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    • Jun 30, 2023
    • 7 min read

Singapore to Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia by Motorcycle <>

Published: June 2023 |

In March 2023 I completed a 4-month solo motorcycle trip from Singapore to Malaysia, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia and back on a Singapore-registered BMW 310gs (and some Sumatra on a rental scooter, covered in a separate post).


It was a great once-in-a-lifetime adventure, highly recommended for any other like-minded riders, and was relatively easy and safe to do.


Here's the key info on my trip. Hope it's of use to anyone thinking to do the same route.


Planning & Route

  • Planning: I started thinking about the trip about 1 year in advance. But in general, I like to "go with the flow" and not over-plan, so I just made a basic outline of the route I was thinking to take. And ended up following it very closely.

  • Reference: I spent some time researching info from others who had done the same route from Singapore, with sgbikerboy being the best one I came across, the closest to what I was looking to do.

  • Papers: one area I should have spent more time on in planning was documentation. While I was well aware of what was required for Thailand, I didn't read up on Laos and Cambodia until the last minute, and then learned I needed special paperwork from local embassies in Singapore. At that point, didn't have time to get to try and organize before my departure. In a nutshell here is my experience with paperwork:

    • Thailand: I got an official stamped letter from LTA stating that I am the bike owner, you need the original copy of this document to enter Thailand (along with the other docs they give you at the border, or you can get them online)

    • Laos: late in my plan, I read online that I needed a similar type of letter as above that states my route and timeline. After I departed I wrote to the Laos consulate in Singapore requesting this, they responded back that this doc is not required to enter the country (as of Nov 2022 - but do consider that Loas border policy seems to change regularly, it may be worth inquiring about this matter before your departure).

    • Cambodia: no special documentation was required.

  • Essentials: Canada and Irish passports, Singapore driver's license, bike registration, ATM and Visa cards.

  • Route: as shown below my original plan did not stray too far from the actual route I took, as shown in the maps below.

  • See Singapore - Final Prep SE Asia Trip (MY, TH, LA, KH) for more info on my planning.

Bike & Gear

  • Bike: I had already been riding a really decent BMW 310gs for 1.5 years in Singapore and Malaysia, and possessed a Singapore driver's license which gives many entitlements in SE Asia. I had a premonition the 310cc was the perfect size for this route, suitable for riding in countries where any moto over 150cc is considered a "big bike". Repairs and maintenance could be an issue, as there aren't too many BMWs rolling through, say, northern Laos. Also, a big flashy bike could draw unnecessary attention from "friendly policemen" (I had one incident in Thailand) and/or worse! And yes, the 310gs was perfect (bonus: many people thought it was a 1200gs at first glance, lol).

  • Luggage: In early 2022 I bought a used Mosko Moto Reckless 80 V2 2016 model (Carousell) which proved to be a great unit for this trip. Though it start to disintegrate halfway through the trip, as many types of plastic and rubber tend to do in the SE Asia hot humid climate. Rounding out my set-up, I had a used Wolfman tank bag and a Pacsafe backpack that also served as a portable safe.

  • Packing: I overpacked, as most as people do. Many items carried were not used at all on the trip (ex: DJI Mini drone, portable speaker, tire pump, and much more).

  • Service: poor quality roads in northern Laos and Cambodia took their toll. My rear shock was "bouncy" once I got to Phnom Penh and required a rebuild. Koh Kong City to Battambang, via the Cardomon Mountains, put the 310 to the test, requiring another rebuild of the rear shock and contributing to a radiator leak that surfaced at Siem Reap (overheating bike, leaking radiator fluid). In Bangkok, my bike started to overheat again, and I replaced the radiator (that entailed a 2-week wait for the part, and it was expensive). Further on, in Malaysia, there was a new fluid leak, this time a blown head gasket. Bike repairs became a growing and costly burden. Fixes included:

