first bike tour

[JoeBounce]

Hi!
Me and 3 friends will be coming to Chiang Mai and Laos in October for 10 days for our first bike tour, we have all ridden alot over the years, we dont want an organised tour, is it possible to just turn up and rent bikes (KLX250 style)? How would it be best to split our time 5 days/5 days ? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have lived in Thailand for ages and ages.
Thanks

 

[JoeBounce]

Thanks!

 

[Abg Acid]

Its easy to rent the bikes.

5 days in each country?
From chiang Mai, ride to Fang , Tha Thon and doi Mae Salong. Put up a night here. Mae Salong is a bautiful high country, worth the trip. After that, travel on along the burmese border towards Mae Sai. You will encounter a number of army post and sometimes you may need to produce your passport. Then again, this is an amzing high country, with many view points for good landscape photography. Traffic is minimal, but be aware of steep inclines and tight curves. The roads are narrower and passes through a lot of vegetations.

Spend a night a Mae Sai, The border town. shopping paradise. They have everything you need there. After Mae Sai, ride eastward along the meKong towards Chiang Kong. this is the Golden triangle area. Nice places to visits. From chiang Kong, you may have the option ig goisng south to visit Phu Chi fa, which is a stunning Mountain or head straight accros th eMekaong to enter Laos at Houay Xai.

You may see the articles I wrote from Houay xai , North Laos
traveling-on-road-houay-xai-to-boten-2009-2010-t7608.html

regards
AA

 

[JoeBounce]

Thanks AA,

That sounds like a good plan, getting itchy feet already...

 

[Auke]

JoeBounce,

It is possible to rent a bike in Chiangmai but in order to take the bike to Laos you will need to have permission from the owner. That is possible but not always straightforward - see:

advice-re-bike-hire-and-taking-bike-into-laos-t7297.html
my-houey-xai-loop-trip-report-t7308.html

Much will depend on you plans - just make a loop starting in Chiangmai and ending in Chiangmai and things will be relatively easy. In case you don;t want to return to the starting point things may be a bit more difficult as not all rentals will agree to have to pick up the bike in another place.

 

[Abg Acid]

JoeBounce wrote: Thanks AA,

That sounds like a good plan, getting itchy feet already...

yes hehe getting itchy feet already?... Perhaps the 10 days wont even be enough to cover North Thailand alone once you have started. There are just too many places to see, too many curves to play with, too many food to try and add to the cool atmosphere, you really need to lean as much on the bends to sweat it out. Trust me.

Curves and gradients like this, paradise for bikers.... location : towards Doi Mae Salong..

on closer to the burmese border, roads are narrower ,.. and more folliage.

Futher down the east of North thailand ... from Nan to Sirikit dam...

Stopping to look at stunning views before we literally eat it...

Im sure by now, your feet are getting more itchy , and cant wait for tomorrow to ride that North country....
Do it bro,... ride on.

 

[JoeBounce]

Thanks alot Auke and AA, great information, I really cant wait now, I think for this first trip we will just ride around the Chiang Mai area...... :thumbup:

 

[DavidFL]

JoeBounce wrote: Thanks alot Auke and AA, great information, I really cant wait now, I think for this first trip we will just ride around the Chiang Mai area...... :thumbup:

JoeBounce
YES, the problem with most first timers is they have a Genghis Khan Master Plan to conquer everywhere they have heard of in the region.
It seldom works & they nearly always come back to the same places to do it all again properly = take your time, go slowly & take it all in so that you appreciate what is out there.
Race around on a mission to see as much as you can in a few days & you will see & learn SFA, as you’re too busy riding like a maniac looking at the road.

Be smart, take it easy, go slow & take as much in as possible to learn something & appreciate what you are doing.

10 days in North Thailand would be smart, & 10 days in Laos would be smart, but not 5 & 5!

1. To rent a bike go here
https://www.gt-rider.com/motorcycles-in- ... n-thailand

 

[JoeBounce]

David, Thanks, aprreciate your advice, will post a trip report afterwards.....