Every ride a story!: Adventure Touring in North Thailand

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.

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!

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.

Thats where we exited Route 108 and got on to Route 1263

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.

Enroute Mae Chaem

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.

The climb up to Doi Inthanon

Just before the top

Final climb to the top of Doi Inthanon

Mandatory picture

At the top of Doi Inthanon

Focus on the board, not anything else :P

Thai Royal office while getting down from Doi Inthanon

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.

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.

Entrance of Tharnthong

Inside Tharnthong

The restaurant at Tharnthong

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.

This is what we got just on the opposite side of the road of the hot springs

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.

The roads never seem to end!

Turning to enter the state of Phayao

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.

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!