Stage description
Vientiane-Sihanoukville-Buriram bicycle ride

Route 1: Vientiane (Laos)-Poipet/Aranyaprathet (Cambodia/Thailand)

From - To
 Distance
(in Km)
Road
Stage description & details
Nong Khai
-
Vientiane
37
Asphalt
 - Train station Nong Khai, head North, first T-junction left (go right to Nong Kai).
- Border crossing Friendship bridge: Bicycle in van (30 Bath). Extra: In 2005 crossed again but now by bicycle..
- After border T-junction to the right.
- Follow the road signs into Vientiane.
Vientiane
-
Paksan
144
Asphalt
 - Follow Highway 10 until BanKhun (12 km) then as indicated to the right (Highway 13) and always straight on.
- In Ban Ta Bok, at 90 km from Vientiane, is also a hotel (according to Laotians we talked with).
Paksan
-
Savannakhet
345
Asphalt
 - Follow Highway 13 East/South all the way (you can easily catch a bus when you get bored!).
- In Tak Hek is also a guesthouse (we saw it from the bus).
- At Xeno right for the last 33 km to Savannaket.
Savannakhet
-
Pakse
280
Asphalt
 - Do not go to Xeno but follow the down town boulevard to the South. This road will gradually head (South) East.
- After 45 kilometers you will reach Highway 13 again, keep heading South (again keep in mind: you can catch a bus when you get bored!).
- In Paksong (new districts town with the same name as the village on the Bolaven Plateau) on 70 kilometer from Savannakhet there are 2 guesthouses along Hw 13.
Pakse
-
Pakson
52
Asphalt
 - From Pakse town follow Highway 13 South. After 8 kilometer, at the busstation, take the fork to the left leaving Hw 13 (take care: both 8 Km North and South from Pakse along Hw 13 is a busstation)
- After the fork always straight on. At Km 40 small dirtroad to the left to visit the Tad Fan waterfall.
-In Paksong first T-junction (at the market left) and after the market still straight on, after 100m to the left a guesthouse (with old and new rooms with prices accordingly).
Pakson
-
Attapeu
123
Unpaved
 - From the guesthouse back along the market to the T-junction. Turn left. After 1 km the road forks. Go straight onto the dirtroad as indicated by the sigh. The tarmac road also goes to Attapeu (160 km).
- After ca. 40 km, after checkpoint were they collect "toll", immediately to the left and ca. 40 Km downhill.
- At crossroads (at the bottom off the mountain) to the right, follow the road which is in a bad condition.
- After 12 km a hydroelectric powerplant and 22 km before Attapeu a brand new Asphalt road.
- ca. 3 km before Attapeu a V-junction, near market and busstation, go straight on.
Attapeu
-
Ban Pha Pho
110
Unpaved
 - Ca. 3 km back to the V-junction, at market and busstation. Turn left to Highway 18, it is a good dirtroad.
- After ca. 40 km the first river. Cross with ferry and go left after 50 meters. Within 100m the Highway will crumble into a footpath.
- Always go to the West. Lift your bike over fallen trees, cross several streams and rivers. When the road turns into a broad dirtroad you have crossed the last river.
- Another 30 km and then to the left for the last 9 km (7 km according to the sign at the junction) to the guesthouse in Ban Pha Pho.
Ban Pha Pho
-
Champasak
47
Unpaved
/
Asphalt
 - Back to Highway 18 and turn left. 22 km over a good dirtroad to Highway 13.
- At Ban Thang Beng (where you will find the sign Attapeu 116 km) right on to Hw 13. At km marker 31 to the left to indicated Wat Phu (Champasak).
- Some 5 km to the ferry. On the other site off the river turn left and after 2 km you will reach Champasak
Champasak
-
Dong Det
127
Asphalt
 - Back to the ferry and at Highway 13 to the right (where you were coming from) and always straight on.
- After ca. 100 km you can turn left to Muang Khong.
- At Nasakong turn right on to the dirtroad and at the end of the road you can take the ferry Don Det.
- The most easy is to take a ferry across to Don Det and cycle the remainder on the island.
Dong Det
-
Stung Treng
91
Asphalt
/
Unpaved
 - Take the ferry and the dirtroad back to Highway 13.
- At the end of Hw 13 go straight (to the right if you want to take the boat to Stung Treng). The road turns bad instantly.
- After ca. 5 km on your left hand side the Laotian immigration and 100 meter further to the right the Cambodian border post.
- This is Highway 7 (it will stay like this for another 200 km) Always straight on until you reach the ferry that will bring you to Stung Treng.
Stung Treng
-
O'Krieng
70

