Cycle Wallah
Member
I did a two day ride through Salween National Park starting on Christmas eve last year so here's a quick report.
My route took me from Mae Sariang town to Ban Tha Ta Fang on the Salween river. Along the river to Ban Mae Sam Laep and finally back to Mae Sariang.
From Mae Sariang I headed for the park office just outside Mae Sariang. Someone at the entrance said go to the office I suppose to pay. But no one was around so I carried on along the road.
The road through the park is paved for a while and was being repaired in places but finally gave way to dirt. No traffic,just a couple of motorbikes.
It's a double track dirt road for a while with a climb. Eventually levelling out with a cool view.
The track soons starts to break down and you get your first glimpse of the river. And the first of many river crossings.
And some small locally made bridges with nosy water buffalo.
And then it's just river crossing after river crossing. Around 60 altogether in about 50 kms. Sometimes the river becomes the trail for a while.
Then there's some single track and more buffalo. It's easy to lose the trail. I lost it a few times due to being overgrown. But if you really lose it you just head for the river and will soon be back on track.
Saw a sign that was something to do with fish. There are small parts of land where there is some agriculture.
I'd done around 50km but a hard 50km and found a place to camp just before Tha Ta Fang for the night. In the morning I continued on to Tha Ta Fang and saw the Salween river for the first time.
There's a good dirt road from Tha Ta Fang to Ban Mae Sam Laep right along the Salween river. And by mid morning I arrived at Mae Sam Laep for an early lunch.
Found a big,golden fish in the town.
Mae Sam Laep is an interesting place with a mix of Karen people,Thai and Muslims from Burma who look like Bangladeshis. You can go on a long tail boat from here. I found somewhere for lunch before continuing on the 1194 back Mae Sariang.
I really enjoyed this two day ride. But be prepared to get wet feet. From Mae Sam Laep you can go further along the Salween and come out further south of Mae Sariang. Next time.
My route took me from Mae Sariang town to Ban Tha Ta Fang on the Salween river. Along the river to Ban Mae Sam Laep and finally back to Mae Sariang.
From Mae Sariang I headed for the park office just outside Mae Sariang. Someone at the entrance said go to the office I suppose to pay. But no one was around so I carried on along the road.
The road through the park is paved for a while and was being repaired in places but finally gave way to dirt. No traffic,just a couple of motorbikes.
It's a double track dirt road for a while with a climb. Eventually levelling out with a cool view.
The track soons starts to break down and you get your first glimpse of the river. And the first of many river crossings.
And some small locally made bridges with nosy water buffalo.
And then it's just river crossing after river crossing. Around 60 altogether in about 50 kms. Sometimes the river becomes the trail for a while.
Then there's some single track and more buffalo. It's easy to lose the trail. I lost it a few times due to being overgrown. But if you really lose it you just head for the river and will soon be back on track.
Saw a sign that was something to do with fish. There are small parts of land where there is some agriculture.
I'd done around 50km but a hard 50km and found a place to camp just before Tha Ta Fang for the night. In the morning I continued on to Tha Ta Fang and saw the Salween river for the first time.
There's a good dirt road from Tha Ta Fang to Ban Mae Sam Laep right along the Salween river. And by mid morning I arrived at Mae Sam Laep for an early lunch.
Found a big,golden fish in the town.
Mae Sam Laep is an interesting place with a mix of Karen people,Thai and Muslims from Burma who look like Bangladeshis. You can go on a long tail boat from here. I found somewhere for lunch before continuing on the 1194 back Mae Sariang.
I really enjoyed this two day ride. But be prepared to get wet feet. From Mae Sam Laep you can go further along the Salween and come out further south of Mae Sariang. Next time.
