| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 80km |
| Difficulty | Very hard |
| Terrain | Mountainous |
| Blog | 31st Dec - Hilly hilly hilly |
| Gallery | Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng |
The journey
This ride was very hard work. Our big mistake was to linger over breakfast so we weren't on the road till 10am, and to take no lunch. We had nothing to eat but chocolate and crisps all day. It starts off being gently hilly to Xieng Ngeum then it's uphill to Kio Maknao Neung (600m), downhill to Nam Ming then uphill to Kiu Kacham (1000m). The inclines aren't steep but they go on forever. 6km out of Kiu Kacham as the light started to fade we flagged down a truck and put our bikes in the back for a lift into town. It took us about 5 attempts to find someone with enough space.Apart from a few rock falls which have made big pot holes, the road surface is good and there's next to no traffic. The scenery is stunning. We passed through villages where all the children waved and tried to tag us. There are some drink stalls and occasional fruit stalls but no meals available, although apparently we could have bought a packet of dried noodles in Nam Ming and asked for hot water to be added. Take a packed lunch and start early! Other cyclists told us how they held onto slow moving trucks on the long climbs.
In Kiu Kacham there are two guesthouses, a couple of restaurants and many food stalls selling baguettes.
The room
Guesthouse closest to Luang PrabangK40,000 for double room, shared bathroom, DIY hot shower
Basic but very welcome at the end of a hard day. The shower consisted of a large bucket of very hot water which you cool to your desired temperature and a scoop to splash the water over yourself with.