November 2015 the 4B Between Hongsa & Luang prabang Video

[bsacbob]

I keep being asked what is the state of the 4B currently, well it's pretty much the same as normal although i past several teams of engineers working at the Hongsa end and a heavy equipment station with 6 360 backhoe's parked up so expect things to change later this year.

In the meantime here is a RAW video of much of the trail excluding the final crossing with the old basket bridge, sorry if it gets a bit boring but i wanted to supply as much footage as i could, if you here some rattling along the way that's my chain on it's last legs.

 

[kiwiphil]

I rode it on Tuesday 24 Nov on my stock standard CB 500x no trouble apart from wet feet, it was a fun ride


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[The Bigfella]

Its in far better condition than it was three years ago, when I first rode it. I did it in 3 1/2 hours about a month back - not including lunch and drink stop... just poking along, not trying to do it fast. My first trip through took double that, three years ago... with ruts up to 750mm deep, rain... and very, very nasty.

I always stop for a beer at the "pub" - which is 2 hours in from the ferry at Luang Prabang end



A bit of an unusual panorama here... this is the full 360 degrees from there.



There were a few bogs... and for about 10 to 15 Km across the top, it was slippery



It'd rained the day or two before I did it... but was dry for me. A week later, a friend started out, but turned back because "it wasn't fun". If you don't like sliding around, don't do it within a day or two of rain.

 

[kiwiphil]

Selection of pics from my ride through 4b last Wednesday, luckily a dry track, it rained in LP the next day, the 4b wouldn't have been fun then, left Hongsa 2pm at the ferry at 6.30pm


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[The Bigfella]

 

[bsacbob]

Thanks for the update on pictures we must have almost past each other, my main aim of the post was to give other riders a heads up of the current state on the route so any up to date info is always welcome. I know most of us at some time have a horror story or two of riding it when the rain hits and it's not pretty, i think it fair to say by this time next year it will be a totally different trail.

 

[3MuskeBeers]

Thanks for all the info above make this trip happened. 01/23/2016.
First delay was at Hongsa's Lao Telecom that didn't re-open till 230p from lunch break. The girls used to work there is on her maternity leave. The sub is absolutely a gem which worth the delay in my opinion. There are 3 active construction sites through 4B at that time. The 1st site that's 40 mins out of HongSa would normally close all traffic from 2p - 5p. Which delay my arrival time to Luang Prabang to 930pm. (There is Ferry running till midnight at that time.)
I didn't plan to ride this route in dark but accidentally, I did. I was alone and dropped the bike couple times at one of the crossing in dark while stuck in mud. About 10-15 villagers came helping with whole heartly. One of them jump on my CB500x, ride it and save the day. We Party a little in front of village then continue to Luang Prabang in the dark.
A week later on my way back, again I was stuck by the same construction site. The foreman remembered me and let me through within 10 minutes. (I beg a little and wonder should I offer him something but I did't)
It would be much more fun on a dirt bike, and maybe less exhausted, in my opinion.

PS. in the Video it said route 4A which is a mistake. It should be 4B.

 

[bsacbob]

Welcome to Ride Asia, thanks for the info and the video, sure looks like they are making progress on the trail now. You must be one of the few who has ridden the 4B in the dark

 

[kiwiphil]

Great vid thanks for the reminder [emoji1] 4b is probably my favourite 500x doable ride in Laos... fond memories


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[Pounce]

Here's some pics from early January of the 4B

There were surveyors all along the whole route.

As per Laos road building procedure, they started somewhere in the middle. It will be going on for a long while I reckon

 

[Lone Rider]

I was surprised by how little work had been done since the last time I rode it about 3 years ago. We did talk briefly to one of the Engineers whilst waiting for them to clear a landslide they had made and it sounds like it will be Tarmac within 3 years. He did have a Huge Ford 6 Litre truck. Hope the Budget doesn't dry up before Completion.

Yes, according to the plan, the road will be paved:

Road No. 4B to have asphalt surface

National Road No. 4B, which links the two provinces of Xayaboury and Luang Prabang and is currently unpaved, will be surfaced with a double layer of asphalt thanks to a loan from Thailand. The government has borrowed more than 766 million baht (over 177 billion kip) from Thailand's Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA) to upgrade the 113 kilometre road. An official from the Xayaboury provincial Public Works and Transport Department, who ask not to be named, told Vientiane Times on Monday an agreement to upgrade the road was signed in Xayaboury province on August 13 2015.

Source: Vientiane Times: Road 4B from Hongsa to Chomphet/Luang Prabang to be paved