CYCLING LAOS: HO CHI MINH TRAIL ADVENTURE ITINERARY
10-Day Tour along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos
DAY
1: ARRIVE IN BANGKOK, THAILAND
Upon arrival in Bangkok, meet your guide after Customs
& Immigration formalities, and transfer to your
hotel. For the remainder of the day, you are at your
leisure to use the hotel’s facilities or explore
that area on your own. Note that most flights directly
from the U.S. arrive late at night.
Meals:
None
Accommodations: Fortune Hotel
Day 2: BANGKOK CITY TOUR - GRAND PALACE -
OLD BANGKOK: LIFE ON THE CHAO PHYA RIVER
After a leisurely breakfast enjoy a visit to the Grand
Palace, perhaps Thailand’s most important cultural
icon. The royals once lived in this enclosure that
is today open to the public. Note that long pants
and shoes are required for entry.
Then
walk to the Royal Navy Club pier where we will board
a local-style river boat and cruise some of the older
klongs (canals) on the Thonburi side of the river.
Bangkok was criss-crossed with canals that today have
become major streets. So here you will experience
an older Bangkok. Enjoy a cold beer or soda cruising
the canals.
Return
to the hotel in plenty of time to take advantage of
on-site shopping or enjoy Bangkok’s lively night
life.
Meals:
Breakfast
Accommodations: Fortune Hotel
DAY 3: BANGKOK – NAKORN PHANOM –
HO CHI MINH HOUSE – THAD PHANOM TEMPLE –
MUKDAHAN – BIKE AND PERSONAL PREPARATION –
SHAKEDOWN RIDE – BRIEFING ON IMPORTANT CULTURAL
POINTS – SAVANNAKHET, LAOS
Rise very early, check out, and transfer to Bangkok’s
domestic airport for the first flight from Bangkok
to the far northeastern town of Nakorn Phanom-on-Mekong;
the jumping-off point for our adventure, and important
in itself simply because Ho Chi Minh once lived here.
Upon
arrival in Nakorn Phanom, meet your guides and our
local staff and board the bus to visit the house where
Ho Chi Minh spent the “missing years”
during the 1920s and 30s in exile from his home country
of Vietnam. Meet old Uncle Dtieu who—as a child—looked
after the Vietnamese Hero. You will have a chance
to ask questions through your guides.
Then
we’ll take a short bus ride south along the
Mekong River to Mukdahan, stopping in Thad Phanom
to visit and pay respects at the famous temple there.
Once
in Mukdahan, assemble for bike fitting at a well-equipped
local bike shop. (Adjust your pre-arranged bike, or
assemble and adjust your own).
Enjoy
a short shakedown ride to locate any mechanical problems
and make final adjustments before leaving for Laos.
During
a Thai lunch at a local restaurant, a local expert
on Thai and Lao culture and customs briefs the group
on how to politely and effectively interact with local
people in both countries. While much of this information
is already available to you in your arrival kit, cultural
sensitivity and basic knowledge of local customs is
a must to navigate effectively and efficiently. The
routing of our adventure runs through remote and difficult-to-access
areas where local people rarely encounter a westerner!
Since manners & cultural sensibilities here are
highly developed and differ greatly from ours at home,
this briefing is of paramount importance. Guidelines
you will be taught today are rules, not suggestions.
None are difficult to follow, and your doing so will
exponentially increase your own pleasure as well as
that of the local people you meet! Please take the
time to learn how to follow them.
After
lunch, complete border formalities with the help of
our staff and ride across the newest bridge over the
Mekong connecting Thailand and Laos. After check-in
at our Savannakhet hotel, enjoy exploring this old
town and its neo-colonial architecture on your own.
Then
meet at a small, clean restaurant serving delicious
French, Thai and Lao food for dinner. Here we’ll
provide one of many briefings on the Ho Chi Minh Trail’s
significance vis-à-vis the outcome of the Indochina
& Vietnam Wars.
The
DMZ (and adjacent Ben Nai River) crossing central
Vietnam runs along the 17th parallel. The road (Route
9) runs across the border and into Laos. The Trail
switching points & re-supply depots of Xepon and
Muang Phin –while inside Laos– were of
the greatest strategic importance to both sides. The
now notorious, failed LAMSON 719 operation represented
the turning point of the American-Vietnamese War;
the Americans – desperate in their need to stop
the materiel flow South – used ARVN artillery
and tanks (driven in on Route 9) and troops ferried
into the area by U.S. helicopters in this failed last-ditch
attempt to cut The Trail. Academics, Air America pilots,
USAF pilots, and local people all agree that the bombs
stopped falling after LAMSON 719.
