Planning a bikepacking trip in a foreign country can be quite a challenge. Making an estimate regarding routes, accommodations, number of days and safety is sometimes complicated from a distance. Especially when it comes to a destination you can't find much about online. Nynke also ran into this when preparing for a bicycle trip through Thailand. In this blog, she tells how she dealt with it.
Making plans
It is October when we are on our way to the east of the country in a fully packed car. We are going on a family weekend and hope there will be some time left over to cycle around the Lemelerberg. As the Dutch landscape races past us, we spar about our upcoming holiday in January. We don't have a destination yet, but that we will go backpacking for three weeks is clear. My friend Thomas would like to go to Asia, Thailand for example. An image of full moon parties, 18-year-old backpackers and ping-pong shows comes to mind. Not exactly the authentic experience I'm looking for when I travel. But I am open to it.
Cycling in Thailand
How I got there, I don't remember. But suddenly I shout: 'Can't we spend part of the holiday cycling through Thailand? That would be really cool!' Thomas reacts somewhat dubiously, but not negatively. The car journey will take some time, so I immediately start Googling. And what turns out? Thailand is a heartland for cycling! There are even several tour operators offering organised trips. Among all the search results, I also find the audiobook 'Cycling in Thailand' by Peter de Ruiter. Since we will be in the car for a while, we decide to listen to it.
See also: our basic packing list
A terse voice sounds through the speakers: "We are on our way to Thailand, as we will be cycling there for a fortnight." Peter takes us into the world of cycling holidays and teaches us a lot. After all, the only experience we have is a weekend of bikepacking in West Brabant. Although at times we feel like we are listening to Jort Kelder reading a Jip and Janneke book, Peter's story does get us excited. So excited that we decide to actually turn this crazy idea into a plan. But where do you start if you barely know anything about a country and want to do a bike tour on your own? Here are our tips for a bikepacking trip in a foreign country.
- Check tour operators' websites
One thing is certain when you look at tour operators' cycling holidays; someone has spent a lot of time putting together a route. A second factor is that tour operators want to turn a profit and they will generally put together a route that is accessible to a large group of cyclists. Also, the photos on the website say a lot about the audience. What kind of bikes do people ride? What are they wearing? Are they super athletic? In addition, you can assume that a a tour operator does not offer cycling trips along dangerous roads. Based on this, we discovered that cycling is common in northeastern Thailand and that a cycling tour of the King's Cities is a common option.
- Join the Facebook group 'The World Cyclist'
Why invent the wheel yourself when there is a Facebook group with more than 7000 cycling enthusiasts who have taken the coolest bike rides around the world? Ask your question in De Wereldfietser and there are sure to be some friendly members answering it. For example, I myself asked if anyone had cycled in Northern Thailand before, if anyone knew a nice route and if there is an organisation I could buy a route from. Several members tipped me the travel organisation AWOL, but unfortunately they only sell complete cycling trips including flights. One Gerry replied that he was cycling in Thailand at the time and that I could follow him on Strava. And so I gleaned a few more useful facts that gave me courage to shape this plan further.
- Ask your network
Who knows, maybe that one aunt was really adventurous in her youth and you find out that she saw the coolest places by bike. Or there is a colleague who can help you further. This is also how I came into contact with De Wereldfietser through a journalist colleague. A friend of someone the follows me on Instagram turned out to have cycled a route I was unsure about and even had an address for a cycling hotel. Top!
- Build your routes using altimeters and accommodations
I don't think I need to tell you this, but don't stare blindly at the number of kilometres you cover in a day. Instead, pay attention to the number of altimeters when building a route. That way, you avoid building routes that don't suit your fitness level.
While doing so, also take into account accommodation. There are plenty of places where there are no accommodations. You will therefore have to make stages a little shorter or a little longer than is ideal. No accommodation available via Booking.com? Then check the Google Maps map and click on 'Hotels' in a search area. That way, I found a homestay in a village where obviously no tourists come. A special overnight stay with a lovely Thai lady who cooked delicious meals for us!
- Don't be in a hurry
Bikepacking in a foreign country is a fantastic adventure. So don't just focus on the bike ride, take time to loaf around and look around. Have a cup of coffee at a nice spot, take a picture of a beautiful building and enjoy the view. Therefore, don't make the stages too long. Rather choose a shorter route or take a day longer.
- Be creative
After quite a bit of Googling, it became clear to me that the Mae Hong Son Loop is a fantastic route in northwest Thailand. It is a loop of some 660 kilometres that winds right through pristine nature. It may be listed in the book 'Most epic bike rides of the world' by Lonely Planet, yet it is still relatively unknown among cyclists. Not surprising when you hear that it contains 13000 altimeters and 4000 turns with gradients ranging from 20% to sometimes 30%.
On the internet, I read that people cycle it in 5 or 6 days. That would be too hard for me and end in a fiasco. At first, therefore, I had shot it down and looked further into other routes. "But what if we cycle half the route in the same time?", I suggested to Thomas. It wouldn't make the mountains less steep, but it would make the stages more manageable. And so we ended up going for this epic bike ride! So think in possibilities when planning an itinerary and dare to go for a different approach.
Want to know more about the Mae Hong Son Loop? Then read on below for tips and stages.
Bike rental and bicycle hotel
The most logical place to start on the Mae Hong Son Loop is Chiang Mai. An overnight train runs from Bangkok. You can also fly there.
Vanilla Residence is a good base to stay before you take off. It is a real bike hotel; you can store and clean your bike and there are tools to tinker. Dutch semi-pro Adne van Engelen rents good bikes at this hotel and is always at your service with his company Chiang Mai Cycling Buddy.
Route and accommodation
In this route collection, you will find the routes Nynke and Thomas drove in Thailand.
Stage 1: Mae Hong Son Loop: Chiang Mai to Pa Pae
Accommodation: Tatanoy Homestay
- Very basic.
- Only bookable via WhatsApp.
- The owner cooks delicious food and is very friendly.
- Wake up overlooking banana trees and drink tea made from leaves from your own garden.
Mae Hong Son Loop - stage 2: Pa Pae to Pai
Accommodation: Pai Country Hut
- Walking distance from the super cozy centre full of backpackers.
- A hefty smoothie bowl can be found at Bomb Bowls. Ideal prior to a long drive.
Mae Hong Son Loop - stage 3: Pai to Soppong
Accommodation: Jungle Guest House
- A nice surprise! Much better than the photos suggested: a large and neat room with nice bathroom.
- The owner is a very enthusiastic lady who takes a photo with all her guests. She is super proud. Especially if you come by bike.
- You won't find tourists anywhere in the village; a real 'local experience'.
Mae Hong Son Loop - stage 4: Soppong to Mae Hong Son
Accommodation: Crossroads House
- Fine for a night, but there are plenty of other accommodations that are probably nicer.
- Plus point: hammocks in the garden where you can relax after a hard drive.
- The nightmarket in Mae Hong Son is bustling but laid-back. A very nice place to order treats from all kinds of street food stalls.
Mae Hong Son Loop - stage 5: Mae Hong Son to Khun Yuam
Accommodation: Khunyuam Resort
- Nice place with great views.
