Boten, Laos - The Chinese ghost town

Keep 'em coming Phil. I'll just jump in here with the view from the balcony on the 5th floor of out hotel

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The balcony shade covering is in need of some new polycarbonate sheeting

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This was the inside of that building I rode into.... the flooring was never finished

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.... and yep, that's the best hotel foyer I've ever ridden through

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Is this a sign of things to come South of the Border?

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Early afternoon, we get the checking out formalities done in Huoay Xai & some discussion on how much progress we'll be able to make on the Thai side


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Lots of "moto ceye"

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Lots of waiting around for the ferry, 2 Laos ferries come and go back empty, we have to wait for a Thai flagged ferry


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The Phonevichith restaurant half way up the ferry ramp is a good place to eat and hang out while waiting for the ferry as you can see when the ferries are leaving Chiang Khong


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Yep, that road down from Boten was fun. I was scraping my boot (hey.... I don't know anyone who's scraped the pegs on a Super Enduro)... heading for the apex and the bloke coming the other way was in the middle of my lane... Oops.

[video=youtube_share;Cn5b1VsRrmw]http://youtu.be/Cn5b1VsRrmw[/video]

Here's a couple more of the landslips on the way in to Boten

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... and some overnight flood remnants on our way out of Boten

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We passed a Laos "ambulance" doing a patient transfer. Yep... that's a drip in his arm

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Good info ---did you find anywhere good to eat in Oudomxai?




marcusb said:
great report and pics. Oudomxai and north to Boten is the strangest part of Laos I have seen. The big vacant buildings, all the expansion based on speculation, the gigantic Chinese influence. Also the total crap condition of all the Laos highways, then you get to the 50k stretch from Odoumxai to Boten and I don't think there is even a ripple, it's a beautiful perfectly smooth highway.

I stayed in Odoumxai for 3 nights while I explored the area, this guesthouse was great with good wi fi, decent price, and they locked my bike up in the Goodyear tire shop every night. One night they squeezed 8 250cc bikes in there. View attachment 9392
It is located on the main strip as your riding through town.
Click to expand...
 
^straight across the street from said hotel, slow service but good food. Open early for breakfast also.
 
marcusb said:
^straight across the street from said hotel, slow service but good food. Open early for breakfast also.
Click to expand...

The Sinphet Restaurant (opposite the Bridgestone shop) has been downsized and the last time I was there they had no customers. Ate at Kanya Restaurant (N20.68932 E101.98518) good food and generous portions which is a block up from the Bridgestone shop in a soi of Rd 13

Kanya.jpg
 
Exhibition "protect the Mekong River. Xayaburi dam stopped "9-16 September 2555 at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, 1st Floor Gallery of photos from the Xayaburi dam by Suthep Bahadur Varin | Degree Nan Chan Pine Martin Tori and beautiful finish from Photo. Journ and exhibition programs of the Mekong River. Sign in postcards and giant catfish. Be sent to the Prime Minister. To call for suspending the purchase of electricity from the Xayaburi dam project

นิทรรศการ "ปกป้องแม่น้ำโขง หยุดเขื่อนไซยะบุรี" 9-16 กันยายน 2555 ณ หอศิลปวัฒนธรรมแห่งกรุงเทพมหานคร ชั้น 1 ชมภาพถ่ายจากพื้นที่เขื่อนไซยะบุรี โดย สุเทพ กฤษณาวารินทร์ | วุฒินันท์ จันโทริ และ ไพรัตน์ สุนทรชัย จากกลุ่ม Photo Journ พร้อมชมนิทรรศการเรื่องราวจากแม่น้ำโขง และร่วมลงชื่อในโปสการ์ดปลาบึก เตรียมส่งถึงนายกรัฐมนตรี เพื่อเรียกร้องให้ระงับการซื้อไฟฟ้าจากโครงการเขื่อนไซยะบุรี -- เชิญชวนนะคะ




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Thanks for the excellent and unique insight into the very strange Boten; sort of like a very modern Hollywood set minus the actors (until you guys arrived).
I'll be there November to see if anything has changed.
 
KTM...
Nice pic of what must of been a fun ride, except for slippery the mud!!
I was last at Boten in February 2007. My, how it has changed!!!

I drove from Luang Namtha to the border, hoping I get past Laos Immigration and ride to the Chinese border,
which, back then, I'd heard wasn't allowed for foreigners.