Enjoy
a romantic evening on the Mekong but return to the
hotel early, pack a day bag and personal biking gear,
and leave your luggage in the lobby to prepare for
an early departure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: XYZ (Savannakhet)
Day Ride Average: Light-Variable
DAY 4: SAVANNAHKET – BAN DONG –
DETRITUS OF WAR: DESTROYED TANK & ARTILLERY –
HIKING IN BAN LA HAW BRUE TRIBAL VILLAGE – UXO
EXAMPLES – PHU BEE BATTLEFIELD WITH COLONEL
UNG – OPTIONAL RIDE TO XEPON TOWN
After early local breakfast of French bread Pate sandwiches
or Vietnamese noodles transfer the 2 & ½
hours along Route 9 to the village of Ban Dong, the
site of arguably the most important battle of the
Vietnam / American war, to see some of the war detritus
left there. This includes a couple of disabled tanks
and a Howitzer artillery piece left to rust by retreating
South Vietnamese ARVN after the LAMSON fiasco.
Then
ride bikes along a well-kept, 7km dirt road with five
easy low-water crossings to the Brue tribal village
of Ban La Haw.
LOCAL
NOTE: It is instructive and revealing to remember
that people here often may still labor under the notion
that America or France will attack them again. While
initially wrong-headed to us, by now you will easily
understand how someone could believe this. It only
takes an extra moment to be polite, and in a place
like this—especially—you will notice how
local people warm quickly and easily to those visitors
who will take that extra moment.
Comrade/Col.
Ung was responsible for planning and executing the
action that resulted in the capture of the South Vietnamese
General Nguyen Van Tho, who commanded the LAMSON 719
operation. This key operation ended the bombing on
this portion of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Today Comrade
Ung is nearly 90 years old, but hardly looks 60. His
military career began as an officer in the French-Lao
army when Laos was still in French hands. Then he
joined those fighting the Americans, for reasons he
will share with you. His story is untold and is perhaps
one of the single most incredible and important experiences
in the Vietnam War history. Here again your knowledge
of Lao manners and custom will be the important catalyst,
the constant use of which will relax the old cadre
so they will openly answer your/our questions. Hike
out of La Haw to see the Phu Bee Battlefield, from
where General Van Tho was evacuated by helicopter
to Ban Dong before being captured. See the live bombs
still littering the surrounding forest and jungle.
Ride
the SAG truck—our chase and support vehicle—or
your bike (individual option) to Xepon for a night’s
stay in a comfortable, modern guest house with a choice
of Vietnamese, Lao, or Chinese cuisine at mealtime
tonight.
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Guest House Xepon
Day Ride Average: 15 km/60 km (individual
option)
DAY 5: XEPON – WAR MONUMENT & COLLECTION
OF OLD ARTILLERY PIECES – UXO OFFICE –
BAN NA GNYOME
Xepon town on Laos-Vietnam Route 9 served as the perhaps
the most important hub of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Before
leaving Xepon enjoy a local breakfast of Vietnamese
noodles or eggs & rice, then visit the local war
monument to the Vietnamese and Pathet Lao soldiers
who fell in the LAMSON battle. 
Visit
the UXO (unexploded ordinance) office to learn about
the plethora of deadly explosives still littering
the countryside. There are some 12 million unexploded
large bombs (several hundred pounds and up) and ‘bombies’
(cluster bombs). Hopefully we’ll meet and visit
with some of the UXO experts who spend their daytime
hours clearing this deadly ordinance so you can ask
questions of them. Note the large and varied collection
of disabled ordinance on display there.
Then,
we’ll ride about 50 kilometers, through Vilaburi
town which sprung up to support the new Australian
gold mine which we will also pass. Continue on well-maintained,
mildly challenging dirt roads through a section of
the Ho Chi Minh Trail that few tourists have ever
encountered. Then we’ll board the SAG vehicle
to bring us the 20 bumpy kilometers of Trail to the
small village of Ban Na Gnyome. Today you will bike
through many local villages pock-marked with an extraordinary
number of bomb craters, and forested with koke (scrub)
jungle typical of the region at this latitude.
Once
in Ban Na Gnyome we will break into sub-groups to
overnight in the houses of the local headman and the
village elders. Accommodations are simple but clean
and safe, and your guides and staff will always be
on hand to answer questions, translate or assist in
resolving mechanical / bike problems. The best place
to clean up is with local villagers (following their
customs) in the cool waters of the little flowing
river that runs through the village.
Gather
tonight for a BBQ dinner prepared by our staff and
the local people. Here you can expect to be offered
‘Lao Hai’ or ‘Lao Nam Khao’,
both very popular and potent local brews.
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Home Stay
Day Ride Average: 50 km
DAY
6: TRANSFER TO BIKE-ABLE TRAIL SOUTH OF BAN NAHOM
– EXHILARATING RIDE TO BAN NAHOM VILLAGE
Rise in the morning for simple breakfast of fruit
and local fare prepared by our staff. Then board the
SAG truck for a ride toward our next destination,
Ban Nahom to the north. Although the distance to Bah
Nahom isn’t that far as-the-crow-flies, conditions
on The Trail won’t allow us to ride the most
direct route.
And
the route has been specially chosen for its beauty,
historical significance and suitability for the participants
of this adventure. We’ll disembark the SAG truck
about 25 km south of Ban Nahom to ride. Evidence alongside
The Trail reminds us that not so long ago, bombs fell
day and night here for years. The road we’ll
take has been cleared very well of UXO, but lip-to-lip
craters tell the story of a war we all find difficult
to imagine. The ride today is challenging more for
its roughness than its length. It’s passable
by only the most rugged motor vehicles or mountain
bike. Many of the log bridges are best walked, but
you’ll have the road almost to yourself to enjoy
the sights, sounds, and scents of the jungle.
