AhPek Biker - Riding Adventures
Thailand 2024: Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son Loop
Chiang Mai, Thailand : 9th - 20th January 2024
Small Group (Non-cycling) Tour of Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son Loop, Thailand:
(See day-to-day blogs for more detailed routes. Travelling in between towns were by a 10-passenger van.)
We got to know Eddie during our tour of Sumba, Indonesia several months back and found him to be a warm & helpful friend. So when he invited us to join him on a guided road-trip tour of Chiang Mai and the surrounding towns, we jumped onto the opportunity ..... no regrets there as we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!
Read on to find out!
(Note: further below are travel tips, and write-ups on food and places along the route. For those interested in cycling in and around Chiang Mai, the following link will be helpful - Cycling Chiang Mai.)
BLOGS
Below are the daily blogs of our tour, click on the respective photos to read. It was a interesting eye-opening tour, so come and have a look:
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(Next... Japan: Kansai-Gifu-Hida)
Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son 2024 Overall Travel Route Map
Route: Chiang Mai>Huay Nam Dong>Pai>Pang Oung>Mae Hong Son>Mae Sariang>Chom Thong>Doi Inthanon>Chiang Mai>Chiang Rai>Chiang Mai
Zoom in for more details. See respective daily blogs for detailed daily route maps.
(Click here for the Overall Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son Travel Route Map)
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TRAVEL TIPS FOR CHIANG MAI-MAE HONG SON
Below are some general tips on travelling in Thailand and the Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son locality; more detailed tips will be included in the day-to-day blogs:
1. Traffic Directions!
Traffic in Thailand is right-hand drive, so drive/cycle on the left. The same thing applies when crossing the road, take note of the direction in which traffic is approaching from!
2. Getting to and around Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai & its surrounding locality is a favourite tourist destination and many airlines fly directly to it's international Chiang Mai Airport (CNX). We flew Air Asia from Kuala Lumpur to Chiang Mai, buying our tickets 2-3 months earlier and paid around MYR600-650 (approx. USD135) per pax for a basic return fare, without checked-in luggage and other frills.
Our tour package was for ground arrangements and included a 10-passenger van to take us around the Mae Hong Son Loop, starting from & returning to Chiang Mai. It also included relatively good hotels/homestays. Charge per pax was at a very reasonable discounted rate. This excluded meals (other than hotel breakfasts), airport transfers, entry tickets and tips. This allows for individuals to have meals according to their own liking & budget. Allow THB100-150 per pax per meal should be adequate.
Note: Malaysian Touch n Go debit cards can be used where Alipay is accepted, such as at 7-Eleven outlets. Just ensure that the cashier use sets the exchange to Thai Bahts.
We paid extra for an optional day trip from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai.
Those interested in joining this guided tour can contact Eddie at +60-612-2600, whom we find was a very good & flexible guide and very attentive to our needs
Those interested in joining this guided tour can contact Eddie at +60-612-2600, whom we find was a very good & flexible guide and very attentive to our needs
3. Route & Traffic Conditions
Most of Thailand's main roads are paved well maintained and almost without portholes. In outlying rural areas, roads could be gravel & un-tarred. The roads around the Mae Hong Son area are renowned for their thousand over-sharp bends, so if one is prone to motion sickness, do bring along motion sickness medication which should be available in most pharmacies.
No toll is charged for most roads (including highways)! Traffic at the rural areas is fairly light, but there are traffic jams in Chiang Mai try to avoid peak hours.
The Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son Loop roads are renowned for their scenic beauty AND also the many turns and bends. It is known as the Snake Route with 2,000 bends, some of them very sharp hair-pins, so do get motion-sickness medication in case you need them.
No toll is charged for most roads (including highways)! Traffic at the rural areas is fairly light, but there are traffic jams in Chiang Mai try to avoid peak hours.
The Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son Loop roads are renowned for their scenic beauty AND also the many turns and bends. It is known as the Snake Route with 2,000 bends, some of them very sharp hair-pins, so do get motion-sickness medication in case you need them.
4. Weather
Weather at the Chiang Mai & Mae Hong Son provinces differs a lot between day & night time and between the lowlands and highlands. November to January temperature ranges from a daytime high of 33°C to a night-time low of 14°C. In highland areas like Pai, Doi Inthanon & Pang Oung, night-time temperatures can go as low as 10°C. So bring warm clothing and practice layered clothing to keep warm and still allow for stripping during the hotter times of the day.
5. Communicating with Each Other
When travelling in a group it's important to be able to communicate with each other, especially if one gets lost from the rest. Many Thai pre-paid phone sim cards can now be purchased online before the trip and delivered within a few days.
We separately opted for DTAC & SCT-AIS sim cards.
DTAC Happy Tourist SIM for calls & data covers a period from 8 to 30 days with unlimited data and costs about 40-50THB per day. For just data only it covers a period from 8 to 15 days and costs about 35-40THB per day. These DTAC Tourist SIM cards can be purchased via Lazada.
AIS (Advance Info Service) is the largest mobile service provider in Thailand, offering excellent network quality throughout the country, including rural areas. AIS Tourist SIM packages range from 8-day/15GB (at 299THB) to 15-day/30GB (at 599THB) to 30-day/50GB (at 899THB). We purchase SCT sim cards which connect to the AIS network; the 15-day/7.5GB was bought via Lazada.
6. Communicating with Locals
Except for those involved in the tourist industry, most Thai don't speak English, especially in the rural areas. It will be helpful to have a driver who speaks English.
In case of emergencies call the Thai Tourist Tourist Police at 1155 or (+66) 2308-0333 This hotline is available 24 hours a day and responders speak English. OR go to a clinic or pharmacy as most doctors and pharmacists can speak English.
7. Places & Things of Interest
There were many scenic and beautiful places of interest, but one should not miss the following (Note: click on the GPS coordinates for a directional map to the respective places):
a. The Densali Temple Complex (Wat Ban Den) (วัดเด่นสะหลีศรีเมืองแกน (วัดบ้านเด่น)) (GPS: 19.15773, 98.97848) at the village of Inthakin, about 30km from Chiang Mai-.
b. The White Temple (GPS: 19.82326, 99.76270), the Red Temple (GPS: 19.94919, 99.80670), & Blue Temple (GPS: 19.92339, 99.84187), and the Black House (GPS: 19.99203, 99.86075) in Chiang Rai.
c. Hiking at Mossy Pha Dok Sieo Nature Trail (เส้นทางศึกษาธรรมชาติผาดอกเสี้ยว) at Doi Inthanon. Start point (GPS: 18.54093, 98.53052) & endpoint (GPS: 18.53861, 98.54641), near the Mae Klang Luang coffee hut (กาแฟสด แม่กลางหลวง).
8. Food
There is no lack of good food in the country. Thai food and Western food can also be found in most places in major cities. Do note that Thai food is distinct to four regions, & Northern Thai food has its own style.
One should not miss the following:
- Sai ua (ไส้อั่ว), Northern Thai spicy sausage;
- Kap Moo (แคปหมู), Thai crispy pork cracklings.
Note: For most lunches & dinners we ate together at the same restaurant, although we split into two or 3 groups and ordered by our group. This way each group can order food to their liking and budget.
Note: For most lunches & dinners we ate together at the same restaurant, although we split into two or 3 groups and ordered by our group. This way each group can order food to their liking and budget.
9. Navigation
Geo-tagging of places of interest was done via FaceBook and Google Maps.
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