Itinerary -

Bangkok 3N

Chiang Mai 2N

110km

Lampang - 2N

100km

Phrae - 1N

120km

Nan - 2N

90km

Bo Kluea - 1N

145km

Phu Lang Kha - 1N 

160km

Chiang Rai - 3N

100km

Phayao - 2N 

205km

San Kamphaeng - 1N 

25km

Chiang Mai - 3N

=21N / 8Towns & 1,000 Km

About - 

Fly in and out of Bangkok. 

Stay by the river in the Banglamphu area not far from the famous Khao San Road. Have a look at Bangkok in 'Cities' and work out want what you want to see in the Big Mango.

Fly or overnight train up to Chiang Mai the Rose of the North. Get organised for your bike trip and have a look around and see why so many people fall in love with this place.

All set for the big adventure. Leave Chiang Mai at a time for your journey to coincide with  showtime at the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre just before Lampang on the way past. Check into your rivrside guest house and go exploring.

Next stop along the road is Phrae. While you're here head out to the village that makes the iconic and egalitarian Mo Hom Thai work shirts. Buy a couple for yourself and some for presents and souvenirs. They make good travel shirts. Head to the Night Market in the evening.

On the way to Nan  stop at the Phae Mueang Phi  Forest Park (the Thai Grand Canyon - one of them) 18 km north of Phrae. Organise yourself a white water rafting trip at the local travel agent in Nan. It depends on the time of the year to how much water is flowing. Where to eat. There are a few bars and clubs in town.

An excellent day's riding today as you make your way to the Bo Kluea Resort.  The ride to the resort over Hwy 1081 is a real highlight and one of the best motorcycle roads in Thailand. Enjoy a night at the resort which is a little out of the ordinary and has some great food.

Off to Phu Lang Ka Resort  where you will have an early start for the famous sunrise. They will organise drinks from the local shop if you want and cook dinner for you. These are the sort of places you want to get off the beaten track for.

On the way to Chiang Rai  stop in at Phu Sang hot water waterfall. See the White, Black and Blue temples / house. Play golf at the Santiburi Country Club. Visit Chiang Rai beach. Start the evenings in the Night Bazaar before heading to the nearby bars and then down the road to the clubs.

Phayao is an unknown gem of a place. Go to Wat Tilok Aram, the sunken temple in the middle of the lake  for sunset. Ride out to see the attractions around the town. Eat salted BBQ fish by the lake and then head out to the great live music bars.

A bit longer ride today to the hot springs of San Kamphaeng. Have a treatment, a massage, cook some eggs and relax in the hot springs and spend the night here. 

Check out  "the Handicrafts Highway" on the way back in to Chiang Mai and have a few nights there to wind down before you go home.

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Skill Level -

Lots of hills but none too steep. If you can handle riding in the towns you'll be able to handle the countryside. Ride within your capabilities.

Highlights -

Elephant Conservation Centre - Elephantine artists

Thai Grand Canyon - and City of Ghosts

Highway 1081 - one of the best motorbike rides in Thailand

Warm water waterfall

When -

October to January is best - you don't want to be riding in the rain

October, November is shoulder season and December, January is peak.

You really don't want to go during burning season which is January to March. It's hard to say when this is but October to December should be before it happens and you're probably okay through to early January. 

Pack -

Always take some wet weather and warm gear. It always rains on one day of the trip. Try to keep it light. Long johns are good. As is a spray jacket, gloves and a Garden bag to keep your pck dry. Octopus straps to hold your pack down.

Budget -

It's actually pretty good as the bikes are cheap, you don't spend much while you're riding and hotels out in the countryside are great value.

Airports - 

Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) - 

there is a free shuttle service between here and (DMK) which has the cheap flights and airlines

Don Mueang International Airport (DMK)

Use a taxi to get here

Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)

Take the official airport taxi into town

Check here for flights.

Starting Town -

Chiang Mai -

Flying from Bangkok is cheap, the overnight train is fun and the bus is the cheapest and least desirable option. The old Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) has the cheap flights.

Spend a couple of days organising the bikes and anything else you may need.

Cooking classes

Massage at the Women's Prison

Eat Khao Soi - Chiang Mai Laksa

Gaeng Hung Lay - Burmese pork curry

Sai Oua - Northern sausage 

Khantoke dinner - and show

Check out the Night Bazaar and drink by the river, Loi Kroh and Nimmanhaemin

Rental -

Chiang Mai is full of rental places. Most with a pretty good reputation. Shop around and definitely take the bike for a test run and check it out thoroughly. Take a photo of any damage to it before you leave.

Make sure you get a decent helmet. the best sort have a flip down clear plastic visor which makes riding in the rain much easier.

For one person a 125cc Honda Wave has plenty of power. If there are 2 of you you might want to get something with a little more power.  A Honda Forza is comfortable for two and has plenty of power.

