Pakse Loop Motorbike Rental Guide: Costs, Bikes & Tips
Pakse Loop Motorbike Rental Guide: Costs, Bikes & Tips
If you’re planning on doing the Pakse Loop, possibly the most important thing is renting the right motorbike for you! The Pakse Loop is an absolute adventure! It’s a motorbike loop located in Central Laos and its spans across Lao’s highlands including the grand waterfalls of the Bolaven Plateau.
When I did the Pakse Loop, it was an absolute blast full of adventure and life long memories. Definitely an adventure you wouldn’t want to miss out on when travelling Laos.
Planning itineraries and all that is very much important but it’s not happening if you don’t have a motorbike. There is so much to do and explore on the Pakse Loop and the last thing you want to be doing is worrying that you might have gotten the wrong bike!
In this post I’ll be sharing with you everything you need to know about renting a motorbike for the Pakse Loop including where to rent from, how much it costs and checklists you might be overlooking.
Let’s go!!!
Quick Summary of the Pakse Loop
What is the Pakse Loop?
A multi day motorbike loop located in Central Laos spanning over 3-4 days best known for its unique cultural experiences and the waterfalls of the Bolaven Plateau
What many days on the Loop?
The Pakse Loop is split into 2 loops, the short loop and the long loop.
Short Loop ~ 3 days
Long Loop ~ 4-5 Days
If you are considering whether to do the long loop or short loop, check this out!
Distance
Short Loop ~ 220 Km
Long Loop ~ 340 Km
Mode of Transport
Self driven Motorbike
Best time of year
The best time of year to do the Pakse Loop is in the cooler and dryer months between October – February. Note however, given the high altitude of some parts of the Pakse Loop, it may be cold at times.
Key Highlights
The key highlights of the Pakse Loop are its insights into local culture and agriculture as well as the waterfalls of the Bolaven Plateau.
If you want more information about the Pakse Loop, check out my 3 day guide:
Do you need a motorbike for the Pakse Loop?
The Pakse Loop is a self driven motorbike loop so yes you do need to know how to ride a motorbike before doing the loop.
There are alternative methods such as by bicycle or car but these options are far less common.
If you are planning on visiting just the Bolavan Plateau there are many day tours on offer available from Pakse.
Is it beginner friendly?
If you are new to riding a motorbike or have limited experience, don’t worry too much as the Pakse Loop is not difficult to ride. There aren’t any hairpin corners or really steep hills and the road conditions are generally in good condition.
The most difficult part of the loop would be leaving and entering the city of Pakse where you’ll at times encounter moderate city traffic. Other than that the Pakse Loop is a relatively easy ride with not much traffic on the roads.
I will suggest that you do get comfortable on a bike prior to attempting the Pakse Loop. Ensure that you at least circle around the block a few times to get comfortable and know your way around a bike.
Remember, riding motorbikes especially in places like Laos involves a lot of risks and can be dangerous if not careful. If you aren’t comfortable with it simply don’t attempt it. It’s okay to know your boundaries and know whether something is for you or not.
Easy Rider Options?
At this stage no.
If you were looking for easy rider options like that of the Ha Giang Loop, the Pakse Loop doesn’t offer such services as of yet. However, with the growing popularity of travelling in Laos, I wouldn’t be surprised if easy rider options do appear in the future.
Types of Motorbikes available on the Pakse Loop
The Pakse Loop should be done like the locals!
That means you’ll be riding the same bikes that the locals will be riding, most commonly small Hondas! I think it’s much more immersive to ride these motorbikes instead of big bikes because the Pakse Loop is all about culture and local experiences, so why not ride around like the locals!
Semi Automatic Bikes – Most Common and Recommended Bike for the Loop
The most common bike you’ll see on the road and one that is recommended by all rental shops is the semi automatic Honda Wave 110cc.
They are reliable, fun and can handle everything that the Pakse Loop has to offer even though it is a 110 cc. I can say from first hand experience that these little machines are so much fun to ride and just keep on going!
They are a semi automatic motorbike which means that you’ll have to manually cycle through gears but without the need of a clutch. There is a slight learning curve but nothing too difficult if you have some riding experience.
Do I need a semi automatic?
Whilst I don’t think it’s a complete necessity, they are the most common on the loop and the most recommended bike to use by the rental shop owners.
