10 Day Motorcycle Tour (Amazing Thailand) from Chiang Mai

Northern Thailand is made for two wheels, and this 10-day motorcycle tour links its best riding roads into one long loop. You climb through Doi Inthanon, trace the mountain roads around Mae Hong Son and Pai, reach the Golden Triangle, and finish among the temples of Sukhothai. I like the mix of serious riding and local stops, especially the tea country around Doi Mae Salong and the wooden ferry across the Sirikit Dam reservoir.

I also like the practical setup: unlimited motorcycle mileage, a support van, riding gear, meals, and a maximum group of 10. The main caution is the pace. Most days are planned for about seven hours, often on narrow, twisty roads. Riders should be comfortable handling a large motorcycle for long periods, including in wet conditions. The day in Nan gives you a needed break.

Key points before you book

• Ten days, nine nights: The loop begins and ends at the Big Bike Tours office on Ragang Road in Chiang Mai.
• A serious northern Thailand route: You ride through Mae Hong Son, Pai, Chiang Rai, Nan, Phayao, Uttaradit, and Sukhothai.
• Up to 10 riders: A small group makes road instructions and daily organization easier.
• Meals and hotels are included: Nine breakfasts, nine lunches, nine dinners, and nine hotel nights are part of the package.
• Support is built in: A road captain leads on a motorcycle, while a van carries luggage and can hold a few riders by prior request.
• The roads are the main event: R1148, R1081 near Bo Kluea, and the mountain roads around Nan are highlights for riders who enjoy bends more than straight highways.

Why this route works so well on two wheels

This is not a sightseeing tour with occasional motorcycle transport. The road is the central attraction. You spend long stretches climbing, turning, descending, and crossing high country, with temples, villages, rice fields, tea farms, and border views giving the riding a sense of place.

The route also avoids giving you only one type of Thailand. You get forested highlands around Doi Inthanon, the cultural mix of Mae Hong Son, the easygoing feel of Pai, Chinese tea country near Doi Mae Salong, the border atmosphere of the Golden Triangle, rural Nan and Phayao, and the ancient temple grounds of Sukhothai.

The tour costs $3,750 per person. That is a sizeable fee, but the package includes most of the expensive pieces: a motorcycle with unlimited mileage, nine nights, all main meals, a professional road captain, motorcycle insurance with a deductible of up to $1,000, third-party liability insurance, riding equipment, airport pickup, and luggage support.

You still pay for airfare, visa costs, travel insurance, alcohol, and personal purchases. I would pay close attention to the travel insurance requirement, since the motorcycle policy does not replace your own appropriate cover. The deductible also matters. You should understand what damage could leave you responsible for up to $1,000.

Day 1: Doi Inthanon and the road to Mae Sariang

The tour gets moving from Chiang Mai at 8:30 a.m. The first day heads south toward Doi Inthanon National Park, home to Thailand’s highest peak at 2,565 meters. This is a sensible opening day because you can get used to the motorcycle on highway sections before the route becomes more demanding.

The road then turns into the kind of winding mountain riding that defines the tour. Mae Sariang is the overnight target, giving you a quieter base after the climb through the highlands.

I like this first day because it combines a clear geographic achievement with time to settle into the bike. You are not thrown straight into the tightest roads. Still, seven hours in the saddle is not a gentle introduction. Use the included jacket, gloves, helmet, and knee guards, and treat the first day as a chance to learn the group’s rhythm.

Day 2: Mae Hong Son, mountain curves, and Pai

After breakfast, you leave Mae Sariang for Mae Hong Son on narrow, twisty roads. This is one of the days when your riding experience matters most. Curves arrive constantly, and the road itself requires attention.

A stop in Khun Yuam adds historical context through a World War II museum. In Mae Hong Son, Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu gives you a high viewpoint over the town and surrounding hills. The day continues toward Pai, an attractive change of pace after the long mountain ride.

The route is rewarding, but you should not mistake the relaxed feel of Pai for an easy riding day. The roads remain curvy, and weather can affect the surface. One experienced rider reported heavy rain but still found the bikes and tyres dependable. That is useful reassurance, though it is not a reason to ignore caution in wet weather.

