Chiang Mai -> Sukhothai -> MHS Loop: How Long is Too Long

mitchb

Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2019
Location
US
Bikes
lots of broken bikes
Hello Everyone,

Before I kick off this Ride Report, I need to figure out my route.

I'll be in Thailand in a couple of weeks, need a little bit of info on traveling there.

Background: I've traveled thru Vietnam and India before, the backroads going was s-l-o-w. 250km was a long day in Northern Vietnam.

From the videos I've seen, the roads in Thailand look to be in much better condition and speeds look to be much faster.



Question #1: Is Chiang Mai to Sukhothai doable in 5 to 6 hours of riding?
-- Sukhothai is 290km SSE of Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai International Airport to Sukhothai Historical Park
-- Google says it's 4 hours away, is this realistic in Thailand?
-- I usually add 25-50% more time than what google estimates for exploring backroads and stops = 5 to 6 hours to go 300km.


Question #2: Are museums and temples and other tourist sights closed on Mondays in Thailand?
-- Google indicates that Sukhothai will be open, but Google has burnt me before...


Question #3: What's the petty theft situation in Thailand?
-- Do I need to rent a bike with hard panniers to keep my stuff from being stolen while the bike sits in a carpark?
---- OR ----
-- Will my drybag be right where I left it on the back of the bike when I come back from touring a temple 3 or 4 hours later?


Question #4: What bike do I rent?
-- I normally get whatever the locals are riding, but Thai roads seem pretty wide and fast compared to India and Vietnam.
-- Recommended bike for 5-6 hour days in the saddle?
-- Who has the best maintained fleet in Chiang Mai?


Thanks!

-Mitch
 
1. Around 300 kms from CM to Sukhothai and definetively possible to ride that on 4 hours. But then again, if you ride a beat up Honda Wave 100 cc or for example a 650 V-Strom would make a huge difference. And also 4 hours doesnt allow much time for photo stops, coffeebreaks and occational stops to check out whatever you fancy down the road. So I would say 5-6 hours would be a more realistic time schedule. Its always good to plan some extra time so in case something happen one arent immediately out of time.

2. Museums I dont know about but other tourist attractions are not closed on mondays afaik.

3. Theft are not a big problem in Thailand, you will for example see that most thais leave their helmets unlocked on their bikes while in a store shopping, or in a restaurant eating etc. Something that is unheard of in most other parts of the world. (And I have travelled around the world on a motorbike full of gear so I should know...)
But dont be naive. Occation makes thief also in Thailand. Valuables should be locked down in a pannier or carried in a bag when youre on sightseing or eating in a restaurant. Common sense is practical to use in Thailand too. Dont leave valuables unlocked on your bike anywhere. If not possible to lock, ask for example the ticket office in the place you visit if they can keep your stuff, or even a souvenir shop. The latter I would offer a few baht to look after my stuff. Just in case and for piece of mind.

4. You can rent whatever size of bike you like. Many different options for all kinds of budgets. 3-4000 baht a month for a automatic 100-125 cc. Locals ride around on 100-125 automatic and semi automatics, but maybe not the best choice for long distance riding - although completely possible if thats what you like.
250 cc like Honda Crfs rents for 800 baht a day. 700 baht a day should be possible for multi day rents.
Honda Cb500X is also a good choice, goes for around 1200 baht a day I think. Kawasaki Versus 650 or Suzuki V-Stroms 650 goes for around 1800 baht a day.
 
I agree the Honda CB 500X would be a very good choice for what you want to do.

Riders Corner would be where I would ask about renting one from.

 
- Flights are booked
- CB500X is lined up from Ian
- I arrive on a Saturday afternoon, departing the following Saturday, leaving 6 days of riding + exploring.


Now I just need to finalize the route- do I go North or South?


Option 1: Chiang Mai -> Sukhothai -> MHS Loop -> Chiang Mai

Sukhothai looks really cool, but it is a long ways south.

