Bonsoir, comme je ne suis pas sure d'avoir le temps nécessaire pour faire ces 2 boucles , je voudrais savoir laquelle vous nous conseillez
Nous aimons sortir des sentiers battus , aimons treks et randonnées, balades en scooter; villages authentiques et peu touristiques....
Alors boucle de Thakek ou boucle sur Boloven ?
En sachant que nous arrivons sur Luang Prabang et que nous décollerons 3 semaines plus tard de Vientiane, et que notre projet d'itinéraire n'est qu'à ses débuts ....
LP et alentours ( x jours ) / Vang Vieng et alentours ( x jours ) / Vientiane pour rejoindre Paksé ? ou bus de Vang vieng à Thakek / bolovens ou boucle Thakek / 4000 iles ( x jours ) / retour Paksé / Vientiane
Laquelle choisir?
Pour les paysages somptueux, Kong Lor (y faire un homestay, super!), les routes de montagne: Thakhek.
Pour le café et les cascades: Bolaven.
Ok ok
donc je vais me pencher un peu plus sur Thakek car j'ai un peu peur que les cascades au mois de Mars soient asséchées et le café .... Nous pourrons surement faire une journée au départ de Paksé ....
En combien de temps pouvons-nous faire la boucle de Thakek ? si jamais pouvons-nous la raccourcir sur 3 jours ?
Merci
Je l'ai faite en trois jours, facile.
La location des motos est sur 24h. Donc en partant le lundi matin il faut si possible arriver le jeudi matin (en partant tôt de là où vous avez passé la nuit).
J'ai fait une nuit à la Sabaïdee ghesthouse (très sympa!), la seconde dans un homestay à Kong Lor et la troisième à Koum Kam (après une heure de route depuis Kong Lor et le reste de la journée passé à glander). La seconde journée était assez longue, la première relativement tranquille.
Il est même possible de faire la boucle en 48h tout en visitant: Première nuit à la Sabaïdee Ghesthouse, seconde nuit en homestay à Kong Lor et départ le lendemain après-midi.
La route est plutôt bonne aujourd'hui. La route qui mène à Kong Lor par exemple est goudronnée (avec des trous) ce qui n'était pas le cas il y a quelques années.
Merci pour votre rapidité de réponse .... Cool
Je pense qu'on aura le temps de rester 3 jours ....
Vous étes arrivés sur Thakek par où ?!
Nous on arrivera surement de Vientiane j'ai lu qu'il y avait pas mal de bus ....
Ensuite on descendra vers Paksé
Je ne veux faire raler personne mais... après visionnage : Qu est ce que je suis content d avoir fait la boucle durant la mousson pour la beauté des paysages !!
Pour des infos pratiques (notamment l intérêt de faire la boucle à l envers et des sorties hors des sentiers battus a l occasion de la boucle) regardez mon carnet de voyage sur mon profil :) page 3 de la discussion à partir du jour 15 !
Je n ai pas fait le plateau des bolovens mais en tout cas la thakkhek loop etait géniale et je recommande !
Si l'on ne meurt qu'une fois...alors vivons à l'infini!
Bonjour
Il n'y a pas que le café et les cascades , pour moi , sur le plateau. Il y a aussi de nombreuses
ethnies différentes aux coutumes très différentes les unes des autres, de nombreux marchés,
des villages isolés (loin des "sentiers battus") , la piste Ho chi Minh pour ceux intéressés etc...
Question de goût ;
Bpn voyage
Eric
Oui c'est vrai, j'ai entendu parler des ethnies mais lu que les villages sur la boucle étaient peu recommandés à cause de l'excès de tourisme. Et je n'avais pas vraiment ni le temps ni les moyens d'y passer plus de temps! Mais il y a toujours plus à voir, cela dépend du temps qu'on a (en l'occurence, fin de visa pour moi, pas trop le choix).
J'y retournerai peut-être un jour!
Je comprends bien que l'on ne puisse pas tout faire. Pour les villages ethniques vous avez raison pour ceux à proximité du départ vers le plateau . Comme partout dès que l'on s'éloigne , moins cela est visité . La région d'Attapeu est peu visitée et les villages authentiques , quand les hommes sont aux champs ou rizières les femmes s'enferment à notre arrivée , il faut la négociation de notre guide pour que les portes s'ouvrent, . Il faut surtout respecter les préséances en allant saluer
le chef du village avant de se promener ou de photographier .
