Chiang Mai · Mae Hong Son Loop Stage
A 334 km loop from Mae Rim
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Why this ride
Thousands of bends, heat and a loop that deserves days. Out of Chiang Mai and back again: 334 km, roughly 6 h 25 in the saddle. It goes by way of Pai mountain road and Mae Hong Son. Doi Inthanon option is the high point. It tops out at about 1,050 m. The passes are the reason to go.
Roadbook
- Mae Rim fuel
fuel
Mae Rim is the northern gate of Chiang Mai, a sprawling town about fifteen kilometres from the old city, where the Ping river valley narrows and the hills begin. The Mae Sa valley runs west from here, and it holds waterfalls, orchid farms, butterfly houses and elephant camps, as well as a road that winds up through the forest toward the Samoeng loop. It is the sort of place that tourists find in a day and riders find for a lifetime.
For riders, Mae Rim is the start of something big. Highway 107 runs north toward Chiang Dao and the Burmese border, and farther on, Highway 1095 branches off toward Pai and Mae Hong Son, a long mountain route that has become famous for its endless bends. Riders talk about the Mae Hong Son loop in hundreds of curves, and the numbers are no exaggeration. Fuel is plentiful here, with big stations along the main road and plenty of small shops, but stations become farther apart once you climb, so it is best to fill up before you head into the hills.
Chiang Mai itself was founded in 1296 by King Mengrai as capital of the Lanna kingdom, and the old city still has its moat and brick walls, with temples at every turn. The food of the north is distinct from that of Bangkok, with khao soi, a curry noodle soup topped with crispy noodles, as the signature dish. Sai oua, a spicy herbal sausage, and sticky rice are staples, and a bowl of khao soi at a roadside stall makes a fine breakfast before the climb.
The climate matters. From November to February, the air is cool and dry, and the mornings can be cold in the hills. From March to May, smoke from agricultural burning fills the valleys with haze, and the air can be unpleasant. The rainy season, from June to October, brings green hills, but also landslides and slippery roads. Choose your season with care.
Check the bike, fill the tank, eat well and go early. The hills are waiting.
- Pai mountain road
food
Pai is a small valley town in the mountains of Mae Hong Son province, in the north-west corner of Thailand, and it has a reputation that far outweighs its size. A few thousand people live here, at a bend in the Pai River, and in the last few decades the place has attracted travellers, artists and musicians who stayed for a while and never quite left. The result is a mixture of old Shan and Yunnanese Chinese culture, backpacker cafes and a night market that sells everything from fried insects to handmade jewellery.
The road to Pai is part of the legend. Route 1095, which comes up from Mae Malai, is said to have over seven hundred bends in about a hundred kilometres, and riders count them, or claim to. The road climbs through teak forest and over a ridge before dropping into the valley, and it is a splendid ride, with well-made tarmac and a lot of traffic of its own. The corners are tight, the gradients steady, and the minibuses full of tourists take them fast, so watch for blind corners and for vehicles cutting across the line. Road accidents are common here, and helmets are essential.
Near the town, the Pai Canyon is a ridge of narrow clay ridges with steep drops on each side, and people gather there at sunset. A short ride to the hot springs at Tha Pai is a good way to ease sore muscles. Wat Phra That Mae Yen sits on a hill above the town, with a long stairway and a view across the valley. The valley itself is green, with rice fields and tobacco, and in the cool season, morning mist sits low among the trees.
Pai has a gentle climate between November and February, with cool mornings and warm afternoons. The rainy season, from May to October, brings downpours and landslides on the road, and the hot season, in March and April, is often smoky from burning in the fields and forests. The best time to ride is the cool season, with the clearest air.
Fuel is available in town, and there are many cafes, restaurants and guesthouses. Ask around for a reliable bike mechanic if you need one, as there are a few. A bowl of khao soi, the northern curry noodles, is the local dish to try.
- Mae Hong Son
sleep
Mae Hong Son sits at the end of one of the best-known motorcycle journeys in Thailand, in a bowl of hills right up against the Myanmar border. The town is small, with about nine thousand residents, and its southern and western streets are overlooked by mountains that trap fog in the cool season. Locals call it the city of three mists, and on a December morning you can ride out of town into a world where the lake and temples float on white cloud.
The best known road here is the loop from Chiang Mai through Pai, the route that is advertised as having close to two thousand curves. Most riders take it by way of Highway 1095, which twists over forested ridges from Pai, climbing and falling constantly. Surfaces are good, but corners come fast, with gravel, wet leaves and the odd stray dog or truck on the wrong side. Take your time. The reward is views of layered hills that fade into blue haze, and the pleasure of rolling into town as the afternoon light turns gold.
The town shows its Shan heritage, the people known as Tai Yai in Thailand, who came from across the border. Two temples beside Chong Kham lake, Wat Chong Kham and Wat Chong Klang, have the white and gold stupas and tiered roofs of Burmese style, and in the evening they are reflected in the water. On a hill above town, Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu looks over the valley, and it is a favourite place to watch the sunrise breaking above the mist. In the morning the market sells Shan noodles and sticky rice snacks.
Fuel is easy in town, but the mountain roads between Pai and Mae Hong Son are long, so top up before the climb. The cool season from November to February is the best time, with clear skies and crisp air. In the hot months from March to April, farmers burn their fields and smoke settles in the valleys, and in the rainy season from June to October, landslides and mud can close sections of road, although the hills turn intensely green. Hotels and guesthouses are plentiful, so the rider's evening is usually decided by how tired the arms are.
- Doi Inthanon option
high
Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand, at 2,565 metres, and the road to the top is a pleasure for anyone who likes to climb. From Chom Thong, a market town on the plain, Route 1009 winds up through the national park, passing waterfalls, villages and layers of forest, and reaching a summit that is cold, damp and often wrapped in cloud. Temperatures at the top can fall close to freezing on winter nights, a surprise for a country known for heat, and it is wise to pack a warm layer.
The mountain is the southern end of the Himalayan chain's outliers, and the forest on its upper slopes is a rare habitat, a cloud forest where moss hangs from every branch and ferns and orchids cover the trees. Birdwatchers love it, and it holds more than three hundred species, including some found nowhere else in Thailand. The Ang Ka nature trail, near the summit, is a short boardwalk through a mossy forest. Two large pagodas near the top were built by the Royal Thai Air Force to honour the king and queen, and the gardens around them are bright with flowers.
Karen and Hmong people live on the mountain, and their villages grow coffee, strawberries and vegetables on terraces. Waterfalls fall in tiers on the way up, and the largest, Wachirathan and Mae Ya, are worth a stop. After rain, they thunder, and the spray is cool on a hot day. The summit has a small marker and a spot of national pride, and in the cool season, a crowd gathers to watch the sunrise.
The ride up is steady, with good tarmac, some steep ramps and many bends, and few straight stretches. The road is narrow near the top and traffic can be heavy at weekends. Take it slowly, because fog and rain can reduce visibility quickly, and the road can be slippery. The park charges an entry fee, which includes the motorbike. Early starts are best, before cloud builds and the tour buses arrive.
Services on the mountain are limited, with small restaurants and stalls near the summit, but fuel is a matter for the plain. Chom Thong, about twenty-seven kilometres away, has stations and food. Fill up there, and bring cash and a jacket.
- Back to Mae Rim fuel
finish
Back at Mae Rim fuel. That is the ride.