Grasshopper Adventures
Laos Unicycling Adventure Trip Profile

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Last update: 12 May 2005
Laos is an absolute Grasshopper favourite. Tucked away between it's bigger neighbours, Laos is the secret jewel of South East Asia. There is a unique charm to this country that shines through in her people, towns and village, mountains, jungles and the majestic Mekong River that she hugs for the length of the country. On this trip we unicycle 482 kilometres through rice paddies and villages, over and along side mountains, riding mainly on highways. We visit small towns, Laos' current capital, Vientiane, and the former capital, Luang Prabang. We boat down the Mekong River, South East Asia's longest river and meet the local people in their places away from the tourist sites. You'll be amazed how much you'll experience and learn in just 12 days!
Itinerary
Day 1: On Day 1 people will be arriving throughout the day so the day is free to explore the sights of this vibrant city. We'll meet in the evening for a trip meeting and head out for our first dinner together.
Day 2 Huey Xai: In the morning we willl transfer by private minivan to Chiang Khong (approx. 2 hours). On arrival we will transfer by boat across the border and say 'sabaii dii' to Laos. there will be time in the afternoon for a cruise around town and the surrounding area. the reaction of the Lao people is sure to be interesting.
Days 3-4 Mekong River: The non-cycling highlight of the trip is the two days we spend cruising down the Mekong River on a converted cargo boat. The perfect introduction to Laos, you'll quickly get a feel for the slower pace of life here in Laos. We overnight in the small town of Pak Beng. On Day 5 we will stop at the Buddhist caves at Pak Ou where thousands of buddha images deposited over the centuries stare out over the Mekong. We arrive into Luang Prabang in the late afternoon.
Days 5-6 Luang Prabang: It has been said that Luang Prabang is the most beautiful town in South East Asia - and we find it hard to disagree! With a combination of historic temples, French colonial architecture and its setting by the Mekong, surrounded by mountains you won't want to leave. On our first day in Luang Prabang we hit the unicycles for a off road ride to Kwang Sii Waterfall. With crystal clear water flowing over limestone pools you won't be able to resist a swim.On our second day we will do a 40km cruise around the region. We will cycle quiet back roads to villages in the region and visit another beautiful waterfall for a swim. The afternoons will be yours to wander the temples, visit the King's Palace or just relax.

Day 7-8 Luang Prabang to Kasi: Cycling out of Luang Prabang we are faced with what is without doubt the most difficult day of riding but also one of the most rewarding. There are two huge uphills to tackle but after this day the following days tend to be downhill. We pass through and lush forest and many small H'Mong villages that sit dwarfed by the amazing landscape of limestone mountains that surround them. These mountains are some of the highest limestone peaks in South East Asia so it is important to take a rest every now and then from the tough climbing to enjoy the scenes! On the second day we ride high in the mountains for the first half of the day following a ridgeline up and down with peaks all around. In the afternoon it is time to relax a bit as the road is largely downhill along a valley to our overnight stop of Kasi.
Day 9-10 Vang Vieng: The 58km ride to Vang Vieng is a relatively easy day travelling through the verdant green of rice fields. Vang Vieng is set in a prime location. Surrounded by limestone peaks, caves and rivers this town see its fair share of travellers but for good reason. We enjoy a rest day in Vang Vieng where you can take your pick from caving, tubing, unicycling, or for the tired and weary a massage and Beer Lao.
Day 11 Nam Ngum Dam: We are truly into flat land now and we ride away from the mountains towards Nam Ngum Dam, 100km from Vang Vieng. Later in the day we leave Route 13, the road we have been on since Luang Prabang, to an even quieter road that leads us down to Nam Ngum. If you have time boats can be hired to cruise around the many islands that dot the lake.
Day 12 Vientiane: Our final day on the unicycles takes us 95km along flat roads to Laos' capital Vientiane. The roads will become busier as the day goes on but Vientiane is nothing like other capital cities of Asia. Feeling more like a large town, Vientiane is a sleepy city with wide streets perfect for cycling. The ride will finish in the evening in Vientiane. Extra accommodation can be provided for those who want to stay longer and assistance provided if you want to take the overnight train back to Bangkok.
Difficulty - Moderate/Difficult
This trip involves some off road riding and/or longer days over 80km on mountainous roads. Riders should be of good unicycling fitness.
Unicycling Conditions
Road condition in Laos are good for the main highways which we will be using. Maintenance, however, is not always the best so you must expect random potholes, short sections of terrible road and road works. This is a mountain ride with the first day out of Luang Prabang being the most challenging with two long hills to climb. Traffic is generally light but care must be taken with all those unexpected surprises like chickens, children and dogs running out in front of you. Stay alert.

