Motorcycle Tour

Thailand - Fascinating Lanna

The Kingdom in the North - mountains, temples and a road with 1,864 curves - experience the best of Thailand on this 10-day guided motorcycle tour through the former Kingdom in the North, the "Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields", the fascinating Lanna.

Description

Located mainly in what is now Lom Kao County, the Kingdom of Lanna in northern Thailand was known for its thriving trade in teak and rice. Due to the proximity to Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, but also China, and the influence of these countries over hundreds of years, a very special mixture of people, culture, and cuisine has developed here.

This tour through Northern Thailand offers a great insight into the country and its people. The roads are mainly two-lane rural with different surfaces and wind through spectacular mountain ranges. From Chiang Mai, the "Rose of the North," we'll travel to the remote province of Nan, which was autonomous and cut off from the outside world for centuries. You will visit the unique village of Bo Kluea with its salt wells. And the city of Chiang Rai - see the stunning artwork of the nearby White Temple - known as Wat Rong Khun. Also, you'll visit notorious places like the Golden Triangle on the Mekong River, where Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand border each other and where many people lived off opium poppy cultivation in past decades, before it was stopped in 1996 after the death of Khun Sa, a legendary drug lord. Experience the main border crossing between Thailand and Myanmar at Mae Sai and ride the spectacular road to Doi Tung and Mae Salong. Between Mae Taeng and Mae Hong Son, there are 1,864 curves and switchbacks that every motorcyclist should ride at least once in their lifetime. The highlights of the tour also include the long-necked women of the Karen tribe, famous for the brass rings they wear around their necks. Before returning to Chiang Mai, you will "experience" the "highlight of Thailand": Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in the country at 2,565 meters.

--------

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

After arrival at Chiang Mai airport (about 1.5 hours flight north of Bangkok), transfer to the hotel. Please plan your arrival in Chiang Mai before 1 p.m., because at 3 p.m. you will be transferred to the service center of our partner for the welcome briefing, where all questions will be answered and the motorcycles will be handed over. Afterward, the short ride back to the hotel will follow, followed by the first dinner together in this Southeast Asian country, which is - still - so foreign to us. Overnight stay in Chiang Mai.

Day 2: Chiang Mai - Nan (300 km)

On the motorcycles, we quickly leave Chiang Mai behind us and start our tour east towards Phayao. For most of the day, we ride on a hilly road, a great start to get familiar with the traffic in Thailand and the motorcycle. In Phayao we enjoy a nice lunch by the lake and then continue our ride to Nan. Towards the end of the day, we cross a mountain range and enjoy the curves and remote roads. There are plenty of villages and rice fields along the way. Dinner by the Nan River. Hotel check-in for 2 nights in Nan.

Day 3: Day trip to Bo Kluea (210 km)

Undoubtedly, the road to Bo Kluea represents one of the best motorcycle routes in all of Thailand. Classic winding roads with, virtually, no traffic make this day an unforgettable riding experience. The tiny village of Bo Kluea is located in a charming valley near the border with Laos - remote and picturesque. "Bo Kluea" means salt well because the village was built around two natural saltwater wells that have been used for centuries. From here we cross the mountains through Phu National Park, enjoying the breathtaking scenery and empty roads. In the early afternoon, we arrive back in Nan and visit the most beautiful temple in the area, Wat Phumin. The temple was designed to look as if it was standing on the backs of two gigantic snakes. We spend the evening at an authentic local restaurant on the banks of the Nan River. Our second overnight stay in Nan.

Day 4: Nan - Chiang Rai (250 km)

We leave Nan and ride on small back roads in the southeastern direction through the hinterland. Along the way, we pass rice fields and orchards as well as small farming villages. After a local lunch at a picturesque restaurant, the ride becomes more and more spectacular. The next approx. 100 km we ride through countless curves and more and more beautiful landscapes. Just before arriving at our hotel in Chiang Rai, we visit the impressive Wat Rong Khun Temple (White Temple), which is one of the most visited sights in Thailand. Hotel check-in for 2 nights in Chiang Rai.

Day 5: Chiang Rai (rest day)

Today is all about relaxing! Enjoy a healthy breakfast at the hotel and spend the day at the hotel pool or spa. Or take a walk to explore the city and some of the numerous markets and temples. Our second overnight stay in Chiang Rai.

