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With own bikes through SE Asia - questions With own bikes through SE Asia - questions
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SE Asia Includes Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, plus Indonesia
Photo by Helmut Koch, Vivid sky with Northern Lights, Yukon, Canada

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  • 1 Post By Goodbye Comfortzone

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  #1  
Old 11 Nov 2022
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With own bikes through SE Asia - questions
Hi,
we are two german motorbike travelers driving from Germany to Australia in yearly stages. 2023 we are going to ride through Pakistan, India, Nepal, Thailand, and maybe Vietnam to get to Malaysia / Indonesia.

The following questions are keeping us busy right now:

- is there a chance to drive through Thailand without a guide?
- are there any recommendations where we can leave out bikes (if needed) for around 6-12 without having issues with the carnet/customs?
- any other hints or recommendations are welcome!

our website / blog: https://www.goodbye-comfortzone.de

Thx,
Claudius & Philip
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  #2  
Old 12 Nov 2022
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Hello! In answer to your first question:

We're currently doing a similar trip to yours.

After Pakistan, India and Nepal, we flew our bikes from Kathmandu to Kuala Lumpur and entered Thailand from Malaysia. We had no issue going into Thailand, they asked for our Carnets de Passage even though they are not used in the country usually. We are finding that in South East Asia, this is a grey area and even used the CDPs to get into Laos easily and quickly. They seem to have become a proxy for temporary customs import documents.

However, our friend went to the same border crossing a few days later and they at first told him he needed a guide. He showed them his carnet and asked that they fill it in, and he got in.

No issues riding around Thailand.

We understand that Vietnam is a no-go with your own bike, you need to organise a tour/get an agent. We've not heard of anyone successfully getting in.
We are going to attempt Cambodia soon.
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  #3  
Old 13 Nov 2022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pepper_HU View Post
Hello! In answer to your first question:

We're currently doing a similar trip to yours.

After Pakistan, India and Nepal, we flew our bikes from Kathmandu to Kuala Lumpur and entered Thailand from Malaysia. We had no issue going into Thailand, they asked for our Carnets de Passage even though they are not used in the country usually. We are finding that in South East Asia, this is a grey area and even used the CDPs to get into Laos easily and quickly. They seem to have become a proxy for temporary customs import documents.

However, our friend went to the same border crossing a few days later and they at first told him he needed a guide. He showed them his carnet and asked that they fill it in, and he got in.

No issues riding around Thailand.

We understand that Vietnam is a no-go with your own bike, you need to organise a tour/get an agent. We've not heard of anyone successfully getting in.
We are going to attempt Cambodia soon.
Hi Both, thank you. That sounds promising. We will follow you on Instagram safe travels...
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  #4  
Old 29 Nov 2022
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car insurance malaysia
Good morning guys,
i am acctually shipping my car to malaysia, but its pretty hard to find an insurance company to isnure foreign cars, can you provide some info where you insured your bikes in Malaysia, and could you find also an osnurance for several countries, or is the only way to do it, buy at every border an other-one ??
I am now waiting in Cambodia and when car arrives in Port Klang i will fly in and drive it back here !!

Cheers mates !!
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  #5  
Old 29 Nov 2022
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Location: Back into the hamster wheel again, in Oslo - Norway. Did a 5 year RTW trip/250 k kms, 2014-2019
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Goodbye Comfortzone View Post
Hi,
we are two german motorbike travelers driving from Germany to Australia in yearly stages. 2023 we are going to ride through Pakistan, India, Nepal, Thailand, and maybe Vietnam to get to Malaysia / Indonesia.

The following questions are keeping us busy right now:

- is there a chance to drive through Thailand without a guide?
- are there any recommendations where we can leave out bikes (if needed) for around 6-12 without having issues with the carnet/customs?
- any other hints or recommendations are welcome!

our website / blog: https://www.goodbye-comfortzone.de

Thx,
Claudius & Philip
Drive through Thailand without guides? Precovid this was a matter of from which bordercrossing one came from. Both bc Myanmar to Thailand one needed guides. But currently Myanmar is not open for overlanders.
From Laos - most bordercrossings guides not needed, from Cambodia most borders guides not needed, from Malaysia some borders guides needed, other bordercrossings guides not needed.
So how it will be postcovid I think nobody knows. A few reports from overland travellers that have crossed Malaysia to Thailand suggests that its possible to enter Thailand without a guide.

Leaving a foreign vehicle for 6-12 - do you mean days, weeks of months?
Cambodia used to be the easiest option as they didnt even hand out a TIP. Im not sure if thats still the case - but it could be an option. Malaysia and Indonesia could also be options as long as the vehicle has a valid Carnet.

Other hints and recimandations - as mentioned above getting into Vietnam you need to organise the trip via an agent/travel agency.

My personal recomandations - Laos and Indonesia. The best countries for overlanding in SE-Asia. Super cheap, very friendly and helpful locals, poor roads - but that makes the trip an adventure.
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  #6  
Old 4 Dec 2022
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Originally Posted by Roadtophnompenh View Post
Good morning guys,
i am acctually shipping my car to malaysia, but its pretty hard to find an insurance company to isnure foreign cars, can you provide some info where you insured your bikes in Malaysia, and could you find also an osnurance for several countries, or is the only way to do it, buy at every border an other-one ??
I am now waiting in Cambodia and when car arrives in Port Klang i will fly in and drive it back here !!

Cheers mates !!
Hi!

We may have forgotten to insure our bikes in Malaysia ... sorry we can't be of more help with that one!

We then went border to border for the other countries' compulsory insurance:
- Thailand, you buy insurance just before the border, easy process
- Laos, you buy it in-country, best to buy near the border or else they can only sell you a one-year insurance
- Cambodia, as far as we understood it, you can't buy insurance there so have to go without

Good luck getting your car out of Port Klang!
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  #7  
Old 5 Dec 2022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roadtophnompenh View Post
Good morning guys,
i am acctually shipping my car to malaysia, but its pretty hard to find an insurance company to isnure foreign cars, can you provide some info where you insured your bikes in Malaysia
Hello

I did it October, 2012 with the Malaysian Automobile Club:
"Shipment: From Perth / Fremantle, Australia to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - October, 2012"
https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ge...value=malaysia

sushi
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  #8  
Old 5 Dec 2022
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malay insurance
Thanks for info, but i found already a solution.
A guy at the thai-border who is used in these matters didi it for me online before the car arrives in Port Klang. Payement i arrnged with the Malay shipper and only have to give them some cash on arrival, was only 94 MYR for 1 month.

FCFOONG@GMAIL.COM
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