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Stay - 

• Bangkok 

•  New Siam Riverside *** - outdoor pool by the Chao Phraya River 

• Chiang Mai 

• Raming Lodge Hotel & Spa **** - On Loi Kroh Rd with lots of bars 

• Lampang

• The Riverside Guest House ** - on the river

• Phrae 

•  Taris Art Hotel *** - near the Night Market

• Nan 

• Dheveraj Hotel *** - in the city centre

or next door at the Pukha Nunfa Hotel **

• Boklua View Resort - scenic views and great food after a magic ride

• Phu Langka Ban Suan Resort - iconic sunrise

• Chiang Rai 

•  Wiang Inn Hotel **** -  near the Night Bazaar 

• Phayao 

•  Chaykwan Hotel  - great bars and live music

or have a look through this list 

keeping in mind you'll want to be south of  Thakwan Road and close to the lake

• San Khampaeng  

• Roon Aroong Hot Spring Resort - soak your cares away

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Safety -

Slow is safe. You will encounter many hazards along the way and the slower you are going the more chance you will survive them. Pot holes, animals, mad bus and truck drivers etc. 

A common phrase you will see in an accident story in the papers is "and the driver fled the scene".

On the roads in Asia there is one rule. Smaller things give way to bigger things. At least on a bike you have plenty of room to get out of the way. And you know where you stand in the pecking order - right at the bottom.

Don't let this scare you off what is a fantastic experience. It just means you don't need to rent a big powerful bike and go hell for leather.

When the road is good and clear you can still give it a handful and there is nothing like the feeling of cruising through the bends in the afternoon light with just a subtle shift of your weight. 

The ever reliable 125 has plenty enough power to get you up the steepest hills. And they're incredibly cheap. 

If you want some more comfort or there are 2 on the bike something bigger would be a good idea. The Honda Forza scooter is a good choice.

Short easy days are the way to go. You're on holidays. Don't ride in the dark. Ride within your capabilities, not out towards the ragged edge.

Famous -

Chiang Rai - White Temple - Black House - Blue Temple

History -

Until relatively recently this area was a hot bed of Communist guerrillas. One positive side effect for this trip is the good quality all weather roads that were built to open up the area.

See -

Phrae -  Phae Muang Phi - The City of Ghosts / the Thai Grand Canyon about 18 km north of Phrae on the way to Nan

Significant Temples / Buddha Statues

Thai Grand Canyon

Dragon boat race practice - from July to November

Doi Phu Kha National Park - the Pink Blossoms are out in February / March

Waterfalls / Caves / Chiang Rai Beach

Salt Wells

Handicraft Villages

Do -

Lampang - Horse and Carriage tour

Nan - White water rafting

Chiang Rai - Play Golf at Santiburi a magic course

Chiang Rai - Cooking Class

Chiang Rai - Off Road

Mae On - Hot Spring / Massage / Spa Program

Eat -

Lampang  - 

Some restaurants 

Old Market Street - Weekend Walking Street

Phrae - 

Come in House

Pu Som Restaurant

Night Markets

Boklua View at the Resort - 

Huan Saphan Bor Klua

Lunch on the way to San Kamphaeng -

Tharnthong Lodges

Sunsets -

Riverside -  Lampang

Boklua View Resort balcony overlooking the Mang "River"

Phu Langka's famous sun rise - cross your fingers for morning mist around the limestone outcrops

Phayao - sunken temple in the lake

Drink -

Chiang Mai - Tap House - Live Music / Verachon Pub and Restaurant

Chiang Rai - Night Bazaar / Jetyod Road / Par Club / Sperm Pub

Phayao music pubs

Tips -

• Pump up the tyres quite hard. If you put your thumbs in the centre of the tread you should barely be able to push it in.

• Always lock your bikes together.

• Maps from GT riders are very handy as is their website

• Click here for GT Riders

• All Thai towns have bar and club areas, just ask at reception

• You can take your own bottle (bought at the local 7-11) into many Thai clubs and just pay for ice and mixers. It can take a fair chunk out of the evenings expenses.

Specialties -

Northern Thai Cuisine

Lampang - 

Deep fried rice cakes drizzled with palm sugar

Deep fried Papaya Salad

Chiang Rai Night Bazaar - Hotpot

Phayao - 

Salt Grilled Fish

Souvenirs -

Lampang Thai Elephant Conservation Centre - Elephant paintings - Elephant Poo Products

Seua Maw Hawm (in Ban Thung Hong near Phrae) - 

blue farmers shirts - popular, ubiquitous and egalitarian

Nan - Communist T-shirts and Caps

Rare Bo Kluea salt

Extra -

Chiang Mai has an International Airport with direct flights to cities in neighbouring countries and as far away as South Korea - see Airports above.

Have a look at the other Motorbike Loops - Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Singapore in Countries - Loy Krathong, Fire Balloons and Lao New Year in Festivals - Bangkok in Cities and Golfing Nomads and Chiang Mai in Cities.