Accommodation
4 nights comfortable hotel, 7 nights basic hotel/guesthouse (all rooms have private bathroom apart from one night).

Due the nature of cycling trips we stay in some towns where the general standard of accommodation is quite low. In these places we have chosen the best possible place to stay - trust us there's nothing better!

Arriving in Chiang Rai
Meeting Point - this trip will begin at a hotel to be advised. The hotel will be in the centre of town close to the night market. Surrounding the hotel there are many restaurants, internet cafes, travel agents, market stalls and banks. The hotel has comfortable rooms with private bathroom, air conditioning, TV and 24 hour reception.

There are a number of options for getting to Chiang Rai. The easiest way is to fly from Bangkok. There are now a number of budget airlines operating in South East Asia who all offer very cheap flights from Bangkok to Chiang Rai. Check out

The earlier you book, the cheaper the flight. Thai Airways also fly daily to Chiang Rai from Bangkok. If you are already in Thailand and need assistance with other travel arrangements please let us know.

Additional Accommodation
Should you require extra accommodation in Chiang Rai before or Vientiane after the trip we can offer you competitive rates at our hotel. Please book extra nights when you book your trip.

Rooms cost to be advised.

Visas
In Thailand, 30 day single entry visas are free on arrival for many nationalities. If you want to stay long than 30 days, 2 month visas are available from the Thai embassy in your country.

Lao visas can easily be obtained on entry at the immigration point where we enter the country. Visas cost US$30. make sure you have one passport photo for your visa application form.

Before you travel check your passport to ensure that there is room for a visa and entry/exit stamps (at least 3 pages) and that it has at least 6 months validation remaining.

Money
The official currency of Thailand is the baht which should be used for all transactions. Thailand has a modern banking systems with ATMs and money changers in everywhere. When coming to Thailand it is possible to use Visa/Mastercard or Cirrus/Maestro cards to access cash with an ATM. You should, however, carry travellers cheques as a backup. Most international currencies can be exchanged so it is not necessary to bring only US dollars - AUD, EUR, CAD, NZD are all accepted at banks in major centres.
The current exchange rate is:
     US$1 = 38 baht
     AU$1 = 30 baht

The official currency of Laos is the kip, however, the US dollar serves as a second currency and can be used for larger purchases. If going to Laos it is best to bring some small denomination US dollars cash along with travellers cheques as your main form of money. Thai Baht can also be changed easily. Credit cards can are not that useful in Laos.
The current exchange rates are:
     US$1 = 10,000 kip
     1 Thai Baht = 250 kip
Costs
We recommend that you allow approximately US$5 for food and general living costs per day. Shopping money should be considered extra to this amount.
Food
Included meals: 11 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 81 dinners. Water and snacks on cycling days.
Transport
For the cycling days we will have the backup support of a large songtaew (local style people carrying truck) that will carry our luggage, snacks and water, and anybody not cycling. We also use boats, minibuses, songtaews and anything else that you might see coming.
Group Size
6 minimum, 24 maximum. The group will have the services of a tour leader, local cycling guide and support vehicle driver.

Unicycles
You will need to bring your own unicycle for this trip. We recommend a 36" Coker or a geared unicycle. Specific parts for unicycles are not available in Laos so be sure to bring any spares that you might need.

We highly recommend wearing a helmet whilst cycling on our trips
Transporting Your Unicycle
Most international airlines will count your unicycle as part of your luggage allowance so be sure to pack light. The best way to transport a unicycle is to package it in a box or bubble wrap and a bag. Unicycle specific bags are available at unicycle.com.You will need to remove the pedals and seat post.