Day 3: Early Pai, the memorial bridge, and Tha Ton

Pai offers an unusual early-morning option. Before breakfast, you can offer food to monks along the streets near the local market. It is an optional cultural moment that asks for quiet and respect, not a quick photo stop.

After breakfast, you visit the Pai World War II Memorial Bridge before returning to the winding roads. The route continues toward Tha Ton and Mae Ai, where the tour moves closer to northern Thailand’s border country.

This day gives you a good contrast: a slow morning in town, a historical stop, and another long ride. Tha Ton is charming without feeling like a grand tourist center, and that helps keep the route grounded in smaller communities rather than famous attractions alone.

Day 4: Karen village, tea country, and the Golden Triangle

Day four packs in some of the tour’s most distinctive stops. Near the Thailand and Myanmar border, you visit a long-neck Karen village. The stop may be meaningful for you, but it also calls for thoughtful behavior. Remember that this is a community, not a stage built for visitors.

From there, the road climbs toward Doi Mae Salong. Chinese mountain tea farmers have shaped the area, and you get a chance to taste the local tea. The mountain setting and cultural mix make this more than a roadside break. It is one of the places where the route shows how northern Thailand has been shaped by border movement and farming traditions.

The day ends at the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet. This is a major geographic marker, but the pleasure lies in reaching it by motorcycle through mountain roads rather than simply driving up for a short photo stop.

Admission to the Karen village is included. Other personal purchases, including alcohol, are not.

Day 5: Chiang Rai’s White Temple and the road to Nan

The route passes through farming areas toward Chiang Rai before reaching Wat Rong Khun, commonly called the White Temple. Its bright, highly unusual design makes it unlike the older temple complexes elsewhere on the tour.

After the temple, you continue toward Nan. This is another long riding day, so the cultural stop breaks up the distance. You should expect the temple visit to be visually striking but also popular. The appeal is its modern artistic style, not the quiet age of Sukhothai or the hilltop setting of Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu.

By the time you reach Nan, you have covered several demanding days. Fortunately, the next day is set aside for rest.

Day 6: A real rest day in Nan

Nan is the tour’s breathing space. You can relax by the pool, shop in town, or use a bicycle to see some of the area’s historical and cultural sites. Laundry service is available, which is a small but useful benefit halfway through a motorcycle journey.

I would not treat this day as optional. The itinerary lists it as leisure, but after five days of roughly seven hours on mountain roads, your body may need the break. You can use the time to wash riding clothes, check your gear, and enjoy a slower meal.

Riders eager for more road time can explore Nan by bicycle, but the strength of this day is that you do not have to chase another attraction. A tour that gives you permission to do nothing can be a better tour.

Day 7: Bo Kluea salt wells and R1081

The riding becomes especially appealing after Nan. You head through the mountains on R1081 toward Bo Kluea, a road regarded as a motorcycle favorite. The Bo Kluea salt wells add an unusual stop to the day, showing a traditional rural activity in a highland setting.

The route continues through Doi Phu Kha and on toward Phayao. This is the sort of day that will make the tour for a committed rider. The road, not a single monument, is the attraction. You get changing views, repeated bends, and a strong feeling of moving through remote country.

The tradeoff is simple: if you prefer short transfers and long sightseeing stops, this may feel too road-heavy. If you measure a holiday by the quality of the next curve, it should be one of your favorites.

Day 8: Phayao to Uttaradit by back roads

From Phayao, the route first uses a main highway before turning onto back roads through Mae Yom National Park. Later, you return to winding mountain roads and continue toward Uttaradit.

This day helps vary the riding. The highway section gets you out of Phayao efficiently, while the smaller roads restore the sense of exploration. You also get more open views and rural scenery rather than a chain of headline attractions.

The itinerary includes a wooden ferry crossing of the Sirikit Dam reservoir as part of the wider route description. That is exactly the kind of practical, memorable detail that makes a motorcycle tour different from a standard coach trip. You are not only looking at northern Thailand. You are moving through it by roads, ferry, and mountain passes.