Unpaved
 - Hook up with Highway 7 again. The first part is a good dirtroad (ca. 34 km). At junction to the right. After the first Bailey bridge the road will turn into a nightmare again.
- Straight on. After 70 kilometer you will reach O'Krieng. You can not miss it. It is the taxi stop along HW 7 and the only place in 142 kilometers where you can see foodstalls along the road.
- You can sleep at the a restaurant at your lefthand site with the village headman. They will carry a bamboo stretcher outside. Fix your mosquito net over it and you are ready .
O'Krieng
-
Kratie
76
Unpaved
/
Asphalt
 - Continue Highway 7 to the South.
- After ca. 40 kilometer you will notice miracles still occur because the roads starts to become better (yes asphalt) and soon you will reach the Mekong river bank.
- turn left to Kratie and do not forget to watch the dolphins 17 kilometers before Kratie.
Kratie
-
Chhlong
30
Unpaved
 - Follow the boulevard along the Mekong to the south. 100 meter inland, through the outskirts of Kratie.
- Cross the bridge (when it is ready or catch the ferry to your right for free).
- Always straight on. Cross the bridge (or the free ferry to your left) into Chhlong.
- To get to the 2 guesthouses go through the old French centre of town. After ca. 1.5 kilometer you will find them to the left and right of the road near the ferry pier.
Chhlong
-
Kampong Cham
96
Unpaved
 - Follow the road along the Mekong westward. Halfway the road will head South. Keep the Mekong on your right hand all the time.
- Try to prevent to drift to much inland.
- This is especially important after ca. 70 km when after a crossing a bridge the levee tends and road will lead you to much inland.
- At the Japanese bridge near Kampong Cham (at the destroyed church tower), follow the road under the bridge and go left so you can easily get on the bridge and cross it.
- On the other site of the bridge turn right at the roundabout into the centre of town.
Kampong Cham
-
Kampong Thom
116
Asphalt
/
Unpaved
 - Back to the roundabout and turn right to the direction of Phnom Penh.
- After ca. 15 kilometer (at the gasstation) turn right to Kampong Thom as the roadsign indicates.
- The road get really bad for the next 30 kilometer until the big rubberplantages. Keep right on the old road to Kampong Thom (people will direct you to the new Highway 6 to the west so double check directions).
- After the rubberplantations the road will get bad again (so you know you are on the right route). Until 10 km before the old road joins Highway 6 a good dirtroad appears out of the blue.
- Last 40 kilometer over Highway 6, this road has to be sealed all the way (but we found Hw 6 under, what looks like, continuous construction making it a though ride).
Kampong Thom
-
Siem Reap
145
Asphalt
/
Under construction
 - Follow Highway 6 further to the West, Hw 6 has to be sealed all the way (but as mentioned we found Hw 6 under, what looks like, continuous construction making it a though ride).
Siem Reap
-
Sisophon
115
Asphalt
/
Under construction
 Follow Highway 6 further to the West, Hw 6 has to be sealed all the way (We hope it will be when you use it, but do not count on it. So prepare yourself for a though ride).
Sisophon
-
Aranyaprathet
74
Asphalt
/
Under Construction
 Follow Highway 6 further to the West, Hw 6 has to be sealed all the way (but count on a rough ride because of the continuous construction).
- Cross the border into Thailand at Poipet. Then it is another 5 Km to Aranyaprathet.




Route 2: Buriram (Thailand) - Sihanoukville (Cambodia) - Sa Kaeo (Thailand)

