The long awaited East - West Economic Corridor infrastructure highway linking Vietnam, Laos, Northern Thailand and Myanmar will finally be completed in 2008 jump starting local communities along the way bringing goods, people and investment.

Might make an interesting bike ride, if possible and I am still around.

It is possible right now if you have a book for your bike, we are going to try one in Laos next winter. Found a route through Gtriders that is paved road all the way.

For Laos you have to get a special permit to take your bike in, I would think Vietnam and Cambodia will be the same. The proceedures are listed on Gtriders, but its to far in the future to look them up at the moment.

I'll give the Lao trip a try and then think about the rest.

What route does this new highway take?
Is it Highway 22 to Sakon Nakhon, 212 to Mukdahan, then Highway 9 from Savannakhet Laos all the way to Dong Ha in Vietnam. I hope so as this route takes you all the way to Highway 1 in Vietnam and all those beaches.
Will the Lao and Vietnamese governments make it easy for us to travel?

ray23 wrote:It is possible right now if you have a book for your bike, we are going to try one in Laos next winter. Found a route through Gtriders that is paved road all the way.

For Laos you have to get a special permit to take your bike in, I would think Vietnam and Cambodia will be the same. The procedures are listed on Gtriders, but its to far in the future to look them up at the moment.

I'll give the Lao trip a try and then think about the rest.

when i was in Vietnam i was told no falang are allowed on motorbikes but i met 3 Japaneses guys up and down the coast road a few times but dident see any westerners although this was 7 years ago so maybe they are more relaxed these days
a word of warning there where gangs that prayed on tourists then i saw a girl stopped she was jabbed buy a needle with some kind of sedative that knocked her out i ran towards them a bit stupid but they fled probaley because my taxi driver was right behind me just remember its not thailand when the sun goes down in vietnam and cambodia you should be very vigalant this did happen at dusk
daytime never had a problem but night time very different story
if you do ride the route i would be very interested to find out more about the way you take
regards john

The story was in the Japan Times yesterday. Director Kenjiro Ishiwata at the Vietnam office of JETRO would have more details. Basically, the highway is 1,450 km at a cost of 1.7 Billion USD.

The opening in December of the Second International Mekong River Bridge created the link between Laos and Thailand. It goes from Danang, Vietnam to Mawlamyine, Myanmar. Lao Bao EPZ is on the border of Laos and Vietnam.

The route has already cut transportation time of goods from Bangkok to Hanoi from 5 days to 3 days. Travel at night is not good as there is no street lights yet.

I a researching Loa so that is all this apples to. Guys ride Lao all the time and you can in fact you can rent bikes there if you want to. Gtriders has a section on Vietnam written by guys who have ridden there, if that is an interest it may be a good place for research.

A while back I read something on one trip to Vietnam, as I recall he did mention one at least one occassion he di feel threten, but he did survive to post his information

Ray
Highway 13 that runs through Laos North to South, from the China border to the Cambodian border, is asphalt all the way. You could take a sport bike on it, so it should be no trouble on your Phantom.
Unfortunately in Laos, there are not many loops to do, unless your an of-road rider. So you basically do R13. Options in the North are a run out to
1. Phonsavan & Xam Neua
2. Oudom Xai Pak Beng, & maybe put your bike on a boat to go out to Houei Xai / Chiang Khong, or back down to Luang Prabang.
3. Phongsali from Oudom Xai & asphalt / "easy" steep winding dirt
Then in the south go out to
1. The Vietnam border from Savannakhet.
2. Attapeu asphalt / dirt, do-able on Phantom (back depending.)
3. Pakxe / Bolavens Plateau / Don Khong island.

From Vientiane do a loop that goes out to Thalat & the Nam Ngum dam, then over to Vang Vieng & back down R13 to Vte.