I haven't been to Ayutthaya, nor have I been to Angkor Wat. How does Sukhothai compare? Is it a must-do or should I just go to Angkor Wat on a separate trip?



Option 2: Chiang Mai -> Golden Triangle Region -> Mae Sai (only to step foot into Myanmar) -> MHS Loop -> Chiang Mai

There look to be a lot of cool roads up in the Northern part of Thailand, but how about other sites to see? Searching around on google there is the Opium Museum near the golden triangle, and some cool street art in Mae Sai. Anything else for a gearhead / history buff?

I kind of want to go just so I can cross the border into Myanmar, but it doesn't look like there is a whole lot to do over there besides have a beer that has a red + green label instead of a gold + green label.



- I've never been to Bangkok, but at some point I will probably go there as it is a relatively easy destination from Korea (where I occasionally have business trips)
- This might be my one and only trip to Northern Thailand, as I'm traveling solo this time. My girlfriend is tired of traveling around SE Asia on the back of a motorcycle and getting wet + cold, hot + sweaty, and bitten by bugs. Direct quote "Why can't we ever do anything the easy way!?!"

Opinions?
 
- Flights are booked
- CB500X is lined up from Ian
- I arrive on a Saturday afternoon, departing the following Saturday, leaving 6 days of riding + exploring.


Now I just need to finalize the route- do I go North or South?


Option 1: Chiang Mai -> Sukhothai -> MHS Loop -> Chiang Mai

Sukhothai looks really cool, but it is a long ways south.

I haven't been to Ayutthaya, nor have I been to Angkor Wat. How does Sukhothai compare? Is it a must-do or should I just go to Angkor Wat on a separate trip?



Option 2: Chiang Mai -> Golden Triangle Region -> Mae Sai (only to step foot into Myanmar) -> MHS Loop -> Chiang Mai

There look to be a lot of cool roads up in the Northern part of Thailand, but how about other sites to see? Searching around on google there is the Opium Museum near the golden triangle, and some cool street art in Mae Sai. Anything else for a gearhead / history buff?

I kind of want to go just so I can cross the border into Myanmar, but it doesn't look like there is a whole lot to do over there besides have a beer that has a red + green label instead of a gold + green label.



- I've never been to Bangkok, but at some point I will probably go there as it is a relatively easy destination from Korea (where I occasionally have business trips)
- This might be my one and only trip to Northern Thailand, as I'm traveling solo this time. My girlfriend is tired of traveling around SE Asia on the back of a motorcycle and getting wet + cold, hot + sweaty, and bitten by bugs. Direct quote "Why can't we ever do anything the easy way!?!"

Opinions?
Mae Hong Son loop is a great ride to do in North Thailand. If you went to Sukatai first you could go to Mae Sot then north to join the Loop at Mae Sariang. I've only cycled this route so I don't know how long it would be on a motorbike.
 
- Flights are booked
- CB500X is lined up from Ian
- I arrive on a Saturday afternoon, departing the following Saturday, leaving 6 days of riding + exploring.


Now I just need to finalize the route- do I go North or South?


Option 1: Chiang Mai -> Sukhothai -> MHS Loop -> Chiang Mai

Sukhothai looks really cool, but it is a long ways south.

I haven't been to Ayutthaya, nor have I been to Angkor Wat. How does Sukhothai compare? Is it a must-do or should I just go to Angkor Wat on a separate trip?



Option 2: Chiang Mai -> Golden Triangle Region -> Mae Sai (only to step foot into Myanmar) -> MHS Loop -> Chiang Mai

There look to be a lot of cool roads up in the Northern part of Thailand, but how about other sites to see? Searching around on google there is the Opium Museum near the golden triangle, and some cool street art in Mae Sai. Anything else for a gearhead / history buff?

I kind of want to go just so I can cross the border into Myanmar, but it doesn't look like there is a whole lot to do over there besides have a beer that has a red + green label instead of a gold + green label.



