Pictures & Information From Long Tieng

Whilst the Vietnam war raged on, across the fence in Laos the CIA were running a clandestine war in Laos. Long Tieng was an air field, one of the most busiest in the world at that point, some 30,000 people lived and worked there. today some 2000 people inhabit the small town which was closed to the public until recently.

For the last 6 years I’ve been able to visit Long Tieng many times and explore the whole area. We’re pretty sure more secrets are hidden within, so a tour of Vang Phao house is quiet an experience, walking the runway or checking out all the old building is always fun too, the King’s Palace is quiet something to walk around high up on the hill. On a warm day there is no better place to sit and ponder what went on here.

Hope you enjoy the pictures……

For tours and information……..

Our Easy, All You Need Guide to Ride Laos

We look forward to see tourism returning to Laos once Covid-19 is under control. Especially travelers that ride motorbikes. If you’re planning a motorbike trip with us, this handy guide to ride Laos will ensure you have a safe and memorable time.

Laos, a developing Asian country, is unlike anything in ‘the western world’.  Planning for a trip here is essential. Items you will find handily in your home country or even in major SE Asian cities like Bangkok may not exist in Laos or may not be of the quality you prefer. However, what you will find in Laos are experiences, food, people, and scenery unrivaled by any expectations.

Booking a tour in Laos: If your coming directly to Laos, book with a Lao Travel Agent rather than a non-Laos one.  Lao Agents will be there to help you ‘on the ground’ should you need it and not in some distant land with little or no awareness of local customs. Carry printed receipts or other evidence of related payments you have made, which can be used locally to verify any situation.

General Visa Information

All foreign visitors need a visa to enter Laos. Thirty-day tourist visas are readily available on arrival at most airports and some land borders. They can also be applied for at the Laos Embassy in your country and online at https://laoevisa.gov.la/.

Visa on arrival: The process is quite straightforward. You need between US$30 and US$42 in cash, two passport-sized photos and the name of a hotel or guesthouse. Those without a photo, or who are arriving on a weekend, holiday or after office hours, will have to pay an additional one or two dollars. The fee can be paid in Laos Kip, Thai bath, or US$. No other foreign currencies are accepted.

If flying in you will have completed your Visa Application Form on the aircraft. Give that completed Visa Application Form, photographs, and cash to the control point at your arrival airport. They will process your application and appropriately stamp your passport, if approved.

Laos eVisa: As of July 2019, citizens from 180 eligible countries can get a Laos tourist visa online, through the new Laos eVisa application. This visa has been created to make the application process faster, allowing eligible citizens to avoid long waits for a visa on arrival at the Lao border. eVisas are valid for a single entry stay of up to 30 days. Citizens of the countries eligible to receive this include those from Australia, Canada, the United States, and member countries of the European Union.

To qualify for the Laos visa online, applicants must be citizens of an eligible country and meet the following Laos eVisa requirements:

• A passport with a minimum validity of six months from the expected date of arrival.
• An email address where the approved visa will be sent.
• A debit or credit card to pay for the visa fee.

Applicants simply complete an online application. It is recommended travelers apply at least 7 days before their expected date of departure. eVisas are only accepted at the following border entry points: Wattay International Airport (Vientiane), Luang Prabang International Airport (Luang Prabang), Pakse International Airport (Champasack Province), Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I (Vientiane), and Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge II (Savannakhet Province).

Visa Extensions: Your visa can be extended twice after the initial 30 days for periods of 30 days, allowing you in total to remain in the county for 90 days. To make an extension, you need to attend the local visa office.  Offices are available in major cities such as Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse, and Savannakhet. At the Immigration Office, you will complete the appropriate Application Form and pay a fee of approximately $60 in Lao Kip. There may be a small additional processing fee on special days. Bring an extra 25,000 Kip to ensure you have enough for any fees. Any fees will be included on your receipt. The receipt will be needed when you return to the office to retrieve your new visa.

Good to Know Before You Go

Covid 19: We’re fully compliant with Government guide lines, all our staff are Vaccinated and ensure best practices at all time. Masks and sanitizers will be supplied for our customers. Everybody’s compliance is asked for to ensure others safety, as well as ours.

Insurance: You should have Travel, Accident & Medical Insurance. Make sure you are covered for the activity you choose. If it’s motorcycling, ensure you have the correct entitlement. Now with Covid insurance becomes even more of challenge, there is a link at the bottom the page that you may find useful whilst buying insurance.

