a solo 7000-mile Indochina ride [ SG-MY-TH-LA-KH-VN ]

[tabernacle]

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Above : paying 100Baht for fast-track check-out service at Cambodian border. discovering a new untouched beach 30km from Ban Hat Lek … with only a handful of tourists and 2 beach resorts

 

Checked into Sutus Court for 700 Baht per night. Spent the evening roaming around the town and met up with Nils and Heiko for drinks later the next evening.

(Sutus Court - 12.928472, 100.882001)

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Day 27 – Pattaya to Bangkok (120km, 2.5hrs)

Checked into Somerset serviced apartment in Bangkok. They have a huge multi-storey carpark with security guard at the entrance, so I felt relieved. (Somerset Lake Point - 13.731021, 100.561058)

Headed out to Siam Paragon for my favorite Thai food, pomelo salad and grilled pork.

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[tabernacle]

Day 28 – Bangkok to Samui (780km, 12 hrs)

Reached Don Sak at 1pm, the ferry just left, so had to wait an hour for the next one. Went for a quick lunch at the café in the terminal, and freshened up.

Paid 250 Baht for the one-way ferry ticket. Wanted to buy round-trip, but the ticket office said I have to buy the return portion at Ko Samui. (Don Sak Ferry - 9.317339, 99.737406)

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Ferry journey took 1.5 hours, so I took a nap. Arriving in Ko Samui, I took another 20mins to reach my hotel, Tongtip Mansion in Chaweng. I was happy that there are lots of parking space right in front of the hotel. Paid only 750Baht for a nice room with air-con, balcony, fridge and hot shower.

(Tongtip mansion - 9.534236, 100.062393)

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It was a religious holiday, meaning no alcohol ☺ So, I visited my friend who runs a nice boutique hotel along Bo Phut beach and chilled out at his beachside restaurant.

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The same evening, I booked the speedboat for the full moon party the next day. Round-trip ticket to Koh Phangan including transfer costs 800 Baht.I took the early 5pm ferry hoping to catch the sunset. Unfortunately the weather got quite cloudy so didn’t manage to see much of the sun.

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Paid 100 Baht for entrance ticket (in the form of a cute yellow wrist band) to the full moon party.

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It’s really amazing how the entire beach is lit up by the moon ! It almost looks like late afternoon ! Impressed with the huge scale of the full moon party, stretching over 1.5km of beachline.

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[tabernacle]

All kinds of cocktails are sold in buckets for 250-400 Baht, with this cheap prices, it’s really difficult not to get drunk ! By 11pm, the whole beach was packed with mostly Western backpackers and some locals all dancing away to the thumping music.

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There are lots of local flame throwers and performers to entertain the party goers.

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Day 29 – Samui to Hatyai (315km, 5 hrs)

 

Left Ko Samui, managed to catch the early 6am ferry, and by noon I reached Hatyai.

Journey was pretty smooth, and I checked into the bike-friendly Hat Yai Rama hotel for the usual walk-in rate of 690 Baht a night.

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(Hat Yai Rama Hotel - 6.998105, 100.471615)

 

Time to reward myself to a big feast of local Thai food in Hatyai !

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[tabernacle]

Day 30 – Hatyai to Penang (200km, 4 hrs)

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Penang is indeed a food paradise ! I must have put on at least 3kg in 4 days !

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Day 31 – Penang to Singapore (720km, 8 hrs)

Finally, it's come to say goodbye to my friend in Penang, and head back home. The last leg of this journey is a smooth 8-hour ride along the North-South highway.

 

So, after 67 days on the road, I am finally back in my hometown Singapore.

As I looked back, here are some of the most memorable moments of my trip.

 

Most enjoyable ride : sweeping bends up and down the mountains in Mae Salong and Doi Tung

Most stressful ride : Tackling the rush-hour traffic in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, and crossing those roundabouts with the endless stream of local motorcycles streaming through.

Most helpless moment : Dropping the bike on a really remote hill near Phonsavan, trying in vain to lift the bike over the mud, and having to wait more than an hour for help from a passing car.

