thailand laos vietnam
 

hi all
has anyone done a trip through thailand laos vietnam
i need help with planning:scooter:
i will be flying in and hiring bike or bikes in each country
1. can i hire bike and ride through all 3 country's or do i need to hire in each one
2 paperwork at borders
going in 2016 what's the best time to go i hear that jan feb the best weather wise
Plus if someone else is planning a trip on the same lines and want to join up for part of it.
The best routes i am easy with where i go i like to chill along country roads and mountains seaside.
food the street markets for me but got to have good coffee in the morning:nuke:
Happy biking everyone:scooter:
found this site on line looks like only need visa for Vietnam for 30 days

Scott's Visas - Fast, Reliable Indian Visas, Russian visas, Chinese Visas, Angolan visas, Nigerian Visas

I am not 100 % sure but I think it is as this:

You can rent a bike in Thailand and take it to Laos as long as you have a document from the owner (rental company) that gives you permission to do so.
I dont think you can take a thai rented bike to Vietnam.

In Laos there are not many rental companies but I think there are one or two in Vientinane. You better look them up and send a mail to them.

I saw many vietnamese registrated bikes in Laos who where ridden by foreigners. I do think they have bought these bikes and used them for a trip and then intended to sell them at the end of the tour. However these bikes were all quite worn Honda 100 ccm copies or similar. So you can take a vietnamese registred bike into Laos.

If I were you I might rent a bike in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai at a rental company that allows you to take the bike over to Laos. Not all rentals do so and prepare to pay more than if you only to ride it in Thailand. Or you can also do Laos on a vietnamese plated bike.
But CM and CR are good starting places for a ride in northern Thailand and easy access to Laos as there is several border crossings there.

Then I would head to Vietnam and rent or buy a bike for a trip there. And do Laos also if I didnt do it on a thai bike.

I can't really comment on Vietnam but I have just recently finished a trip of Northern Thailand and Laos.
I rented my bike in Chiang Mai and was allowed to take it over the border, all details of who I used are on my Ride Tale, links in signature block. I would recommend them to use and I would use them again myself. I paid about 20 GBP per day for the hire which considering I was going over to Laos I didn't think it was a bad price.
If you read the report and don't get your answers just get in touch with me, or on the other hand if you don't want to wade through the RT just get in touch if you have questions. Or ask on here

From what I understand of Vietnam it is very hard to take bikes over the border into the country so it might be worth while renting local there

Enjoy the planing but remain flexible

Wayne

I am looking for information about the flight from Thailand or Malaysia to the United States. What city is better depart, what are the transport companies.

Think you might need to be more specific Flight for what? You, a pushbike, Motorcycle, 4x4?

Also try doing a search and looking under the relevant forum headings.

You also might want to try RideAsia Motorcycle Community

Wayne

I think your best bet would be to actually start in Vietnam, There are SOOOOOOOOOoo many bikes fore sale there and many from travelers (there is a website but im not exactly sure what it is right now, but its very popular) Buy a used bike in Vietnam from a traveler and take it to a shop get them to go over it fully (vietnam is cheap). Get your paperwork in order while they fix the bike.

I don't know the exact details but you can buy bikes in south east asia very easy, do a quick Google many people do these 3 countries on 125cc Honda Waves that you can buy used for 200$ almost anywhere in vietnam.
Finding a bigger bike is a bit of a challenge tho, and a bigger bike with papers... yea maybe here
1998 Honda XR250 Baja Enduro For Sale In Hanoi, Vietnam

I don't know what bike Lonerider paid 20 GBP per day for, but I know that the daily rate for a Honda CRF250L (perfect bike for the job) is 800 THB (16 GBP) per day in Chiang Mai but 1,000 THB (20 GBP) in Chiang Rai. There isn't the same competition between rental shops in Chiang Rai. What the premium would be for taking the bike to Laos, I don't know.

What Lonerider paid extra for, compared to the rent you mentioned in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, was to be able and allowed to cross the border to Laos and ride in Laos on that bike.
To rent a bike in Thailand and ride it around in Thailand is one thing. To rent a bike in Thailand and to cross borders and ride in another country is something completely different.

If you know any better deals for renting a bike in Thailand that allows you to take the bike over a border and into another country - please share the information with us.

As Snakeboy said I paid for it to take it over the border, yes I could have got it cheaper at a different place in CM but the extra 200 Baht for being able to go into Laos was well worth it, and it was a CRF 250L, and it was perfect for the job

Wayne

got a friend travelling through Vietnam at the moment and he saying don't hire a bike its to crazy :scooter:
i couldn't go:( work:taz: still aiming to go next year i think maybe bus and train might be a good way to see more without worry about parking bike safe

i made exactly this ride in 2010 may to july
Laos- on honda baja -rental
Thailand on a CB -rental
Vietnam on a minsc- bought
let me know what you need and il try to help you