North Thailand by Road Bike

We meet at our tour hotel in the early afternoon and set out for a warm-up ride around Chiang Rai. Our main stop is the city’s most iconic landmark, the White Temple, known for its striking fusion of Buddhist architecture and surreal modern art, symbolizing the Buddha’s teachings in a contemporary context. After taking in the temple’s intricate details, we’ll loop back to our hotel and reconvene in the evening for a stroll through Chiang Rai’s lively Night Bazaar followed by a welcome dinner. Please let us know if you require assistance with airport transfers and pre-tour hotel bookings.

We manoeuvre out of Chiang Rai, riding on a provincial throughway until, after around 45 km, we branch onto a secondary road that takes us into the remote highlands of Wa Wi. Our first leg-testing climb rewards us with views of the Mae Suai Reservoir. Following a brisk descent, the ride turns into an undulating journey through a lush valley of jungles, farmlands, hill tribe villages, and endless mountain vistas. Around the 84-km mark, we meet the day's main challenge: a winding 15-km climb to the top of a pass located at an elevation of just over 1,000 metres above sea level. It’s not a continuous grind, however; a few relieving dips, flat stretches, and, of course, stunning views make it a thoroughly enjoyable challenge. We’ll take a breather at a viewpoint at the top of the pass and then embark on a 10-km downhill into the valley of the Mae Kok River, riding on the plains to our riverside resort, where peaceful gardens and a refreshing pool await.

Today’s ride takes us to the captivating Golden Triangle, nestled in the far northeast of Chiang Rai Province, where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos converge at the majestic confluence of the Mekong River. We’ll have our work cut out for us to get there! Starting eastward for 20 km along the main provincial road, we ride through rolling, farm-covered hills, some crowned by Buddhist stupas. From here, a series of climbs leads us into the slopes of the Mae Salong mountains, famed for tea plantations and a Chinese heritage. Two particularly challenging 5-km ascents bring us into double-digit gradients, but each pass rewards us with sweeping views and refreshing descents. By the 50-km mark, the climbs are behind us, and the second half of the ride leads through the fertile rice-growing region of eastern Chiang Rai Province to the riverside town of Chiang Saen, the gateway to the Golden Triangle. The final part of the journey has us skirting alongside Chiang Saen’s crumbling ancient fortification walls before we saddle off at our lovely hotel on the Mekong – perfect for a sunset toast to today’s feat!

After a full-throttle start to the tour and with more tough climbs ahead, today’s ride allows us to take it easy as we follow the winding course of the Mekong River through the expansive rice basin of eastern Chiang Rai Province. The fertile, silt-rich land along the Mekong presents a vibrant patchwork of greens as we ride through endless agricultural fields and the communities that cultivate them. We pass fruit orchards, paddy fields, and banana plantations, alongside more developed areas in this thriving commercial region. Just across the river lies Laos. While the road doesn’t always offer views of the Mekong, there are standout sections where we can fully appreciate the landscape’s grandeur. And although the route is generally flat, expect some undulations and one very short but steep climb to the top of a ridge. We’ll conclude our ride in the small border town of Chiang Khong, arriving in time for lunch. You’ll have the afternoon free to relax at our riverside hotel and stroll along the boardwalk.

Get ready for one of the tour’s major climbing feats and a real badge of honour for road cyclists in Thailand: the Phu Chi Fah ascent. We kick off with a warm-up, traversing 50 km along the plains of the Mekong River and through a valley nestled between two mountain ridges. Once we merge onto a winding highland road, the serious climbing begins. The first, and most demanding, ascent spans nearly 800 metres over 5 km of continuous uphill. After a well-deserved break at a viewpoint, we encounter undulations along a ridge at 1,200 m above sea level where patchwork fields are carved into the mountainsides, including crops like cabbage, corn, strawberries, and lychees. Our journey culminates at the summit of Phu Chi Fah, a favourite retreat for Thais seeking cool weather and sweeping panoramas of the mountains and valleys of neighbouring Laos. Tonight, we’ll stay at a cosy, basic Thai-style hotel consisting of bungalows, where you can enjoy the crisp and cool mountain air as a reward for today’s impressive achievement.

