The Thakhek Loop has become a popular 3-5 day moped ride in Laos and is a lot of fun. The scenery is stunning and there’s lots to see and do along the way. There’s also a good sense of camaraderie between fellow loopers.
🇯🇵 この記事を日本語で読む: ターケーク・ループ(Thakhek Loop)4日間完全ガイド
- Day 1: Leaving Thakhek – Rental Tips and the First Limestone Caves (This article)
- Day 2: Into the Remote Mountains – Villages, Dust, and Stunning Landscapes
- Day 3: The Highlight – Exploring the Epic Kong Lor Cave by Boat
- Day 4: The Final Stretch – Cooling Down at Cool Springs and Heading Back
Where to rent your bike
There’s lots of places to rent mopeds or motorbikes in Thakhek. The two most famous are Mad Monkey and Wang Wang. We ended up renting from Wang Wang which seemed to have good quality bikes at a reasonable cost.
We got to Wang Wang when they opened at 7 am and shortly after the place filled up with other travellers keen to rent. There are several other places in Thakhek to rent mopeds.
Day 1
The scenery heading out of Thakhek is stunning.
There are lots of places you can stop along the route. We decided we would come back the same way and so may spend more time checking them out. We had a long day (13 hours) on buses the day before and wanted to have a relaxing afternoon in Thalang which was to be our first stop.
Useful Information for Your Laos Trip:
Visa Extension Guide: ➡ Laos Visa Extension Guide: Oudomxay vs Luang Namtha Costs, Rules, and 23-Hour Fast-Track Success
Border Crossing Guide:
➡ Hue to Savannakhet Border Guide via Lao Bao Border: Crossing from Vietnam to Laos
➡ Paksan to Bueng Kan Border Crossing (Laos – Thai) Mekong River by Boat
Lunch day 1
We stopped for lunch at a noodle shop at Nakai. Cheap and tasty buffalo with noodles and veggies (20 kip).
Thalang accommodation and dinner
We stayed at Sabaidee Guest House in a stilted bungalow for 120 kip $6 USD. It was perfect for our simple needs
In the evening there was an all you could eat BBQ for 100,000 kip each. My first chips for months:) A few beers and lots of conversation with other travellers made for an enjoyable stay!
In the afternoon we had a wander around the village which is located next to a reservoir.
Our trip continues to Day 2!
➡ Day 2: Into the Remote Mountains – Villages, Dust, and Stunning Landscapes (Thakhek Loop)
Our Handpicked Must-Visit Spots:
Based on our own journeys, here are the absolute best places in Laos that captured our hearts.
➡ Luang Prabang Travel Guide: 3-Day Temple Walking Route, Chompet Ferry & Local Night Markets
➡ Wat Phou Travel Guide – Day Trip from Pakse: A Complete Motorbike Guide
➡ The Plain of Jars Travel Guide from Phonsavan: A Complete Sightseeing & Motorbike Survival Tips
➡ Nong Khiaw Travel Guide: Hiking Pha Daeng Peak, Local Eats & Slow Travel Tips
➡ Muang Ngoy Travel Guide: Ultimate Travel Guide to Laos’ Hidden Riverside Village
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