Thailand Golden Triangle Big Bikes

Day 1 - Home - Departure 
For those who did not buy this tour as a package tour including the flight ticket, this day does not apply. 

Day 2 - Arrival Chiang Mai
We will pick you up at the airport and take you to the hotel. The rest of the day you can relax or discover Chiang Mai on your own. At the end of the day we will pick up the motorbikes so we can leave tomorrow. Chiang Mai is the capital of Chiang Mai province. The city is located about 700 km north of Bangkok, between the highest mountains of the country. The Ping river flows through the city and is a tributary of the Menam. In recent years the city has been modernized rapidly, but it is not as cosmopolitan as Bangkok. There are many reasons why thousands of tourists come to the city every year. Among other things because of its historically important strategic location in connection with the Silk Road. Later the city became an important center for handicrafts, umbrellas, jewelry (mainly silver) and woodcarving. The city, with over 40 km², makes up just over a quarter of the district Mueang Chiang Mai (over 152 km²). The population of this area is approximately 150,000. In practice the city extends to several neighboring districts (Mae Rim, San Sai, Doi Saket, San Kamphaeng, Saraphi and Han Dong). The population of the urban agglomeration thus formed will then be approximately 700,000, almost half the size of Chiang Mai province.


Day 3 - Chiang Mai - stay
After an extensive briefing about motorcycling in Thailand, local rules and practices as well as what you can expect during this special motorcycle tour, we will take a short ride in the area of ​​Chiang Mai to get used to the motorcycle, traffic and driving on the left. Once we leave the city, the roads become considerably quieter. We drive back to the same hotel in Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai has a lot to offer. For example, there are many temples in the center, including Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man and many others. In addition, it is recommended to visit the night market (Night Bazaar) and the old city. At these busy and cozy markets you can buy everything at low prices, provided you can bargain a little.

Day 4 - Chiang Mai - Mae Chaem
After breakfast we will get ready for the first ride to the National Park and highest mountain in Thailand, Doi Inthanon (2,565 meters).

The highest mountain in Thailand was known as Doi Luang, but was later renamed after one of the last kings of Chiang Mai. King Inthanon was a conservative person and a forerunner of the preservation of the forests of Northern Thailand. He also recognized the importance of Doi Luang for the rivers of Thailand. At his request, his ashes were placed at the top of the mountain after his death in 1897. There is now a small memorial where his ashes are kept. The altar is just a little further than the wooden sign that says 'Highest point of Thailand'. This mountain range is only an hour's drive from Chiang Mai and immediately offers beautiful views and wonderful bends to get in the mood for the rest of this motorcycle trip.

Our overnight stay is on the edge of the small village of Mae Chaem, with a beautiful view over the rice fields and the mountain range behind it. Simple, but clean hotel with only 10 rooms including hot water and some with AC. Because it cools down in the evening, an airco is not necessary.

Day 5 - Mae Chaem - Mae Hong Son
We will ride the 'Mae Hong Son Loop' the next 3 days, which is known among motorcyclists for its many consecutive bends. In total, we will have to tilt the bike 1,864 times before we reach the next destination! Via Doi (mountain) Ong and Doi Khun Bong we ride west to Mae Hong Son via the Mae Surin National Park.

Mae Hong Son is a mysterious place, with a very well-preserved culture of its own, and is especially known for its original inhabitants with traditional Thai Yai clothing, the beautiful wooden temple built in Burmese style and the famous Long Neck tribes. Here every girl, who is born during the full moon, gets a copper ring around her neck.

Our overnight stay is in Mae Hong Son, so you can explore the place in the evening. The hotel is well maintained with hot water and AC.



Day 6 - Mae Hong Son - Pai
The day starts with a short drive to the Karen Long Neck village. These Karen women have been wearing five copper rings around their necks since they were five years old. As the women get older, they add more and more copper rings. And so the neck seems to get longer and longer. Hence the name, Longnecks.

You would think that the neck is stretched further and further, but it is actually the shoulders that are pushed further down. The rings are a part of the women's lives, and are therefore never taken off. We drive further north and immediately after leaving Mae Hong Son, the roads become steeper and the bends sharper, all the way to Pai.

Our overnight stay for the next 2 days is on the edge of Pai. Here we stay in a 4****– hotel with all amenities such as: hot water and AC, swimming pool, breakfast buffet and a beautiful view of the mountain ranges around Pai. The center is within walking distance. However, there is also a shuttle bus every hour.

Day 7 - Pai - stay
Pai is a hippie village where many backpackers come to relax or enjoy the nature around Pai. In addition to the many shops, cafes and restaurants, there is also a cozy evening market through the center. There is a relaxed atmosphere, you can easily stay here for several days.

Today no motorbike, but an elephant as transport! First we will feed them and take a ride on the back of these colossal animals. In a river you will go into the water together with the elephant to shower together! Then there will be a trip on this river on a bamboo boat and a lunch is also included in this tour.
 