From - To
 Distance
(in Km)
Road
 Stage description & details
Buriram
-
Prahkong Chai
50
Asphalt
 xx
Prahkong Chai
-
Lahan Sai
50
Asphalt
 xx
Lahan Sai
-
Ta Praya
60
Asphalt
 xx
Ta Praya
-
Arranyaprahet
64
Asphalt
 xx
Arranyaprahet
-
Sisophon
55
Asphalt
/
Under construction
 - Cross near Aranyaprathet the border to Poipet in Cambodia. (ca. 5 Km from Aranyaprathet to the border).
- Straight on: Highway 6. The road is sealed (but we found Hw 6 under, what looks like, continuous construction making it a though ride)
Sissophon
-
Battambang
68
Asphalt
 - When you reach Highway 5 go to the left to Battambang (as indicated on the signs).
Battambang
-
Siem Reap
16
Boot
/
Asphalt
 - In Battambang towards the pier for the boots.
- You can by tickets to Siem Reap at the office near the pier where the boats leave.
- From the pier it is ca. 10 km north over a good road to Siem Reap.
Siem Reap
-
Phnom Pehn
26
Boot
/
Asphalt
 - From Siem Reap heading South, ca. 10 km over a good road to reach the pier.
- Tickets (25$ pp and 5$ for a bike) you can by best a day before in Siem Reap town (we tried it on the spot but only got a ticket when they found out the boot was not fully booked).
- The boot arrives in the centre of Phnom Pehn near the Japanese bridge (help to lift your bike of the boat costs money!).
Phnom Pehn
-
Takeo
90
Asphalt
 - First towards the Killing Fields of Choeng Ek: From Psar Thmei (New Market) follow the Charles de Gaulle Blvd, straight on as it changes into Monireth Blvd. At the sign Killing Fields posted at a junction go to the left on to a dirtroad. Follow this road and at the next Killing Fields sign turn left to reach (300 m) the Killing Fields (from Phnom Phen centre ca. 15 km).
- Back to the dirtroad. Turn left. At T-junction turn right.
- Follow dirtroad until sealed road (Highway 2) and then more or less straight on (so South) towards Takeo.
- Always follow Hw 2, until T-junction to the left. From there it is another 2km to Takeo.
Takeo
-
Kampot
 100
Asphalt
 - From Takeo back to the T-junction , this time head straight on.
- Until you reach Highway 3 (ca. 14 km) Then turn left on to Highway 3.
- Keep following Hw 3 down south (also after 20 km were Hw bents to the right) until you reach Kampot.
Kampot
-
Bogor (vv)
70
Asphalt
/
Unpaved
 - From Kampot (roundabout) westward in the direction of Sihanoukville. Cross the bridge after a few hundred meters
- Turn right after ca. 8 km towards Bokor National Park. 1 km further on is the entrance (5 $ entree).
- After 20 kilometer uphill you will reach the former Black Palace of Sihanouk on your right hand side (2 hour and 35 minutes cycling from the entrance)
- 10 kilomter further T-junction. When you turn right you will reach the waterfall. Turning left will bring you to the former French Hillstation.
- Back to Kampot by the same way.
Kampot
-
Kep sur mer (vv)
65
Asphalt
 - From the roundabout in Kampong eastward towards Kep as the sigh indicated. Turn left after ca. 800.
- After 15 kilometer statue of a white horse. You can pass the statue left or right it doesn't matter.
- To the left: Straight on until you reach the first village. The first T-junction to the right. Straight on until you reach the sea and then to your right. Keep following the shoreline, until you are forced to go land inward and will reach the statue of the white horse.
- To the right: After a few kilomteres you will reach the shoreline. Keep following this road along the sea. At the end you will be forced to go land inward. Keep going straight until you reach a village. At market the first junction keep going straight. The next T-junction after 100 meters go left until you reach the white horse again.
- From the statue back along the same way.
Kampot
-
Sihanoukville
110
Asphalt
 - From Kampot (roundabout) westward in the direction of Sihanoukville. Cross the bridge after a few hundred meters
- 53 kilometer straight on until you reach Veal Rinh.
- At T-junction with Highway 6 turn left.
- Keep following this (Toll)way (for non cyclists) until you reach Sihanoukville. Last 20 kilometer are undulating.
Sihanoukville
-
Sre Ambel
100
Asphalt
/
Unpaved
 - Follow highway 6 back all the way to Veal Rinh.
- Go straight on Highway until you reach Chamcar Luang (ca. 85 km) and turn left towards Sre Ambel.
- Last 15 kilometer over a dirtroad (Highway 18). At junction keep going straight. Going to the right will lead you to Koh Kong (Hw 18).
- In Sre Ambel straight on after the roundabout, after 100m you will see the guesthouse at your right hand.
Sre Ambel
-
Koh Kong
143
Unpaved
 - Back to the roundabout, go left up the hill passing the market. Follow this road for 4 kilometer (take care of the descend after you pass the temple) and you will reach Hw 18. The your left is the ferry (141 km from the ferry to Koh Kong).
- Cross river, from here it is 36 kilometer on a flat dirtroad to reach the next ferry.
- Cross river, from here it is 40 kilometer on an undulating dirtroad to reach the next ferry.
- Cross river, from here is is 40 kilometer on an dirtroad with some hills to reach the next ferry.
- Cross river, from here it is 24 kilometer to reach Koh Kong. You will have 2 steep climbs and a beautiful descend before you reach Koh Kong.
Koh Kong
-
Trat
100
Asphalt
 - Cross the bridge (cyclist do not pay toll) and follow the way until you reach the border.
- From the border 90 kilometer straight on (highway 318) until you reach Trat. There turn left as indicated to reach the centre of town.
Trat
-
Pong Nam Ron
110
Asphalt
 - Back to the crossing where you came from the day before and follow Highway 3 westward.
- Until you reach Klung. Turn right to Road 3277 to reach Makham.
- From Makham follow Highway 317 to the North.
Pong Nam Ron
-
Wang Nam Yen
95
Asphalt
 - Keep heading North on Highway 317, about 85 kilometer.
Wang Nam Yen
-
Sa Kaeo
45
Asphalt
 - Keep heading North on Highway 317, about 42 kilometer.
- At T-junction go to the left.
- Follow this road ca. 2 kilometer. Turn right at traffic light. Pass the market and the road will end at the railway station.

Last update 30 May 2003