If you want to catch one of Thailand’s most epic sunrises, get up early and head to the Phu Chi Fah Viewpoint, accessible via a short drive and hike. From a steep cliff, you’ll watch as the sun illuminates mist-filled valleys and the jungle-covered peaks of Laos beyond. It’s all weather-dependent, of course, and our guide will discuss options with you the night before! Either way, after breakfast, we saddle-up and begin our descent back into the plains. The first 20 km is a continuation of the same undulating ridge from the previous day, but then it’s all downhill along a twisty road enveloped by waves of lush jungle foliage. It can get steep, so we take it slow and regroup at the mountain’s base (around 35 km). From here, it’s a long, mostly flat ride through the rice-growing basin of Phayao Province. This developed agricultural region includes some busier stretches along wide provincial roads, but we’ll stick to quieter secondary routes as much as possible. We end in the provincial capital of Phayao which sits on the shores of a large, scenic lake framed by mountains.

We begin today’s route with a lovely ride along the shores of Lake Phayao. Vital to the region’s ecology and economy, keep your eyes peeled for birdlife and fishing boats as we skirt the edges of this vibrant wetland. After around 10 km, we veer away from the lake and follow rural roads into the foothills of the imposing Doi Luang Mountain. Then, it’s time to tackle our first pass of the day! Following a meandering road through the southern part of Doi Luang National Park, we climb approximately 12 km to a scenic viewpoint before descending into the Wang River Valley. The gradients range between 2-6% on both the up and downhills. Next, we traverse the rice-covered valley floor along an undulating provincial road before a final and steeper pass brings us into the Pa Pao Valley, where we conclude our ride. Tonight’s hotel may be basic, but its location beside a Buddhist temple and school provides us with an immersive experience in the rustic countryside of northern Thailand.

We begin today’s route with a 20 km ride north through the Pa Pao Valley, easing into the day before a twisty, steep 5 km climb provides the first real test for our legs. A brief but rewarding downhill then transitions us to our next challenge – a 15 km gradual ascent into the eastern fringes of Chiang Mai Province along a winding highland road bordered by dense forests. At the top of the pass, we catch a breather, then enjoy a nearly 20 km freewheeling descent into the Phrao Valley, a wide, low-lying agricultural area encircled on all sides by the lush mountains of Sri Lanna National Park. We follow the valley south on a flat road for around 30 km before a final short climb brings us to higher elevations again, concluding our ride at Bua Tong Waterfall. Known as the “sticky waterfall” for its unique grippy limestone surface, we’ll take time to explore and cool down before transferring around an hour to our riverside hotel in Chiang Mai.

We end our adventure by cycling the Samoeng Loop, one of Chiang Mai’s most iconic road cycling routes, celebrated for its serene, winding roads flanked by lush jungle foliage. After a brief 30-minute transfer from the hotel to our starting point, we set out through the forested foothills of Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. Our ride begins with a gentle 15 km stretch, gradually warming us up before we tackle a series of twisty climbs that lead us to the Samoeng viewpoint, perched at around 1,100 metres above sea level. After a well-deserved break to soak in the stunning vistas, we descend into the Mae Sa River Valley, passing through vibrant forests and agricultural fields, with the possibility of spotting elephants at one of the camps lining the road! We then have a few km along the main road before ending our ride at the Huay Tueng Thao Reservoir. This is a favourite recreation spot for Chiang Mai locals, featuring a large lake surrounded by forests and traffic-free roads. Keep your eyes out for some large and whimsical straw statues! From here we transfer back to the hotel and in the evening reconvene for our celebratory farewell dinner.

Our tour has come to an end. Extend your stay in Chiang Mai, explore other parts of Thailand, or head to the airport for your flight home. Please let us know if you need assistance with hotel bookings or airport transfers after the trip.