North Thailand, 4000km Motorbike Round Trip 2013

[helbob]

North Thailand, 4000km Motorbike Round Trip 2013, Part 1

This tour lasted 3 weeks from december to january.
I took the VIP bus from pattaya to Chiang Mai, it costs 785 baht.
The Honda CRF 250 is from POP and costs 650 baht/day.
WARNING: The happy new year time can be a big problem to find a room. Many time expensive, but most time fully booked.

The first tours every year in Chiang Mai goes to:

-Doi Suthep/Doi Pui/ Coffee Farm and over a dirt road down to Huay Ting Tao for lunch
-Rock Tower (Khun Loung Viewpoint), sealevel 1450m
-Mon Cham Garden, sealvel 1310m
-Wat Luang Khun Win, the nice woodtemple in the jungle
-Samoeng Loop

Here is a map with some places. For a better detail please klick the image and you will see the map in a high 2000 pixels resolution (different map)

This is the viewpoint near samoeng on the curvy mountainstreet

Down at Huay Ting Tao Lake, cheap and good thaifood. Fried Rice Chicken and a Coke was 50 baht.

Mon Cham Garden, sealvel 1310m. A nice garden with restaurant and great view

Not far from Mon Cham Garden is the Rock Tower (Khun Loung Viewpoint), sealevel 1450m. A good dirt road goes from Mon Cham to this viewpoint. A great placee for picknick or relax.

Be careful with your motorbike, step face

The picknick pavillion

The next viewpoint is also not to far and a nice tour. Now many camping places and restaurants grow up.

More will follow
helbob

 

[DavidFL]

Bring it on - looking forward to it.

 

[brian_bkk]

Lovely pics..

 

[DavidFL]

Any pics of the rock tower road?
It used to be quite an adventure getting up there on the old Honda Wing 125. :smile1:

Maybe it's time to go again.

 

[helbob]

This year (last year december) was a very good weather to make good pics because nothing burn and not dusty . When a been at Pha Tang i could see the mekong and the mountains behind.
@David: Thats are very nice pics, i like the old pics where i can see how it looks 20 years ago. The sign "Rock Tower" is no longer available

North Thailand, 4000km Motorbike Round Trip 2013, Part 2

In the night i saw a longtime friend from swizerland, his name is rolli. We met about 15 years ago in chiang mai, when he came to Chiang Mai without speaking english and without planning. Me and friends picked him up at a motorbike shop and then did many tours…..
Rolli know some locals because some years ago he been every year 3-6 months in north thailand, now only a few weeks. So the next day we want look the Chaeson Nationalpark in the east of Chiang Mai.
A short stop at gasoline station.

We drive a little bite wrong and came to the Mae Kachan Hotsprings, the highest ones of thailand. Short stop for coffee.

Then some kilomters back and the high mountainroad loop of Chaeson Nationalpark.

Here the wunderfull Kew Fin Viewpoint on 1517m.

Other side of the viewpoint

The most tourist who come to the park look the waterfalls (foreigner 200 baht), but when you want only pass the park (the waterfallplace) then you must tell on the counter and you must not pay. Notice: If you not pay then not stop at the waterfallplace because the counter call to another counter and when you come to late to this one maybe you must pay.....

On the way back this funny restaurant

After a few weeks i go again to the Chaeson Park because a want mapping some roads and dirt roads. Icame to a small village where i saw this famous tree house (sorry for the quality but all tree house pics where made with my phone because akku of camera empty)

When the housemaid see me she came to talk with me, but only thai. My thai is very poor but i understand that she want to show me the house Lets go in. Everything inside is something special

The bathtube on the balcony

Sleeping room. Many nice things inside but difficult to make pictures with the phone because to dark or hard light from the sun. The housemaid told me the the constructiontime was 2 month and costs 2 million baht.

In this village are some nice bungalows

More will follow
helbob

 

[brian_bkk]

Nothing more enjoyable than to stumble across a funky restaurant and lovely accommodation at the end of a days ride..

