Loop after Loop

After just finishing one loop in Laos, I immediately started the next loop, the Thakhek Loop. After returning from the Pakse Loop, I spent another night in Pakse and then drove straight to Thakhek the next morning. In the late afternoon I arrived there at the hostel. In the evening I met two more guys there who wanted to start the Thakhek Loop the next day as well. We then decided to drive together.

There are many caves to see along the Thakhek Loop. However, since the weather has not been so good in the last few weeks, most of the caves were flooded and therefore closed. In addition, it should not have been possible to drive the entire loop because the road was closed at a certain point. A few people at the hostel who had already done the Thakhek Loop told me they went back after one night. I then just wanted to see how far I could get, because the nature along the Thakhek Loop should be really beautiful.

Ready for the Thakhek Loop

The next morning I borrowed a scooter from the hostel. After breakfast I started the Thakhek Loop with the two guys. First we had to bypass the main road, because the police stop scooter drivers there. Especially tourists. Then we went to the gas station and then our road trip started.

Right after we left Thakhek we had a breathtaking view of the landscape and nature. Very different from the Pakse Loop, where the road was just a boring highway. Nevertheless, we had to drive carefully because many trucks passed us on their way to the Vietnamese border.

12 kilometers after leaving Thakhek, we arrived at Xieng Liap Cave. This should be one of the few caves that was open. We parked our motorbikes and then went in search of the cave. There was nobody there except us.

Checking out the Caves along the Thakhek Loop

First we had to cross a rickety bridge over a river. Behind it was a ticket counter, at which a woman was sitting. We asked her if she could tell us where the Cave should be. She pointed in a direction and we made our way through the bushes. Eventually a huge puddle blocked our way. We tried to cross it, but it would never have been possible without getting wet. So we decided to turn around and not visit this cave.

We get back on our motorbikes and scooters and made our way to the next cave. This should only be 5 kilometers away. Arriving there, we were stopped directly at a ticket office after turning off. We asked if it was possible to visit Tham Nang Aen Cave. The man behind the counter said yes but told us that we can only walk through the cave. I think usually you can also take a boat tour through the cave.

We had to pay 40K Kip entrance fee and then we were allowed to continue driving. A 1 kilometer long gravel road then leads to the cave. Once there, we parked our scooters and then made our way into the cave. Luckily it was open. Right at the entrance of the cave was a waterfall. We then followed the path into the cave.

The cave was actually quite beautiful. There were lights everywhere for visitors to find their way, and also colored lights that illuminated the cave. There was also a small river running through the cave, which you can probably normally take the boat tour across. Visiting the cave was quite nice, but nothing I hadn’t seen before in my life. After about 15 minutes we had seen everything and we continued our way along the Thakhek Loop.

Continuing along the road

Normally we could have visited more caves, but they were all closed. So we didn’t have anything on the way to the guesthouse where we wanted to spend the night. However, it was only 12 pm. There was still a waterfall on the way, but the day before people at the hostel advised me not to visit it. It’s not really spectacular. But since we had nothing else to do, we decided to visit the waterfall anyway.

We followed the road along the Thakhek Loop for 50 kilometers. The view was really great. We stopped again and again to get a better look at the landscape and to take a few photos. After we made a turn and headed north, there were no longer any heavy trucks to be seen on the road.

Another terrible road in Laos

Just before we arrived at the waterfall, we could already see it in the distance in the mountains. It looked really spectacular as it descended several steps and a few meters from high up in the mountains down to the ground. We then stopped once to find the best way to get to the waterfall. Google Maps didn’t show us anything. But Maps.me showed that we have to drive 2 hours for the 7 kilometers to the waterfall. Of course, I knew straight away that the road had to be a disaster and that I would definitely not drive it. But the boys wanted to try it.

So we drove another 3 kilometers until we had to turn to get to the waterfall. The road up to that point was just a rocky gravel road that we had to drive slowly on, but it was manageable. So I followed the guys too. Of course, they were much more willing to take risks than I was and drove ahead quickly. As a result, I lost sight of her very quickly. Very slowly I followed them through and past puddles, over rocky paths and past cows and goats. I’m now a pro at riding these kinds of roads, so I knew what I had to do to avoid falling.

But after two kilometers I was so stressed out by the road again and it slowly started to get worse and worse that I decided that the way to the waterfall wasn’t worth it this time and I turned back. I then turned my scooter, which luckily I was able to do quickly, and then made my way back the two kilometers. I was able to do this very slowly but without any problems. As soon as I got back to the main Street off the Thakhek Loop, I breathed a sigh of relief and parked my scooter.

Not a minute later the boys came roaring. They have ventured the full 3 kilometers to the waterfall. Towards the end the path got worse and worse and you couldn’t see much of the waterfall. At that moment I was glad I had turned back. I hadn’t missed anything.

