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**Snakeboy** · #31 14 Jan 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by markharf

I rode from Long Khiaw to Xam Neua a couple of years ago. Like you, the last hour was in full darkness. Unlike you, I did not have auxiliary lights. I was totally exhausted by then, and it was a bit hair-raising, but survivable.

Best thing I did in that area was ride out to Phou Pha Thi, where the CIA had a "secret" base, totally impregnable, for guiding bombing runs into North Vietnam. Of course everyone knew where it was, and of course the Path Lao overran it without much difficulty once they decided to do so. As an American it took a lot of finagling to get permission to wander around the remains of the old base, but it was a good glimpse into a different perspective on the era of my childhood. Unlike the tunnels, I was the only one there (along with mandatory military escort), and perhaps the first American.

Thanks for the photos and narrative!

Mark

Thanks for friendly words mate!

Yes all those hairpin bends in total darkness is quite exhausting and it takes a lot of time to get through.

Phou Pha Thi and the radar station Lima Site 85 is coming up in next posting!

**Snakeboy** · #32 15 Jan 2021

Day 11 - Visiting Lima Site 85, the clandestine radar station on top of Phou Pathi.

During the Vietnam war (called the American war in Vietnam) also the country of Laos was very involved. Mostly in was indirectly I guess we can say. The americans had airbases and radar stations in Laos and Vietcong build a several hundred kms long trail in Laos to freight supplies and personell further south.
This resulted in that Laos became the most heavily bombed country pr capita in the world!
Anyhow - as the Vietnam war was fought the US forces and CIA decided to build a radar station to guide theyre planes performing raids in northern Vietnam. And the best place to do this was of course in northeastern Laos, and further they decided on the mountain of Phou Pathi. So in 1967 the radar station was build but unfortunately it was only operative for a few months as the Vietcong found out about it and attacked and after a couple of tries left it in ruins and many of the US staff were killed in the battle.
Wikipedia about Lima Site 85: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lima_Site_85

Mount Phou Phathi lies around 65 kms north of Xam Neua and nowadays the road up there are mostly paved and in reasonably good condition. Only the last few kms is are gravel. But the scenery out there is again fantastic so I will first post some pics of the road and scenery out there.

Pics from the road between Xam Neua and Mount Phou Phathi

**Snakeboy** · #33 15 Jan 2021

Day 11 - visiting Lima Site 85 continued.

Lima Site 85 on the top of My Phou Phathi was mostly closed for foreigners up until 2016-2017 if my sources are right. But the last few years the Laotian Army has started to let foreign visitors in. In the beginning it took a lot of persuation and some «tea money» to be let in, but for me I only paid a tiny fee to the Lao army checkpoint at the foot of the mountain. And the amount was «up to my heart» to decide. I gave them 20 000 kip (~2 €/2,5$) and they seemed happy with that.

Theres a decent climb up the mountain side but luckily the laotians have build some solid stairs - so all you to do is to climb these stairs. How many steps do reckon it was Markharf? Maybe around 7-800?

And its also quite a big area on the mountain plateu, maybe 1,5-2 kms each way to different locations - so its advisable to bring some light shoes/hiking boots and leave bikerboots and cloths at the bike. Also its advisable to bring a good bit of water and maybe even some lunch snack so you can have a bite on the mountain top.

A few pics of the stairs first...

Pic 1 - The Lao Army checkpoint building at the mountain foot.
Pic 2 - The stairs seen upwards from behind the checkpoint building
Pic 3 - The stairs seen from the mountain top
Pic 4 - The start of the stairs
Pic 5 - Part of the stairs to LS85

**frameworkSpecialist** · #34 15 Jan 2021

I'm really enjoying this thread. Makes me want to go back to SEA.

Africa first tho.

**Snakeboy** · #35 15 Jan 2021

Day 11 - visting Lima Site 85 - continued

Even today more than 50 years after its heydays theres stlll a lot of remains of the radar station on the mountain top. Its however spread quite widely around on the mountain plateu so its worth having a couple of hours to spend there. Also worth thinking about is that this is a war battle site and several persons died here during the battles.

Pic - 1-3 Old guns of LS 85
Pic 4 - Show me your war face!
Pic 5 - A rebuild shed I suppose...

**Snakeboy** · #36 15 Jan 2021

Day 11 - visiting Lima Site 85

There are amazingly many remains of the radar station on the mountain top!

**Snakeboy** · #37 15 Jan 2021

Day 11 - Visiting Lima Site 85

More remains of the radar station and signs of battle...

**Snakeboy** · #38 15 Jan 2021

Day 11 - Visiting Lima Site 85

Some last photos of Lima Site 85

**Snakeboy** · #39 15 Jan 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by frameworkSpecialist

I'm really enjoying this thread. Makes me want to go back to SEA.

Africa first tho.

Thanks mate!

**Snakeboy** · #40 17 Jan 2021

Day 12 - Riding from Xam Neua to Phonsavan

Another day of glorious riding in the mountains of northern Laos. Neverending winding roads and spectacular scenery around every corner.
The distance was approx 240 kms. A relatively early start for me made it possibly to arrive before darkness sat in. Should have taken more photos, but at least I took some....