Accidents: Accidents happen, but there are many things you can do to limit their effect should you be unfortunate enough to have one. First, ride within your limits. The second is to wear good protective gear that properly fits you. Also, ensure you give other road users all the space they need and adjust your speed to what’s going on around you. You must accommodate the other road users including animals and drunk drivers. Hospital are not the best here so if you injure yourself and need one, we’ll send you to Thailand for the best care. Please ensure you’re covered for this by your insurance policy. In the event of an accident here in Laos, pictures must be taken for insurance purposes and the insurance company informed.

Health: Required Health inoculations vary. Be sure to check with your doctor before you leave home. Laos has both Malaria and Dengue. Precautions should be taken against both and use of nets and repellent can minimise the risk greatly. Bring a Traveler’s First Aid Kit with you. As for Covid-19, we take every step we can to be as safe as we can. Masks and hand cleanser are given to all our clients. First Aid Kits should be carried.

Money: Kip is the local currency, but USD is sometimes used in large cities. ATM’s and ‘money exchange booths’ are everywhere. With regard to ATM’s, it is a good idea to tell your bank you will be in Laos. That should overcome the problem of your card being rejected by a local machine. While your card is very handy, you should always carry cash, including local currency in smaller denominations. You need cash in Laos to pay for fuel, food, lodgings, etc. Make sure you can access cash at all times in case of emergencies or snacks.  Here cash is king and ATM’s may not be close by! 

Valuables: Items you don’t need to carry such as passports, excess money, credit/debit cards, are things you don’t want to lose. Keep them safe somewhere, whether on you, or in a safe place elsewhere.

Language: Communication is very important. Towns and cities will have English speakers, although even in crowded places they may be few and far between. The quality of the locally spoken English is at often poor so if in conversation slow down what you say, speak clearly, and say it simply. If you’re going into the countryside, Lao will almost certainly be the only language spoken. Wherever you are, we suggest you print out your bookings, as just their sight may make things easier to explain if necessary.

Guided Tours: As we know Laos very well, not only can you expect a lot of fun from our guided tours, you who have continuous help while with us. Each group is assigned a Guide. From the time you are met at the airport, till the end of the tour, your Guide will be with you. At those times when further support is needed, the company will provide it. Haven’t decided on a tour yet? Here are a few we offer!

Guide to Ride Laos with Us

Rentals: If you are renting a bike, you need to be confident it is in sufficiently good condition to complete the tour. In Laos there is no recovery service. Whilst we do our best ensure that the bike will be in good condition to fulfill its purpose for the period of the rental, things can go wrong. We are quite happy for you to record the condition of the bike in your own way. That may be by inspecting the bike, taking pictures as a record, and noting any damage prior to signing the Agreement, which is a legal document in Laos. You have an obligation during the loan period to maintain the bike in the best condition and report any accidents it is involved in. If you do that, there should no problem that cannot be solved.

Ability: When riding, always ride within your limits and at a pace where you are in full in control of the bike. Riding within yourself reduces accidents that may occur when you ride beyond your limit. Be sensible and be safe! We had a guest who never made it out of the garage because he crashed getting out. We have also had guests who have lasted an hour or two, before leaving the tour with broken bones. However, the vast majority of our customers complete their tour unscathed.

Tools & Spares: The bike is supplied with a Honda Tool Kit, tyre levers, air pump for punctures, chain adjustments, etc. We will supply you with spares such as cables, tubes, fuses, and chain links, as necessary. If you want to supplement our Tool Kit, please feel free to bring along anything else you may wish to.

Riding gear: With the advent of Covid-19, we’re unsure if people will be happy to wear used gear. If you are happy to wear our gear, we stress that everything is painstakingly cleaned to ensure it’s suitable for reuse. If you bring your own gear, please remember the season. It is hot, often very hot, out here. Loose fitting MX gear is the coolest for Laos conditions. If it rains, we buy ponchos.

What to Pack: You’ll need a wash kits, towels are supplied at the guest houses. For evening wear you need some long pants and a fleece or light jacket in the colder season, shorts will suffice in the hot season, a few T shirts & Under wear, depending on how long your away. Bear in mind you’ll spend most of your time in your riding gear. It’s possible to get washing done en route, so no need to over pack, as the bag has to go on the back of the bike.

Guest Houses/Hotel: We normally stay in Guesthouses overnight. Our overnight accommodation reflects what is available in the area. In small villages or ‘boonies’, the accommodation may be a bit basic. However, if you’re tired and in need of rest, basic is more than adequate. Camping is an option. If you do camp, be careful. Laos was bombed night and day for 9 years during the Vietnam War. There are still many UXO’s in the ground from that time. Exercise caution digging anywhere and be careful lighting fires.  You never know what’s under the soil.

