Thailand and cycling. Two words you wouldn’t expect to be used in the same context. At least not me. My image of Thailand consisted of heat, humidity, Full Moon Parties and ladyboys. Plus very good food. But cycling? No. Until a few weeks ago, we were in Chiang Mai We spent a few days there and had to conclude that this is one of the best places we have ever discovered on a bike. Chiang Mai is rightfully Thailand’s best cycling destination.
Text and photos: Gijs Louter
Asphalt you don’t expect to see
The first thing that catches your eye: the roads are good. Not “good for Southeast Asia,” just good. In many places, they’re better than what you’ll find in Europe. Smooth, wide, well-maintained. Yes, there are stretches where you need to pay extra attention, but that’s true of every destination.
The diversity of routes makes it really interesting. From Chiang Mai, you can go in all directions. Long mountain trails with serious elevation changes to the north and west. Relaxed tours through the interior, passing by villages, temples, and rice fields. Or the Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand: climbing more than 30 kilometers, sections of 17%, and at the top you stand at 2,565 meters with empty legs and a smile that won’t leave you.
Flat whites with views of the rice fields
The coffee and cake in Thailand are better than in Italy. That sounds like a ridiculous claim, but it’s just so. In the most remote places, somewhere halfway up a climb, there’s a cafe with a perfect flat white and a cheesecake that makes you forget that you just climbed up for an hour.
Thailand is a country where you’re spoiled as a cyclist. Pad Thai for free, smoothies you order several times a day, and a massage after every ride for a few euros. It sounds like a cliché, but you get so used to it that coming back to the Netherlands hurts a little bit.
The cyclists from six in the morning
Thailand has a cycling culture That has grown considerably in recent years. Between seven and eight in the morning, it’s already busy around Chiang Mai: groups of cyclists head out into the mountains, escaping the heat. It’s an open, relaxed scene where you can easily join in.
The ultimate route in the region is the Mae Hong Son Loop. More than 600 kilometers through the most remote part of northern Thailand, with about 14,000 meters of elevation gain. Few traffic, spectacular nature, villages where tourists are a rarity. The kind of route that makes you stop in silence as a cyclist.
Drive with Channika
Tip: Drive with Channika from Chiang Mai Cycling Buddy. She knows every route, every coffee spot, and every bend where you need to be careful. For day trips, for the Mae Hong Son Loop, or for other multi-day trips with support vehicle and everything arranged. Renting a bike is also possible. It doesn’t get any simpler.
Elephants on the climb
Where else can you experience that: cycling among the elephants on the way up. It’s those moments that make Thailand so special as a cycling destination. The landscape changes constantly. Rice fields, jungle, mountain passes, temples. And everywhere, people who smile at you as if they already know you.
And it’s also cheap. Accommodation, food, cycling, everything costs a fraction of what you’d pay in Southern Europe. That makes three weeks of cycling in Chiang Mai suddenly very affordable.
Practical
Best season: December to February. Dry and pleasantly warm. From March the air quality gets much worse due to smog.
Stay: Nimman is the best neighborhood in Chiang Mai. Great restaurants, cafes and a perfect base.
Cycling: rent from Chiang Mai Cycling Buddy or bring your own bike.
After the ride: Local food, smoothies, massage. In that order. Or mixed together.
Packing list: packing list for lightweight backpacking in Asia
More info: chiangmaicyclingbuddy.com
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.