Golden Triangle Loop
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Marker Map
Trip Info
Insurance
Flights
Image by PHANUPONG CHUATAEW from Pixabay
Itinerary -
Bangkok 2N
Chiang Mai 3N
70km
Chiang Dao 2N
85km
85km
Tha Ton 2N
55km
Thoet Thai 2N
90km
Sop Ruak 2N
75km
Chiang Rai 3N
100km
Phayao 2N
190 km
Tharnthong Lodges (Doi Saket) 1N
55km
Chiang Mai 1N
= 21N / 8Towns & 805km
Skill Level -
It's not too difficult. The hills get quite steep near Doi Ang Khang but thats more of a problem for the bike than you. Most of the roads are nice and quiet especially out near the Myanmar border.
When -
October to January is best - you don't want to be riding in the rain or the smoke
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.
Famous -
where the soccer team got stuck
Highlights -
Doi Mae Salong - KMT town
Black House / White Temple / Blue Temple
Chiang Rai Night Bazaar
Phayao Sunken Temple
Budget -
It's quite a cheap trip. Daily costs are pretty low and you'll only be out on the booze about half of the time. Not too many Michelin starred restaurants out here either.
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.
Visa -
Many countries get 30 days on arrival at Thai Airports. Some land borders only give 15 days to some countries.
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 out here
Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)
Take the official airport taxi into town
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.
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.
Stay - @ or near
Bangkok -
Chiang Mai -
Chiang Dao -
Both feature great food Nest 1 is Gourmet European Nest 2 is Quality Thai
Doi Ang Khang -
Angkhang Choeng Doi Garden Resort
A Frames by the water
Tha Ton -
Thoet Thai -
Sop Ruak -
Serene at Chiang Rai Hotel - make sure to get a river view
Chiang Rai -
Wiang Inn ****
Phayao -
Doi Saket -
About -
Fly into Bangkok (see Bangkok in Cities for what to do) and get your bearings. Have a day seeing the sights and catch a cheap flight Or get a second class sleeper in the overnight train. (Click on the plane at the bottom of this page to look for cheap flights)
Have a day or two getting your bike and equipment sorted out in Chiang Mai. If you need straps or anything the local hardware stores will be able to help you out.
Have a hearty breakfast and make your way to Chiang Dao. There are some nice accommodation options and equally good food here. See the cave, soak in the hot springs and unwind.
Up the hill to Doi Ang Khang, there's a hot spring to warm up and then a waterfull to cool off at along the way.
Back down to the riverside town of Tha Ton. Grab a place by the river. It's a great spot to relax and enjoy a meal and a few beers by the water. Explore the 9 levels of Wat Thaton and then check out the afternoon BBQ stalls.
The next stop Thoet Thai doesn't see too many tourists. Drug warlord Khun Sa and his Shan United Army (SUA) were based here. It was the second time he had lived here and he was popular because he had built schools, hospitals and provided electricity and water supplies.
He became an embarrassment for the Thai government and he was bombed by the Thai Air force and chased out by the Thai Army. It took three days of battle to remove him. He fled back to Burma just across the border from Mae Hong Son and came back bigger than ever.
He was known as "the Prince of Death", the "Heroin King" and the "King Of the Golden Triangle". He was once the most wanted man in the world. He controlled half of the world's heroin supply and offered Jimmy Carter a deal to destroy Burma's opium crop for just 20 million dollars a year. Jimmy knocked him back. He made the same offer to George Bush for $48 million.
You can wander around the camp and through his bedroom and toilet. There are pictures of him on the walls and a dummy or two to remind you of his presence. It is quite surreal to think what went on here.
The next stop became famous only relatively recently. When a young soccer team and their coach became trapped in a cave the whole world waited with baited breath to see if they would make it out alive. Follow the road along the border which is very scenic.
It was nice to see a good news story for a change as they all emerged from their ordeal unscathed and in good humour. Unfortunately one brave Thai Navy diver wasn't so lucky. The cave is now a tourist attraction with stalls selling souvenirs, T-shirts and as always in Thailand, food. They are working on a museum too.
The next couple of nights in Sop Ruak are in a wonderful hotel with great views of the Mekong River. You are now at the Golden Triangle. Here you can visit the Hall of Opium and the House of Opium. One is much bigger than the other but both are well worth a look.
You will learn interesting facts like Heroin was a brand name and was first produced commercially by German Pharmaceutical company Bayer. It was sold as a cough medicine and was considered a wonder drug. It was invented by an English Chemist named C.R. Alder Wright in 1874.
Grab your passport because you're going to Laos. It's possible to go across the river to the Lao PDR for a few hours (see tips below). There is a market over there selling some unusual things and it's a bit of fun talking to the locals.
On your way down to Chiang Rai stop in for a look at the Black House.
