Cycling in Laos is a wonderful experience that should be done in Laos tours. What is more interesting than cycling through the slopes majestic in Luang Prabang tours or cross the bustling towns of Vientiane, travel on the dusty streets of the Bolaven plateau. A paradise for pedalers speaks out the name of Laos.
Why Should You Go for a Laos Cycling Tour?
Cycling bike through Laos is the perfect way to explore places away from the tourist trail. Meet the villagers in the countryside or in the rice paddies, the kids from the school coming home with a cheerful face or even interact with the locals during your break. Riding along the villages, you will find countless diverse cultures living together.
Best Time to Laos Cycling Tours?
Laos is not so wide that you can stop looking at the beautiful sceneries. Just 6 weeks is the best time for you to enjoy all the majestic scenery at “the land of millions of elephants” in the cycling tour without using any means of transportation.
In cycling tours, you can bike Laos in any season of the year. The most common is during the cold months, from October to March. On April and May bring mild temperatures and it is the rainy season from June to September. On rainy days of the rainy season, you can make a bike trips quite pleasant and cool, as long as you do not mind the problem of getting wet. On the main roads, even if it's the rainy season, it will certainly not make you hard. Even though it’s the muddy roads after the rain challenging your persistence, just by the determination of you, make sure that you can conquer it.
The Recommended Laos Cycling Routes
Actually, there are many destinations in Laos you can cycle bike and the time spend on the destination can be flexible to your request.
Short Route in Luang Prabang
You start the tour by going from the city center along the Mekong River and through the local village. Along the way, you will stop at two traditional villages. The first is Ban XiengLek - a village known for weaving and paper mulberry. After exploring this small village, we moved to the next village of Ban Xiang Hai, also known as Whiskey Village, because it is famous for producing Lao Laotian rice whiskey.
Continue, you will stop at Pak Ou, where the Nam Ou and the Mekong meet. Here, visitors can enjoy stunning views of the amazing limestone cliffs from the caves and rivers that form in the limestone landscape. Then, you will stop for a delicious lunch at the restaurant with great views of the river and Pak Ou caves.
After lunch and a short break, you will embark on a long tail boat for a boat ride across the Pak Ou Caves. You can see thousands of Buddha relics in both the lower and upper caves.
At the end of the day, you return to the boat to travel to Luang Prabang. It is time to relax and enjoy the magnificent views of the Mekong. Sailing takes about 1.5 hours to travel 25 km of the river. When you arrive in Luang Prabang, you return to the bike shop and return your bicycle.
Vientiane to Luang Prabang - A Laos Classic Cycling Route
This is a classic route which is the most tourists experience. You will have a relatively good start in Vientiane but when you approach Vang Vieng, the hills begin to roll and you will feel this stretch will be more dramatic. This can also be considered as one of the hardest routes when you have to conquer this road.
The distance from Vientiane to Luang Prabang is about 340km. And the duration is from 5-6 days riding and you are able to rest in Vang Vieng.
In this route, you will admire the overwhelmed landscape which is the majestic mountains, gentle hills, and fascinated people. Cross to the quiet villages with all the colors of the ethnic, cultural, traditional. Moreover, you can stop to linger, interact with the people in the village with the warmest welcome, especially, the H’mong villages. The babies voice when saying "sabaydee" will definitely be a great motivator to help you on the next journey.
Don Det and the Bolaven Plateau – An Ideal Laos Cycling Route
If you are looking for a route that suits to your taste, sip some great coffee and swing on the hammock with palm trees swaying in the air, this is the best route for you. Although most of your journey is through rural villages, remember that you will never be alone because there are always plenty of kids willing to wave and give you a welcome hug when you pass. Most of these roads are on paved roads but there are some dusty roads that you can still pass through during the rainy season. The distance for this trip is about 585 km. About this distance, it will take about 8 days to complete this route.
Some highlights in this route are that you can enjoy relaxing the moments on the hammock and swaying in the wind at Don Det, laid back Champasak, tasted coffee in Paksong and waterfalls in Tadlo after a long journey.
There are some tips for you during this long journey, as you should change money before your trip because, during this long journey, it’s too hard to find ATMs until you arrive in Savannakhet.
Luang Prabang to Pakbeng – An Amazing Cycling Route in Laos
This is an interesting trip through the countryside and no Lao people, passing through many tribal villages on the hill.
It's easy to last up to a week by spending an extra night in Oudomxay and a trip to Muang Ngoi. In Pakbeng, you can choose a slow boat for Huay Xai or, if you have a lot of spare time, skip Pakbeng and continue north from Oudomxay. On this journey, the distance from Luang Prabang to Pakbeng is 340km and only 4 days, suitable for your trip to Laos one week. Referring to the terrain in this route, the terrain is not steep, you can easily move.
Some tips for this route, try leaving more time for a side trip to Muang Ngoi and a day in Oudomxay. With 8-10 days to spare from Luang Prabang, you can go the whole way to Huay Xai, through Luang Namtha, and avoid the boat completely.
For those seeking an adventurous and scenic experience, a Laos tour offers excellent opportunities for cycling enthusiastsWith its breathtaking landscapes, peaceful rural areas, and well-paved roads, Laos is a cyclist's paradise. Whether you're a leisure rider or a seasoned cyclist, there are recommended routes across the country that cater to various skill levels and interests