 

[helbob]

North Thailand, 4000km Motorbike Round Trip 2013, Part 3

The next trip goes to Wat Phrathat Doi Kham in the south of Chiang Mai

Then to a new one, near the other one

A short stop and trek in Ob Khan Park (no fee)

A newer temple with 4 buddhas (behind this 2 buddhas are two more)

When i looked up a saw something strange and zoom in.....

Rolli showed me a good old style restaurant in the old town (neighbor of Johns Place), named Bierstube (german name). This restaurant is one of them who make the real good original pancakes, a pinepple pancake with coffee is 80 baht.

More will follow
helbob

 

[Rod Page]

Always the most brilliant photos. Best on the site for mine.
Well done, mate.

 

[tehsk30]

hope to ride up northern thai one day...wonderful photos/roads/ n the journey itself...awesome....one day...

 

[helbob]

Thanks , we have 10 more parts for this thread and 4 parts for Phu Chee Fah :thumbup:

Sorry now (12.april) the pictures server out of service!

North Thailand, 4000km Motorbike Round Trip 2013, Part 4

One of my favorite place: The small bridge for look airplanes

A great trip is the dirt road to Wat Luang Khun Win, the nice woodtemple in the jungle. Not many people come here because the way is very bad for pick ups and impossible for cars.

After a few days i thought about the dirt road from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son via Wat Chan. Rolli told me the road there is under construction and maybe soon a big highway . After Mae Rim:

Yes really at km 103 (from Chiang Mai) a big street construction. Next year we can drive this street with a Harley Davidson

On the way to Mae Hong Son via Wat Chan (132km from Chiang Mai). The highest point of this road is 1670m at km158, about 26km after Wat Chan.

Note: All tours described here are included in the Digital Map Thailand and the tracks from Phu Chee Fah / Pha Tang are just inserted

More will follow
helbob

 

[helbob]

North Thailand, 4000km Motorbike Round Trip 2013, Part 5

Again the map. For a better detail please klick the image and you will see the map in a high 2000 pixels resolution (different map)

On the way to Mae Hong Son via Wat Chan. About 30km after Wat Chan a dirt road with outlook

The dirt road was in a very good condition so i arrived after 224km and 6hr (only drive time) in Mae Hong Son.
In Mae Hong Son i prefer the Mae Hong Son Guethouse, a cheap one with a friendly woman. But this time she was in Chiang Mai. I took the Palm House near the lake, it costs 500 baht/night (little bite expensive).

Then relax on the lake of Mae Hong Son

Play with the young cats....

In the late afternoon i drove up to the temple

A fantastic outlook over Mae Hong Son

More will follow
helbob

 

[helbob]

North Thailand, 4000km Motorbike Round Trip 2013, Part 6

Mae Hong Son, a real beautiful thai-town

Nightlife on the lake

Around the lake is market with food and non food

This cafe is near the lake, a cozy place

Young teens, but play good sound

Visit the temple in the nightime

Early morning, a must see

A daytrip from Mae Hong Son: Rak Thai and Pan Ung Lake. A good curvy street goes up the mountain to this villages

Pan Ung Lake, near Mae Hong Son: Now we have to pay 100 baht :-(

More will follow
helbob

 

[Johnsy]

awesome photos helbob, so far I have done 10,000klm's around Thailand, I love the north, in particular Chaing Mai. If you don't mind me asking what camera do you have and do you Photoshop your shots?

 

[helbob]

Hi,
Camera I using a 3 years old Sony A33 and a 5 years old Panasonic G1. The Sony A33 is a cheap DSLR with digitalview (not the mirrorview), same the Panasonic G1. I think this is much more better than a DSLR because you can see the real picture (with the white balance, brightness...) in the finder.The Panasonic G... is a very good camera, but a little bite expensive. The Sony A33 is a cheap one but you can make a full HD movie, panoramic-pics or HDR-pics.I had some problems with the A33 because after 1 year and 10months the shutter was broken and the the display scratched (poor surface coating). But everything repaired on warranty. The problem: The shutter of this camera is not made for many panoramic-pics or a low quality. When you are out of the warranty it is expensive!