Route Planning: As professionals and residents of Laos, the routes we plan ahead of time are carefully chosen based on the time of year, ability level of riders, and safety. There may be days when you have the option to relax or take some time to ride away from the group. When going off from the group, it’s always best to have a plan in place. I always ask where you’re going and what’s your plan. Always let people know before going off from the group. As we mentioned above, Laos was very heavily bombed, earning the unenviable title of most heavily bombed country per capita. UXO from the war are still injuring and killing people in 2020. Maps available from us.

Weather: The rainy season is from April to September.  If it rains a lot, ‘off road’ soon becomes impassable and impossible! If you’re not experienced riding in mud, mud is not for you. If you are, its great fun! October to January can be cold, especially in the Northern provinces. You will then need a jacket or fleece in the evening and into the mid-morning. After that, conditions become perfect for riding. From February it gets really hot, with temperatures normally 38 Degrees. The trails are then dry and dusty.

Hydration: Laos is a hot country. While riding, you need to drink a minimum of 3 litres of water a day. Do not forget to carry water with you. If you carry a small water filter, one in each group is fine. Never underestimate the need to keep well hydrated. Water is absolutely essential, as are coconuts and hydration drinks.

Food: On the tourist trails, you will be offered a dish called Pho, a beef noodle soup eaten by locals. It is sliced meat, served over flat or thin rice noodles. It’s often topped with chili oil, lime juice, bean sprouts, long beans, holy basil, and cilantro. Hope you like it, as it may be what you eat 3 times a day in the more remote locations you visit! In bigger towns and cities, European food is available. If you’re adventurous with food, there is a lot more to choose from. Riders with allergies or food restrictions must alert us upon booking.

Riding in Laos offers challenges and rewards unlike any other country in Southeast Asia, let alone the world. Our Easy, All You Need Guide to Ride Laos is meant to highlight that. We are always happy to answer more specific questions you may have. For riders looking for a bit more history in their adventure, head over to our companion site to learn about the Ho Chi Minh Trail historical adventure tours we offer.

For road condition have a look here…https://www.laoadvtours.com/why-so-many-accidents/

The 9 best travel insurance companies of 2021 are listed in this link, worth a look to ensure you get the cover you need, and or, and idea of what you may need.

https://money.com/best-travel-insurance/

After being in lockdown here in Laos during March and April, we were finally released with provincial borders reopened early in June, 2020. That was great for me as I was eager to go for a ride and check out leads on things, trail wise and otherwise. The ride would be to Xaysomboun, or the ‘Special Zone’.  An area closed to the public since 1975, reopening in 2018.  People like myself had been there since the reopening, though access to some areas was still prohibited.

While I was packing my bike to go, I got a call from my friend to ask if another friend could join the ride. That wasn’t a problem, as three is a nice sized group. We would all meet up in Vang Viang, then ride to Long Cheng on the road around the Nam Ngun Lakes. Formerly the Phu Bia Mine haul road, it is now used by trucks, servicing hydro power and iron ore mining projects in the area. Not only is the road in terrible condition with rocks everywhere, you have to be constantly alert for those speeding trucks that are a danger to other road users.

The plan was to ride most of the way together. I would then divert onto an ‘off road’ trail, meeting meet them at our final destination. A separation due to them not being big on the ‘off road’. So, we went our separate ways about 25km before Long Cheng, with me going on my 100km detour. I had been told that during the Secret War, General Vang Pao had another house and landing strip in the area, for which I had a rough location. The house I found the site quite easily. There were a lot of Army about, and my experience with these guys tells me to stay away from them. Stopping and looking would inevitably bring me to their attention, so i carried in riding. Now I know this location, I can find out more about it from my friends in local government.

After marking what I though was the old house and airstrip, I moved on to search for the other trail that wasn’t difficult to find and a beautiful ride. Not only is the surrounding countryside stunning as is usual around here, but I had it all to myself, or so it seemed. I needed to ask for directions in a small village, one which I think hadn’t seen a foreigner in a while.  So much so that not only did the locals look at me suspiciously, the children all hid!  As soon as I asked for help using Lao though, they all relaxed.  In no time at all I was back on the trail, and enjoying the ride. 

