1

Thanks for the advice. Luang Prabang looks well worth the trip up. Other things on my list to do are the 4 Thousand Island, Irrawady Dolphins and Ankor Wat
I have just on two weeks to fit everything in. I might be pushed for time.
I might just jump on a bus from Luang Prabang to Pakse to make up lost time.
Cheers

2

Take a diversion up the Bolaven Plateau. Some wild little back roads up there

3

"However don't fall into the trap of thinking you can ride along some of the minor roads in Northern Cambodia West to Siem Reap."

big changes in just seven years!!! from what i've read, the road from stung treng
to tbaeng meanchay is either paved or all-weather dirt ready for paving. then most
of the road from TM to siem reap is paved.

you could visit koh ker near kulen on the way to siem reap, or divert north to
preah vihear, then via anlong veng to siem reap.

you could also head south from vientienne thru thailand, enter cambodia at
o'smach. the road from the border to the main highway (sisophon-siem reap-
phnom penh) is now paved.

4

I would slow down! What you are planning is far too much for two weeks. Also, as has been said, the route from Vientianne to Pakse is pretty dull. The dolphins are OK though.

Study some maps, look at some guide books and work out a more feasible and interesting route. The cycling in the region is excellent, its worth taking a bit of time to enjoy it.

5

"However don't fall into the trap of thinking you can ride along some of the minor roads in Northern Cambodia West to Siem Reap."

big changes in just seven years!!! from what i've read, the road from stung treng
to tbaeng meanchay is either paved or all-weather dirt ready for paving. then most
of the road from TM to siem reap is paved.

Yes, just to confirm that this is entirely feasible. Plenty of others had cycled this way when we did this route ten months ago. By now the first stage of the road between Stung Treng to Tbaeng Meanchay should be complete (i.e. the forest cleared and the road marked and leveled. This compact dirt was great to ride on. There was still a section in the middle that was still the old, quite sandy route that was slow going and very hot in the parts where they had cleared the forest but hadn't levelled the ground. However, I imagine by now that it is all complete. It's a long day to make it all the way to TM in one go and we found a homestay in a village after about 100km from Stung Treng. Camping would be easy though and there's plenty of places where they have scraped out places just off the road in connection with the roadworks so much less risk of UXO. This route to Siem Reap was our highlight of cycling in Cambodia.

6

lazyc: do you recall where that homestay was? and was it a reg'lar
guesthouse, or just someone let a tired cyclist stay overnight?

i'll be doing this route in february. i can do the ST->TM run in a day,
but would like the option of breaking it up.