A lire le nombre de discussions sur Thakhek je craignais que cette boucle soit au contraire très touristique. Merci de m'avoir renseigné.
Bon trip
Eric
Si je peux me permettre un conseil: faire très attention en scooter. Les routes du Laos sont très piégeuses, avec notamment des nids de poule monstrueux. Toujours garder un œil sur la route malgré la beauté des paysages !!
Au cours de mon séjour j'ai croisé de nombreux touristes avec bandages ou béquilles...
Sinon la conduite des Laos est plutôt cool.
Personnellement j'ai préféré la boucle de Thakek plutôt que les Boloven.
Je confirme pour le Sabaïdee ghesthouse. Très sympa. Mais c'est sur le circuit des Boloven. Les patrons francophones sont de très bons conseils pour les visites alentour. Si vous choisissez les Boloven, ne ratez surtout pas la visite des plantations de café, chez Mr Hook, et ce même si vous n'aimez pas le café. Sa visite est un de mes meilleurs souvenirs du Laos. Visite des plants bien sûr mais aussi de son très joli village. Avec plein d'anecdotes. (les patrons du Sabaidee vous indiqueront).
Pour la loc de motos/scooters, j'ai toujours loué des petits scooters, souvent Honda. Ca ne coûte pas grand chose et ça mérite mieux que sa réputation. Si vous êtes 2 je pense que c'est mieux 2 scooters.
Bon voyage
Didier
"Le monde vous traverse et pour un temps vous prête ses couleurs" (N. Bouvier)
Il doit y avoir deux Sabaidee Guest House car celle dont je parle sur la boucle de Thakhek est géniale (terrain de pétanque + barbecue + patron qui parle français) à Ban Thalang.
Le deux roues est toujours un poil risqué... il faut rester attentif à l'état des routes et s'arrêter souvent si on sent un peu de fatigue et surtout, éviter d'être pressé !
Bon voyage !
Si l'on ne meurt qu'une fois...alors vivons à l'infini!
L'hôtel vraiment bien et pas cher dont je voulais parler sur le circuit des Bolvaven s'appelle "Fandee" (et non pas Sabaïdee). Il est situé dans le petit village de Tad Lo qui mérite d'y faire étape.
Désolé
Didier
"Le monde vous traverse et pour un temps vous prête ses couleurs" (N. Bouvier)
Bonjour Eric,
je vois que vous aviez un guide pour le plateau des Bolovens, étiez-vous en voiture de location?
Si oui, pouvez vous me dire ou, comment et à quel prix vous avez loué la voiture+ chauffeur?
"Si ton labeur est dur et que tes résultats sont minces, rappelle-toi qu'un jour le grand chêne a lui aussi été un gland "
Bonjour.helas je suis au Vietnam jusqu’au 19/02 . Oui nous avions une voiture de location avec guide et chauffeur pour les 15 jours sur le plateau et une virée dans le sud. Hélas prix et contacts sont chez moi . Merci de patienter. Bonne journée. Eric
Je rejoins l'avis majoritaire : j'avais aussi nettement préféré la boucle de Thakhek plutôt que le plateau des Bolavens. A ce moment là, la route n'était pas entièrement goudronnée (du côté du lac de Nakaï), et à mon avis 3 jours est le minimum pour faire ce trajet sereinement.
Bien sûr il faut rester attentif à la route et aux ponts à traverser... mais mis à part la section finale, pénible sur la grande route, la circulation est tranquille.
Bons préparatifs !
Voyager à moto › Laos / Thaïlande / Sri Lanka · 22 replies
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hi
I’m planning a 10-month trip to South America, and I’m looking into options for shipping a motorcycle to Buenos Aires by air or sea. If anyone has any info, thanks in advance!
christian
Hello everyone.
I'm looking for campsites around BOLZANO (South Tyrol) for early September.
I'll be on my motorcycle with a small tent.
I've noticed that some campsites have exorbitant prices.
