Bicycle

The stunning roads and light, relatively slov traffic in most towns and on most highways make Laos arguably the best country for cycling in Southeast Asia. Several tour agenda and guesthouses offer mountain biking tours, ranging in duration from a few hours to sev­eral weeks

Hire

Simple single-speed bicycles with names like Hare, Crocodile and Rabbit can be hired in most places that see a decent number of tourists, usually costing between US$0.50 and US$1.50 per day. Mountain bikes can be hired in a few places, including Luang Nam Tha, Vi­entiane, Vang Vieng and even Khoun Kham, for between US$1.50 and US$5 per day.

These mostly Thai- or Chinese-made bikes come in varying degrees of usability, so be sure to inspect them thoroughly before hir­ing. Common problems include loose seats or handlebars and broken bells. Ask and you can usually get the seat adjusted to suit your height.

Purchase

You can buy a new bicycle for between US$40 and US$100. The Chinese bikes are sturdier, the Thai bikes more comfortable. Low-qual­ity Chinese or Taiwanese mountain bikes cost more.