After
rain in patches played spoilsport on the second day of our ride, we decided to
make the most of the incredible weather instead of heading towards our
originally intended destination, Mae Sariang. Even though that meant catching
up an additional 160 km on the next day to put ourselves back on track with our
original itinerary, we were absolutely okay with it. Taking unwanted risks by
riding in such weather, that too in the dark, made no sense.
Our
decision indeed turned to be a blessing in disguise, courtesy an amazing villa
resort that we discovered on the outskirts of Mae Hong Son town to spend the
night. You can check out more details and pictures of Ban Phumon Talang
Resort here.
Post-dinner,
while chalking out the ride plan for day 3, we contemplated if it was worth
riding 160 km all the way to Mae Sariang and then crawl back towards Doi
Inthanon, the highest point in Thailand or take a detour from Route 108, 85 km after Mae Hong Son at Khun Yuam & continue inwards on Route 1263. Continuing
for an additional 75 km on Route 108 that consisted of mostly straight roads
with very few curves seemed uninteresting! Of course, our motorycles demanded
adventure and we had to give them that!! ;-) It was finalized then- we
would make our way to the highest point in Thailand via the more picturesque
Route 1263.
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| Route 108 enroute Khun Yuam |
Despite
the altered plan, we were still staring at the longest ride day of our trip
with the intended final destination, Phayao, a solid 550 km away. Add to that
the bad weather. It was without doubt going to be extremely challenging.
Starting early seemed to be the most practical option so we could make the most
of daylight. Weather forecasts showed heavy rains post 10 am so we decided to
exit Mae Hong Son by 8:30 am praying that the rain Gods would be by our side!
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| Route 108 enroute Khun Yuam |
There
was a slight drizzle while we left Mae Hong Son, but not so much so as to put
us in a state of bother. The first major town enroute was Khun Yuam, 85 km
south of Mae Hong Son, from where we exited Route 108 and got onto Route 1263,
exactly as discussed the previous night.
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Thats where we exited Route 108 and got on to Route 1263
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| Thats how coffee is served in small towns here |
|
With
some rough pothole-filled stretches, it was tough. But still way better than
the road conditions back here at home! Mae Chaem is the last town before the
long climb to the summit of Doi Inthanon. But we were very happy and satisfied
because the weather had been on our side right from morning. You
can find more information about the activities you can indulge yourself in Mae
Chaem here.
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| Enroute Mae Chaem |
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| Enroute Mae Chaem |
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| Here is where the steep climb begins |
It
was the perfect spot to refuel ourselves and the bike for the long long ride
still ahead of us. After Mae Chaem begins the steep ride up to the
Doi Inthanon summit. The smooth curves and extremely pleasant weather make for
a fantastic ride. Initially the curves are wide but as you climb further, the
road becomes extremely narrow and stays so for the next 8-10 km. With vehicles
moving in both directions, you've got to be very cautious. A very steep route
carves its way through a swathe of cool forest and if the weather is clear at
the summit you’ll be in for a magnificent spectacle. Most often, the place is
extremely cloudy but it is worth the risk even if don’t get the view of the
valley from the top. Atleast that is what we had heard!
Also known as "The Roof of Thailand", Doi Inthanon
National Park covers an area of 482 km² in Chiang Mai province in the north of
Thailand. The national park is part of the Himalayan mountain range (Surprised?
Yes? These are considered the foothills of the Himalayas that stretches from
Nepal, Bhutan, Burma all the way up to northern Thailand) whose elevation
ranges between 800 and 2565 meters with the highest peak at Doi Inthanon, the
highest mountain in Thailand. Due to the high altitude (please don't compare
this altitude with Ladakh or Spiti valley :P ), the park has high humidity and
cold weather all year round. The average daily temperatures are normally around 8-12 °C, which means it is very, very pleasant throughout the year.