Software: A very old photoshop elements, i think near 10 years old :huh:. Before i had old corel draw, this was a very good one. Corel draw time was far ahead of its time. For a quick editing i like ACDsee 3.1., also a very old software but work fast :huh:

helbob

 

[brian_bkk]

helbob;289767 wrote: Hi,
Camera I using a 3 years old Sony A33 and a 5 years old Panasonic G1. The Sony A33 is a cheap DSLR with digitalview (not the mirrorview), same the Panasonic G1. I think this is much more better than a DSLR because you can see the real picture (with the white balance, brightness...) in the finder.The Panasonic G... is a very good camera, but a little bite expensive. The Sony A33 is a cheap one but you can make a full HD movie, panoramic-pics or HDR-pics.I had some problems with the A33 because after 1 year and 10months the shutter was broken and the the display scratched (poor surface coating). But everything repaired on warranty. The problem: The shutter of this camera is not made for many panoramic-pics or a low quality. When you are out of the warranty it is expensive!

Software: A very old photoshop elements, i think near 10 years old :huh:. Before i had old corel draw, this was a very good one. Corel draw time was far ahead of its time. For a quick editing i like ACDsee 3.1., also a very old software but work fast :huh:

helbob

Just goes to show you can make good pics with out the latest camera and with a keen eye.
What operating system are you using. Must be very early XP? I am impressed.. 10 year old photo editing software..

 

[helbob]

Just goes to show you can make good pics with out the latest camera and with a keen eye.
What operating system are you using. Must be very early XP? I am impressed.. 10 year old photo editing software..

A 10 years old FREE software :smile1: I got the adobe photoshop elements and adobe go live (Website editor) when i made my first agreement for hosting website.
The old adobe photoshop elements

Yes, i still using xp and 3 month ago i bought a new xp notebook . I think in the next weeks i will buy a new pc with xp (software only 20 euro) :shh:
In xp i can use the old netscape messenger and composer, a small and fast software.
I tried many new software for e-mails or photoediting but everytime came back to the old tools.
The best exsample was a new forumsoftware of vbulletin (same this here) in a other forum. Much plugins and a complicated system make many problems. I like the old one without flash, it is fast on cheap servers and can be looked with old browsers.
The new thing in much new forumsoftware is: The owner can put much advertising after every posting or every other place :?
However, too much causes the converse.

 

[helbob]

North Thailand, 4000km Motorbike Round Trip 2013, Part 7

Pan Ung, near Mae Hong Son, a wonderful lake

Only a few hundret meters from the lake this accommodation

Rak Thai (a few kilometers of Pan Ung) is chinese style: Everywhere teafarms, dryed fruits, chinese souvenirs. The border is only 2 minutes from the village.

The way back

A Coffee in „Meeting“ Cafe near the lake in Mae Hong Son

In the night on the mountain (Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu)

The next day i started my biggest daytrip to Chiang Rai. First i tried to get a room in Mae Salong, but full booked. Start at 7.15 a.m. up to the temple, foggy and cold (about 13C). Here the viewpoint near pai.

The trip from Mae Hong Son to Chiang Rai: Breakfast in Pai, the prices go up, not same 5 years ago.

More will follow
helbob

 

[helbob]

North Thailand, 4000km Motorbike Round Trip 2013, Part 8

The trip from Mae Hong Son to Chiang Rai: From Pai i drove the dirt road to Wiang Haeng. This asphalt part of the way is funny, the big curvy street grips well and no traffic

Near Doi Angkhang, beautiful road with great views....

.....but i had not to much time.

Km 280 at 4.20 p.m. Nor Lae checkpoint. Nor Lae is a poor village on a mountain with exotic people on 1400m. The soldier sayed the way down is not allowed for foreigners. We talk a little bite and then i can pass .