Day 8 - Pai - Fang
After a day without riding the motorbike, we will make many turns again today. In between we will ride a relatively straight road, to then enjoy the steep and sharp turns again until the final destination. We leave the Mae Hong Son Loop behind us and will ride the "Golden Triangle" in the coming days.

We stay in the center. The hotel has hot water and AC as well as a good traditional Thai kitchen. Fang seems like a sleepy town, however 500 meters from our hotel, there are concentrated cafes and karaoke bars in one street!

Day 9 - Fang - Mae Sai
This morning we first drive to Doi Mae Salong. The town of the same name is now called Santikhiree and was founded in 1969 by the soldiers of the Kuomintang as Mae Salong, after they were defeated by Mao Zedong in 1949. The Thai government approved the soldiers staying there, but they had to suppress communism. They had to do this because the Thai government expected that communism would become more important among the mountain peoples because of the Vietnam War. In exchange for this help, the soldiers were given control over the local opium trade and were also allowed to levy taxes on it. In 1980, the opium warlord Khum Sa retreated, making Mae Salong safer. The Thai government then regained control of the place and encouraged the cultivation of crops other than opium. Because of Mae Salong's bad reputation, the name was changed to Santikhiree. The descendants of the soldiers still make up a large part of the population of Santikhiree, but people from the Akha and Mien also live there. In 1980, a road was built to the place. In Santikhiree there are now houses made of bamboo, Yunnanese is spoken and mainly tea is grown.

We continue the road over various mountains and stop briefly at Doi Tung Royal Palace. A beautifully landscaped garden with the “Royal Villa” of the mother of the King nearby. Then we drive on the rim, which separates Myanmar and Thailand. We briefly pass through a border control and drive in Myanmar, the old Burma. This road has many steep sections, but also has a great view over the mountains of Myanmar.

We spend the night in Mae Sai, the northernmost place right on the border of Myanmar. The 3*** hotel is a bit dated and has a stately Chinese appearance that fits perfectly with the surroundings. The main road to and from the border post changes in the evening into a lively market, which has everything to offer such as: clothing, food, but also foot massages.
 

Day 10 - Mae Sai - Chiang Khong
This morning we cross the border to the town of Tachilek in Myanmar (Burma) with a day visa to visit the market and shops there.

Around 12 o'clock we get ready for the ride to the Mekong River and the Golden Triangle: Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. The area we are driving through is especially notorious for its opium. During the day we don't notice anything, but at night there is still a lot of smuggling with the neighbouring countries.

The Mekong River, which we will be driving along for the most part today, is 4,909 kilometres long and is considered one of the most important rivers in Asia. The river flows through the countries of China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The river is home to the largest species of catfish in the world, which is threatened with extinction and is fished in parts of Thailand, despite a ban.

We spend the night in Chian Khong, right on the Mekong river with Laos on the other side. The hotel has hot water and air conditioning.

Day 11 - Chiang Khong - Chiam Kham
Today we drive an impressive ride over various mountains on the border with Laos and Phu Chi Fa. When the weather permits, we have a spectacular view over various mountains. At Phu Chi Fa is a breathtaking viewpoint over the mountains of Laos.

After driving many bends we arrive in the town of Chiam Kham, where we spend the night on the edge of the center. The hotel has hot water and air conditioning as well as a beautiful view of the adjacent rice fields and the mountain ranges behind it. Within walking distance there is a popular restaurant with live music for the wealthy Thai.

Day 12 - Chiam Kham - Nan
Despite having driven many bends, today we can do “circuit” driving in the mountains. The roads there are wide, very quiet, with excellent asphalt and a series of short and long bends that we can conquer at a controlled high speed without taking unnecessary risks!

The overnight stay takes place in Nan. On the edge of the center we have wooden chalets with hot water and air conditioning. The center is within walking distance. Here too there are a few cafes and karaoke bars, to entertain the local population in particular.


Day 13 - Nan - Phrae
We drive further south over various mountain ranges, but also a lot of wooded areas, where we have to take a ferry to cross the river.

Phrae is an old fortified town. Like Chiang Mai, Phrae has retained the character of an old fortified town with rustic alleys, where teak houses and temples can be admired. Many of these teak mansions were built by Europeans who were active in the teak trade in the 19th century. Phrae was the centre of the teak industry at that time.

We stay overnight in the center where you can explore the city on foot. The hotel has hot water and air conditioning.

Day 14 - Phrae - Chiang Mai
We drive to Phayao via the mountains Doi Pha Phung and Ban Tham Forest Park.

At the end of the afternoon we arrive in Chiang Mai and hand in our motorbikes, and then go to our hotel. Unfortunately this is the last evening together and we can, possibly while enjoying a snack and a drink, evaluate this special trip.

Day 15 - Chiang Mai - departure
Unfortunately, the suitcases have to be packed again before departure. You will be taken to the airport.

Day 16 - Arrival - Amsterdam