I definitely think they are better simply because they are more fun to ride but if you choose an automatic scooter instead, it’ll be just fine as well.
Can’t ride Semi Automatic
Before the Pakse Loop, I had no prior experience with semi automatic bikes but had a bit of experience with automatic scooters. I was able to learn and get the hang of riding a semi automatic within 15 minutes before going on the Pakse Loop.
Semi automatics are easy to get the hang of and with a few laps around the block on one of these bikes, you’ll get comfortable in no time.
Where to Rent
Since many tourists that come to Pakse are here for the Pakse Loop and to explore the Bolaven Plateau, there are many reputable bike rental stores available. I’ll share with you my top recommended bike rental places as well as places I have experience renting from.
Recommended Bike Rental Shops
The 3 places to rent a bike that I recommend and have personally have experience with are:
A general rule of thumb is renting a bike from your accommodation is almost always a good option since these places rely on good reviews and feedback. That’s why I’m recommending 2 accommodation places to rent your bike but if you’re staying at another place, check online reviews and after that it’s not a bad idea to rent from them. Plus it’s convenient as you can store your luggage there as well!
If you want a full budget breakdown of the Pakse Loop inlcuding daily motorbike costs, check out my post:
Miss Noy Motorcylce
Bike Rental Price
Semi Automatic ~ 130 000 Kip
Automatic scooters available also
Prices may vary depending on seasonality
Why rent from here
Miss Noy Motorcycle is the biggest and by far the most popular and reputable bike rental shop in Pakse. They offer a wide selection of motorbikes and are easily recognisable by their signature red body semi automatic bikes.
Their red bikes are very noticeable and on the loop you will encounter countless numbers of these bikes. All their bikes are extremely well maintained and in great shape. The owner (who I think is French) is also very helpful with everything to do with the Pakse Loop. He holds free nightly workshops about the Pakse Loop to help plan your trip on the Pakse Loop!
You can’t go wrong with renting from Miss Noy Motorcycle. They have quality bikes, great owners and provide everything you need for the Pakse Loop.
They are however a little bit more pricey than other options however only by a few Kip daily.
Pakse Backpacker Hostel 2023
Bike Rental Price
Semi Automatic ~ 110-120 000 Kip
Prices may vary depending on seasonality
Why rent from here
Pakse Backpacker Hostel is one of most popular hostels in Pakse and a great place to meet people that are doing the Pakse Loop.
They offer bikes for rent and have a good selection of new and well maintained semi automatic motorbikes. The owners here are great also and will help plan your itinerary and anything related to the Pakse Loop.
The motorbikes here are also cheaper than that of Miss Noy so it’s a great option for people travelling on a bit more of a budget.
Sanga Hostel and Souvenir
Bike Rental Price
Semi Automatic ~ 110-120 000 Kip
Prices may vary depending on seasonality
Why rent from here
Similar to Pakse Backpacker Hostel, Sanga Hostel and Souvenir is another popular hostel in Pakse and a great place to rent your bike from. They offer a good selection of semi automatic bikes and given its a fun social hostel, it’s a great place also to meet other travellers wanting to do the Pakse Loop.
Bike prices here are slightly cheaper than that of Miss Noy so it’s a great option for budget travellers and backpackers.
Don’t know whether to choose between the Pakse Loop or Thakhek Loop?
Inspection Checklist for choosing your Bike
Here I’ve compiled a checklist of things to look out for before renting a motorbike. It’s crucial you don’t skip anything off this list to ensure you have a good working bike.
You’ll be riding this bike for the next several days and the last thing you want is to have bike problems on a bike trip!
Bike Inspection Checklist:
- Take a video
- Lights
- Brakes
- Tyres
- Mirrors
- Gauges
- Take for a test ride
Take a Video
Probably the most important thing to do when renting a motorbike is to take a video of the motorbike to capture its current condition. This way you have evidence of what the condition of the bike was before you rented it so dodgy rental shops can’t take advantage of you (if you rent from the places I recommend you won’t have such issues).
Make sure you are thorough when taking a video covering all angles, top to bottom. Highlight any existing damages such as scratches, cracks to the body and any other such minor damages
Lights
Ensure that headlights on the motorbike are working
Brakes
Check that both front and back brakes are working fine and that there are no squeaking noises when braking. Squeaking noises aren’t a safety hazard but are just really annoying!