Deeper into the hills, I could see an Army checkpoint. They stopped me to ask what I was doing in the area, and checked my bags. The troops were friendly, and after a check of my papers and bags sent me on my way. Just so you know, the reason the Army is still present is because it’s said the last of the Hmong fighters still live in these jungles, albeit 50 years after the conflict. I soon found another trail I wanted to take, but unfortunately another Army checkpoint blocked my way. Asking to go thorough I was firmly refused, so went on towards Long Cheng, arriving at the main road near Xam Thong.

Continuing on I found the overgrown entrance to a third trail I wanted to look at, which after a few hundred yards opened up nicely. I earmarked this one for later and headed back as it was getting late in the day, and I don’t particularly enjoy riding at night. I took the old road into town, enjoying the undulations caused by its washed out, rutted, rocky surfaces. Surprisingly, the others had not arrived. On their arrival sometime later, they explained they had suffered a puncture a few minutes after I had left them. Good job they had the spare, and the tools needed to fix the bike!

That completes my survey on this part of Xaysomboun for now. We now have many ways to come in and out, and also some interesting things to check for the future. Please keep an eye out for further information. I will head for Vang Viang alone, as the others have made plans to go elsewhere. As for me, a nice hotel in Vang Viang, some great food and an early night to conclude my mission. Back to Luang Prabang in the morning……

When I first came to Laos to ride, river crossings were plentiful, mainly by small canoes, today it’s a bit different, many have been forded and many new bridges are being constructed leaving the old bridges to nature.

The crossing I talk about here is The Xe Bangfai river crossing, It’s about 20 km South of Ban Langkhang which is on route 12 near the Mu Gai Pass, part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. There are 2 big crossings, in the dry season there no problem but during the rainy season they become much harder to cross..

Ban Saenphan is the first crossing which looked like this in 2010.

These little boats are not stable when you’re on them, they rock from side to side, very uncomfortable on a big bike with all your gear on, if you fall in you may not come out alive, especially if the bike snags you. I know of one guy who fell in, he was fine but it took them 12 hours to retrieve the bike and make it work again. I think it was 2013 when the Forded the river.

We have crossed this many times, I prefer this to the Canoe, it’s safer but if you fall over the bike will get drowned, better than you drowning I think, some places its quite deep, slippery rocks make it harder, some big rocks, by no means a smooth crossing. We had a lot of fun here in the past, the big BMW’s were the funniest.

Now crossing is much easier, the ford is still there, but ferries run there now which are very cheap, 20,000 kip, so no need to get your feet wet anymore, suits me. Around 2017 major works started on the new bridge, 2018 saw it get damaged by a lot of water, the locals tell me the water knocked the spans of the Bridge, after the Dam collapse near Attapue.

Once you get passed this a little further up is the next crossing, just as big, with canoe options as well, I always ride it, dry season it’s easy, after the wet season depending on when you come, it can have a lot of water going through it.

March 2020 this is how it looks at the upper crossing.

Laos is changing fast, gladly not fast enough. Projects like this seem to take years to finish, this one has been work in progress for some time, once that bridge is finished, it’s the end an era on the trail. We will keep looking for different ways to go south…..

https://www.laoadvtours.com/motorcycle-adventure-tours-in-laos/14-day-tour-the-road-to-freedom-ho-chi-minh-trail-with-virginia-morris/

Major Lee Lue was a fighter pilot in the Secret War, he flew over 5000 missions and was highly regarded as one of the best, he came up in conversation with a pilot i know,who knew of Lee Lue, he asked me could we go look his crash site in Northern Laos.  Yes was the answer to that, some research done and we head out to find the places. Captain Ruidi and me.

First place we go is to Muang Soui, which is about 50ks west of Phonsavan and home to LS108, not much to see now but it was a busy site back in the war, we asked  few questions and got some directions to a rather remote little village to the south, about 25ks away, time to go take a look.

The Village is very remote and we’re unsure we had arrived in the right place, we found an elderly gentleman and asked him, he knew what we wanted and summonsed 2 villagers to take us to the spot in question, about an hour away.

First leg is on the bike, then its walking up some rather steep hills for about 40 minutes, when we arrive at the correct hill, the guys showed us a small area where they say Major Lee Lue’s plane hit the ground. All around us where bunkers, fox holes and trenches, lots of UXO around as well, not a safe place to walk around without the locals.

It seems that when he crashed the Vietnamese army where all over the site, basically picked it clean, he was not liked by the NVA army, he bombed them many times, so his death was a cause for celebration and mementoes were taken from the site by the NVA.

