Planning a short 5 day tour from BKK of the North and Central parts. Day one is straight to Chiang Mai, with a day and night of rest and play after. Then thinking of up around Pai and down to Mae Hong Song and continue down to Mae Sot or even Umphang. Then across Sukhothai to P'lok and along Petchabun to Chompae, then back down to BKK. Like this: http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Bangkok+Thailand&daddr=Kotchasarn+Rd+to:19.55898,98.1906+to:Mae+Hong+Son+Thailand+to:Mae+Sot+Tak+Thailand+to:Umphang+Tak+Thailand+to:Maliwan+Rd%2FRoute+12%2FAH16+to:Bangkok+Thailand&hl=en&sll=15.24179,100.761108&sspn=2.655018,4.938354&geocode=FRtn0QAdSCX9BSnzYQ0oMmAdMTHHD4uFY4VFNg%3BFVCuHgEd3oXmBQ%3BFURyKgEdCEXaBSkxZNiBbHLQMDGBNkLPxUYDEw%3BFYfnHQEdIGnVBSlvm17gg9naMDEgS4r6xUYDAQ%3BFQ_4_wAdyxriBSltjoE9o73dMDFQd4r6xUYDAw%3BFRtl9AAduobkBSmHRl9JrCLnMDFwd4r6xUYDAw%3BFbx4_AAd7OMVBg%3BFRtn0QAdSCX9BSnzYQ0oMmAdMTHHD4uFY4VFNg&mra=ls&via=2&dirflg=ht&vpsrc="0&z=6
My only suggestion- avoid Highway 1- it's rather miserable on a bike. Take the 11 instead- it adds very little to total distance and is a much more pleasant / scenic road. I hear the MHS loop is in rough shape on account of all the rain, flooding and mudslides- take it easy and have fun! Happy Trails! Tony
Thanks, will take the 11 instead. It will probably be the 1st week in October so hopefully the rainy season will have cleared up a lot by then, but have just read of some terrible reviews of the condition of the raod to MHS and Pai. Would be a shame to be up there riding and have to miss out on that particular loop.
1 day up 1 day rest day 1 day back Doesn't leave a lot. Day 1: Ride up Bkk -Cnx Day 2: Rest day Cnx? Day 3: Cnx - Doi Mae Salong Day 4: Doi Mae Salong - Doi Tung - Mae Sai - GT - Chiang Rai Day 5: Return to BKk. OR Day 1: Bkk - Sukhothai Day 2: Sukhothai - Nan Day 3: Nan R1148 - Chiang Rai Day 4: Chiang Rai - Tha Ton - Fang - Chiang Mai Day 5: Chiang Mai - Bkk OR Day 1: Bkk - Mae Sot DAy 2: Mae Sot - Mae Sarieng Day 3: Mae Sarieng - Pai Day 4: Pai - Chiang Mai, easy Day 5: Chiang Mai - Bkk. Multiple choices & more than likely you will make up your mind on the day, subject to the weather conditions & outlook. WEATHER Hope this is a help. If it is your first time out riding in the North, the tendency is often to try & cover too much distance & not take enough of the scenery & people in. But then if you're coming from Bkk I guess all you want to do is ride without the traffic.
A very useful & informative post - cant we highlight it in some way to assist others with a similar enquiry in the future? When I clicked on to new posts this morning 3 of the first 5 posts were new-comers looking for similar advice.
Well if the mini buses are still getting through, so can you on your CBR250. A few boulders to ride around & a couple of hundred metres of dirt here & there, if you come now, will make it a nice adventure trip, plus greatly improve your riding & bike handling skills I'd say. But if it is October dont worry it will all be different again...:wink: TRAFFIC & ROADS .