If you've traveled through the Dolomites by motorcycle or otherwise and camped there, I'd love any tips on places and prices where I can stay for one night or several.
Thanks to all of you, and happy travels.
I’m starting to think about a trip that’s really close to my heart: Algeria by motorcycle, specifically the southern part of the country. It’d be for January 2025, and I’ve got two main questions:
Is it possible for an individual on a motorcycle to travel freely, outside of any organized tour, or does the regulation require some kind of supervision in the Algerian Sahara region?
Is the Hoggar massif accessible by road or by (rideable) tracks?
Beyond the official recommendations, I’m really looking for your firsthand experiences.
Thanks so much for your answers, and sorry if my questions are a bit newbie!
I just realized I’ve been registered on VoyageForum since... March 28, 2012 😊. Yet, I’ve barely participated until now.
August 1, 2026, will mark a somewhat special milestone: 5 years on the road.
We left Switzerland on August 1, 2021 with a simple idea: let chance decide our direction. We placed a bottle of wine on a world map, spun it... and it chose our first destination.
A year later, when we arrived in Morocco, we faced a new choice: continue toward Africa or head to Asia. This time, a tarot card game made the decision. Since then, we’ve tried to keep this journey as open to the unexpected as possible.
Today, that adds up to about 120,000 km, 46 countries, and over 1,800 days on the road—mostly by motorcycle, but also by sailboat, train, bus, hitchhiking, or on foot when adventure calls.
Our guiding thread isn’t just the motorcycle, but service exchanges. Instead of simply passing through countries, we try to stop regularly to lend a hand to the people we meet. So far, that’s about 600 days of volunteering.
Over the years, we’ve:
renovated a house in Croatia
made earth bricks in the Moroccan desert
helped sail a boat through the Greek islands
looked after houses, dogs, horses, a camel... and lots of other animals
worked at a street art festival in Morocco
created videos for local associations and projects
worked the grape harvest on the Tibetan plateau
been accredited as "media" for the World Nomad Games in Central Asia
Some of the moments that have stuck with us the most include six months in China, a night spent on the Great Wall, the Pamir Highway, the Silk Road, three months in Taiwan, and the incredible encounters in the mountains of Central Asia.
We travel on Falkor, our lucky dragon—a 2014 BMW F800GS that’s been with us since the start and is starting to have some great stories of its own.
While we share our adventure on Instagram, Polarsteps, and YouTube, that’s not why we’re here. The forum’s rules about promotion are clear, and I totally get them. If I’m finally taking the time to write, it’s mostly because after five years on the road, I thought our experience might be useful to other travelers.
Happy to chat about:
preparing for a long motorcycle trip
visas and borders
the Silk Road and Central Asia
riding in China (with or without a motorcycle)
volunteering and service exchanges while traveling
gear, daily life on the road... or just the unexpected moments that make long-term travel so special
Looking forward to swapping stories and hearing about your adventures too! 😊 Greetings from Thailand, and happy to chat! ✌️
Hello, I’m retired and planning a roughly 3-week motorcycle trip (1200gs). The dates aren’t set in stone yet, and everything’s open to discussion—I’m pretty flexible with the planning.
I’d like to ride from Mahajanga to Morondava, sticking as close to the coast as possible—using roads and tracks—in September 2026. If you’ve got any suggestions, let me know! 😉
hi
planning to ride through Rajasthan on a motorcycle in January 2027 and I’d love to hear about the road conditions.
I’ll be riding with a buddy on a Royal Enfield that I’ll rent in Delhi.
Thanks for your tips!
hi there
I’d like to ride the RN 12 by motorcycle in September.
I’d love to know the main challenges—I ride a 300cc and do enduro in France.
Thanks for your tips!
I’m planning a motorcycle road trip to Armenia and Georgia in September 2026 or May 2027. I’m looking for one or more riders (male or female) who’d like to explore these countries with me.
Along the way, we’ll visit Cappadocia, the capitals Yerevan, Tbilisi, Sofia, Skopje, and other cities—we can finalize the route and roadbook later.
This trip requires experience with long motorcycle journeys, as we’ll cover around 7,000 km over 5 or 6 weeks (or more, depending on sightseeing and time spent).
