Cycling from Kunming to Phnom Penh

by Frances
(Xining China)

Hi - I'm living in Xining, China this year with my husband and 2 kids. We want to do a bike trip starting from Yunnan down into Cambodia. We've found your website really useful - thanks for putting it up! We have a Bike Friday tandem for my husband and older child, and I pull our 4-year-old in a Burley trailer. (We bike a lot but are not touring experts by any means.) We'll probably want to combine biking and public transport for this trip a bit, but still are wondering about hotels, etc, and whether we'll need to camp (we'd rather not). Do you think we can make it through this area without bringing any camping stuff?

Thanks for any advice!!

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Cycling from Kunming to Phnom Penh

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Dec 23, 2009

Bicycling Yunnan - Cambodia
by: Peter

Hi,
It's a long time since I was in Xining, have good (and some bad, as bag was stolen there) memories of the city with some amazingly friendly people.

Now, as for your question. The road is quite good for cycling but the road to Jinghong is at some points in bad condition (see one of the photos here: http://www.bicycle-adventures.com/jing-hong.html) It was never a real problem for me but as you probably know, once a motorway in China is build, the older roads are seldom upgraded or at best patched.

There are several parts where you have to climb serious distances up to 6-8km and without having any experience with tandems and trailers, I can not say if it is possible or not to do. But think this way, I cycled Kunming-Lao border several times, including with my full pack of over 50kg including tent/sleeping bag etc. and I never had troubles.

Hotels/guesthouses.
Not a problem. In the 2 years I cycled in China, I have used my camp stuff only four times, once when I cycled Tonghai to Guangxi, and twice in west Sichuan and once when I cycled Chengdu - Kunming (north of Sonming).

The general rule is that every town has at least what I always call a bus-stop hotel, one of those crappy places to stay, sometimes without much comfort but at least with a roof above your head and always safe. The general rule is the every 75-100km you will find at least one place. If you read this page:

http://www.bicycle-adventures.com/South-Yunnan-Xishuangbanna.html

You will see that I never camped on the road from Kunming to the Lao border and that I passed at many different places other towns with accommodation. I wouldn't worry about that and leave my camp stuff home.

In Laos, it's roughly the same story. I would advice to stay in Mohan and cross the border the next day. Check my Laos section for some ideas. In between the Chinese border and Oudomxai, about 50km from the border is also a little town with guesthouse, so that won't be a problem too.

If you decide to cycle all the way through Laos to Cambodia, meaning through Savannaketh, you have a good road. Only in between Savannaketh and Pakse you will have to ask for accommodation in the villages. I had no problems staying with a local family and gave them some money. For the rest of the journey from the Chinese border to the Cambodian border you will always find accommodation in reach of 50-80km MINIMUM.

Cambodia, same story, although you need to cycle in a day from the Lao border to Strung Treng as I am not 100% sure if it is 100% safe. It IS possible to do this part by boat which IS safe and I would recommend you to take that boat because you're with a little kid.

Combine bicycle and public transport. Excellent idea. I have done it over the years frequent. In China, Laos and Cambodia you will have not a problem with it.

Peter

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