North Thailand Great Views 2010

[helbob]

North Thailand Great Views 2010, Part 1
This year i had 4 weeks in north thailand, complete distance 6000km. I make some trips with 2 groups. The first group with 3 friends, the other with one friend. The loops start in chiang mai and go to Khun Yuam or Mae Hong Son, then to Pai, Thaton, Mae Salong, Chiang Rai River (My Dream Guesthouse), Chiang Rai. We rent the motorbike, a Kawasaki KLX 250 from Pop because last year good service (this year too). The price was 600 Baht per day when you rent up 2 weeks. The pictures from the different places:

Doi Pui near Chiang Mai, a popy flower

Doi Pui near Chiang Mai, a ganja plant

On the coffe farm near Chiang Mai, funny

Centara Duangtawan Hotel swimmingpool (Gym, Sauna, Pool for 400 Baht)

Doi Inthanon temple and garden

Doi inthanon temple and garden

Doi Inthanon garden

Vachirithan waterfall near Doi Inthanon

More will follow in the next days

 

[burnjr]

nice picture bro.. :happy1:

 

[helbob]

North Thailand Great Views 2010, Part 2
This year i had 4 weeks in north thailand, complete distance 6000km. I make some trips with 2 groups. The first group with 3 friends, the other with one friend. The loops start in chiang mai and go to Khun Yuam or Mae Hong Son, then to Pai, Thaton, Mae Salong, Chiang Rai River (My Dream Guesthouse), Chiang Rai. We rent the motorbike, a Kawasaki KLX 250 from Pop because last year good service (this year too). The price was 600 Baht per day when you rent up 2 weeks. The pictures from the different places:

Hardcore tour Doi Suthep Someng

Gasoline in Wat Chan (Dirt Road Samoeng - Mae Hong Son)

Dirt Road Wat Chan to Mae Hong Son

Wat Chan to Mae Hong Son

On Temple in Mae Hong Son in the morning

Rak Thai, about 40km of Mae Hong Son on the border to Burma

Rak Thai, about 40km of Mae Hong Son on the border to Burma

Pan Ung Lake, about 40km of Mae Hong Son on the border to Burma

More will follow in the next days

 

[DavidFL]

helbob wrote:
Hardcore tour Doi Suthep Someng

Nice one & not quite something for the Africa Twin. And it just goes to show you that quite often smaller is best for exploring North Thailand. Well done. I look forward, as always, to your great photos. Keep 'em coming.... :clap: :clap:

 

[helbob]

Yes David, sure impossible with a africa twin :happy2: But its a funny and old tour. I drive this one first time 10 years ago.

North Thailand Great Views 2010, Part 3
This year i had 4 weeks in north thailand, complete distance 6000km. I make some trips with 2 groups. The first group with 3 friends, the other with one friend. The loops start in chiang mai and go to Khun Yuam or Mae Hong Son, then to Pai, Thaton, Mae Salong, Chiang Rai River (My Dream Guesthouse), Chiang Rai. We rent the motorbike, a Kawasaki KLX 250 from Pop because last year good service (this year too). The price was 600 Baht per day when you rent up 2 weeks. The pictures from the different places:

Pan Ung Lake, about 40km of Mae Hong Son on the border to Burma

Pan Ung Lake, about 40km of Mae Hong Son on the border to Burma

Aussie Burger in Mae Hong Son in the Sunflower Restaurant on the lake

Mae Hong son Guesthouse, good and cheap

Viewpoint between Mae Hong son and Pai

Tham Lot Cave in Soppong

Cake go O, my favorite bakery in pai, very good cake!

Rivercrossing on the way to Mae Wang, near Pai

More will follow in the next days

 

[DavidFL]

helbob wrote:

Pan Ung Lake, about 40km of Mae Hong Son on the border to Burma

Aussie Burger in Mae Hong Son in the Sunflower Restaurant on the lake

These two are winners
1. Pang Ung. Not enough people ride up to Mae Aw & Pang Ung north of MHS, yet the road there & scenery are stunning.
2. The Sunflower Aussie burgers are huge & incredibly good. I seem to recall that a few GT Riders feasted on them at the Sunflower on the TJ/Siinthai Memorial ride.

Keep 'em coming.

 

[helbob]

Yes David, i like this place very much. The lake in Pang Ung looks like a small paradise, but be carefully in the christmas and happy new year weeks, many many thais there! The Sunflower Cafe/Restaurant is a nice place in the morning and in the evening. The Aussie burger is 100 Baht and a Jug beer is about 95 Baht.On the left of sunflower is a small nice (internet)cafe with good breakfast, named „Meeting“.

