Clockwise ? Anticlockwise? Suggestions...

[spaniard]

Hi all...

First of all thanks David for setting up this website... I have done the ride to Doi Angkhan quite a few times (I used to be based in Bangkok for a while) but after reading your board I now know where to get the best drinks in Chiang Kong, where to look for slippery roads at the Doi Phuka Loop and even where to expect fast crossing monkeys/snakes... so, for all of this, thank you.

Now.. need to have some advice, may sound silly but... what is in your view the best direction to do a Chiang Mai, Angkhan, Mae Sai, Chiang Khong, Nan (day for Doi Phukha Loop), Phayao, Chiang Mai? Clockwise or anticlockwise?

To be honest not that I care much, but I will be travelling with my girlfriend in the back and she is quite a control freak (she wants me to plan the frigging thing down to the last detail, distances, hotels, etc... and it has been so tricky to convince her to join me that I may as well comply...)

It is going to be a relatively short break, 5 days ...

P.S. Please, please... do not advice me to leave my girlfriend back home and travel solo ok?

Regards

Ivan

 

[Severi]

Direction depends a bit of your riding times etc. Try to keep Sun behind your back or at side. Driving against sun is not so nice. You cannot see well, not the scenery nor anything on the road or even the road itself.

I did about the same loop with a group last week clock wise.

Chiang Mai-Fang
Fang-Mae Sai
Mae Sai-GT-Chiang Kham
Chiang Kham-Doi Phukha Loop (clockwise)-Nan
Nan
Nan-??-Lampang-Lamphun

That was five days plus one in Nan.

Severi

 

[nickpedleynz]

this is not much of a great tip but If you do it clockwise your girlfriend will not have to study Davids guide book backwards.