I don’t expect dozens of applicants, since motorcycle riders are few and far between on this forum, but I’m putting this out there anyway.
Hi, I’d like to take a 15-day "break" to get away from the surrounding hustle and bustle.
Why not explore the Peloponnese!
I’m not particularly drawn to museums, ruins, or monuments.
I want to experience local life—small villages, seaside spots, beaches, and the interior if the landscapes are extraordinary.
Ideally, coming from Athens, I’d take a bus or train to get as close as possible to a starting point, then rent a scooter (125cc) to explore by taking secondary roads or even coastal paths. I’d stay in 2-3 places for a few days each to discover their surroundings.
Do a loop.
What do you think would be the ideal itinerary?
From Athens, the best option would be to take either a flight or a bus to Kalamata. Rent a scooter and head either west or east. Is there a tertiary road (very lightly trafficked) or a path where I can ride slowly, take it easy, and enjoy the scenery without being bothered by traffic? I’d like to go all the way to Monemvasia, still hugging the coast. I need to find a way to avoid returning to Kalamata to drop off the scooter and catch a flight—maybe a small town where the train stops so I can head back to Athens.
Thanks in advance for your tips.
I want to rent an off-road style motorcycle to get around the coast during my trip to Ecuador. I’m only finding options in Quito. Do you have any suggestions for me?
Hi there,
I’m planning a sidecar trip to South America for 4 or 5 months at the end of this year.
I’m looking for info on shipping my vehicle by sea—possibly to Uruguay or another destination, as I haven’t finalized anything yet.
How do you get visas for the countries I’ll be crossing: Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, and Chile? Are they e-Visas, obtained at the border, or through embassies?
Where can I get vehicle insurance?
Lastly, if any bikers want to join us (my partner and me), we’re open to that possibility too.
Patrick
I’ve got 15 days off in June and I’m pretty undecided about where to go for a motorcycle road trip. Two strong desires are pulling me in different directions: Corsica or Norway.
Corsica has been a dream of mine for a long time: legendary roads, stunning landscapes, a unique vibe, and the perfect mix of sea and mountains. At the same time, I’m wondering if 2 weeks might be *too much* for Corsica—risking feeling like I’ve seen it all too quickly, especially on a bike.
Since I also have an extra week free in May, I could use that specifically for Corsica. Maybe splitting it into two trips would make more sense? If so, which routes or regions would be the most interesting to plan for a 7-day trip?
On the other hand, Norway is *super* appealing. The landscapes look incredible, totally different from anything I’ve experienced, and it’d be a real “wow” trip. I know 15 days is still short for such a vast country. Getting all the way to the North Cape seems pretty much impossible in that time, but I’m curious about what realistic routes could be planned.
So I’m wondering:
Is it better to save Norway for next year, take 3 weeks off, and do it *properly*?
Or are 15 days enough for a first amazing taste of the country?
I’d love to hear about your experiences—whether it’s Corsica (ideal duration, routes) or Norway (what’s realistic in 2 weeks on a bike).
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Hello,
I'm thinking of buying a used small motorcycle to travel around the country for a month and a half.
I've done this in other countries without putting the registration in my name—is that possible in Guinea given the apparently frequent checks, or do I have to go through the paperwork?
Thanks.
Hello,
My dream is to ride Route 66 by motorcycle. I have a disability—while I’m not in a wheelchair, my walking mobility is reduced.
The ideal scenario would be to have a motorcycle driver and ride as their passenger on an organized trip.
Are there any guides or services like this offered by travel agencies?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Hello,
I’ve got a plan with a friend to go on a motorcycle road trip in 2028 or 2029, starting in Santiago de Chile and ending in Ushuaia, for about a month.
Has anyone done a trip like this before, and what’s the best time of year?
I’ve heard there can be quite a bit of wind depending on the season.
Thanks for any tips!
Cheers,
PA
I'm seriously considering heading to Nepal to do some nice motorcycle loops... my goal is also to do the Kailash Yatra round trip from Kathmandu, in a small group with a guide, in May '26... but here's the thing—I'm solo! So if you're up for sharing a similar adventure, hit me up... Cheers, Frankoys
It's all in the title: I'm heading to Krabi soon and want to rent a scooter for a few weeks, but after reading comments about all kinds of scams, I'm reaching out to ask where and how (read: *the right way*) to rent one.
