Have you always wanted to ride in Northern Thailand and didn’t know how to plan your trip? This article will help you plan your trip and make sure you have a great time!
OK, the first thing that you should know is that there are two major loops that make up 90% of rides in Northern Thailand.
The Mae Hong Son Loop (the left loop, labeled 1 in the image above): Traditionally, the route is clockwise, beginning in Chiang Mai, south-west to Mae Sariang, then north to Mae Hong Son, finally south-east to CHIANG MAI via Pai.
The second loop on the right labeled ‘2’ is referred by me as the Northern Triangle Loop. A larger loop with many, many route options, the loop is Chiang Mai to Golden Triangle to Nan and back via Phayao to Chiang Mai.
Rt.1148 is a spectacular squiggle!
OK, now that you have the lay of the land, here’s what you need to take into consideration when planning your tour.
There is a reason for the traditional routing of the MHS loop being clockwise – the section from CM-Mae Sariang is flatter, allowing you to get used to riding your rented motorcycle. Mae Sariang to MHS is more challenging with you getting into the mountains. The MHS-Pai stretch you’re in the thick of twisties and closing out the loop is the most challenging stretch (and the most fun!) between Pai and Chiang Mai on the famous 1095 where you’ll have a curve every 30 meters! You can always do the loop in a counter-clockwise direction. The MHS loop is 600 km, with 1864 curves (and you can get an official certificate of accomplishment too – see mine below).
If time is short, plan for covering this loop in 3 days though it can be done in two; or in extreme situations, one grueling day!! But, if you’ve got time on your hands, do spend a day at Mae Sariang and Mae Hong Son, and a couple days at Pai to make it a week to cover the MHS loop. There are a bunch of fun stuff that you can do as side trips at each of these places.
Northern Triangle Loop, labeled (2) on the image above is roughly a 1000 km ride – you should plan for a minimum of 4 days for this loop. Absolute must-dos on this loop are the Rt.1148 into Nan, and Rt.1091 from Nan to Phayao. Like the MHS loop, here again, you have options of spending more time at Chiang Rai, Nan, etc. Chiang Rai is a great little town and has loads of stuff that can keep you entertained. You also have the option of heading down to the plains and including Sukhothai into your route – an absolutely fantastic UNESCO site.
Having covered the route and duration you can plan for, where do you go rent your motorcycle?
Motorcycle Rental:
There are numerous ‘big bike’ rental companies in Chiang Mai and some in Chiang Rai too. Liability is that of the renter, and you don’t have the option of purchasing collusion damage or theft insurance. So, the norm for most rental companies is to either hold a deposit ranging from 10-20K Baht (depending on the motorbike you are renting), or you leave your original passport with them as security.
The oldest and most trusted (IMHO) is Pop Big Bike Rental. They are friendly, have an updated Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/popbigbike.th), are quick to respond, and make the rental process quick and painless. Pop has possibly the largest fleet of motorcycles to choose from, dominated by the CB500X (a very good budget choice to tour Northern Thailand). They have recently added a whole host of new motorcycles like the Ducati Monster 937, the Yamaha MT09, Honda CB750 Hornet, etc. Get them on Facebook or their website (https://www.popbigbike.com), choose your motorcycle, get there, leave your passport (kept safe), sign the rental agreement, and in 10-15 mins, you should be off to the races!
A word to the wise: in my opinion, you’ll be better off renting a middleweight for your trip. I have ridden a CB650R, a MT07, a Z900, and a Vstrom 650 in Northern Thailand, and believe they are all perfect for the ride. Personally, I enjoyed the CB650R the best.
Other tips:
- Pack light.
- Carry a light raincoat.
- Ditch the panniers if you are a single rider. Just strap a bag to your tail. It doesn’t affect the balance of the bike as panniers do.
- Plan for 200-300 km days, max – you are going to be on curves and you want to make sure your tiredness doesn’t affect your concentration.
- You also want to get to your destination for lunch and a few cold beers 🙂
- Start early – the sun is up early in Thailand – use that to your benefit. Starting early means you are riding less in the heat.
- Therefore, don’t party too hard at night 🙂
- Always stay hydrated. Remember, you are already dehydrated when you feel thirsty.
When’s the best time to go?
The best time to go is between November and February. It’s cooler, the air is clearer offering you better views, and there’s little to no rain. Apr-May is HOT! June-August are the monsoons, and February onwards, there is a lot of crop burning in the region, so it does get very smoky and polluted.
So there you go, all that you need to hop onto that plane and get riding in Thailand. If you still need more inspiration, have a look at my ride video here.
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