    • 30,000 km service done at El Chong Mottorad in Penang

    • New tires in Chang Mai

    • Oil change and rear shock service at Bikes & Nature in Phnom Phen

    • Radiator and rear shock service with Sean Mechanic in Siem Reap

    • New radiator in at BKK BMW Mottorad in Bangkok

    • The head gasket broke and started leaking fluid in Malaysia, a problem identified by BMW Kuantan, later repaired at HKL Lim in Singapore)

Duration & Distances

  • The entire trip took me 119 days, covering 13,500 km. I was not in a hurry and rode in a leisurely manner with multiday stops in many places, as follows:

    • Malaysia: 13 days / 36 hrs (riding) / 1,800 km

    • Thailand: 35 days / ~70 hrs / 4,900 km

    • Laos: 25 days / ~60 hrs / 2,900 km

    • Cambodia: 27 days / ~32 hrs / 1,600 km

  • Others have done a similar route much faster, sgbikerboy in 39 days!

Cost

  • The entire trip cost me S$13,850, an average of S$100 per day, including sizable costs for motorcycle repairs (119 + 20 days / S$13,850 = S$100 per day).

  • *This also includes a 3-week side trip to Aceh when my bike was getting repaired in Bangkok. The prices there were consistent with the rest of my SE Asia travel so I kept those costs in my tracking).

  • Click the graphic below for a breakdown of my expenses).

Insurance

  • Motorcycle

    • In Singapore I was using FWD and which covered peninsular Malaysia and 100 km into southern Thailand.

    • My first policy in Thailand was over S$100 - expensive - but I had to buy it as I didn't get insurance on the Malaysia side of MY-TH border, and then I could not source from an agent in Had Yai, my first stop in Thailand. Make sure you buy on the MY side of the border before crossing!

    • My second policy for Thailand (coming from Cambodia), was much cheaper, bought from a local agent who spoke no English - it was about S$20.

    • In Laos I bought a policy when I entered at TH-LAO border, it was also cheap, like S$20, and done right at the immigration crossing (the salesperson is one floor up from the corrupt police "special payment" office).

    • Cambodia has no insurance - you just "work it out" if required (god forbid!).

  • Travel/Medical

    • I used World Nomads travel insurance which covers motorcycle riding and other action-oriented activities, a relatively steep US$675 for 6 months.

Roads & Driving

  • Malaysia: roads are good, the N/S expressway for example. But drivers can be maniacs who seem to be out to get motorcyclists - passing half in your lane, cutting you off, extreme tailgating, etc. I don't like riding in Malaysia much.

  • Thailand: roads are good, everywhere, and the rural roads up north in particular are spectacular. Thai drivers are courteous, I didn't experience any scary moments or aggressive behavior.

  • Laos: roads are pretty bad in the north, and then get progressively better as you ride south. Drivers are also decent, I didn't have any incidents.

  • Cambodia: roads are pretty rough, and the drivers (ranging from age 8 upwards) pretty much do as they please. It is not uncommon for traffic to move in both directions on any side of the road.

  • I barely exceeded 80km per hour most days.

Weather

Honestly, this was not much of a consideration when I planned and departed. It was drizzly raining a lot from Singapore until I hit Kanchanaburi, about the same latitude as Bangkok in early November. From then on through northern Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, I saw almost no rain. The last 4-5 rides in Malaysia were in non-stop torrential downpour conditions, some type of off-season monsoon. I probably should not have been riding at that point, but I was so close to home in Singapore that I just soldiered through (and my bike had mechanical issues - nice combo: tropical rain and potential catastrophic bike failure).


Communication & Safety / Mobile & Wifi / Accommodation / Sights / Activities / Must Do

Rather than get into detail here, read more below at the individual country guides (Thailand, Malaysia pending).


Country Guides & Trip Reports


Cambodia


Laos


Thailand

Trip reports:


Malaysia

Trip reports:


Indonesia

In 2023 I also did extended rides in northern Sumatra and Nusa Tenggara. These were done on rental scooters and were not part of my original route (but incredible diversions, nonetheless). You can read more about those trips as the following:

Bali to Flores by Motorcycle


Questions?

Drop me a line at sdasia@gmail.com, happy to help.

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