Most people generally head north - west or east from Chiang Mai for the best biking roads, & rightly so for these areas are the most popular with loadsa tourist attractons to keep you interested.
The top ten roads in the north from an old post
North Thailand Top Ten Roads
but the last few months on account of a very sweet lady, I've fallen in love with R1184; & the romance has nothing to do with the attractiveness of the road.
R1184 basically runs parallel & between R106 & R11 south of Lamphun.
A gem of a bikers road it is too.
Steep rolling hills.
A perfect road surface, almost no traffic. Good forest cover. Gorgeous traditional villages.
There is also some nice technical bits & pieces to keep you honest & concentrating.
R1184 starts from off R106 approximately 25 kms south of Lamphun.
a Google Earth view at the north end
It runs south for 75 kms to a junction with R1274 where you have 2 options, right to Li & R106 or left to Soem Ngam & Lampang.
A Google Earth view at the south Li end
The right option to Li is probably the better way to go, unless you're looking for a longer faster blast back to Chiang Mai via Lampang.
There are some fast flowing sections at the north end, then it cuts through the hills for some exhilaration on deserted roads.
Some of the dips are awesome with a couple of "chicanes"with nasty bridges at the bottom!
At the south Li end as it runs through the hills there are a lot of 5th gear roll ons, elsewhere north of Thung Hua Chang it is 4th gear roll ons in many places. I know a couple of other guys who go faster & treat it as their own race track.
Another trip with a fellow rider is planned to get some nice riding shots.
But for me 1184 is up there with 1148 & 1091 for a ride.
Some Thung Hua Chang scenery
there are kms of rolling hills many of which have hill top temples
Wat Pa Teung, Thung Hua Chang city
Li City
There's nice forest cover - no bald hills from corn farming. This area is inhabited generally by gentle Karen peoples.
The odd big tree
The rolling elevation profile R1184 & R1274. From the Lamphun end to Li
The GPS data - 90 fabulous kms
If you like riding & think you are any good, check it out. Highly Recommended.
Thung Hua Chang is 60 kms down R1184 from the north end & is up in the hills at a very agreeable 600 metres above sea level.
The top ten roads in the north from an old post
North Thailand Top Ten Roads
but the last few months on account of a very sweet lady, I've fallen in love with R1184; & the romance has nothing to do with the attractiveness of the road.
R1184 basically runs parallel & between R106 & R11 south of Lamphun.
A gem of a bikers road it is too.
Steep rolling hills.
A perfect road surface, almost no traffic. Good forest cover. Gorgeous traditional villages.
There is also some nice technical bits & pieces to keep you honest & concentrating.
R1184 starts from off R106 approximately 25 kms south of Lamphun.
a Google Earth view at the north end
It runs south for 75 kms to a junction with R1274 where you have 2 options, right to Li & R106 or left to Soem Ngam & Lampang.
A Google Earth view at the south Li end
The right option to Li is probably the better way to go, unless you're looking for a longer faster blast back to Chiang Mai via Lampang.
There are some fast flowing sections at the north end, then it cuts through the hills for some exhilaration on deserted roads.
Some of the dips are awesome with a couple of "chicanes"with nasty bridges at the bottom!
At the south Li end as it runs through the hills there are a lot of 5th gear roll ons, elsewhere north of Thung Hua Chang it is 4th gear roll ons in many places. I know a couple of other guys who go faster & treat it as their own race track.
Another trip with a fellow rider is planned to get some nice riding shots.
But for me 1184 is up there with 1148 & 1091 for a ride.
Some Thung Hua Chang scenery
there are kms of rolling hills many of which have hill top temples
Wat Pa Teung, Thung Hua Chang city
Li City
There's nice forest cover - no bald hills from corn farming. This area is inhabited generally by gentle Karen peoples.
The odd big tree
The rolling elevation profile R1184 & R1274. From the Lamphun end to Li
The GPS data - 90 fabulous kms
If you like riding & think you are any good, check it out. Highly Recommended.
Thung Hua Chang is 60 kms down R1184 from the north end & is up in the hills at a very agreeable 600 metres above sea level.
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