Why this ride
A dense sequence of passes, valleys and viewpoint roads. It also links naturally to Northern Thailand highlands.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Mae Hong Son Loop
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 471 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 8 h 31
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
The recorded total and the leg detail need reconciliation. Inspect the leg notes before using this record for timing or navigation. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Access context
Verify local licence, insurance, smoke season and road condition. Specific flag: smoke season; traffic; landslides.
Seasonal context
Nov-Feb
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai rests in a broad valley in northern Thailand, ringed by mountains, and its old centre is a perfect square, bounded by a moat and the remains of brick walls. King Mengrai founded it in 1296 as the capital of the Lanna kingdom, a rich northern state with its own language, script and style of temple, and the old city still holds dozens of wats, glinting with gold leaf and carved teak. Doi Suthep, the mountain rising to the west, is crowned by a temple that is visible from the city at night.
Read the complete Chiang Mai write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Chiang Mai sits at 0 km, early in the day. Next is Pai.
2. Pai
Pai is a small town in a green bowl of hills in the far north-west of Thailand, near the Burmese border, and it has been a backpacker retreat for decades. The Pai river winds through a valley of rice paddies and tobacco fields at about five hundred metres, and the mountains around it hold bamboo huts, hot springs, waterfalls and the villages of Shan, Lisu, Lahu and Chinese Yunnanese communities. The town itself is a cheerful tangle of guesthouses, bars, cafes and craft shops, with a night market along the walking street, where stalls sell grilled corn, fruit shakes, noodles and handmade bags.
Read the complete Pai write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Pai comes up 85 km in. Next is Mae Hong Son.
3. Mae Hong Son
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.
Read the complete Mae Hong Son write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
171 km in you reach Mae Hong Son. Next is Chiang Mai.
4. Chiang Mai
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Chiang Mai write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Chiang Mai, late in the day.
Recorded source links
More motorcycle rides nearby
- Chiang Mai · Mae Hong Son Loop Stage · 533 km
- Mae Hong Son Loop: Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son · 236 km
- Mae Hong Son Loop · 655 km
- Mae Hong Son Loop: Chiang Mai to Mae Sariang · 398 km