Lunch time

We then continued our journey along the Thakhek Loop. From then on, the road led through the mountains, which is why it was quite curvy. But the view was really nice. At three o’clock in the afternoon we arrived in a small village, where we first had lunch. There was a small restaurant there. We asked what they had for food and the lady told us she only had fried rice or soup. We then all opted for the Fried Rice. Later we were served fried noodles. None of us had a problem with that, because they tasted really good.

After a break and lunch, the journey continued. From now on it was only 30 kilometers to the guesthouse. But there should still be a viewpoint on the way, which I had previously seen on Google Maps. So we stopped there. We parked on the side of the road in a small meadow and then had to follow a narrow path that was supposed to lead to the viewpoint. None of us were really sure about going up there. We googled the reviews and saw that it would take 20-30 minutes to walk and the view point wouldn’t be really spectacular.

So we decided to drive the last 22 kilometers to the guesthouse. The guys had kindly matched my slow pace all day, but now they wanted to go a bit faster, so they left me behind. After driving 15 kilometers we arrived at a junction that signposted the guesthouse. We followed the street and a minute later we were already standing in front of the guesthouse.

Accommodation for the night

It was in the middle of nowhere. In front of us was a large meadow, you could see the restaurant, bungalows and chickens and dogs running around. We really liked the place. We checked in and were given a triple room, each with a king bed, we also had a large bathroom. However, a giant frog sat in the shower drain all night.

After checking in, we took a closer look at the guesthouse and the surrounding area. Except for the three of us, nobody was in the guesthouse at that time. Also, there was nothing to do or see around the guesthouse. Just a little river. We also had no network.

Towards evening Alek and me made our way to the bridge that crossed the river to see the sunset. But we were too late and the sun had just set. Still, we really liked the vibe of this place. The locals also came there to see the sunset. We then walked a little over the bridge and finally went back to the guesthouse.

Two others had checked in there, and we sat down with them. We chatted about our travels and also ordered dinner. After that we sat together and talked. At around ten o’clock we went to bed to be ready for the next day’s journey.

On the road again

The next morning the three of us continued. Alek and I had planned to drive to Na Nin and spend the night there. The road behind was supposed to be closed, so the following day we drove all the way back to Thakhek. Carsten already wanted to drive back the route that day. From the Sabeidee Guesthouse he wanted to follow us to Lak Sao and the go back to Thakhek.

As soon as we left the place where the guesthouse is located, we passed the Flooded Forest. There are tree trunks out of the water everywhere.

The road that went through the flooded forest was also incredibly beautiful. And also very quiet. Only now and then a car drove past us, but no annoying trucks.

20 kilometers behind the guesthouse we stopped at the Sandstone Buddha Rock Sculptures. These are Buddha Sculptures carved into the rocks. It was quite nice to look at, but the nature looked much more spectacular. So we continued our journey.

The guys threw me off pretty quickly. But I enjoyed the view of nature and stopped every now and then to take a few pictures. Since we couldn’t do much anyway, we had the whole day and I wanted to take this time. The bright green of the meadows was unbelievably beautiful.

The Group splits up

At the next gas station the guys were waiting for me. Since they too had only just arrived, I really can’t even be driving that slowly. We filled up our tank and then drove on. The guys matched my pace and together we drove to the next town of Lak Sao. There we parted ways. Carsten drove back to Thakhek while Alek and I continued our roadtrip along the Thakhek Loop.

The Dragon Cave should be on the way to Na Hin. We didn’t know if it was closed or not so we just wanted to give it a try. 20 kilometers behind Lak Sao was the Dragon Cave. As soon as we got there, we were told the cave was closed. So we continued our journey. Our next stop was the Cool Pool. However, I had already heard that it should be closed. But since we still had an infinite amount of time, we still wanted to try to get there. Driving through the countryside of Laos was truly a dream. We could see endless rice fields, local villages and mountains.

When we finally had to turn to the Cool Pool, we ended up back on a dirt and muddy path. Of course I was extremely skeptical and didn’t want to drive long there. After all, it should still be 4 kilometers to the Cool Pool. But Alek wanted to drive the way. I then drove just a short distance down the street to see a little more of the country side. After about 300 meters I turned around and continued my journey. But Alek made it on the way to the cool pool. At our next stop, a vantage point, we wanted to meet again.

Back on the Bad roads

Over time, the road conditions got worse and worse. At times half the road was blocked by mud and trees that had fallen from the slopes. However, it was not a problem to drive past there. From time to time the road was a bit wet and muddy, but that wasn’t a problem either.

After a small village, the road then led up into the mountains. The road was quite winding and there was always mud, stones or branches on the road. Eventually I came to a point where there were big stones on the road. A few other backpackers, who had also spent the previous night at the Sabeidee Guesthouse, had already parked their motorbikes on the street and were looking at the street critically. Behind the stones there was a 20 meter long path made of extremely deep mud. Getting down there was almost impossible. So it was clear to me that we now had to return the 100 kilometers that we had already driven to the guesthouse.