Packing
While we do have a support vehicle to carry your luggage during the cycling days, you will be required to carry your own luggage at times. Luggage will need to be loaded on and off buses, up and down stairs at hotels and across the border crossings. When crossing borders you will also have your bike with you so it is important that you can comfortably push your bike and carry your baggage at the same time. For this reason we recommend that you pack as lightly as possible in a backpack. Carrying a suitcase and pushing a bike on uneven surfaces would be a challenge.

You should consider bringing the following items:

     Personal

  • Backpack
  • Long trousers
  • Shorts
  • Shirts
  • Hat
  • Sandals/Light Shoes
  • Swimming Costume
  • Sunglasses
  • Light Rain Coat
  • Toiletries
  • Small Towel
  • Sunscreen
  • First Aid Kit
  • Mosquito Repellent
  • Camera and Film
  • Alarm Clock

     Travel

  • Passport with 6 months validity and spare pages
  • Passport photo
  • Travel Insurance details
  • Flight Tickets
  • Money - Travellers Checks/Cash/Credit Card
  • Phase Book

     Bicycle

  • Bicycle
  • if renting - your own seat and pedals (optional)
  • Something to carry your personal belongings in while cycling, eg. daypack, bumbag, handlebar bag.
  • Helmet (optional but recommended)
  • Cycling Gloves
  • Bicycle Water Bottle
  • Bike Shorts with something to put on over the top when off the bike ('Shy Shorts' are a perfect solution)
Travel Insurance
It is a condition of participating in a Grasshopper Adventure that you hold travel insurance for the duration of the trip. Insurance must include comprehensive medical and emergency evacuation. Your travel insurance details will be checked by your group leader on arrival at the starting point hotel.
Health
There are no specific health requirements for travelling in Thailand and Laos, however, we recommend that you visit a travel medicine doctor before travelling. You should carry a well stocked first aid kit with you when you travel. All Grasshopper Adventures Group Leaders are first aid trained, however, they are not permitted to distribute any medications.
Photography
Film is available everywhere, if you use pro film you will probably only find it in Bangkok, Luang Prabang and Vientiane. It is easy to burn digital photos to CD in the larger towns - Bangkok, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane.

Positive Impact
An integral part of travelling is to have a positive impact on the country that you are visiting. On this trip there are a number of things you can do to have a positive impact on the communities that we visit.

Dress - Laos is still quite a conservative country. In rural areas and temples overly revealing clothing is considered offensive. You should make an effort to dress more conservatively in these situations. Walking around a village in bike shorts is not appropriate so if you wish to cycle in just bike shorts you should have something with you on the bike to put on over the top such as long loose shorts or a skirt/sarong. A good solution to this is 'shy shorts' which combine cycling shorts with loose long shorts over the top. When visiting temples shorts are acceptable providing they cover the knee. Singlet tops are not acceptable in temples.

Phrase Book - A highly memorable part of your travels will be the local people that you meet. In the tourist areas some people will speak English but away from these areas you should learn a few words of Lao. We will teach you some of the basics but if you want to really interact we recommend bringing a phrase book (unless you are really good at charades). We can recommend the Lonely Planet Laos Phase Book.

Donations - Often when coming on trips overseas people like to bring items such as sweets, pens and books for children or old clothing for families. While this is a fantastic idea, if distributed in the wrong way it can actually create more problems. Giving away anything to local people can create an expectation that visiting foreigner equals free give aways. In some communities in Asia this has created whole villages where the only interaction is the locals asking for things. If you would like to donate anything to the communities that we visit we suggest that you give the items to Grasshopper Adventures which we will then pass on to development organisations, schools or whole communities. In this way items are distributed to those really in need by those working in the communities.

Support Organisations - There are a number of excellent organisations working in Laos that we hope you can support in one way or another. Your Tour Leader will provide more information on these as you travel through Laos.
Important
All information in this Profile is researched with care and provided in good faith. The information subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and Grasshopper Adventures.