Day 6: Chiang Rai - Thaton (220 km)

Chiang Rai is not far from the mighty Mekong River, located at the legendary Golden Triangle where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos border each other. We exchange the motorcycle ride for a boat ride and explore the river region. We make a short stop in Laos (no visa required, you just need to have your passport with you) and then return to our motorcycles. From the Golden Triangle, we continue to Mae Sai, the northernmost point of Thailand and one of the most important border crossings to Myanmar. We will then ride on even more impressive winding mountain roads to Doi Tung and Doi Mae Salong. Doi Mae Salong is a Chinese settlement built by a unit of the Chinese Nationalist Army that refused to surrender to the Chinese Communists after the Nationalist Kuomintang government was overthrown in 1949. Nowadays the village still offers genuine Chinese cuisine, beautiful houses with countless flowers, and tea plantations as far as the eye can see. The last part of today's route takes us along rolling hills through rice fields and farming villages. For a while, we ride along the Kok River and then turn off to our resort at Thaton, where we can enjoy a cold drink and stretch our feet by the pool. Overnight stay in Thaton.

Day 7: Thaton - Pai (240 km)

Another great day of riding lies ahead of you! From the resort, we will ride a few kilometers to enjoy the great views from the Wat Thaton Buddhist temple complex over the valley, the Kok River, and the surrounding area. Take the effort and visit "the Wat", it's worth taking off your motorcycle boots for this one... From Wat Thaton, we follow the main road and take a coffee break at Hua Luk Royal Project. We still have a wonderful view of the limestone mountains in the distance, during our lunch break. At Mae Tang, we turn right and cross the mountains to Pai. Here begins the road to Mae Hong Son, which is famous for having 1,864 curves of varying radii. Before we arrive at the hotel, there is a very special stop: In the elephant camp, you have the opportunity to experience these gentle giants from a very close distance. At the hotel in Pai, we can enjoy the pool for a short while. After sunset, we walk to dinner, on the way there we can try one or the other Thai delicacy at one of the numerous "street food stalls". Overnight stay in Pai.

Day 8: Pai - Mae Hong Son (180 km)

Today we have a very scenic ride ahead of us. The route is not very long, but there are enough mountains and switchbacks to conquer, so don't worry, you will need the whole day because on the agenda is the second part of the road with its 1 864 curves. We cross two mountains with 2 fantastic viewpoints along the way and pass through some wonderful mountain scenery. Around noon we arrive in Ban Rak Thai, where we are treated to delicious Chinese specialties at one of the local Chinese restaurants by the small lake. Ban Rak Thai literally means "the Thai-loving village". The village was built around a lake on the border with Myanmar. After the Communist takeover of China, about 800 people, mostly Chinese, settled here, and some of the buildings still have a distinct Chinese character. After lunch, we continue to the Nan River pier where we park our motorcycles. We enjoy a 20-minute scenic boat ride on the Pai River to the Karen long-neck women's village. The Karen, an indigenous minority, have historically lived on the hills that lie on the Myanmar side of the border. Some of the women wear heavy brass rings around their necks, forearms, and shins. There are many hypotheses about the wearing of these rings. Some believe that the rings protected the women from being enslaved by making them less attractive to other tribes. Another theory is that the rings came from the desire to be more attractive. We can ask them and find out the real story... After taking the boat back to the pier, it's not a long ride back to the resort. We enjoy the sunset with a drink at the bar and with the fascinating view of the rice fields. Overnight stay in Mae Hong Son.

Day 9: Mae Hong Son - Chiang Mai (300 km)

In the morning we leave Mae Hong Son and ride to Khun Yuam. A great road with wide curves. In Khun Yuam we visit the local museum. The troops of the Imperial Japanese Army were stationed here when a trunk road was built to cross Burma to India. From Khun Yuam we ride along great winding back roads to Mae Chaem. Lunch at a small local restaurant. Continue towards the summit of Doi Inthanon, Thailand's highest mountain at 2,565 meters. The next stop is the mighty Wachiratharn waterfall, 80 meters high. From here we ride through the last part of Doi Inthanon National Park. After descending into the valley, we have another 50 km to the service center in Chiang Mai, where we expect to arrive around 5 pm. After the transfer to the hotel, we will have a short time before the farewell dinner. Overnight stay in Chiang Mai.

Day 10: Departure from Chiang Mai

Depending on your departure time, you can use the time to pack or explore Chiang Mai on your own. We hope you were so enthusiastic about Thailand that you will come back one day for another South East Asia tour with us!