Thanks for your tips and advice.
Hello everyone! Like every year, a winter migration is on the horizon (revised plan): this time, it’ll be Dakar, or even Abidjan, via Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal.
Looking for an experienced motorcyclist or pillion rider—small build preferred—on a GSA 1250 with a comfy seat and luggage setup, available from early November to late December 2025. I’d like to plan the trip together (important to me) to make sure we’re on the same wavelength.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Didier
Looking for travel companions to ride from France to Senegal by motorcycle.
I’m Paul, 37, and I’ve already done a bit of riding in Morocco.
For now, I’m solo, riding a 1998 SUZUKI DR 650 with some basic gear to keep things smooth. I’ll have a tent so we can do a few nights under the stars.
We’ll need to coordinate departure dates—"ideally in November."
I’m currently checking out routes to take. Any tips would be welcome! :)
I’m heading to Vietnam and Laos with a buddy next week for a month.
We’re thinking of renting motorbikes, especially to do the Ha Giang Loop. We don’t have an international license, just our Belgian one. Is that enough? If not, is it risky?
In November, we’re planning to do the Ha Giang loop and the RC4 by motorbike without a guide. 😎
We’re looking for a decent place to stay/rent in Ha Giang.
If anyone has any info, we’d be really interested.
Hello! We’re planning a motorcycle trip that will include a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau in June 2026.
We’re unsure (still debating) whether we should stay at a hotel on-site and get to the memorial with an Uber (leaving our bikes at the hotel) and book a guided tour, or base ourselves in Kraków and take a tour that includes transport.
One thing’s for sure—we’d prefer a guide in French since we don’t speak English 😅.
Could you share your experiences or advice?
I understand we need to book online rather than on-site.
Thanks in advance for your replies!
Hello,
Next October we’re planning to ride the Ruta de la Plata by motorcycle—a historic Spanish route that runs from Gijón to Seville, also known as the N630.
Has anyone here already ridden it?
Unfortunately, I’m worried that parts of the N630 may have disappeared or merged with the A66 motorway, forcing us to ride long stretches of highway, which we’d rather avoid.
Thanks in advance for any tips or details about this route!
Hi there!
I’m currently planning a 9-day route starting from Marrakech with my husband. We land on the morning of June 13th—so soon! 😊
And we’re flying back to France on June 21st at 9 PM!
We’ve rented two Royal Enfield 450s.
This is our first motorcycle trip in Morocco. I got my license two years ago with the dream of taking this kind of trip, and here we are! ✌️😍
In France, we usually ride between 300 to 400 km per day on roadsters. We’re not used to off-road tracks, so we’re looking for easy ones 😅—especially for me 😅.
For Morocco, I’ve planned stages of 200 to 300 km per day.
Here’s the idea:
Day 1 (departure at noon): Marrakech - Tizi n Test - Tafingoult (165 km - 4h15)
Day 2: Tafingoult - Amzarkou - Telouet (200 km - 4h34)
Day 3: Telouet - Ait Benhaddou - Ouarzazate - Boumalne (200 km - 3h30) (+ Vallée des Roses maybe)
Day 4: Boumalne - Dades Gorges - Agoudal - Todra Gorges - Tinghir - Goulmima (291 km - 6h)
Day 5: Goulmima - Midelt - Cirque Jaffar - Agoudim (280 km - 4h45)
Day 6: Agoudim - Imilchil - Aghbala - El Ksiba (280 km - 4h45)
Day 7: El Ksiba - La Cathédrale - Zaouiat Ahansal (212 km - 4h20)
Day 8: Ahansal - Ouzoud Waterfalls via R 302 (188 km - 4h22)
Day 9: Ouzoud - Marrakech (160 km - 2h43)
End of the trip 😮.
What do you think?
We haven’t booked any hotels—is that a problem? We were thinking of deciding day by day based on our progress.
Can we take our helmets with us in the cabin, or should we pack them in the checked luggage surrounded by clothes to avoid damage?