**markharf** · #41 17 Jan 2021

This is great! This section of your trip is a dead ringer for mine (although with a few key details changed). I also rode from Xam Neua to Phonsavan, and following my experience riding in pitch darkness I also started earlier. However, I hit whiteout fog at just above freezing in the higher elevation sections, and was getting hypothermic by the time I dropped down to Muang Kham. I remember barely being able to walk I was so thoroughly swaddled in fog-damp clothes.

I didn't count the steps up Phou Pha Thi, but there were definitely a lot--none of which would have passed building codes here in the States. To gain entry I had procured a handwritten letter from some functionary back in town (long story), but since it was in Laotian I never figured out exactly what it said. I lost much of the time I might have spent up top while the army guys debated each other, made innumerable phone calls to persons unknown, and attempted to interrogate me without benefit of any shared language.

Plus I was right on the verge of a total knee replacement at the time, so not very spry (<--deliberate understatement). Still, the whole affair was a highlight--even including the arduous riding getting there and onward. Looking forward to your impressions of the jars!

Mark

**Snakeboy** · #42 18 Jan 2021

Day 13 - Some pottering around in Phonsavan

Phonsavan is the provincial capital of the Xiangkhouang province and has almost 40 000 inhabitants and the whole province has almost 250 000 persons living there.
The area is probably best known for being the «Plain of Jars». The area around Phonsavan is relatively flat and there are a whole lot of sites with very old huge stone Jars. It was decleared a Unesco World Heritage site in 2019. These jars are scattered around from 1 to many hundred jars at many different locations. But since the area is a heavy bomded area still few of these sites are cleared thoroughly for all UXOs and open for visitors. But they are opening up more and more sites as they are cleared of UXOs.

However - I have been to Phonsaven several times before and checked out most of the the open sites and even a closed site back in 2006 I decided to check out other sightseing spots in the area. I do of course highly recommend other travellers to go and check out some of the Jar sites in the Phonsavan area. Now as they are Unesco World Heritage sites I guess they will be more accesible and with more facilities.

I decided to check out the old capital of the province called Muang Khoune who are situated some 30 kms south of Phonsavan and especially the 500 year old temple ruins there.

So here are some photos from the old temple ruins at Muang Khoune

**Snakeboy** · #43 18 Jan 2021

Day 13 - Some pottering around in the Phonsavan area

I found out that some clever villagers had started to use scrap metal from different UXOs to make cutlery and small souvenir items. It might have started out from scrap metal some years ago but Im not sure if thats the case today. However - I had a good laugh chatting with the women selling these «things made from bombs» and I even bought some as sovernirs....

So here are some pics from the «We make spoons from bombs» village.

**Snakeboy** · #44 19 Jan 2021

Day 14 - Riding from Phonsavan to Luang Prabang

So after 2 nights and one day in Phonsavan where I had my undies cleaned my trip continued. Next destination was Luang Prabang, the second biggest city in Laos and another Unesco World Heritage site. The city center with its colonial buildings are a great gem of SEAsia. I first visited the city in 2006 and instantly fell in love with it. More on Luang Prabang later.
Todays ride was around 265 kms and as always quite scenic. One follows R7 out of Phonsavan and at Phou Khoun approx halfway one turn into R7. All the stretch was paved but the last half from Phou Khoun to Luang Prabang was quite broken up asphalt and lot of potholes. So those 265 kms became a good days ride and I arrived Luang Prabang just as the dusk set in.

I didnt take a whole lot of photos and an old iPhone camera wouldnt make the scenery justice anyhow, but here are some of the few pics I took that day....

Pic 1 + 2 Great scenery of Laos
Pic 3 - Cherry tree (?) in bloom
Pic 4 - A laotian house along the stretch
Pic 5 - Somebody had made a shortcut...LOL

**Snakeboy** · #45 20 Jan 2021

Day 14 - Revisiting Luang Prabang

I first visited Luang Prabang back in 2006 and really fell in love with the place. Its the second biggest city in Laos but the town center is really small and lies on a peninsula of land where the rivers Mekong and Nam Khan meets up.
The town is on Unescos World Heritage list and is a little pearl of old colonial buildings and amazing temples. And right in the middle of the town is a steep hill where the locals have build a temple. Its called Wat Phou Si and the views from the hill is amazing. However a lot has happend to Luang Prabang since my first visit in 2006 and Im not sure its all good. The first thing I ran into beside the guesthouse I stayed in was a KFC fastfood joint. No - not that KFC! This was the Korean Fried Chicken. And the best restaurant in town - Le Elephant where I have always enjoyed a meal or two was now so expensive that I just couldnt justify myself to eat there. Oh well, maybe Im getting old, stingy and nostalic...
I stayed only one day and 2 nights in Luang Prabang. And here are a few pics from that visit...

Pic 1+2 View over Luang Prabang from the Phou Si hill
Pic 3+4 Bamboo pedestrian bridges over River Nam Khan
Pic 5 So I couldnt afford to eat at Le Elephant - but some Som Tam (papaya salat) and khaow niaow (sticky rice) was within my budget