Day 9: Rice fields and Sukhothai

The ride from Uttaradit to Sukhothai is shorter, using back roads through broad rice fields. That gives you time to reach Sukhothai without rushing into the historical park.

Sukhothai is one of the tour’s major cultural rewards. The UNESCO-listed historical park offers temple ruins and open space after several days among mountain roads. The change in scenery is welcome, and the shorter riding day lets you spend more time exploring.

Admission to Sukhothai Historical Park is included. I would make the most of that allowance rather than treating the park as a quick final stop. The tour has spent days showing you present-day northern Thailand. Sukhothai adds an older layer and gives the journey a strong cultural finish before the final ride back to Chiang Mai.

Day 10: Columnar Mountains, Lampang, and Chiang Mai

The final day leaves Sukhothai on R101, described as the Columnar Mountains road, toward Den Chai. A large reclining Buddha provides a last notable stop before the route turns through mountain roads toward Lampang and Chiang Mai.

The day ends back at the Big Bike Tours meeting point on Ragang Road. You should expect another full day on the motorcycle rather than a short transfer home. That makes the finish satisfying for riders who want one last stretch of bends, but tiring if you are already ready to hand back the keys.

The tour ends where it began, which is convenient if you are staying in Chiang Mai afterward. Pickup from Chiang Mai Airport is included at the start, but airfare and onward travel are not.

Bikes, support, and daily comfort

The package includes a motorcycle with unlimited mileage, but the supplied information does not specify the individual models. That is worth asking about before booking, especially if you have a preference for engine size, riding position, or luggage capacity.

You receive a helmet, jacket, gloves, and knee guards. A support van transports luggage and has space for a few riders during the full tour if arranged in advance. This is valuable on a long route because you do not need to load every personal item onto the motorcycle each morning.

The group maximum is 10. That is small enough for a road captain to keep the ride organized, though your experience will still depend on the pace and confidence of the other riders. The English-speaking road captain leads on a motorcycle and holds a Tourism Authority of Thailand license. Guide Pong has been singled out for his calm care and leadership, but you should confirm who will lead your particular departure.

Nine hotel nights are included, with selected hotels and resorts described as having leisure facilities. You also receive breakfast, lunch, and dinner on nine days, plus water, soft drinks, coffee, and tea with meals. The food is a major part of the package value, especially when you are riding all day and do not want to organize every meal yourself.

Who should book this motorcycle tour?

You should consider this tour if you already ride confidently and want a structured route through northern Thailand. It suits riders who enjoy mountain curves, long days, local food, comfortable hotels, and a guide handling the route and logistics.

It is less suitable if you are a complete beginner, dislike narrow mountain roads, or want a flexible holiday with only occasional riding. The listed riding days are approximately seven hours, and rain is possible. You should also be ready for the responsibility that comes with a motorcycle insurance deductible of up to $1,000.

The strongest parts are the route design, reliable support structure, meals, hotel quality, and road variety. The main weaknesses are the price, the demanding schedule, and the limited information about the exact motorcycles supplied.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if the thought of R1081, R1148, Bo Kluea, and Mae Hong Son sounds more exciting than another day on a beach. The route gives you a rare blend of serious riding, border country, temples, tea farms, old cities, and rural roads, with much of the daily planning already handled.

Before paying, confirm the motorcycle model, group pace, damage terms, and who will lead your departure. If those details suit you, the $3,750 price buys far more than bike rental. It buys a carefully supported 10-day route through some of Thailand’s best motorcycle country.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and end?

The tour starts at Big Bike Tours, 134 Ragang Road, Chang Khlan, Chiang Mai, at 8:30 a.m. It ends back at the same meeting point.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 10 travelers.

Is airport pickup included?

Yes. Pickup from Chiang Mai Airport is included.

What meals are included?

The package includes nine breakfasts, nine lunches, and nine dinners. Water, soft drinks, coffee, and tea are provided with meals.

Is motorcycle equipment provided?

Yes. A helmet, jacket, gloves, and knee guards are included.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted for a refund.