-laos-loop-7-journey-day-4-nong-khiaw-to-xam-neua Day 3 (Luang Prabang - Nong Khiaw) Luang Prabang is one of the most visited cities in Laos. Formerly the royal capital of a kingdom, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and boasts some of Laos' finest temples. I intend to spend the whole morning in Luang Prabang city ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/northern-laos-loop-6-journey-day-3-luang-prabang-to-nong-khiaw Day 2 (Xayaboury - Luang Prabang) I overslept. I had planned to start the ride at sunrise and try to reach Hongsa in the afternoon to join day 2 of the elephant festival. I found out about the festival only after I had booked my air tickets. If I had known, ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/northern-laos-loop-5-journey-day-2-xayaboury-to-luang-prabang Day 1 (Vientiane - Xayaboury) Because there are no direct (and cheap) flights from Singapore to Laos, I took a Tigerairways flight to Udon Thani, a city in northeast Thailand. Udon Thani is located one hour by road to the friendship bridge, the Thailand-Laos border close to Vientiane. At the Laos ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/northern-laos-loop-4-journey-day-1-vientiane-to-xayaboury There are a few motorcycle rental shops in Vientiane. Douang Deuane Hotel, PVO and Lucky Motorcycle Rental (not sure if they are related to Lucky! Lucky! in Cambodia) are listed in the Lonely Planet Laos guide and PVO is recommended as the best place for 250cc bikes hire. A Honda ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/northern-laos-loop-3-motorcycle The northern Laos loop takes us through a clockwise route from Vientiane to Xayaboury (also Sayabouli or Sainyabuli), followed by Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw, Xam Neua (also Sam Neua), Phonsavan and Vang Vieng before bringing us back to Vientiane. For this loop, it is best to plan at least ten days ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/northern-laos-loop-2-route About the size of the Britain, yet only one-tenth of its population. Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), is a sparsely populated, land-locked country in South-East Asia, bordered by Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and China. Unlike its neighbors who boast world renown temples, beaches, cultural villages, minority tribes ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/northern-laos-loop-1-introduction Even though I recommended Lonely Planet Cambodia for my previous Bokor Hill Station ride, it's because I did not know about Adventure Cambodia until this trip. Adventure Cambodia is especially tailored to travelers on motorcycles. In addition to the basic country background, accommodation, maps, restaurants and places of interest, you ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/phnom-penh-kampong-cham-kratie-ratanakiri-mondulkiri-northeast-cambodia-loop-13-resources Day 8 (Phnom Penh) I arranged for a motor to bring me to the killing fields of Choeung Ek which is located 15km from central Phnom Penh. Between 1975 and 1978, 17,000 people held and tortured at the S-21 (Tuol Sleng Museum) were transported to the extermination camp at Choeung Ek. ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/phnom-penh-kampong-cham-kratie-ratanakiri-mondulkiri-northeast-cambodia-loop-12-journey-day-8-9 Day 7 (Mondulkiri - Phnom Penh) The bad thing about riding before sunrise is the cold. I had my jacket zipped up to my neck and yet I could not ride faster than 30km/h without trembling. But the reward is you get the road to yourself. So despite the freezing winds, ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/phnom-penh-kampong-cham-kratie-ratanakiri-mondulkiri-northeast-cambodia-loop-11-journey-day-7 Day 6 (Mondulkiri) Nested in a hilly province, Sen Monorom boasts beautiful scenery and cool weather. The charming capital of Mondulkiri is very laid back and makes for a pleasant place to laze for a few days. And laze around I did. I took it easy and gave the usual attractions ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/phnom-penh-kampong-cham-kratie-ratanakiri-mondulkiri-northeast-cambodia-loop-10-journey-day-6 Day 5 (Ratanakiri - Mondulkiri) I had a restless sleep, waking up a couple of times in the middle of the night. The staffs at Rattanak Hotel had told me that it's easy riding to Mondulkiri and they had done it many times. They offered to be my guide. I declined, ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/phnom-penh-kampong-cham-kratie-ratanakiri-mondulkiri-northeast-cambodia-loop-9-journey-day-5 Day 4 Part 2 (Ratanakiri) In less than an hour, we reached Kachon (N13 58.305 E106 53.331). After paying US$1 for admission, I was led to the Tompuon cemeteries located inside the jungle, a short distance from the village. According to Tompuon customs, families are buried together and tombs are companied ... http://adventurevacationtrip.com/phnom-penh-kampong-cham-kratie-ratanakiri-mondulkiri-northeast-cambodia-loop-8-journey-day-4-2