The road from Luang Namtha was good, and the road to Boten was so smooth, it was a skateboarder dream.
B-road.jpg


Approaching Boten, there were nearly 100 trucks lining the road, either bringing goods to China or returning home.
Laotrucks.jpg


Just before Lao Immigration, there's a stop sign. I stopped, but my front tire was inches over the line.
A guard went berserk, screaming and yelling, wanting me to move the bike behind the line!
With the bike moved back, I walked over to the the Lao Immigration building (on left partially obscured
by the bus), seeking permission to continue to the Chinese border. It took me nearly 40-minutes of chatting
with officials and moving up the chain of command before reaching the commanding officer who finally said yes!
STOPsign.jpg


I approached the border and the Chinese guards had me park my bike 100-meters back from
Chinese border. Nice buildings...both hotels and rooms of locals on the Chinese side.
parkbike.jpg


The Chinese border guards. Note the line for the border just 10-meters further.
3borderguards.jpg


A guard stopped me as I was walking towards the border line. As we talked (I know a mere 12 words in
Chinese), I slowly swayed back and forth, each time taking a small step closer to the line. I was trying to
put my toe over the line, so I could say I went to China. I managed to get within a few feet of the line
when the guard realized what I was doing and ordered me to return to Laos!
IMG]http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc198/grathiam/Chinese%20border/Walktoborder.jpg[/IMG]

Back to Laos
backtoLaos.jpg


----------------------------
Sadly, I doubt the Xayaburi dam project will be stopped. Thailand isn't concerned about the problems
that altering the Mekong will cause for their residents adjacent to the river, nor other bordering countries,
they only care about obtaining more electricity!
 
Jay -- Where was this photo taken? Is this on the Chinese side of the border? I don't recognize these buildings?


3borderguards.jpg
 
Phil...
I've been chafing at the bit to get up your way to join you do some riding as well as meeting Auke!!
This has been a year of an array of bike mechanical probs and some minor health problems (flu, etc), all now resolved, but now awaiting for the rains to end.

In the posted photo, the border line to cross into China is barely visible...look closely and you can see it.

The photo below has more detail:
 

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This is as far as north as you can get now on the Laos side


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Grathiam said:
Phil...
I've been chafing at the bit to get up your way to join you do some riding as well as meeting Auke!!
This has been a year of an array of bike mechanical probs and some minor health problems (flu, etc), all now resolved, but now awaiting for the rains to end.

In the posted photo, the border line to cross into China is barely visible...look closely and you can see it.

The photo below has more detail:
Click to expand...
 
We get lots of people asking where the turn-off for the dirt road from Hongsa to Luang Prabang is. Co-ords are:


N19.68958

E101.40042





KTMphil said:
13km east of Hongsa, on route 4A that runs SE to Xayabouri, is the turn off for the dirt road "4B", that runs NE to Luang Prabang. This 120km dirt is a handfull in the dry season, with several steep hills, in the middle of rainy season? Not the best idea, but would be interesting to try, Adrian was up for it on the Versys with road tires, so what the hell


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Click to expand...
 
Awesome and very informative, with great pics. Will be passing thru i 2 months time.
 
Wow just finished reading RR, awesome. Some of those pics of the kids I think are publish worthy, really great!
 
Grathiam said:
I approached the border and the Chinese guards had me park my bike 100-meters back from
Chinese border. Nice buildings...both hotels and rooms of locals on the Chinese side.
parkbike.jpg
Click to expand...

And this is Mohan big immigration building taken in 2011.

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On the Laos side (Boten), a new Chinese company has bought the whole free zone and is developing it now into a duty free shopping area for Chinese tourists - High end jewelry shops etc.... Interesting how Mohan on the Chinese side of the boder has developed.
 
KTMphil said:
On the Laos side (Boten), a new Chinese company has bought the whole free zone and is developing it now into a duty free shopping area for Chinese tourists - High end jewelry shops etc.... Interesting how Mohan on the Chinese side of the border has developed.
Click to expand...

Development expands in Boten Specific Economic Zone

More than 81 billion kip (US$10 million) has so far been spent by new Chinese developers on the US$500 million (more than 4 trillion kip) Boten Specific Economic Zone on the Lao-Chinese border in Luang Namtha province. Vice President of the zone's management board Mr Vonekham Phetthavong told Vientiane Times yesterday that infrastructure development is underway to attract more investors to the zone. "We will start construction of six buildings at the end of this month. Each building will be 20 storeys high," Mr Vonekham said. "We are also building roads and installing streetlights. Other projects include the development of tourism sites, soil levelling and the provision of other amenities." Mr Vonekham said the Chinese developers are preparing to build a golf course and a large lake for tourism purposes. In addition, a warehouse is being built. But despite these developments, progress in the zone ha s not gone to plan.

In 2012 the government amended a concession agreement with partnering Chinese companies to change the focus of the Boten development project from that of a casino to a commercial and tourism operation. The developers have announced they will focus on four mega projects in the zone, including a duty free centre, bus station, a warehouse, and a resort that will feature a large natural marsh, a hotel, meeting hall and various recreation areas. When the casino closed down several years ago due to security issues, the Hong Kong Fuk Hing Travel Entertainment Group Ltd. sold an 85 percent share of its equity to the Yunnan Hai Cheng Industrial Group Stock Co., Ltd., keeping only a 15 percent stake in the project. Prior to this, the Hong Kong Fuk Hing Travel Entertainment Group Ltd. had spent over 813 billion kip (more than US$100 million) to build facilities in the zone including hotels, a casino and restaurants.