A few of the guys from the other group had walked down the muddy path and told us after the 20 meters the path would continue normally. So they decided to get the motorbikes through the mud and then continue riding normally. Alek had also arrived in the meantime and said it would not be a problem if he would bring my scooter down there. So we didn’t go back but continued along the worst roads…

Making it through the terrible mud

In total, the guys got eight motorbikes through the mud, and they did it quite quickly. From time to time they got stuck, but together they managed to get the motorbikes through there safely. We girls walked through a mud. But we were not really spared either. We sank ankle-deep in the mud, so that our shoes and socks were covered in mud. Eventually we found a narrow path at the edge of the side where a small trickle of water ran along, which was quite easy to walk in. After that our shoes were of course soaking wet.

When all the motorbikes were down, we continued the journey. From then on it went downhill for a while. The road was pretty dirty and wet, so I just let the scooter roll to avoid falling.

We passed some trucks that were stuck or parked as they couldn’t go forward nor come back down the road. A truck had also slid down the slope and had an accident.

After a few hundred meters of rolling, the other group of backpackers came towards us again. They said we had to turn back because it was absolutely impossible to go any further from now on. I have to admit I was a little relieved. If I had been traveling alone, I would have turned back long ago. In addition, it was actually clear to me by now that the road would never remain normal for the next 5 kilometers if we already had a big obstacle. So I didn’t really want to go any further. After all, we would have had to go all the way back the next morning.

Turning back through the mud again

So we turned around again, drove up the mountain and the guys brought eight scooters safely up again. By now we were all dirty and wet. Our scooters looked even worse.

After the adventure we had to decide what to do next. Everyone agreed that we would drive back to the guesthouse where we stayed last night. It was now 3 pm. and the sun would set in three hours. It was still 100 kilometers to the guesthouse.

Now that I only had 3 hours to get to the guesthouse, I decided that I would leave as soon as possible to make it in the light. Alek wanted to stop for lunch. Since I was driving slower than him and he would catch up with me sooner or later anyway, I started driving while Alek drove to a restaurant. On the way I only stopped once at a shop to have some food with me.

Then I drove on. At least along the way I had a beautiful view of nature all the time. But I didn’t stop anymore, I just wanted to make it to the Sabeidee Guesthouse as quickly as possible.

After 1.5 hours I was halfway done. I was now in Lak Sao. There I filled up the tank again and quickly ate something. At the same time, Alek texted me that he was about to leave the restaurant. As I stopped, I could already feel myself shaking slightly and feeling a little tired. But as soon as I was back on the scooter, the adrenaline was pumping through me and I was ready to ride the second half of the route.

Making it right on time for sunset

From now on I also had the most beautiful part of the Thakhek loop in front of me. In addition, there weren’t that many cars on the road, let alone trucks, which made the journey a little more relaxed. 10 kilometers before the Sabeidee Guesthouse the sun slowly went down and the landscape and the road were bathed in a golden light. Now I knew that I would make it to the guesthouse in time, which is why I drove a little more relaxed and stopped every now and then.

Alek caught up with me just 5 kilometers before the guesthouse. He had spent almost an hour in the restaurant and still managed to catch up with me. We then stopped at the bridge in front of the guesthouse and watched the sunset over the water. In total we covered 200 kilometers on the scooter that day and mastered the worst roads in Southeast Asia.

We didn’t stay on the bridge until the sun went down because I was a bit exhausted and finally wanted to check in at the guesthouse. There we got the same room as the night before. I immediately took off my wet shoes, threw my socks, which were white but now brown, into the trash can and then went straight to the shower.

We spent the rest of the evening relaxing in the guesthouse and chatting about our day. Even though this was the day of my Asia trip when I covered up the most kilometers, I wasn’t as exhausted as I first thought. Nevertheless, we went to bed quite quickly that evening. But also because we were bitten by mosquitoes outside.

Finishing the Thakhek Loop

The next morning, after breakfast, we set about cleaning the scooters. As they looked, we couldn’t bring them back. They didn’t look that much better after washing, but at least we tried.

At 10 am. we started our way back to Thakhek. I wanted to ride the last 100 kilometers in a relaxed manner and enjoy the view. I also wanted to stop at the Elephant Cave, as it should also be open.

During the drive, however, I realized that everything was hurting and that I really only wanted to get to Thakhek. Since I had already seen the landscape and already had numerous pictures and videos on my phone, I decided not to stop and just drive. The last stretch in particular was quite strenuous and dangerous because there were a lot of trucks on the road.

Shortly before the Elephant Cave, I decided to skip this one as well. I had already seen so many caves in Asia and this one shouldn’t be really special either. At half past one we arrived in Thakhek. I was much more exhausted than the day before but also happy and proud to have mastered the Thakhek Loop.

We were very lucky with the weather for the whole three days. The sun shone constantly. Only sometimes a few clouds came up and it dribbled lightly, but it never really started to rain.

The next day I continued my journey through Laos further north. My next stop was Vang Vieng. If you would like to know what I experienced during my time in Vang Vieng, please read my next blog post Incredible views over Vang Vieng – Laos Travel Diary.