Stay in a nice hotel near the Night Market. Spend a few days here to recharge and relax. There are a wide range of activities to entertain you including the White and Blue Temples. You've probably seen pictures of the White one. You can spend a day at the "beach" and enjoy some of the nightlife.
Phayao is not on the tourist radar which is a definite plus. This lakeside town is a hidden gem. They have great pubs with live music, a sunken temple, amazing sunsets and specialise in salt grilled fish. The best part of these motorbike trips is seeing authentic places and this is one of them.
As good as the scenery has been this penultimate leg has some of the best. Spend the night in the Tharnthong Lodges an out of the way resort with great food. Visit the nearby hot springs for a relaxing soak and massage.
Back into Chiang Mai today along Sankampaeng Road aka 'the Handicrafts Highway" which is one long craft village. Stop in and see wood carvers, umbrella painters, silk weavers, lacquer ware, bronze, pottery, leather and all manner of craftsmen plying their trade. It's the best place to pick up a bargain and they will gladly ship your new treasure home for you. No matter how big it is.
One last night in Chiang Mai before heading home or onto your next adventure. If you are timing this for the Loy Krathong / Yee Peng Festival you will need at least 2 - 3 nights back in Chiang Mai. Phayao would be a great spot for Loy Krathong as well.
History -
This area has had a very interesting history in recent times. In China before WWII there was a civil war going on in China between Mao and his communist army and the Nationalist or Kuomintang (KMT) government of Chiang Kai Shek. This was complicated by the annexing of Manchuria and eventual invasion by Japan. At one stage Mao and Chiang actually joined forces against the Japanese.
When Mao finally took power, Chiang and his army fled to Taiwan with many of China's treasures. Two KMT Regiments were isolated in Yunnan Province in the south of the country and 12,000 troops retreated across the border into Burma.
The CIA helped them try to retake Yunnan many times. The Burmese fought against them for 12 years before they made their way into northern Thailand. It costs a lot of money to maintain an army so they got involved in the opium game.
The Opium War of 1967 was fought with drug lord Khun Sa and his Shan United Army over the river in Ban Khwang in Laos. Both sides suffered as they were bombed by the Royal Lao Air Force. The people in Sop Ruak (where you are staying) had a front row seat.
Many battles were fought and a lot of these things happened in areas you will be riding through. Doi Mae Salong was said to be the biggest heroin refinery in all South East Asia. The CIA had offices near Khao San Road in Bangkok and in Chiang Mai. Assassinations, high level corruption, spies etc it was all happening. Ironic that the CIA had started the trade in the first place.
Some of the KMT were able to be repatriated to Taiwan but the majority remained a problem for Thailand.
Thailand granted them asylum on condition they helped protect the border against infiltration by communists. They also fought battles against Thai communists in other parts of the country.
A lot of students fled to the countryside and joined the communists at this time after their protests had been brutally crushed.
Eventually there was an amnesty for the communists, different crops were substituted for opium and the KMT soldiers put their weapons down.
There were also refugees from Yunnan over the years and there are now about 60 KMT villages around the north. Doi Mae Salong is one of the biggest ones. They maintain their Chinese heritage, grow Oolong Tea and make great Yunnanese Noodles.
See -
Do -
Bua Thong Waterfall - it's sticky underfoot
Herbal Sauna
Tea tasting
Off Road
Eat -
Ching Dao - Nest 1 and 2
Doi Mae Salong - Mae Salong Villa
Everywhere - Night Markets / Street Food
Chiang Rai - Night Bazaar Hot Pot
Salung Kham - Grandma's secret recipes
Phayao - Khao Soi Seng Pian - among the Khao Soi elite
Sunsets -
At the Golden Triangle
Sunken Temple - Phayao
Drink -
Chiang Mai - Loi Kroh / Riverside / Nimmanhaemin
Everywhere - Local bars and restaurants
Chiang Rai - Night Bazaar / Jetyod Rd / Par Club / Sperm Club / Hill Tribe Coffee
Phayao - Live Music Pubs
Tips -
You can cross over the bridge into Myanmar for a few hours at Mae Sai just go up to immigration to find out the rules.
And you can cross into Laos for a couple of hours at Sop Ruak by boat. You'll find passport controll set up by the riverside. They keep your passport and send you over with a photocopy.
Pump up the tyres on your bike 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
Saturday night is Walking Street in Chiang Rai
Sunday is Market night in Phayao
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.
At the end of every motor vehicle accident story in the papers is the line "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.
Specialties -
Elephant Poo Coffee - the world's most expensive coffee - from the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp
Chiang Mai and Phayao are famed for their beautiful ladies
Phayao Salt Grilled Fish - Fish, Beer, Scenery
Souvenirs -
Insect flavoured liqueurs
Scorpion and snake wines
Oolong Tea
Elephant Poo Coffee
Extra -
Have a look at Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Cities
Chiang Mai has an International Airport with direct flights to cities in neighbouring countries - 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 and Golfing Nomads.
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