North Thailand Great Views 2010, Part 4
This year i had 4 weeks in north thailand, complete distance 6000km. I make some trips with 2 groups. The first group with 3 friends, the other with one friend. The loops start in chiang mai and go to Khun Yuam or Mae Hong Son, then to Pai, Thaton, Mae Salong, Chiang Rai River (My Dream Guesthouse), Chiang Rai. We rent the motorbike, a Kawasaki KLX 250 from Pop because last year good service (this year too). The price was 600 Baht per day when you rent up 2 weeks. The pictures from the different places:

Best place in the north, near Pai

Same place only another view

Nor Lae on the border to Burma, Fang area

Nor Lae on the border to Burma, Fang area

The new Wat Thaton, very nice in the night

Suspension bridge 25km of Chiang Rai

BEN Guesthouse in Chiang Rai with the new building and the new swimming pool

On the Doi tung Road near Mae Sai

More will follow in the next days

 

[alrikki]

Looks great
Is the fallen tree past those gardens,when you take the turn off the main doi suthep dirt road at the top?
Where is the Centara Duangtawan Hotel?

 

[helbob]

Centara Duangtawan Hotel is in Chiang Mai, near Night Bazar, on the corner to loi kroh, you can see the letters when you drive the the loi kroh (bars) to night bazar.

Fallen tree and the way: First you drive up to doi suthep and straight on. After the palace the street is small and in the forest. About 1km before doi pui you turn right (the way to the coffee farm). To the coffee farm now it is concrete street. 2km after the coffee farm turn left (when you turn right you go to huay tin tao). After 2,5 km a small garden with a house. Here you go 100m and a bit right to the small path. Now you have 4km hardcore, different things, sometimes big stones, sometimes a small path between the trees.

 

[helbob]

North Thailand Great Views 2010, Part 5
This year i had 4 weeks in north thailand, complete distance 6000km. I make some trips with 2 groups. The first group with 3 friends, the other with one friend. The loops start in chiang mai and go to Khun Yuam or Mae Hong Son, then to Pai, Thaton, Mae Salong, Chiang Rai River (My Dream Guesthouse), Chiang Rai. We rent the motorbike, a Kawasaki KLX 250 from Pop because last year good service (this year too). The price was 600 Baht per day when you rent up 2 weeks. The pictures from the different places:

BEN Guesthouse in Chiang Rai with the old building and the new swimming pool

Doi Kong Khao near Chiang Rai, only 80m but great view

Phu Chi Fah, on the border to Laos, 120km of Chiang Rai

Phu Chi Fah, on the border to Laos, 120km of Chiang Rai

The way to Phu Chi Fah

Wat Rong Khun, about 10km of Chiang Rai

Wat Rong Khun, the carver

Chiang Rai, Doi Bo Loop

More will follow in the next days

 

[burnjr]

nice stroy n picture bro

 

[ron]

hi Helbob ,

thanks for sharing your picturestory , i enjoyed it , good qualitypictures & viewpoint

also the tracks are my kind of riding , during wintertime , but mostly 1-2 daytrips

i recognize all places you been in chiangrai province

doi Bo loop : that is almost my private racetrack :thumbup: ( start from ban Jalhae or namtook huae mae sai direction elephant camp )



i must say i am often surprised all the places you discover , it seems so easy

especially of road where map is useless and while just visiting short time ( f.e. around akha hill last year story , also doi Bo loop , you can end up wrong , up to Mae Chan easy )

i know i spend a lot of time there checking all the side tracks & dead ends

so heads of

ps : indeed Ben Gh is a very nice place , new owner , older man , has a very big farm in New Zealand , interesting man

 

[helbob]

ron,
in the next postings you will see some more pictures around chiang rai/mae salong. Maybe many roads you know. This year i ride many dirt roads on the south side of the river and some new roads in mae salong.
In the part 7 you will see a map of 4 good tours between chiang rai and mae salong.

Ben Gh: I know only patricks (the first owner) sister, wife of the owner. I never saw the owner. He spend a lot of money in this guesthouse.

