Beyond Ban Thateng, the plateau tilts north and the landscape becomes quieter, with fewer tourists and more forest. Villages here belong to the Katu, Alak and Ta-oy people, who speak Mon-Khmer languages and keep traditions that outsiders are only beginning to document. Many houses are built on stilts with thatched or tin roofs, and buffalo wander through the yards.
The road is a mix of good and bad. Some sections are smooth and new, while others are patched with holes that can swallow a wheel. Gravel gathers on bends, and heavy trucks hauling timber and produce churn up dust in the dry season. Visibility can be poor in the dry season haze, when farmers burn fields, and in the wet season low cloud fills the valleys. Wear a face cover for the dust, and carry water.
The nearest town of any size is Salavan, which has a market, simple guesthouses and fuel, and Thateng is a small village with limited services. Tad Lo, a pleasant cluster of waterfalls on the Xe Set river with guesthouses and a pleasant swimming spot, lies a little way to the south and is one of the most relaxed places on the loop. Elephants are sometimes used for rides there, though it is worth considering how these animals are treated.
The history of the area echoes through its landscape. The Ho Chi Minh Trail ran through the mountains to the east, and the hills carry the scars of wartime bombing, with craters now grown over by grass and trees. Today, life is simple and agricultural. Stop for a bowl of noodle soup or a fresh coconut when you find a stall, because they can be few and far between. Early mornings, with mist on the hills and the sound of roosters, are a lovely time to ride.