Final Ride Report: Yunnan, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand - 12,000 kms.
It took me way too long to post this report! The ride started on August 18th and ended on Dec. 19th, 2008. I began with the first bike near Shanghai in Wuxi and made it to Huangshan where I ditched the bike (Suzuki knockoff 125) and took buses and trains across the mainland to Yunnan where I started the real ride. Here are photos, and trip highlights. There are tons of info and stories on my website.
YUNNAN, CHINA
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* Started in NW Corner, just a few kms from the Tibet border in the town of Deqing. Switched to a dirt-bike style Zongshen 150. Great bike
Check out my website for the blow-by-blow as well as details and how tos. www.chrison2wheels.com
* Road from Shangrila to Deqing is a hard, 6 hour ride! Cold, and 14,000m altitude. Hazards include yaks, mountain bends and dangerous roads. max speed 30km/hr.
* Bought the bike in Shangrila - ZS150GY Zongshen 150cc. $600 USD from a guy on the street.
* Shangrila is GREAT riding - tibetan villages, temples etc. Even if you are just renting, it is highly worth it!
* Made my way to Dali - lots of fun to be had there - and plenty to see in a few days' ride. Lots of stuff to check out.
* Kunming - a mad house! Stay out if you can. City center is packed with cops.
* South Yunnan: Arrested by cops near Myanmar border. Dangerous women... Awesome SE Asia scenery, crossed the border and left China with the bike (Click here to see how.)
Laos
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* Incredibly Beautiful Country. Cannot be overstated.
* Entered without any customs papers!
* Riding from Ou Dom Xai to Muang Khua was tough - landslides, washouts and worse.
* Put the bike on a boat from Muang Khua to Luang Prabang
* Stayed with a Lao family outside Vientianne
* Fantastic scenery on the way to Vang Vieng.. utterly stunning! Drunken river floating with Israelis in Vang Vieng.. be careful! :mwink:
* Ride South through Laos to Tha Kaek, Savannakhet and Pakse was easy going - no mountains!
Cambodia
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* Had a nasty accident and screwed up my shoulder on first day. Had to hang out in Stung Treng for a week while it healed.
* Made way down to Phnum Penh. Dire place- but interesting. A girl tried to trade sex with me for clothes. (No, I didn't do it!)
* Awesome sights at Siem Reap and Angkor! Unbelievable!
* Road out from Siem Reap to Thailand was pure sh*t.
Thailand
* What's to say. It's thailand - it's been done
* Highly recommend area south of Chumphon - great beach front dives for next to nothing - no tourists.
* Bangkok is a trash heap.
* Koh Samui was overpriced, but I made it this far south at the farthest point of the trip.
* Sold bike for only $150 in Bangkok... crap. Left Thailand on Dec. 19th. Trip over.
Here are some how-to articles that might be good for those wanting to do the same:
How to Enter Laos / Exit China by Motorcycle
How to Enter Cambodia / Exit Laos by Motorcycle
How to Buy a Bike in China (Second Hand)
How to Buy and Register a Bike in South Korea