 

[helbob]

North Thailand Great Views 2010, Part 6
This year i had 4 weeks in north thailand, complete distance 6000km. I make some trips with 2 groups. The first group with 3 friends, the other with one friend. The loops start in chiang mai and go to Khun Yuam or Mae Hong Son, then to Pai, Thaton, Mae Salong, Chiang Rai River (My Dream Guesthouse), Chiang Rai. We rent the motorbike, a Kawasaki KLX 250 from Pop because last year good service (this year too). The price was 600 Baht per day when you rent up 2 weeks. The pictures from the different places:

Chiang Rai - Khun Yuam hardcore crossing but wonderful

Temple in Mae Hong Son

Phang Khong Tour, near Mae Hong Son

Way to Doi Angkang (Fang Area), great Viewpoint

Collapsed Road west of Fang, 1700m sealevel

Collapsed Road west of Fang, be carefully!

The new Wat Thaton

Thaton, Kwans Guesthouse, best Pancake i ever eat!!

More will follow in the next days

 

[helbob]

North Thailand Great Views 2010, Part 7
This year i had 4 weeks in north thailand, complete distance 6000km. I make some trips with 2 groups. The first group with 3 friends, the other with one friend. The loops start in chiang mai and go to Khun Yuam or Mae Hong Son, then to Pai, Thaton, Mae Salong, Chiang Rai River (My Dream Guesthouse), Chiang Rai. We rent the motorbike, a Kawasaki KLX 250 from Pop because last year good service (this year too). The price was 600 Baht per day when you rent up 2 weeks. The pictures from the different places:

Special KLX 250 from the owner of Little Home in Mae Salong

Sweet Mae Salong Cafe, very good cakes

Sweet Mae Salong Cafe, very good cakes

....and Coffee

Sweet Mae Salong Cafe, very good cakes and Coffee

Shortcut Mae Salong to 1089

Chiang Rai: Chickensnitzel in My Dream Guesthouse

Khun Korn Waterfall, 70m

A map of some great tours:
Mae Salong - Mae Kham, Dirt Road (Light green), 106,66km
Height Difference: 1.064 Meter (542 Meter bis 1.606 Meter)

Mae Salong - Chiang Rai River, Dirt Road (Orange), 41,05km
Height Difference: 748 Meter (439 Meter bis 1.187 Meter)

Mae Salong - Thoed Thai - Mae Salong, 70km (Dark green), 62,83km
Height Difference: 1.075 Meter (519 Meter bis 1.594 Meter)

Mae Salong Border (Blue), 31,36km
Height Difference: 913 Meter (767 Meter bis 1.681 Meter)

Mae Salong Pano

More will follow in the next days.

 

[helbob]

North Thailand Great Views 2010, Part 8
This year i had 4 weeks in north thailand, complete distance 6000km. I make some trips with 2 groups. The first group with 3 friends, the other with one friend. The loops start in chiang mai and go to Khun Yuam or Mae Hong Son, then to Pai, Thaton, Mae Salong, Chiang Rai River (My Dream Guesthouse), Chiang Rai. We rent the motorbike, a Kawasaki KLX 250 from Pop because last year good service (this year too). The price was 600 Baht per day when you rent up 2 weeks. The pictures from the different places:

Khao Soi, burmese curry, i like it

In my bathroom

Vachirathan Waterfall near Doi Inthanon

Buffalo Temple near Chiang Rai, about 15km from BEN Gh., not easy to find.

Buffalo Temple near Chiang Rai

Buffalo Temple near Chiang Rai

Buffalo Temple near Chiang Rai

Buffalo Temple near Chiang Rai

Buffalo Temple, no fee

Buffalo Temple, the artist is Mr. Thawan Duchanee, http://www.thailand-limousine.com/index ... le&Ntype=6

More will follow in the next days

 

[mikehohman]

Awesome photos! Really enjoyed this post. Thanks for sharing!

Mike

 

[helbob]

Thanks mike,
i see you have many very interesting pictures from bangkok too, they are perfect!!
But: How many cameras do you use?
I saw the S90, Panasonic GF1, D300, some more?
The D300 pics are great, and the diving shots very beautiful!!

 

[mikehohman]

Thanks Helbob, glad you enjoyed the images.

I have the S90 and the GF1 now. Well, actually, i have a ZS3 and Canon 880 too, but i only use the ZS3 for video and my wife uses the Canon 880 now. I pretty much just use the GF1 now, which i really dig. For taking around on a motorcycle trip, it's pretty perfect (although the S90 is pretty damn good too). The D300 is awesome, but too big for dirkbiking! So, i sold it about 6 weeks ago. But dammit, right after I sold it, we had all the Crisis in Bangkok, so i had to use the GF1 for that. It really left me missing the D300. The GF1 is great, but just not fast enough for many of the street shots of the protestors and soldiers.