Time
and circumstance permitting, a short walk from the
road with your guide, will allow us to see UXO.
Arrive
at the charming Brue tribal village of Na Hom and
stay with villagers for two memorable nights. Dinner
will be a local meal, served outside the headman’s
house. North by North-East has enjoyed a long relationship
with the residents of this village, and during your
stay you will learn how we met these lovely folk.
Gather tonight for a local dinner prepared by our
staff and the local people.
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Home Stay in Ban
Nahom
Day Ride Average: 25 km
DAY 7: BAN NAHOM VILLAGE
– OPTIONAL DAY RIDE TO MU GIA PASS OR DAY HIKE
WITH LOCAL GUIDES TO MAJOR HUDGENS’ CRASH-SITE
– BAN NAHOM
Wake
up to the sound of roosters crowing signaling the
early beginning of another usual day of languid activity
in this tribal village.
Some
years ago the son of an American pilot—Major
Hudgens, who was shot down and died here 40 years
ago—asked us to bring him to the spot where
it all happened. Contrary to what some may expect,
this young man and the local people became fast friends.
Since then, North by North-East and Mr. Jeff Hudgens
of California have worked together to assist the village
in several community projects. You will see the good
work Jeff’s generosity and that of his friends
has facilitated.
After
a simple local breakfast, today you may choose to
stay in the village to visit with and enjoy hiking
with one of our local guides in the jungle below the
beautiful gneiss-and-granite and crystalline slate
karsts rising high above the village. We’ll
walk to the crash site of U.S. pilot Major Hudgens
where one of our staff will relate the conditions
in which he crashed and died.
Optionally,
avid riders may wish to join our staff making the
steep climb to the Mu Gia Pass on mostly-paved Route
12 with wonderful switchbacks around a broad valley.
The Lao-Vietnam border neatly straddles the pass today.
Perhaps
the most remarkable feature of this road and the area
around it is that a casual look would never reveal
that it was the most important entry point from Vietnam
to the Ho Chi Minh Trail. For years American pilots
reported their bombs taking out truck after truck
on this stretch of mountainous road, yet nothing ever
seemed to stem the flow of goods! One might well notice
here also that the weather systems on either side
of these Annamite Mountains differ greatly. At the
top of the pass this becomes apparent.
Enjoy
a spine-tingling downhill ride on the main road or
through alternate trails and lunch at the outpost
truck stop in Nongchan. Then return to Ban Nahom and
share your experiences with those who preferred a
peaceful day in the village or who went exploring
with local guides through the tall, monolithic entryway
to the Annamite Mountains.
Shared
dinner and evening celebration and cultural exchange
before turning in. Repack day bags and prepare luggage
for the sag truck the night before.
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Home Stay in Ban
Nahom
Day Ride Average: 75-80 km (optional)
DAY 8: BAN NAHOM – BAI SII SU KWAN CEREMONY
– TOUR OF ANNAMITE FOOTHILLS – GNOMMALAT
– BICYCLE TURN-IN / BREAKDOWN – TRANSFER
TO THA KAEK – BORDER CROSSING TO NAKHORN PHANOM,
THAILAND
After
an early breakfast experience a ceremony very important
to the local people. The Bai Sii Su Kwan Ceremony
pre-dates Buddhist thought, and remains the most important
local ceremony for northeastern Thai and Lao people.
Your guide will brief you on the significance and
protocol of the rituals you see and participate in.
Then
enjoy a ride over relatively flat and easy road through
stunning and unique karst mountains rising out of
sienna clay and sand to the town of Gnommalat, where
we’ll pack our bikes and gear into the SAG vehicle,
climb aboard, and head to Tha Kaek on the Mekong River.
If you have your own bike, we will assist you in packaging
it in preparation for the return flight to Bangkok.
Once
in Tha Kaek, our staff will assist you with border
formalities and customs for the return trip across
the Mekong into Nakorn, Phanom, Thailand.
Tonight’s
Farewell Dinner includes a slide show of photographs
collected during the last nine days to celebrate an
amazing adventure.
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Fare well BBQ
Accommodations: Riverview Hotel
Day Ride Average: 65 km
DAY 9: NAKORN PHANOM – BANGKOK
After breakfast, go directly to the Nakorn Phanom
Airport for the flight to Bangkok.
Upon
arrival in Bangkok, transfer with our local staff
to the hotel, and pick up a map from your guide so
that you may enjoy what the city has to offer.
Lunch
and dinner today will be on your own, but please feel
free to ask our staff who will be on standby for advice
on shopping, dining, and other activities.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Miracle Grand
DAY 10: BANGKOK THAILAND – HOME
Check
out and transfer to the airport very early. Most flights
to U.S. leave Bangkok at about 0600 hrs. However,
departure time will likely differ depending on exact
destination. Please consult our staff for advice on
your needs.
Meals:
Breakfast
Accommodation: none
End
of Service
