Chiang Mai - Phu Chi Fa - Chiang Khong (on a Harley)

[KTMphil]

The weather is perfect, cool mornings, warm afternoons & mild evenings. Everywhere is still green, the Phu Chi Fa area is beautiful

 

[KTMphil]

A quick trip up to Chiang Khong, if you've got a few hours extra spare, going via Phu Chi Fa is fantastic

 

[KTMphil]

Eastwards towards the Laos border towards the Phu Chi Fa region, the views were breathtaking

 

[KTMphil]

Where R 1155 joins the crazy R 4018 west of Phu Chi Fa was as wild and overgrown as i've seen it

Then the first glimpses of the one the craziest roads in Thailand - the twisty R 4018

 

[KTMphil]

R 4018 as you start it, the switch-backs at the top are as crazy as i've ever seen

 

[KTMphil]

A couple more Phu Chi Fa shots from R 1093

Another lookout, looking east at Phu Chi Fa

 

[KTMphil]

R 4029 north of Phu Chi Fa

Westen end of R 4018 as it descends the mountain range to join R 1020

 

[KTMphil]

R 1155 south of Chiang Khong skirting the Mekong River

 

[KTMphil]

Into Chiang Khong with some time to spare and a quick tour around Wat Luang Chai Sathan

More on this beautiful temple in the link below:

http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-...luang-chai-sathan-chiang-khong.html#post22783

 

[KTMphil]

I wanted to try somewhere different in Chiang Khong, so gave the Green Inn a shot, 500 Bht incl. aircon., good value

Rooms were new and clean, the only trade off is no river view

 

[KTMphil]

Dinner at the 999 Bar, I think has some of the best food in Chiang khong

A stroll north up the main street, the new Rider's Coffee seems to be doing well, here some BMW Thai rider's from Hot stopping by

 

[KTMphil]

A new GH in town worth trying in Chiang Khong - The Siam Riverside GH & Restaurant

 

[KTMphil]

The Teak Garden GH at the north end of town is high end and good value - 1,800 bht

The Day Waterfront Hotel looks like its got excellent views and doesn't look too old

 

[KTMphil]

The Banmai GH looks like its seen better days

Boom House looked pretty tired too

 

[KTMphil]

The next morning, a chilly, foggy start in Chiang Khong

Breakfast at Rider's Coffee in Chiang Khong, Mai ("Mike" the owner) was there & was about to head back to Bangkok. We have a bunch of friends in common from the Commander City Bike Club.

A reproduction his engineering company made of a vintage Harley

 

[KTMphil]

Then off to see how the bridge is coming along from the Thai side. You can't go straight to the bridge now, there's a dirt road to the south you have to take, everything is fenced off because the span is complete (you could walk across to Laos).

The first coffee vendor on the road to the Chiang Khong bridge! I'm sure they'll be hundreds.

 

[KTMphil]

Then a blast back to Chiang Mai on a beautiful day - 2 great days of riding.

 

[KTMphil]

With a quick stop at the Charin of course

Packed with German tourists

2 Thai rider's on Ducati Monster's - looks like the secret's out

On the way back - shaping the rice paddy after rainy season, they must have good access to water

 

[yychow0812]

Thanks to Lone Rider who suggested going via Phu Chi Fa on my way to Chiang Khong from Nan.

 

[MartinThai]

That Sporty looks the Bees Bollox in those pics Phil..... you could park a Versys or an Africa Twin or a fully kitted GS or a H-D Ultra or whatever, and it wouldn't look the same...... but a lil grunter like your Sporty with that backdrop looks bloody terrific.

 

[KTMphil]

That Sporty looks the Bees Bollox in those pics Phil..... you could park a Versys or an Africa Twin or a fully kitted GS or a H-D Ultra or whatever, and it wouldn't look the same...... but a lil grunter like your Sporty with that backdrop looks bloody terrific.

Thanks Martin - I agree with you, Harley really have got the looks of the 48 right to try and attract a new customer base

 

[KTMphil]

yy --- Looks like you enjoyed Phu Chi Fa as much as I did - Great to meet you in Chiang Mai.

Thanks to Lone Rider who suggested going via Phu Chi Fa on my way to Chiang Khong from Nan.

 

[yychow0812]

yy --- Looks like you enjoyed Phu Chi Fa as much as I did - Great to meet you in Chiang Mai.

Loved every minute of my trip. Had some worrying moments when I had no idea where I was and where (presumably) the 1093 was leading, GPS kept telling me to turn round (which I didn't fancy) and the sun was slowly but surely beginning to set. I had to get off the 1093 before it got too dark as in parts, it was quite badly potholed and graveled.

All went well though - we stopped to ask a local if we could hit Chiang Khong by staying on the road and he replied in the affirmative, there's a bridge further on which was not shown on the GPS, just keep going and we will reach Wiang Kaen. All's well that ends well.

 

[Captain_Slash]

Phil how comfortable is the 48 on long journeys?

 

[k0diak]

Thanks Martin - I agree with you, Harley really have got the looks of the 48 right to try and attract a new customer base

Please don't make me wanting to ride a Harley!

 

[KTMphil]

200km seems to be the pivot-able point where the rear end starts to ache.

Phil how comfortable is the 48 on long journeys?

 

[Captain_Slash]

About the same as my Sportster with the standard seat then, now with the touring bucket seat I have rode 640 km in a day in comfort

 

[2wheels]

Excellent!
Sure is magnificent up in that area right now.
That T-shirt looks terrific too.

 

[Gnasher328]

Hi Phil.
Great write up, those pics have convinced me to try the Phu Chi Fa route for my visa run this week. (Doesn't seem like two months here)
Tim.

 

[Gnasher328]

Dusty Laos

R 1155 south of Chiang Khong skirting the Mekong River

Hi Phil
Did you notice the thick red strip on the Laos side. I saw huge clouds of dust being thrown up fron convoys, not much fun to get stuck behind.
Coincidentaly I got talking to a bloke in the condo garage who said he was off to Laos soon. I mentioned the dust and he said 'Aha...' and pulled a full industrial respirator he had just bought out of his bag.
T.

 

[KTMphil]

I don't remember seeing that when I was there Tim, it could have changed since with the high winds associated with the storms we had a few weeks back.

 

[KTMphil]

Tim - I've been thinking more about your comments regarding roads on the Laos side of the Mekong River & there is an unmade road that heads south to Pakbeng (from Houay Xai) which is red clay, maybe that is what you're referring to, unmade road R 2201.



View attachment 14826
Map Copyright www.laosGPSmap.com permission to copy required

 

[Gnasher328]

Yes, quite likely. Just thought to Googlearth it, although a lot of Thailand is not well featured so Laos possibly worse.
T.

 

[Loop]

Tim - I've been thinking more about your comments regarding roads on the Laos side of the Mekong River & there is an unmade road that heads south to Pakbeng (from Houay Xai) which is red clay, maybe that is what you're referring to, unmade road R 2201.

Yeah thats the one.All the trees beside it are red from the dust clinging to them from passing trucks or at least thats the way it looked last month when we went through there.