We are headed to Vietnam in January, buy a little bike, and would like to loop through Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Is this possible at all now?

Are you talking about 2018?

If so then you need to wait and check again later in the year because rule and regulation could and will change between now and then?
Today yes if you buy a Vietnam 125cc bike you should have no problems getting into all the country you mention.

hi,
this week i will depart from Kunming, China to Sihanoukville, Cambodia. I will go via Laos. My bike is a chinese registered F800GS.
i'm just wondering, there are several different carnet de passage which are issued by different organizations. So which one is valid in Cambodia
I will probably pass Laos and Cambodia border by next Monday.

so if this week anybody en the route from Luang Prabang to the southern Laos, let me know, we could team up.

Hi Fons

For your Chinese plated motorbike, you DONT need a Carnet to cross over Mohan/Boten border crossing as for Cambodia I have never done this crossing so I can't advise you.

And please be advised from the turn off to Jinghong all the way to the border of Mohan about 120km this whole road is under construction and may be difficult and may courses you a delay.

hi,
1, yes, for my moto, i dont need any extra paper to enter Laos via Mohan border crossing.
2, my friend confirmed me that the road from Jinghong to the border is completely upgraded. it's 4 lane broad highway. it should be less than 2.5h for this 180km stage.
3, also border checkpoint now works until 21:30 both sides. but Laos doesn't issue VOA after 17:30.

now i'm on my flight to Kunming to pickup my moto. shipped out from shanghai to Kunming by truck last week. costs 700 rmb +300rmb insurance. Nice.

Hi Fons
Is the Chineses plated bike in your name? or have you got a letter authority to leave China on the bike.?

Oh yea, it is my name.. registered in Shanghai

Great NEWS Fons all good to go I have done the border crossing with a Chinese plated bike over 10 times now with no problems.
Here is a link to a friends RR with good details on the border crossing layout.

Link.... Ningbo Zhejiang to Chiang Rai Thailand January 2015 to March 2015 - return

unfortunatelly, the road project from Jinghong to the border is not finished yet. 190km takes 2.5h. i think they must finish it this year. then it will be the 4 lanes motorway all the way from kunming to the border.
enter Laos is really easy except the Laotien border officer try to squeeze 20k kip out of your pocket. i asked him what is for. he explaint me it's for filling the arrival card. so we just wrote it by ourselves. save 40k kip. but most of people dont bother it. just pay and go.
for motorbike, you have to pay 30k kip to the Laotien customs.
the route n.13 from border to Luang Prabang is in good shape. 290km.

i will suggest to cross the border in the late afternoon or night. the border closed at 9pm. you could leave Kunming in the morning and arrive at the border by 7-8pm . so after you enter Laos, you could choose to stay in Nateuy. Then next day, go to Luang Prabang.

Hi Fons

Quote:

then it will be the 4 lanes motorway all the way from kunming to the border.

If it becomes a TOLL motorway then no good for motorbikes?
Because it could be just 1 more road we can't ride on.

in.yunnan, you could ride moto on motorway.

Last chance to join us
 

1

Hi,

Which border was it?

Take a look at the map mate, theres only one border crossing between Laos and Cambodia, namely the Nongnok Khien to Dong Kralor crossing.

It has been a "difficult" bordercrossing for a long time. All kinds of excuses has been made by the borderstaff to not let people theough and bribes and "tea money" has been the rule and not the exception.
It was also just recently some trouble between the two nations and some dispute over something and the border was closed because of that.

You should check local media before counting on that border.

we crossed this border a week ago on four European motorbikes with carnets.
make sure you have the green temporary import paper from entering Laos. we didn't get one when we entered from China and had some discussions until they let us go out.
on the Cambodian side it was like this: medical survey and temperature check (1-2$, can't remember) on the booth outside, carnet at the customs in left building (2nd office) and 35$ for the visa on arrival (they only wanted one photo instead of two).

I heard from two other tourist bikers with local motorbikes (Vietnamese and Laos number plates), that Laos didn't even let them out. so I've been a bit nervous but it went well.