Our
LAOS MOTORCYCLE
TOUR is the epitome of two-wheel adventure travel and the crown
jewel in the ASIAN
MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURES
touring schedule. If you've ever dreamed about taking a hard-core motorcycle
journey into a rarely visited part of the world, this is
the tour. Each ride into Laos is unique--every one filled with new sights
and experiences. A motorcycle tour in Laos is a drive back through
time, observing a way of human existence that has nearly disappeared from
the face of the earth. Only recently has
Laos been reopened to outsiders after 300 years of nearly continuous warfare,
but the country is becoming increasingly popular with tourists because
of its pure and undiluted culture, pristine nature, and outstanding natural
beauty. But still the numbers of people who visit Laos is actually quite
small, and they can
only reach a selected few destinations because of the decrepit transportation
infrastructure in place. And none of these visitors can stop in the small
and isolated villages that are off the beaten track like we can do on
a whim, thanks to our motorcycles. This keeps the countryside nice and
empty for our forays. A support vehicle carries all our belonging,
so your motorcycle stays light and nimble. A local tour guide will explain
all he knows about the culture and history of this region and will help
you to understand the hilltribes' remarkable relationship with their land. Only hardy souls who can tolerate rough riding and Spartan living conditions should consider participating on this LAOS MOTORCYCLE TOUR. As Laos develops, sections of roadway are currently undergoing improvement and many are being sealed. But major portions still remain jungle trails that cross rivers and climb mountains that aren't even named. I will venture a guess that in five years' time, regular road bikes will be able to tour through significent parts of the country. So if you want to experience Laos before these improvements take place, I would suggest riding with us sooner rather than later.
Sleeping accommodations are sometimes basic at best. Some lodgings have neither electricity norplumbing. But there are a few gems along the route of this motorcycle tour where your stay will become most memorable. Food will be plentiful and nutritious, and at most occasions we will dine quite well. However, we may sometimes be forced to settle for some unimaginative meals in the really remote regions. But on those occasions, you will never have eaten food that is fresher--just picked produce, mountain-grown rice, wild plants and seasonings picked from the forest, and chicken, pork, and fish that moments before were still breathing. What a world we will enter after we cross the Mekong and drive a few miles into the hills. Immediately centuries will be erased from the calendar. This tropical, land locked country is around the size of England. 80% of their 4.7 million population survive on what the jungle provides or on what they can grow. Laos is at the bottom rung of economic development. According to their latest statistics of 2000, per capita income was US$260. Total national exports amounted to US$ 336 million, or barely enough to cover Tiger Wood's annual endorsement contract. Twenty-six percent of people survive on less than $1 per day. But progress is coming. Telephone numbers have expanded to six digits, up from four only recently. And their postage stamps now have glue on their backs. Not a single mile of railroad track exists in the country. Skyscrapers in Laos are four-story buildings. A life expectancy of 53.5 years is among the lowest in the world for any country not suffering through a protracted war. Their major cash crop, until very recently, was listed as Papaver somniferum, or the opium poppy. The LAOS MOTORCYCLE TOUR stays in the mountainous and cooler nothern regions and takes us right up to the borders of Burma, China, and Vietnam, an extremely remote area sparsely populated by dozens of hill tribes. The total tour distance of around 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) is more than sufficient because of the hard road conditions and because of the vagaries of traveling in such a wild and raw place. Many unexpected things happen so we have to keep our itinerary flexible. We are sure to stumble across seldom-witnessed hilltribe rituals that must not be missed, even if this means readjusting our schedule. These once in a lifetime events, such as the Hmong courtship ceremony, are the primary reason for coming here in the first place!
An old French Legionaire fort sits atop a promontory whose cannons once
controlled all the river traffic passing by. Just watching river life
on the Mekong floating slowly by is entertainment enough. You will never
forget this scene. Click for LAOS map ».
TOUR DATES:
For the 2009 and 2010 touring seasons, A.M.A.'s Laos motorcycle tours are temporarily suspended.
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