Vientiane Hostel
Hostel
Day 1
Thakhek loop — 5 days (Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Nakai, Phou Hin Boun & Konglor)
Eight days on the emptiest riding in Southeast Asia. Five days on the loop alone, flying into Thakhek's nearest airport and skipping Vang Vieng and the long transit.
Two Stroke Society
Runs this trip
Bike expedition
Eight days on the emptiest riding in Southeast Asia
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
Pha That LuangEight days on the Thakhek loop and up to Vang Vieng — limestone karst, a seven-kilometre river cave, and the emptiest riding in… Route 13The expressway would do it in half the time and shows you nothing. Tham Phu KhamVang Vieng spent a decade as a byword for tubing and drink, and the bars were closed in 2012 after a run of deaths. MekongNine hours and no way round it — the loop starts at Thakhek and Thakhek is a long way south.
Itinerary
Eight days on the Thakhek loop and up to Vang Vieng — limestone karst, a seven-kilometre river cave, and the emptiest riding in Southeast Asia.
VientianeHow the day runs
- 1 hrsTransfer, handover and the riverside at dusk
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationVientiane Hostel
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Hotel night
- Bike handover
LANDMARKS Pha That Luang Mekong riverside Patuxai Start point Vientiane, Wattay International Airport (VTE), Vientiane 00:00 - 23:59The expressway would do it in half the time and shows you nothing. Route 13 is the ride.
Vientiane, Vang ViengHow the day runs
- 4 hrs8:00 AM — north on the old road, not the expressway
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationVang Vieng Hostel
Included Activities
- Fuel
- Riverside guesthouse
LANDMARKS Route 13 Nam Song Vang Vieng karst Vang Vieng spent a decade as a byword for tubing and drink, and the bars were closed in 2012 after a run of deaths. It is a climbing and caving town again now.
Vang ViengHow the day runs
- 4 hrs8:00 AM — the west-bank loop to Tham Phu Kham and the blue lagoon
- 2 hrs4:00 PM — up Nam Xay for the sunset
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationVang Vieng Hostel
Included Activities
- Fuel and entries
- Guesthouse night
LANDMARKS Tham Phu Kham Blue Lagoon Nam Xay viewpoint Nine hours and no way round it — the loop starts at Thakhek and Thakhek is a long way south. Both operators offer to truck the bikes if the group would rather.
Vang Vieng, Vientiane, ThakhekHow the day runs
- 9 hrs6:30 AM — south past Vientiane on route 13
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationThakhek Hostel
Included Activities
- Fuel
- Riverside guesthouse at Thakhek
LANDMARKS Route 13 Mekong Thakhek The Nakai reservoir flooded a forest in 2008 and the dead trunks still stand out of the water. It displaced over six thousand people.
Thakhek, Nakai, Phou Hin BounHow the day runs
- 5 hrs7:30 AM — east into the karst, then up onto the plateau
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationNakai Hostel
Included Activities
- Fuel
- Guesthouse at Nakai
LANDMARKS Nakai plateau Drowned forest Limestone cliffs Tham Xang The river runs straight through the mountain for seven and a half kilometres and you go through it in a longtail with a head torch. It is completely dark for most of it.
Nakai, KonglorHow the day runs
- 4 hrs7:30 AM — north round the loop to the cave village
- 2 hrs1:00 PM — through the cave and out the other side
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationKonglor Hostel
Included Activities
- Fuel
- Boat and headlamps
- Village guesthouse
LANDMARKS Konglor cave Nam Hin Boun river Karst gorge The western side is the emptier half and the surface is worse. Both operators ride it in daylight only.
Konglor, ThakhekHow the day runs
- 5 hrs8:00 AM — south-west and back to the river
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationThakhek Hostel
Included Activities
- Fuel
- Riverside guesthouse
LANDMARKS Route 8 Karst valleys Thakhek Six hours. An overnight in Vientiane before an international flight is the safer plan and both operators will arrange it.
