All activities / Motorcycle Adventure Touring / Chiang Mai
Motorcycle Adventure Touring in Chiang MaiTH
Northern Thailand's most liveable city, set in a valley ringed by jungle-covered mountains at 300m elevation. A lower cost, lower pace alternative to Bangkok with a thriving community of resident yoga teachers, organic cafés, and retreat centres in the surrounding hills.
Why here
Northern Thailand's riding circuit is the most beginner-accessible adventure loop in Southeast Asia. The Mae Hong Son loop from Chiang Mai covers 600km of mountain road passing through Pai, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sariang, and Doi Inthanon, Thailand's highest peak. The scenery is genuinely beautiful: forested ridges, hill tribe villages, and morning mist valleys. Chiang Mai has the best motorcycle rental infrastructure in Thailand, from small automatics for beginners to proper adventure bikes for experienced riders, and the population of expat riders makes current route and road condition information easy to find.
Best months
November through March is ideal: cool (15-25C), dry, and clear. April and early May are very hot and hazy from agricultural burning. June through October is monsoon season; the Mae Hong Son loop remains rideable in wet season but some sections become slippery. Doi Inthanon can be cool year-round at the summit (1,400m+). Road quality on the main tourist loops is generally good; remote hill tribe tracks require more experience.
Getting there & around
Fly into Chiang Mai International (CNX). Motorcycle rentals are plentiful along the Nimmanhaemin Road area and near the Old City. International Driving Permit is technically required; traffic police stops for larger bikes (250cc+) are common, and the fine for an unaccompanied foreign licence is real. Thai visa on arrival (30 days) is available for most Western nationals. Chiang Mai to Pai is a popular first-day ride; the 762-curve road to Pai is the classic introduction. Accommodation is available throughout the Mae Hong Son loop in all price ranges.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (1)
Big Bike Touring Co
OutfitterThailand's longest-running dedicated motorcycle touring company, based in Chiang Mai and an official BMW Motorrad partner. Programs range from three-day loops through the mountains of northern Thailand to 15-day cross-border itineraries through Laos and Myanmar, using the BMW R 1250 GS and F 850 GS fleet. Also offers self-guided routes with GPS track downloads. Has operated guided motorcycle tours in northern Thailand for over 25 years.