After the way down is a bigger checkpoint where foreigners must show passport (or passport copy). I talk with some bird watchers from thailand, because they had very expensive cameras and lens.
The following way is a good asphalt road through the big fruit plantages to Mae Ae. From there to Thaton, Mae Chan, i arrived in Chiang Rai at 7.15p.m. after 415km, a hard way with many dirt roads.

More will follow
helbob

 

[TonyBKK]

December-January, probably the very best months to tour in Thailand- clean air and comfortable temperatures. Love your pics! Thanks for sharing! :happy1:

 

[ianyonok]

Great photos............ great trip.
Ian

 

[rob7711]

Wonderful pics and thanks for sharing. Cheers!

 

[Jurgen]

Great loop along the norther trails. Thank you for the colorful illustration showing the region’s diversity. Let’s hope that this year the weather will also be clear and that we will see more blue sky pictures in the North.

 

[phuketrichard]

Great trip and photos. I am heading back up there in July and wonder, the route u took from Mae Hong Son to Chaing Rai via Mae Chan is doable by honda car? Reason is i am then going to go back to enter Laos at Chaing Khong again as i did last year.

 

[helbob]

phuketrichard;290280 wrote: Great trip and photos. I am heading back up there in July and wonder, the route u took from Mae Hong Son to Chaing Rai via Mae Chan is doable by honda car? Reason is i am then going to go back to enter Laos at Chaing Khong again as i did last year.

I did it with a CRF Honda 250 motorbike :mrgreen:
It is possible but without GPS difficult to find the way from Pai to Thaton. And one part of the dirt road after is difficult to drive by car. This part is only about 2km and you need a 4wd experience. The other streets easy with a pick up.

 

[helbob]

Thanks for comments :thumbup:

North Thailand, 4000km Motorbike Round Trip 2013, Part 9

In Chiang Rai i drove some dirt roads around the river to Thaton, to Wawi, to Khun Korn Waterfall, to My Dream Guesthouse for lunch and more.
This year the dirt road to Khun Korn waterfall was difficult and slippery but possible (only for motorbike).
One of the best ways is the Doi Chang Loop, a hard daytrip, not many tourist. Now Doi Chang grow up because a asphalt road is under construction. Most of the people here are Akha who work on coffee farms. Now are some accommodations on Doi Chang, most of them 1000-2000 baht.
The easy Loop (south loop) goes from Chiang Rai the 1211 south-west. In Huay San turn right, after a view kilometers a big watercrossing, but not deep. The next fork keep left, now is a new concret road for some kilometers. The last kilometers to the top are a good dirt road. Then down to Doi Chang Village and the asphalt road to Mae Suai, the 1211 back to Chiang Rai. This Loop is also possible with a Honda Dream.

[h=6]The adventure Loop goes from Chiang Rai the 1211 south-west. In Huay San turn right, after a view kilometers a big watercrossing, but not deep. The next fork keep left, now is a new concret road for some kilometers. The last kilometers to the top are a good dirt road. Then down to Doi Chang Village. 9 km after Doi Chang Village turn right on the 3037 to Wawi (Wawee). A nice website about Wawee tea: http://siamteas.com/?p=682 .Wawi ist a city with a few hundret people, supermarket, gasoline station and a little bite outside the Lao Lee (Laulee) Hill Resort http://www.lauleehillresort.com/ (only thai) english http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lao-Lee-hill-Resort/243468745720282 . After Wawi still a good dirt road and then a fork where you can choose the way to Huay Khum resort or the way to My Dream Guesthouse (no sign). The road to Huay Khum is easy but from Huay Khum to My Dream Gh on the river is now with a difficult part because there some parts only possible with motorbike. The direct way to My Dream Gh is a little bite difficult but after easy.[/h] Here is a map of the great Doi Chang north loop, 157km

A house in the highlands of Chiang Rai River

Viewpoint on Doi Chang (1650m), the clouds are down

Pano

The other side of the viewpoint, on the way to Doi Chang village

Doi Chang village (1100m)

„Doi Chang Coffee Farm“ Cafe and Farm

It is hard and much work to make coffee. Drying coffee beans

Coffee beans

More will follow
helbob