Thakhek, VientianeHow the day runs
- 6 hrs6:30 AM — the run north
- 1:00 PM — handback and the airport
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Bike handback
- Airport transfer
- Day 1Airport transfer
- Day 1Hotel night
- Day 1Bike handover
- Day 2Fuel
- Day 2Riverside guesthouse
- Day 3Fuel and entries
- Day 3Guesthouse night
- Day 4Riverside guesthouse at Thakhek
- Day 5Guesthouse at Nakai
- Day 6Boat and headlamps
- Day 6Village guesthouse
- Day 8Bike handback
- Day 1 · 1 nightVientiane Hostel
- Day 2 · 2 nightsVang Vieng Hostel
- Day 4 · 1 nightThakhek Hostel
- Day 5 · 1 nightNakai Hostel
- Day 6 · 1 nightKonglor Hostel
- Day 7 · 1 nightThakhek Hostel
- Day 1Vientiane to VientianeTransfer, handover and the riverside at dusk
- Day 2Vientiane to Vang Vieng8:00 AM — north on the old road, not the expressway
- Day 4Vang Vieng to Thakhek6:30 AM — south past Vientiane on route 13
- Day 5Thakhek to Nakai7:30 AM — east into the karst, then up onto the plateau
- Day 6Nakai to Konglor7:30 AM — north round the loop to the cave village
- Day 7Konglor to Thakhek8:00 AM — south-west and back to the river
- Day 8Thakhek to Vientiane6:30 AM — the run north
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Vang Vieng Hostel
Hostel
Days 2, 3
Thakhek Hostel
Hostel
Days 4, 7
Nakai Hostel
Hostel
Day 5
Konglor Hostel
Hostel
Day 6
What you'll eat
7 breakfasts and 6 dinners across 8 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 8.
- DinnerServed on days 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
- BreakfastServed on days 2–8
13 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.6/5
Based on 42 reviews
Review summary
Food4.4/5
Guide4.2/5
Itinerary4.5/5
Transport4.5/5
Accommodation4.5/5
Tour operator4.2/5
Sort by:Recommended
4
S
Sameer Khan – Bengaluru2026-07-18 · Verified booking
8 days of proper riding. The support vehicle was never far when someone needed it. Good value for what's included.
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5
H
Hannah Lindqvist – Dublin2026-07-18 · Verified booking
Machines were well maintained and the daily briefings were short and useful. Solid operator.
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5
D
Dev Chatterjee – Lucknow2026-07-18 · Verified booking
Central Laos on two wheels is the way to see it. No complaints about the organisation. Nothing fancy about the beds, and nothing wrong with them either. Simple food, well made, and enough of it.
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5
V
Vikram Bose – Pune2026-07-18 · Verified booking
Route planning was the strong point — long days, but the stops were in the right places. Hostel nights are basic but clean, and that's what the price says. Worth every rupee.
Reply from Two Stroke Society
Appreciate the honest feedback; we're looking at the pacing on that section.
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5
C
Carla Mendes – Singapore2026-06-16 · Verified booking
Machines were well maintained and the daily briefings were short and useful. Good value for what's included.
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3
V
Vikram Bose – Kolkata2026-06-16 · Verified booking
Days were longer than advertised and we arrived after dark more than once. Whoever planned the days knew what they were doing.
Reply from Two Stroke Society
Thank you for travelling with us — glad the route worked out.
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5
D
Dev Chatterjee – Ahmedabad2026-06-16 · Verified booking
Machines were well maintained and the daily briefings were short and useful. Nothing fancy about the beds, and nothing wrong with them either. Would send friends their way.
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5
R
Rohit Verma – Kolkata2026-06-16 · Verified booking
Route planning was the strong point — long days, but the stops were in the right places. Nothing fancy about the beds, and nothing wrong with them either. The lead was calm and knew when to slow the group down. Solid operator.
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Questions people ask
One other operator runs this ride. See all 2 side by side →