Last month, a trade fair took place in the zone, attended by the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic affairs, Mr Somsavat Lengsavad, and other high ranking officials. The event aimed to promote the zone to investors. Boten - previously known as Golden City - has been re-designated as a Specific Economic Zone on 1,640 hectares with a concession period of 99 years. Officials believe that tourists and business operators will return to Boten in the near future once there are many attractive facilities in place. Boten was established as a special economic zone in 2002-03 under a Prime Ministerial decree relating to border trade zones. Since then, the paddy fields in this rural region of Laos have been transformed into a trade and tourism hub, attracting tourists from many countries in the region. Various facilities have been built to draw tourists including hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues.

Source: Vientiane Times, March 11, 2015
 
Heading home i decided to pop into Boten and see what changes are being made, still a strange place indeed but looking at the overhead cranes construction is in progress once more.

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Volvo XC90 not looking so good
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Interesting read, but all pictures in original post are gone. Is there any way to fix this?
 
Sadly many pictures links are now broken from a spam attack we had a few years ago, maybe Phil can lay his hands on the originals and upload them again :hmm
 
Just passed through Mohan just 6 days ago on my way back to Hainan not much new going on, the town had been mostly developed a long time ago but there are some new developing going on but more is going on in Boten with the newly open duty free mail, hope to post a RR soon from my trip from CR to Hainan Phil, hope all is well with the Bar
 
Thanks Steve i did notice a huge duty free mall things are changing in this area...
 
Hi Bob
Did you just ride your bike passed the first check point to get to the free trade zone to take the pictures as I did see on the right side a gap by the custom check point ! and many local bike was passing here ok just wondered!!!
Did you see the new petrol station as well found out all the petrol is duty free !!
Did Phil tell you how i got the CRF into china ok hehehe
 
I saw a gas station, just rode through the customs point and waved, was gonna check out the nightclub but the place is so sterile for me.
 
Here are what pictures I have off the area in question hope it replaces the ones which are missing !!

Here is the Chinese border side


image.jpg

Here is a picture looking back after I had cleared immigrations
on the Laos side which is only 200 M after the Chinese immigration and Customs
side

image.jpg

From here you have 1 km to the trade free zone of Boten sorry didn't find the place interesting so no pictures Bob, your picture show the good and bad of Boten

From the trade free zone you have about 8 km to the last part which is the custom clearance checkpoint and here is a picture looking back from Laos at the check point


image.jpg

This is the best I have got on my IPhone Bob will check later on my PC when I get
back to Shandong
 
prince666 said:
Here are what pictures I have off the area in question hope it replaces the ones which are missing !!

Here is the Chinese border side


View attachment 37809

Here is a picture looking back after I had cleared immigrations
on the Laos side which is only 200 M after the Chinese immigration and Customs
side

View attachment 37810

From here you have 1 km to the trade free zone of Boten sorry didn't find the place interesting so no pictures Bob, your picture show the good and bad of Boten

From the trade free zone you have about 8 km to the last part which is the custom clearance checkpoint and here is a picture looking back from Laos at the check point


View attachment 37811

This is the best I have got on my IPhone Bob will check later on my PC when I get
back to Shandong
Click to expand...

Yeah I've been through that customs checkpoint even though I wasn't intending on crossing into China. But the goods I was carrying were. I even made it to the Chinese border post although I didn't get stamped out of Laos. That was OK too.

However, at the time the yellow Pha That Luang checkpoint on the Lao side wasn't finished yet, so Lao immigration was operating out of a building about 500m or so before the checkpoint. Also I see a bypass road passing by the checkpoint...now why would that be there if all vehicles are supposed to go through the checkpoint? A bit odd if you ask me.

Why is the customs checkpoint some 5km or so before the actual border? Shouldn't they dismantle that checkpoint now that the formalities are handled at the actual border? At every other border, you do both customs and immigration formalities at the actual border.
 
Hi Blackwolf


You ask a good question about why is the custom clearance check point some 5 km or more before the immigration check point which is the border with China ???
Because you have Boten the Tax free trade zone stuck in the middle and this could only work "IF" it was after the Laos custom check point mate

hope this clears up your question
 
Still fascinated about the bike shuffle Steve.




prince666 said:
Hi Blackwolf


You ask a good question about why is the custom clearance check point some 5 km or more before the immigration check point which is the border with China ???
Because you have Boten the Tax free trade zone stuck in the middle and this could only work "IF" it was after the Laos custom check point mate

hope this clears up your question
Click to expand...
 
Hi phil
Got back ok now in shandong will work soon on that RR for you , yes worked ok with the bike shuffle hehe next time will bring it over for good (CRF) if i cant get a legal one here, The CRF is well suited for the roads here in China, you need to sort out the shuffle mate if you need help just ask, maybe we can do a run when i am back in Thailand Phil to China see if Bob would like to come
 
I think we can get a Thailand to Hainan, China together for sure!

prince666 said:
Hi phil
Got back ok now in shandong will work soon on that RR for you , yes worked ok with the bike shuffle hehe next time will bring it over for good (CRF) if i cant get a legal one here, The CRF is well suited for the roads here in China, you need to sort out the shuffle mate if you need help just ask, maybe we can do a run when i am back in Thailand Phil to China see if Bob would like to come
Click to expand...
 
love to be apart i think i know the way heheh turn left then 2nd right ? you sort out your end with numbers and dates and keep me informed :jumper:
 
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