Thailand Mountain Motorcycle Tour - 8 Days in the north and north-central region of Thailand. Visit Mae Sa Elephant Camp, Chiang Dao cave, the charming Tha Ton, the long-neck Karen tribes village; the impressive mountainous scenery of Doi Mae Salong, Doi Tung Royal Villa, and the famous Golden Triangle, where three country borders meet: Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar (former Burma). Ride to the famous White Temple Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai. Ride the exhilarating, mountainous road R1148 from Nan, ranked in the Top 10 as one of the most fun biking roads to be found anywhere in the world. 120 km. of up and down curves through the impressive mountains providing you with pure riding pleasure. Ride along with the unique panoramic views of the border between Laos and Thailand on dream roads and explore Bo Kluea’s unseen Salt Mines.
Road tour: Chiang Mai – Chiang Dao – Tha Ton – Golden Triangle – Chiang Rai – Nan – Bo Kluea – Phayao – Sirikit Dam – Uttaradit – Sukhothai – Lampang – Chiang Mai
Day 1. Chiang Mai – Chiang Dao – Tha Ton (210 km.)
We take the highway, heading north of Chiang Mai to Mae Sa Elephant Camp, where you will feed the elephants, and see them bathing and performing their talents. Continue to reach Chiang Dao, where relaxing lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, visit the Chiang Dao cave. Then ride along the fantastic mountainous road until reach Tha Ton, where you will visit the Wat Tha Ton on top of the mountains and enjoy the amazing sunset there. Later you relax in your charming accommodation with a fantastic panorama view.
Day 2. Tha Ton - Golden Triangle (144 km.)
After breakfast, we leave Tha Ton to visit the long-neck Karen tribe village near the border of Thailand and Myanmar. Ride to Doi Mae Salong, where Chinese mountain tea farmers live. Of course, you will test Thailand´s best tea there. Then back on curvy roads to Doi Tung Royal Villa. Visit the Winter Palace and the botanical garden. Lunch is served at the Royal’s Project restaurant. Continue along winding roads to Mae Sai, the northernmost point of Thailand. Visit Wat Tham Pla where you can feed some food to wild monkeys. Reach the Golden Triangle to take a long-tail boat trip on the Mekong River and a short visit to a small village in Laos (no visa necessary). Visit the Opium museum before relaxing at your peaceful accommodation directly at the mighty Mekong River.
Day 3. Golden Triangle - Chiang Rai - Nan (328 km.)
After breakfast, ride along a scenic farming area road to Chiang Rai city. After that visit the famous White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) one of the top 10 wonder temples in the world. Lunch is served at a local restaurant. Ride the exhilarating, mountainous highway to Nan. Visit Wat Phra That Khao Noi (Nan hilltop scenic temple) before relaxing in your lovely accommodation and jumping in the swimming pool. Later you will discover and enjoy Nan´s nightlife.
Day 4. Rest Day in Nan
A day of leisure. Today we’re doing nothing at all. Relaxing by the pool or shopping in the town. Optionally you can, of course, discover the historical and cultural sites of unseen Nan by bicycle. (Laundry service available)
Day 5. Nan – Bo Kluea - Phayao (334 km.)
After breakfast, we leave Nan riding through winding mountainous roads via the famous motorcycle paradise road R1081 the Bo Kluea. Here we will visit the Bo Kluea salt wells. Then we continue through Doi Phu Kha National Park to Chiang Klang where we will have lunch in a local restaurant. Ride the exhilarating, mountainous highway No. 1148 to Nan, ranked in the Top 10 as one of the most fun biking roads to be found anywhere in the world. 120 kilometers of up and down curves through the impressive mountains providing you with pure riding pleasure. Then we cruise along the highway R1021 through farming areas to Phayao. Discover Kwan Phayao Lake, which is one of the biggest lakes in Thailand. It covers an area of 12,831 rai (21 km²) at an elevation of 380 m. The lake has a mean depth of 2 m. Forty-eight species of fish are recorded for the lake, the most dominant is the artificially introduced Nile Tilapia and the Climbing Perch. The lake was created in 1939 to improve irrigation in the area. It was added to the list of 61 most important wetlands on the 1st of August 2000. There are currently plans to restore the ancient temple Wat Tilok Aram dating back to the end of the 15th century, which was submerged during the construction of the lake. The town of Phayao is at the southeast corner of the lake. Then we arrive and relax at the charming accommodation.
Day 6. Phayao - Sirikit Dam - Uttaradit (331 km.)
After breakfast, leaving unseen Phayao. Ride first south a bit on the main highway and use later the back roads via Mae Yom National Park. Later ride again fantastic motorcycle dream roads and enjoy the breathtaking scenery of Khun Sathan National Park. Lunch is served in the middle of nowhere with a million-dollar view at a local restaurant. Highlight this day will be, of course, crossing the Sirikit lake. We take the motorbikes on a wooden ferry across the Sirikit dam reservoir. Sirikit dam is the largest earth dam in Thailand. It´s used for irrigation, fisheries, flood control, and as well as hydroelectric power generation. Then we continue on the highway passing through rice fields until we reach charming Uttaradit. It is a small city near Lampang and a few kilometers away from Denchai. Very few tourists come here to visit the area, but Uttaradit city and its surroundings are worth coming to. If you want to see authentic Thailand, the one not many tourists see, you have to come here. Later you enjoy the beautiful accommodation with a swimming pool.
Day 7. Uttaridit – Sukhothai (89 km.)
After breakfast, we leave Uttaradit riding again on backroads and passing through massive rice fields until we reach Sukhothai. A short day of riding gives us plenty of time to discover one of the highlights of this amazing motorcycle tour: the Ancient Sukhothai Historical Park, designated world heritage site number 574 on 12 December 1991 by UNESCO, and enjoy the amazing sunset in the old ruins. A magical and memorable scene. Later you arrive at the guest house, where you enjoy the charming classic wooden Thai accommodation with a swimming pool.
Day 8. Sukhothai – Lampang - Chiang Mai (343 km.)
After breakfast, we leave Sulhothai riding again biker´s paradise roads via the “Columnar Mountains” road R101 to Den Chai and visit a large reclining Buddha. Then riding through winding mountainous roads to Lampang. Lunch is served at a local restaurant. Visit the Thai elephant conservation center and the world´s first elephant hospital. Continue riding pass through national parks and farming areas. Visit the local market, stopping for refreshments, before heading back to Chiang Mai.
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