Xplorider: Xplorider IndoChina

January 08

Xplorider Indochina
Getting the adventure ride is when the real exploration begins, start your machine and roll out. The most difficult part to make a long trip was millions of questions pop in and out of the mind. What if my machine breakdown? What if the road condition is impassably? What if the fuel runs out? What if the tire punched? What if this and that happen?
I have decided from the very beginning, no matter how well you plan the exploration rides, it can't seem to be enough to satisfy yourself due to the many 'what ifs?'. Thus my conclusion was, plans are essential, get it started and then everything will fall into places naturally.
I have spend numerous days and months on research through books and travel blogs for this ride. It really helps me in getting some knowledge of the countries, cultures and customs. But it is nothing compared to the hands on experiences, chatting with the locals which you don't understand almost all of their words, eating their daily food, learning their cultures but we have managed to pull out a total of 23 days of touring and exploring Indochina. That's the satisfaction that i will remember for a long time.
Best riding period is from December to February, dry and cool.

The Xplorider team consists of 4 riders and a pillion. We, the 2 riders from Malaysia, 2 riders and a pillion from Indonesia.
Photos from left to right
Kenneth, Awang, Anton, Della & Ahmad

Thai-Cambodia border
The scene at the border of Thai and Cambodia (Poipet) are so labour-intensive, there are hundreds of cargo carts being pulled by the young and old. I can sense the hardship that these people are going through day in day out under the hot sun, rain & sweat just to feed their families and themselves.
We were held up at this border for 2 hours due to the unrecognised Thai custom declaration paper issue in Danok. Hell, isn't Danok in the same country? Well, are you going to argue with the officer that doesn't fully understand the international language? We have to reapply again the custom declaration at the border, making copies of our passports, registration cards, application forms, driving licenses and yes we are through in 2 hours. Thank god we are in Cambodia, yeeeeha!

Angkor Wat, here we come

Poipet-Angkor Wat
The stretch of 150km starting from Poipet to Angkor Wat is the most exciting rides in these exploration. I'm glad that the bike manufacturers came to the rescue by introducing the 'dual purpose bike'. I'm so proud of myself as a dual purpose rider, standing up on the bike for almost 3 to 3 1/2 hours. I felt so in control of the gravels, sandy and earthy conditions of the roads, my rear wheel was dancing to the tune of the rough surface and yet the direction I was heading to was stable with the magnificent views ahead of me.

Dusty Poipet - Angkor Wat Road

Angkor Wat
We put up 2 nights at Angkor, after going through the most exciting challenges for some of us. We want to explore the ancient city. Sawadee, how much is the room per night? Sawadee, US100.00 per night sir. That's is RM330 per night, wow. Then the magic came in, Awang with his skills of negotiation, like 'chicken and duck' communication with a lots of body and hand movements done wonders. He managed to get it for US50 per night, great....we can have a party tonight. The Angkor beer is US1.00 per can, so go do the calculation, i was a happy man in the street. Thanks Awang, i love you.

Angkor Map

Angkor Wat entrance
We have come so far from where we belong, i am not going home without visiting this ancient city with my bike.

Path to Angkor Wat
The kingdom was built surrounded by a canal, according to the locals, they bread crocodiles to prevent the intruders from attacking the kingdom. No more crocodiles now. The place is humongous, the amazing thing about the temple is the architectures and constructions. How do this people work on the temple without heavy machinery, cranes, piling machines and best of all was without cement? Contemplate about it. If you have not visit this place, you have to start your engine and ride there....oh yeah, no visa and no carnet de passage for Malaysian because we are Asian. No 3rd party insurance are required in Cambodia. Anything happens on the road, you 'kaw tim' on the spot.

Amazing Angkor Wat, by visiting this magnificent site, i could feel the solidness of the kingdom thousand years ago.

The International German and Japan are lending a helping hand in preserving and refurbishing the Angkor Wat. I'm sure with their help, our next few generations will still be able to see this wonder of the world.

Mirror image of Angkor Wat

Top of the temple

Xploring Tonle Sap, the clear water lake flown from Tibet passing through Laos to Cambodia and forming a vasts lake. In the middle of the lake, it seem like an ocean.

In Tonle Sap, everything is floating. During the dry season, all the houses, schools or community hall will float to the river bank. This happen in the early of the year till middle of the year. The monsoon season will sweep all the floating objects to the middle of the lake.

Tonle Sap view

Everything floating on the water

Sunset at Tonle Sap

Tonle Sap, the main source of income comes from fishing, according to our boat guide, the lake produced 500 tonnes of fishes every day. Now you believe me that the lake is an ocean indeed.

Sunset at Tonle Sap

Set my foot in Tonle Sap

Asking Direction from local biker

Phnom Phen

Ethnic cleansing! What the F@@@

Border Cambodia-Laos

Bpk Ahmad and Anton is not really happy today, after riding for 400kms, he expects the Laos border has arrival visa....no visa no come. You go back to Phnom Phen to get your visa, then you come...thats the instruction from Laos immigration officer.
So the decision is to go back to Phnom Phen together but Anton came up with this brilliant suggestion which i appreciate later on. He and Ahmad go to Phnom Phen by a rented van with a driver, so they can rest and we proceed to nearest town to wait for them.

Sabaidee is the greeting in Laos, apart from the visa hiccup for the Indonesian, i like Laos the very first moment i enter the country. You can really feel the warm welcome from the children, elderly, other road users and full of smile. 'A smile always make Two'. The warm welcome robes of the Little Buddhas.

Khone Phatphang Waterfall is part of the Mekong river

Mekong River

Mekong River at Dawn

Why you don't have sunset in Malaysia? asked Anton. Honestly, i don't see one in Malaysia lately, that's my reply. The actual fact, we are full of commitments to our family, career and business. How many times in a year that you really sit down to enjoy the sunset? I have my answer, what about you rider out there?

Ready at anytime

Risking US$30k, worth it!
While waiting for Ahmad and Anton to join us at the border, we explore the surrounding. In the map, Khong Island is in the middle of Mekong river, so we go for it. Only to find out that the mode of transport to Khong Island is by a catamaran.

small catamaran for river crossing

full of supense ahead

Please remember to take off your riding boots if you ever come across this adventures, if the catamaran sinks, you can swim and save yourself.

Khong Island in Mekong River

'No Man Land' Cambodia-Laos

Indonesian friends join in again at Laos border

Sabaidee Vientiane

Xplorider in Vientiane

On our way from Vientiane to Luang Phrabang, amazing hilly view all the way. Along the 320km, the path is nicely pave and the corners is just like heaven for riders. Heaven? That is not true on this road, after 3 hours of non stop corners, i started to asks some stupid questions. When is the road going to be straight? Corners? Again? Hahaha really fun at the same time quite torturing.