The Special guerrilla forces, General Van Pao and the US Pilots mourned his death, he was a hero amongst his fellow pilots and soldiers. When i returned home my neighbour asked me where I had been for 3 weeks, I told him about Lee Lue, he knew all about him and praised him, remembered him from his childhood.

Just west of Xepon, there is a tunnel complex along the Ho Chi Minh Trail built by the NVA (Northern Vietnamese Army) that runs between 2 mountains. It served as a base on the Trail among other things. Inside the tunnel has collapsed. So it still holds a few secrets which we will try to uncover.

It’s a short run down to Xepon from Villabuli, where we head next. I have been here before, but wondered about a second entrance. So the plan was to try and find it. We arrive in Xepon and checked into the guest house I always use. Just off the main road, it’s friendly and pretty cheap. Plus, we know the owners so it’s always nice to return here. Today we rest and get cleaned up, fix the bikes, drink some beer, and plan tomorrow’s events.

Hitting the Trail, Finding the Tunnels

Bright and early in the morning we set off of for the short drive along the trail to the Xepon NVA tunnel area where we will locate our guide and head into the bush. We found our man easily and of we went. On arrival at the sight, its clear to see its been busy here. Apparently the Vietnamese have been here checking out the site. The trail is big and well trodden, easy to get to this time.

The Tunnel has caved in about 10 metAbout 10 meters in is the where the tunnel has caved in, but we must be careful looking around as the the site was mined back in the day. However, we did see signs of small digs so maybe the Vietnamese checked the site for UXO. It’s a really remote area which makes me wonder how they choose locations?

I initially found these in 2016 with help of the Vietnamese army which we have contact with. Looks like we need to get in touch again and find out more if we can. We will revisit at some point, want to join us? Our tour on the trail “The Road to Freedom” goes to this site, check it out.

https://www.laoadvtours.com/motorcycle-adventure-tours-in-laos/

Seems like every day is ground hog day: clean the bikes, clean the filters, check the oil, chain, tyres, bearings, brake pads, lights, indicators, body work! We have a simple check sheet that documents what we did and when we did it.

Having worked on these for so long we pretty much know all the in’s and out’s of the CRF250L, we carry a lot of Honda service items that we have on the shelf, things we don’t have we order from Thailand and can get them within 24hrs if its urgent. Prevention is better than cure so we try to ensure we catch things before they break.

When we buy a second hand bike we check everything, including steering bearings, swing arm and linkages, everything gets checked and put back together if deemed fit, if not its changed, that includes things like Stators, they let go without warning about 40,000 km.

Crash Damage is always a part of the tours/rentals, if you break it we replace it, if we don’t replace the broken and damaged parts the bikes soon start to look rubbish, if you pick up a bike with broken parts it just looks crap, so best to keep it all looking best we can, scratches we can live with.

Refurbishment on the older bikes is a total strip down with the frame being painted and the motor checked for wear, these bikes may have some big k’s but with some effort they can be made good again so we replace many parts such as Ignition switches, fuel pumps, radiators, the engine will get stripped and replace things like timing chains, valves, guides, piston and rings and anything else that is worn, normally this results in a great bike that will do many more ks with out incident.

We first tried to get up there about 3 years ago.   As luck would have it the Army were not at their post, so we slipped the checkpoint.  We then headed to the ladder area at the base of the mountain.  At that point, we got spotted by the Army upon a hill, which is now the command center.  They gestured for us to leave, so not wanting a confrontation, we darted back down the mountain.

We had made it as far as any man could, back then.

How LS85 Looks Today

Roll on 2018, and there’s a ladder all the way to the top.  It’s a tourist attraction with some nice views. Foreigners are supposed to get permission to go up there, from the Tourism Board in Xam Neua.  Good luck with all that.  We paid the Army 50,000 kip each and went up. Take plenty of water as you can’t buy any there.  The only shop on the main road has drinks and food.

It’s quite a climb but the views are spectacular. There are also a few bits of ‘war scrap’ lying about.  To give you an idea of what it was like up there, here are my pictures….

I returned in March for another look around, there is a lot of scrap up here…

No Need to get permission to climb, the Army were very polite and helpful and only charged us 25,000 kip each, take some walking shoes it’s 30 minutes to climb up, plenty of water required although it’s very cool up top.

Rather bumpy in the truck from Muang Hiem, the sealed road is much smoother but less scenic, but a great way to end up in Xam Neua. For tours to LS85 click the link below.

More Info here…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lima_Site_85