Laos R13 Road Condition

[Ah Boon]

I posted the following on the sister-site GT-Rider and thought I should repeat it here. (I am sure David won't mind.)
This is mainly for "road" riders as the "off-road" fraternity would probably enjoy the current conditions.

Just a note for information: -
I rode into Laos recently (August 29 through September 7, 2016).
From Vientiane I followed Route 13 taking the "old" route to Luang Prabang and returned on the "new" highway.
After recent torrential rain the damage to the roads in the mountains is very evident. There are innumerable slips and washouts and single-lane stretches. In places the water from blocked water tables flows down the road turning it into a creek bed. The new highway has slumped badly in places and one sign informs that the road is "Dangerous" for the next 9 km.
All very challenging on a road-going FZ150i (I know, I know: I need a bigger bike. Maybe next year!)
So, the journey needs some extra time and care and the roads, I imagine, will be under repair for some time to come.
Have fun,
Ah Boon/Vic

 

[Lone Rider]

Thanks Ah Boon - I was on the same roads a few days earlier than you (from about 19-26 August) right after the heavy rains in that area. This is a picture of the Nam Khan river in Luang Prabang when it had been raining non-stop for quite some time

Picture of the spot where the road has now subsided about 60 cm along the Nam Khan on Kingkitsarath Road.

The next day we (Cycle Wallah and myself) left for Phonsavan and we wanted to take the old road 13 North but we had to turn back as the road had become unpassable for vehicles. Unfortunately there was no sign that the vehicles could not use the road so it became here and there a bit tight as there were lots of big trucks caught here with no way of turning the trucks around

We finally concluded that it would be better to turn around and take Road 4C (the Kasy to Mueang Nan shortcut). Finally on 4C after traveling along Rd. 4 from Xieng Ngeun southward with lots of landslides and road cave-ins.

Road cave-ins along Rd 4

This is a picture of one of road slips on Rd. 4C on the Mueang Nan side. We had to wait for about 30 minutes as they were busy making the road passable again

Picture copyright Pakaad

A bit further on near the new viewpoint the road was completely gone but they had made already a new bypass

On the right of the picture is the old road which was completely gone now as shown in the next 2 pictures (Copyright Pakaad)

From there it was from Kasy to Poukhoun and onwards to Phonsavan

Clearing up a landslide between Kasy and Poukhoun

Very slow moving traffic and the people in the truck behind me had a load of geese and, as it was hot, they all got a dunk in the water running in the ditch along the road

Another landslide along the same stretch of road

Took some more pictures on the wayback from Phonsavan to Luang Prabang. Some pictures of the road at the bridge over the Nam Chat. All the houses on the eastside of the bridge along the road were gone - into the river and partly salvaged to build a few new "houses" on the road itself

The new viewpoint on the Kasy to Mueang Nan shortcut - Road 4C

One of the road-slips from previous years - now repaired.

 

[Ah Boon]

Thanks for the photos Lone Rider.
You appear to have had much cleared weather than I did in the critical areas.
Had I taken any photos they would have shown a white-out. Not much use.
Cheers
Ah Boon

 

[Lone Rider]

Thanks for the photos Lone Rider.
You appear to have had much cleared weather than I did in the critical areas.
Had I taken any photos they would have shown a white-out. Not much use.
Cheers
Ah Boon

Yes, we had nice sunny weather and most of the trails had dried out and were starting to get dusty. When we arrived in Ban Viengxai where we had provided funds for a new roof and a concrete floor for the village school we commented on the dusty road. They started laughing and showed us pictures of the situation in their village only 5 days earlier where they waded through waist high flood water in the village.

 

[Lone Rider]

Update on the Kasy to Mueang Nan road - Road 4C

A few days ago this road has had a few more landslips near the viewpoint and big trucks and pickup tucks, etc. may have problems using this road till the road has been repaired

Source: Facebook - ‎Supakrit Danita‎ to MOTORCYCLE IN LAOS