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| The climb up to Doi Inthanon |
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| Just before the top |
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| Final climb to the top of Doi Inthanon |
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| Mandatory picture |
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| At the top of Doi Inthanon |
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| Focus on the board, not anything else :P |
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| Thai Royal office while getting down from Doi Inthanon |
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| Mae Klang |
It’s a simple ride back to Chiang Mai on the overwhelmingly
uninteresting route 108, but that said, it does give you time to reflect on
that amazing journey across north-west Thailand.
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| Straight road all the way to Tharnthong from Chiang Mai |
With this, the Mae Hong Son loop was off the checklist! One loop done and it was time to embark on
the second loop of our journey- in the north-east. Our plan was to stop
for the night at Phayao so we bypassed the city of Chiang Mai and decided to
head towards our next destination- Tharnthong Lodges.
Be warned- Do not underestimate the place because of its
name. Even if just want to have tea here, it is well worth your time for the
astounding natural beauty it offers. Tharnthong Lodges is located 45 kilometres
east of the city of Chiangmai and over 700 metres (2,300 feet) above sea-level.
Its pristine location in the middle of a long valley in a headwater catchment
of verdant rain-forest will leave you spellbound. In this beautiful setting, a
rocky-filled running stream feeds the highland plantation and provides water
for the peaceful and quiet villages downstream.
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| Entrance of Tharnthong |
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| Entrance of Tharnthong |
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| Inside Tharnthong |
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| Inside Tharnthong |
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| The restaurant at Tharnthong |
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| Inside Tharnthong |
Here is where a real sense of relaxation can be found to
soothe both your body and soul. The spectacular scenery and mountainous
location make it an ideal getaway for nature lovers without foregoing the
comforts of their home. You can find more details about Tharnthong
Lodges here.
Well, it was almost 5 pm now with Phayao still about 140 km
away. However, the grueling part of the ride was long over and with 125 km of
the remaining ride on smooth straight highways, we were pretty much relaxed.
The black clouds had disappeared after Doi Inthanon so weather was not a
constraint now. Our next destination, Mae Khachan Hot Spring, was on the
highway itself so all we needed was a 10 minute halt to refresh
ourselves.
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| This is what we got just on the opposite side of the road of the hot springs |
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| Extremely hot hot springs |
Located in the Chiang Rai province at Mae Chedi Mai of Wiang
Pa Pao District, this hot spring is very popular among Thai People to stop on
the way to Chiang Mai (if travelling in the opposite direction) or Chiang Rai
(the direction we were headed). As a tourist, you will be approached by locals
who try hard to sell you eggs which you can boil in the hot spring.
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| The roads never seem to end! |
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Turning to enter the state of Phayao
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| Enroute Phayao |
|
After we got back on our motorcycles, we hardly had about 30
minutes of daylight left, but as I mentioned absolutely stress-free because the
ride all the way now was on a straight highway. It is here when you just want to take your hats off
and admire the road discipline and sense of the Thai people. No honking, no
high beams, giving way to motorcycles, no driving in the wrong lane and
everything else that you wish for while riding in the dark, the folks do that
for you, more so if you are on a motorcycle. An extremely relaxed ride even in
pitch darkness meant we made it comfortably to our hotel in Phayao by 8 pm.
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| Finally relieved to enter Phayao |
Wow! About 550 km in a single day with so many halts. What
was truly unimaginable had now been completed. And without dropping a sweat! We
decided to freshen up and relax at a riverside lounge. Since it was totally
dark, we decided to come back again to see Phayao Lake in the morning to get a
glimpse of the view it offered before making our way further northwest of
Thailand!
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| Phayao Lakeside |
Stay tuned as we make our way further north in the Chiang Rai province to enter Laos and Myanmar in emphatic fashion! :P
Riding
Distances:-
1)
Mae Hong Son – Khun Yuam (80 km)
2)
Khun Yuam – Doi Inthanon via Mae Chaem (155 km)
3)
Doi Inthanon – Tharntong (150 km)
4)
Tharntong – Mae Khachan Hot Springs (55 km)
5) Mae Khachan Hot Springs - Phayao (85 km)
