Read Before You Ride

GUIDES & ROUTE NOTES

Distances we have measured, fuel stops we have actually used, and the things we wish someone had told us before our first ride up here. No route notes copied off anyone else’s page.

Inside Mae Sap Cave on the Samoeng Loop
Tat Mok Waterfall, on the way back to Chiang Mai

Route Guide · 14 min read

The Samoeng Loop — the complete route guide

Measured leg distances, where the fuel actually is, the two climbs on Route 1269 that nobody warns you about, opening times and fees, and when to ride. From an operator who rides it every week.

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A terrace stop above the valley on Route 1095

Route Guide · 15 min read

Chiang Mai to Pai by motorbike — the Route 1095 guide

The real distance, the real timings, where the fuel is, which bike you actually want for the descents — and the truth about those 762 curves.

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Switchbacks stacked down a forested ridge on the Mae Hong Son Loop

Route Guide · 16 min read

The Mae Hong Son Loop — a rider's route guide

Real leg distances, the four fuel gaps that matter, how many days it actually takes, where to sleep, and honest answers on luggage, riding two-up and whether you're ready for it.

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Two roads in one frame — a remote mountain highway dissolving into a close forest lane

Tour Comparison · 12 min read

Mae Hong Son Loop vs Samoeng Loop — which is right for you?

A side-by-side comparison from an operator who runs both: duration, difficulty, scenery, cost, and who each ride is really for.

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BEFORE YOU RIDE ANYTHING

Licences, the International Driving Permit most riders get wrong, insurance, damage and what happens at a checkpoint — the paperwork side, answered straight.

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