- I've never been to Bangkok, but at some point I will probably go there as it is a relatively easy destination from Korea (where I occasionally have business trips)
- This might be my one and only trip to Northern Thailand, as I'm traveling solo this time. My girlfriend is tired of traveling around SE Asia on the back of a motorcycle and getting wet + cold, hot + sweaty, and bitten by bugs. Direct quote "Why can't we ever do anything the easy way!?!"

Opinions?

The Sukhothai temples are interesting but nowhere near Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Spend 2-3 hours there and you have seen all. At Angkhor Wat you can spend days to see different temples. The good things about the Sukhothai temples is that its not very crowded and easy accsess and cheap too. At Angkhor Wat there is always thousands of others, its insanely crowded (at least both times I was there) and expensive too.

Route suggestion:

Day 1. Chiang Mai to Sukhothai, 9 am to 3 pm. Sightseing at Sukhothai temples 3 hours 3-6 pm.
Day 2. Sukhothai - Tak - then turn north on R1 some kms, turn left on R1175 (fantastic winding road) then R105 to Mae Sariang and R108 to Mae Hong Son.
Day 3. Stay in Mae Hong Son. Spend a day checking out sightseing spots in the area such as the amazing village of Ban Rak Thai, visit the Long Neck village of Huay Pa Keng,visit the temple on the hill just above MHS. Have an iced coffee at the coffeshop behind the temple and enjoy the view down on Mae Hong Son. Watch down on airplanes landing at MHS airport, a really cool sight if you ask me. Enjoy the nightmarket set up around the lake in the middle of MHS, its really something unique.
Day 4. MHS to Chiang Rai. R1095 to Pai, then to Mae Teng, turn left into R107 to Fang, turn right into R105 and continue to R118 and R1 to Chiang Rai. Great nightmarket in CR too, check it out!
Day 5. Chiang Rai to Golden Triangle via Mae Sai. There will be not much riding, you can check out the border market in Mae Sai and cross the border if you like. Not that interesting if you ask me, but totally possible.
Then ride down to GT and check out the area, visit the opium muesum.
Day 6. GT to Nan, using R1148, one of the best if not THE BEST rides in Thailand.
From GT down to Chiang Kham where the 1148 starts and then R1148 from start to end.
Then R101 from Tha Wang Pa to Nan.
Day 7. Nan to Chaing Mai
R1091 - another great ride from Nan until it turns into 1021 to Payao. Maybe lunch at the shores of Lake Payao? Then R1 south, then turn right into R120 follow to R118 back to Chiang Mai.

Just a suggestion...?
 
Good suggestions. I will email you some links to info too, Mitch. See you soon
 
Awesome thank you for the route suggestions -- 2000km is at least 2 weeks of riding at my stop and smell the flowers pace (2 weeks was my original plan, but it got hacked down to 6 days).

1572913150967.png



Looking at the map it seems that I could cut off Sukhothai and still see a lot of the north.

Is MHS to Chiang Rai (419km) doable in a day?

How muddy do the roads get when it rains? My only reference is Vietnam, and when it rains in northern VN the roads can become slick with clay. Speeds drop from 40-50kph to 20kph.
 
Next question (sorry about all the questions):

CM to MHS on a Sunday? Or is there going to be a ton of slow traffic?

1572915917259.png



That would be the longest day, most other days about 5-5.5hrs in the saddle:

1572916278520.png
 
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MHS to Chiang Rai can be done in a day depending on minibus traffic from MHS to the 107 and your ability to get through them.

Mud on the roads, we'll this year has been one of the driest, unless we have some very late rains it should be clear.
 
You will easily do much more distance in Thailand on a 500 cc bike compared to Vietnam on a 125 cc(?).

I did Mae Hong Son to Chiang Rai on my 250 cc bike with a pillion 2-3 years back. An we had plenty of stops along the road. But I will admit it was a relatively long day.

Chiang Mai to MHS is a relatively easy one day ride whichever route you take.

But of course, to stress it is never any cool and to try to bite over more than you can chew is the same.
 
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