Tyres
Ensure tyres have enough tread especially on the angles of the tyre as that’s where the wheel will be on when turning corners and what not.
Mirrors
Ensure that mirrors are not cracked and are securely mounted on the bike. Check by seeing if the base of the mirrors that is connected to the bike can be moved by hand. If they move too easily without much force, ask for them to be tightened.
Gauges
Check that all gauges on the bike are working, most importantly the speedometer and fuel gauge.
Take for a test ride
Last but not least ask the owners if you can take it for a quick test ride just up and down the road. A test ride can show flaws and defects otherwise invisible through just a visible inspection.
Key things to look at when going for a test drive are:
- Throttle and acceleration
- Steering and handling
- Braking
Tips and Advice for renting a Bike
Don’t rent new
Don’t be afraid of the beat up looking bikes!
It might sound counterintuitive but I like to rent the slightly beat up looking bikes over the brand new ones. On a new bike scratches and dents shine bright and you don’t want to be responsible for extra charges. It’s not uncommon on the Pakse Loop to get a few bits and scratches on your bike and on an already beat up bike, no one will notice.
When riding around the Pakse Loop, there’s going to be rubble and rocks on the road. You might even drop your drop (not at all uncommon if you’re a new rider). Blemishes like these will glow on a new bike but on an already scratched up bike, it won’t show a thing.
What matters when renting a motorbike isn’t about how it looks but the stuff on the checklist, like if the brakes are working fine and whether the bike is good after a test run. A scratch, dent or any other cosmetic issue doesn’t affect the reliability of the bike at all
I like to get beat up bikes just for ease of mind. That’s way even if I do get a scratch or a dent, it won’t look much different at all.
Bike Licence- Law vs Reality
To ride a motorbike in Laos by law you need a valid international riders licence. That being said, in reality it is hardly enforced, if at all.
When you go to rent a bike, the shop owners won’t even ask for it. For all the times I rented bikes in Laos, not once was I asked for an international riders licence.
Police activity on the Pakse Loop
When I did the Pakse Loop, I didn’t encounter any police or law enforcement checking riders for licenses or what not. The only police I saw were on the big toll gates for trucks right as you are exiting the city of Pakse. But for us they just signaled us to ride around the barriers with no further interaction.
From my understanding, the police here don’t really bother the tourists doing the Pakse Loop. Further in as you get deeper into rural Laos, the chances of running into a police barricade become slim to none.
Lock Up your Bikes
Make sure you lock up your bikes!!! Don’t leave them in random places unattended. In the past there have been instances of bike theft specifically targeting people doing the Pakse Loop. Most bike rental shops will give you some form of bike lock to lock up your wheels when you park your bike so make sure you use it!
When you park your bikes, always lock them up and also always find paid parking. If there is a parking attendant that’s the only time I’d leave my bike unlocked.
Safety Tips
Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind when riding the Pakse Loop
Road Conditions
Look out for the road condition.
The roads along the Pakse Loop are in general in good shape however maintenance is poor in parts of the loop. It’s not uncommon to stumble across rumble and potholes on the road so always be careful when on the road.
Wet Weather
Wet weather will make everything a thousand times more dangerous. Pakse and other regions in Laos can still experience rain and wet weather even during the dry months. Loose gravel and slippery roads are not ideal for when you’re riding a motorbike.
If you do get stuck riding in the rain, try pulling over if you can else ride with extra caution.
Ride during daytime
On the Pakse loop you want to aim to finish riding and arrive at your accommodation before sundown. That’s because many rural and mountainous areas of Laos do not have street lights or anything like that. This makes driving in the dark an unnecessary danger. The lights on your bikes won’t do as they’re not that bright. So if you can plan your day a bit to make sure you’re done driving before the sun goes down.
(Although riding during sunset is absolutely blissful!!!)
Final Thoughts
The Pakse Loop is an adventure waiting to happen. If you’re in Laos it’s definitely something you should consider doing.
Your choice of motorbike on the Pakse Loop can dictate your overall experience as you definitely don’t want bike problems on a bike trip!
I hope my guide to renting a bike for the Pakse Loop has been helpful in planning your trip. Check out my other posts about travel in Laos if you want similar posts about tips and advice!
What are you waiting for? Get out there!!