So, now i guess I will get a D700x when it comes out, the 24MP full-frame sensor. Maybe later this year. I still have a couple FX lenses for it, so... But for my everyday camera, and for going riding, i will stick the GF1, it's really sweet, and oh so light... The S90 is almost as good, but lacks the depth of field on the GF1. Then again, it does fit your jeans front pocket, which is killer. The GF1, although light, still needs to hang around your neck...

Keep sharing your stuff, i love it!

 

[helbob]

North Thailand Great Views 2010, Part 9
This year i had 4 weeks in north thailand, complete distance 6000km. I make some trips with 2 groups. The first group with 3 friends, the other with one friend. The loops start in chiang mai and go to Khun Yuam or Mae Hong Son, then to Pai, Thaton, Mae Salong, Chiang Rai River (My Dream Guesthouse), Chiang Rai. We rent the motorbike, a Kawasaki KLX 250 from Pop because last year good service (this year too). The price was 600 Baht per day when you rent up 2 weeks. The pictures from the different places:

Buffalo Temple, some informations on this forum https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/the-buffalo-n-black-temple-gallery-estate-t5900.html

Buffalo Temple, many nice buildings

Buffalo Temple, on the weekend many thaipeople !!

Rak Thai, near Mae Hong Song, very nice village in chinese style

Small bungalows in Pang Ung (near Mae Hong Son) on the lake

Mae Sai, the River Side Restaurant.....

..... offer „fried frog“

Dirt Road from Chiang Rai to Khun Korn Waterfall

Dirt Road from Chiang Rai to Khun Korn Waterfall

Dirt Road from Chiang Rai to Khun Korn Waterfall

More will follow in the next days

 

[burnjr]

great photo bro thnks for sharing :happy3:

 

[helbob]

North Thailand Great Views 2010, Part 10
This year i had 4 weeks in north thailand, complete distance 6000km. I make some trips with 2 groups. The first group with 3 friends, the other with one friend. The loops start in chiang mai and go to Khun Yuam or Mae Hong Son, then to Pai, Thaton, Mae Salong, Chiang Rai River (My Dream Guesthouse), Chiang Rai. We rent the motorbike, a Kawasaki KLX 250 from Pop because last year good service (this year too). The price was 600 Baht per day when you rent up 2 weeks. The pictures from the different places:

National Park Carving

The way to Phu Chee Fah, on the border to Laos

Entrance to Phu Chee Fah, no fee.

Phu Chee Fah Summit on 1624m

One of the nice resorts near Phu Chee Fah

Near Phu Chee Fah

Phu Sang Waterfall 50km south of Phu Chee Fah

In the Highlands of Chiang Rai

Mae Salong, Wat Santikhiri on 1300m....

...a very curve street goes up there

More will follow in the next days

 

[Auke]

helbob wrote:
The way to Phu Chee Fah, on the border to Laos

Helbob,

Are they making a new road up to Pu Chee Fa?

 

[DavidFL]

Auke wrote: [quote quote=helbob]
The way to Phu Chee Fah, on the border to Laos

Helbob,

Are they making a new road up to Pu Chee Fa?
It looks a bit like the old Lao U road, but I don't think it is. So please tell us Helbob.

Helbob have you spent a night at Rak Thai (not Pang Ung),

as that is one place I've yet to spend a night in & reckon that I might slip out there in the coming weeks, if it is still dry.

 

[helbob]

Helbob have you spent a night at Rak Thai (not Pang Ung)

No, i always start from Mae Hong Son. Sometimes it is a good short trip in the evening or in the morning. When we drive the tour my friends had only 2-3 days for one place. This year we have a great time in Mae Salong Little Home and on Mae Kok River My Dream Guesthouse. Many time visited this places in the last years but never stay there.

Are they making a new road up to Pu Chee Fa?

I don't know what they did, but it looks like a big highway :huh:
I think the last ca. 7km to Phu Chee Fah are a the old concrete street.

It looks a bit like the old Lao U road, but I don't think it is. So please tell us Helbob.

Every year some roads change. The Phu Chee Fah tour was 260km from Chiang Rai.
You can see my original gps track to Phu Chee Fah:
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=utmmrewxatoaehag
I put a marker where i think the new road. About 20km before Phu Chee Fah.