Most difficult border crossing : Getting stuck in Ha Tien border crossing, back and forth for 6 times and having to negotiate a bribe to get across

Most enjoyable local experience : Khmer cooking class in Battambang

Most painful ride : Banging through the countless potholes from Udomxai to Pak Mong, and from Phonsavan to Vang Vieng

Most amazing sunrise : The dramatic view on the summit of Pu Chi Fa national park

Most amazing sunset : the fascinating limestone caves along the river of Vang Vieng

Most memorable breakfast : chicken rice breakfast & 3 cups of illy coffee with the Suong twin brothers in Kompong Thom

Most memorable evening : A wet full-moon party at Koh Phangan

Favorite beverage : BeerLao !

Favorite local dish : Beef Lok Lak

 

I've come to the end of my trip report. Hope you have enjoyed the photo diary. I like to leave you all with my favorite quote, and I hope this quote will inspire you to make your dreams come alive, just like mine.

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming – “WOW – What a Ride ! "

 

If I can be of help in your trip planning across Indochina, feel free to drop me a note.

 

Daniel Tan

 

:::: DanielTan.net ::::

website : http://www.danieltan.net

ride videos : http://www.youtube.com/user/danieltandotnet

[Paul Low]

Thank you Daniel for sharing your beautiful journey! i will ride my dream too!

[fx]

nice ride nice photos nice experience..

thanks for sharing, give da man a berlao!

 

 

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[Al-Simmons]

Great report. Still haven't finish reading it....

 

 

 

Reached the immigration customs checkpoint at Boten around 8am, and there was little traffic.

Stopped by a Chinese restaurant to have some hot spicy noodles. It was so good I had 2 bowls !

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Many riders have the wrong impression that this is your last stop without permit but actually you can just ride through this checkpoint....

 

The laos-china checkpoint looks something like this....it's a few more km down the road...

[Al-Simmons]

Your photos are superb!!!!

[Quincy]

:thumb:

 

Love your report & is almost every tourer dream to be able to get the time off & resources to travel places, seeing people, learning culture...

Aspiring...

[Ianie]

Great ride! proper planning didn't rush into things.. Nice photos too! thumbs up! but do you like wine more or beer?

[Super-Sic]

I'm loving it!

[maxxmadness]

great write-up daniel...

 

we met at mtechnik on the day you return from your great trip..so sorry you could not get your oil change that day as chan was busy on my gs

[aloha]

Thanks Daniel for the very wonderful, inspiring, and engaging trip report. The GPS coordinates and the prices of all the hotels you been to were especially useful, so thanks alot for that! =) Much appreciated.

[gixxer 73]

Hi Daniel,nice report and can see that u really enjoy life to the fullest and next week,i will try to sneak into Vietnam via Ha tien,hehe.

[PaLmEr]

beautiful pictures. excellent writeup!

[rezasmess]

A great Photoblog.

Very inspiring indeed. Wish I am brave enough to travel so far solo.

 

Thumbs upss

[MarvelStone]

Thanks for sharing!

Awesome report.

[tabernacle]

Hi Paul,

 

Glad you enjoyed the read.

Yes I'm sure you will get to pursue your dream one day, but don't wait too long

Keep your dreams alive !

 

Thank you Daniel for sharing your beautiful journey! i will ride my dream too!

[tabernacle]

Hi Paul,

 

Glad you enjoyed the read.

Yes I'm sure you will get to pursue your dream one day, but don't wait too long

Keep your dreams alive !

 

Thank you Daniel for sharing your beautiful journey! i will ride my dream too!

[tabernacle]

Thanks. You are riding a BMW GSA which is a fantastic adventure bike, so you have the best possible machine to go very far.

Just need to take the leap of faith to do it

 

Hope to read your trip report soon !

 

A great Photoblog.

Very inspiring indeed. Wish I am brave enough to travel so far solo.

 

Thumbs upss

[FB666Y]

Excellent.

So you got into Vietnam without paying the exorbitant touring fee?

All it took was greasing the local wheels?

[hondawavefan]

Inspiring trip there dude!

[tabernacle]

Yes that is correct bro. I entered through Ha Tien, which is a free economic zone.

Cheers.

 

Excellent.

So you got into Vietnam without paying the exorbitant touring fee?

All it took was greasing the local wheels?

[tabernacle]

Most welcome. Hope to read your trip report soon too !

 

Thanks for sharing!

Awesome report.

[tabernacle]

Thanks.

I just read your trip report to Thailand... brings back great memories !

 

Inspiring trip there dude!