A "double trip report" on my travels in Central and South Laos

[Lone Rider]

I am a bit behind with my trip reports so I'll combine 2 trips into one report - Both trips started from Chiangmai to the Nam Heuang Friendship bridge crossing (Thali/Kenethao) with both trips going to Luang Prabang, Phonsavan and onwards to Savannakhet and Thakheak and the other trip going south to Pakse, Attapeu, etc.

As usual an early start followed by a bit of bird watching along a shortcut I often take through the ricefields before continuing my trip.

The "Paklay Harbor"

A bit of mapping work for one of the resorts in Luang Prabang

and a brief visit to another resort which in the past was the residence of the French Governor of Luang Prabang

A mapping trip to the Nam Khan 3 hydropower project east of Luang Prabang

and at the end of my stay in Luang Prabang before starting my trip southwards a sunset dinner at Monica's place

An early morning start with a detour via the new Kasy road and from there to Phonsavan with a few small sidetrips

Mapping some of the new side roads which go off Rd. 7

A new golf course under construction near Phonsavan

The new stadium being built in Phonsavan for the 2018 Laos National Games

The following day, after an over-night stay in Phonsavan I am heading south-east to Mueang Morc near the Vietnamese border and from onwards to Rd. 8. via a detour. The road is partly paved while other parts still need to be upgraded.

Abandoned resettlement housing

After reaching the highest point on the trail - close to 2200 meter - it is downhill again to Mueang Morc

and after Mueang Morc it is uphill again

Grinding corn

Lots of burning going on

and downhill again on a paved road to Thasi and via Rd. 13 and Rd. 8 for an overnighter at the Sai Nam Hai Resort in Nahin

Work has restarted at the Nam Theun 1 hydropower project in the Kading river

and on the shortcut from the Konglor Cave Rd. to the Sai Nam Hai resort

Arriving just in time for a sunset after a long day on the road

Tomorrow more

 

[bsacbob]

Thanks for the pictures Auke, i can never understand how that resettlement village was never used, it was completed only a few years back now its being picked clean of anything that can be reused, it has great views from there but i guess that wasn't enough to entice tenants.

 

[King of Jars]

Thank you for sharing these impressions ;-)

 

[rdrokit]

Thanks for sharing. Great photos.

 

[Lone Rider]

Part 2 of A "double trip report" on my travels in Central and South Laos

My plan for today was to have an easy day as the last few days had been long and tiring so the plan was to travel along Rd. 8 to Rd. 1E and then turn south along Rd. 12 to Thakhaek for an overnight stay.

The Phou Hai viewpoint (coordinates N18.20688 E104.55184) on Rd. 8 overlooking Ban Nahin and the area towards the Konglor Cave

First stop was at the "Bo Houay Namgnen" also known as the "Cold Natural Pond" on Rd. 8 (coordinates: N18.27565 E104.71388).

A bit further on along Rd. 8 you will find the Mangkon Cave - coordinates: N18.22138 E104.81252. Stopped there a few times on my travels but the cave was always closed. However, this time there were several cars parked with people walking around. It looks like the cave area is being upgraded with Buddha carvings, etc. including very loud music so I decided to give the cave another miss.

Road 1E has been upgraded and is now completely paved from Rd. 8 at Lak Xao till Gnommalath at Rd. 12. Not sure why but at the provincial border crossing they have carved Buddha figures into the rocks at N17.99054 E105.04526

Overnight at the Thakhaek Villa and Travel Lodge where I found quite a few Vietnamese bikes parked owned by tourists travelling by bike from Vietnam to Laos and possibly Cambodia before returning to Vietnam

From here it was slowly southwards to Pakse and Champasak while doing some mapping along the way. In Pakse I stayed at the Khamvong Silavong Hotel (coordinates N15.12283 E105.80025) and the owner seems to be a bit into bikes as there is an old Harley parked at the premises

Beers and dinner at the Panorama Restaurent of the Pakse Hotel (coordinates N15.12008 E105.79883) where I had a brief chat with the manager Chris Mulder (a fellow Dutchman and a motorbike enthusiast) about maps and other things like the haze which was everywhere.

The next morning off to Champasack but this time not to see Wat Phou but to see one of the minor ancient structures instead - That Sam Pang which dates back to the 12th century (coordinates N14.70651 E105.74337) of Rd. 14A north-west of Soukhouma. The accessroad to That Sampang and the Baray

After the visit to That Sam Pang and an overnight stay at Champasak it was time for other things like waterfalls, etc. Beers and dinner at the "Champasak with Love" restaurant (coordinates N14.90253 E105.88283)

Sunrise at Champasak

and an early morning view over Pakse from the temple on the southside of the Mekong

Lots of upgrading of existing and construction of new roads going on at the Bolaven plateau through the coffee plantations and other areas.

The Bolaven plateau is dotted with waterfalls (picture copyright by John the Geo)

One of the waterfalls on the Bolaven plateau I visited was the Kouay Xang waterfall which was recommended to me by Johannes de Silentio when I met up with him in Pakse

Picture copright Johannes de Silentio

Finding the waterfall was not very difficult using his map no. II - Bolaven, Xe Pian and Phou Kong

Map copyright M-Maps - see also https://mmapssouthernlaos.wordpress.com/ for his other maps

However, I only managed to reach the waterfall at the top which is right next to a culvert and I will have to re-visit the waterfall to find the trail which leads to the bottom of the falls

After the Kouay Xang falls I went to have another look at the Xe-Katam and the Houay Makchanh waterfalls on Rd. 16.

Xe-Katam March 2017

Xe-Katam March 2016

Xe-Katam March 2015

Houay Makchan 2012 (picture copyright by The BigFella)

Houay Makchan March 2017

To me it is not sure why this year the flow rate of the Xekatam and the Huay Makchan falls appear to quite low. One reason can be that there has been much less rain than normal during the rainy season. Another reason could be that both falls are just below hydro-power projects and these projects may use a large part of the water flowing through the rivers to feed the hydro-power projects or to fill up the reservoirs. Only time will tell if these hydro-power projects just upstream of the falls will have a lasting effect on the amount of water flowing through the waterfalls.

Overnight in Attapeu for a next day visit to the Sekaman 1 and 2 hydropower projects and heading from there ofroad to the north to link up with Rd. 16 B and onwards to Sekong.

Xekaman 1 Hydropower Project (coordinates: N14.96089 E107.15562)

Xekaman 2 Hydropower Project (coordinates: N14.88907 E107.11724)

Sam (Surface to Air) Missile - a left over of the Indochina war in Pa-am (coordinates: N14.92538 E107.04829)

On my way to the half buried tank and Ban Chaleunxai I got a flat tire which threw a big spanner in my plans as I needed to go back to Attapeu to have the tyre repaired. As it was getting late I decided to head straight to Sekong along paved roads and onwards to the border for my 920 km. trip home

and another picture of a sunset taken on this trip while almost home

 

[King of Jars]

Thank you, Auke, for sharing - very nice pictures and informative as ever ;-)

 

[KTMphil]

Lots of new, interesting, stuff, thanks for taking the time.