←→Explore: “The Loop” in Laos

Posted Monday, March 12th, 2007 · Permalink

This one is for the hardcore folk out there; those who aren’t afraid of a little risk and glorify in the reaped rewards. “The Loop” is a loosely defined road-loop in Laos, south-east of Vientiane. It is usually traversed by moto. The primary reason why this loop is hardcore, as I put it, has much to do with the natural obstacles that at times make completing the loop downright impossible.

One of the major obstacles in the area are the floods that occur during the wet season. They have recently been working on heightening the road that should fix this issue. But this might not last long. There is a hydroelectric development project happening in this area and so it might be impossible to do the loop in a few years when the project is completed and they flood a huge part of the area through which the loop runs.

There is some information about the loop in the Lonely Planet guidebook for Laos. It starts in a small town called Tha Khaek where you can stay at the large, friendly guesthouse that has great food and nice people. There you can rent a moto, but try to stick with the Honda ones (the quality is far superior, something that you will definitely need). The guesthouse also has books where recent loopers have left their thoughts and advice on the how to best do the loop at that moment.

Although you might have a lot of difficulty getting through and the roads are often terrible, it is all definitely worth it. This is a truly off the beaten path adventure and the rewards are great, ranging from meeting local rural Lao peoples to witnessing some of the most breathtaking scenery in Southeast Asia.

The trip will take about 3-4 days. You’ll need to make sure you stop and find a guesthouse in time before it’s dark (and trust me on this: it really gets dark-dark). Have a great time on this one! It’s a lot of fun.

If you have any questions regarding the loop, let me know in the comments and I’ll try to help.

Filed under Asia, Explore, Laos.