Northern Thailand Motorbike Route Guides

NORTHERN THAILAND ROUTES AT A GLANCE

Every route we ride out of Chiang Mai, shortest first. Distances are the line we actually ride; the best months are the ones each route guide gives.

Route	Distance	Days	Best months	Route guide	Ride it with us
Samoeng Loop	147 km	1 day	November to February	The Samoeng Loop	Samoeng Loop →
Back Roads Bonanza	140 km	1 day	See the season guide	Route & day-by-day on the tour page	Back Roads Bonanza →
Village in the Clouds	109 km	1 day	See the season guide	Route & day-by-day on the tour page	Village in the Clouds →
Mae Hong Son Loop	713 km	4 days, 3 nights	Mid-November to mid-February	Chiang Mai to Pai by motorbike The Mae Hong Son Loop	Mae Hong Son Loop →
Rider's Paradise	942 km	6 days, 5 nights	November to February · December and February driest	Chiang Mai to Nan by motorbike	Rider's Paradise →
The Last Frontier: Laos	1,673 km	11 days, 10 nights	November–February	Route & day-by-day on the tour page	The Last Frontier: Laos →
NBT Super Loop	1,381 km	11 days, 10 nights	Mid-November to mid-February	The Mae Hong Son Loop Chiang Mai to Nan by motorbike	NBT Super 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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A hairpin stacked above a green valley on a mountain road in Nan province

Route Guide · 17 min read

Chiang Mai to Nan by motorbike — the Route 1148 guide

The road Thai riders vote the best in the North, measured properly at last — plus where the fuel really is, the Nan loop legs, and the Phu Chi Fa distance nobody publishes.

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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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Morning mist over the mountains of Northern Thailand at sunrise

Season Guide · 6 min read

The best time to ride Northern Thailand — month by month

Cool season, hot season, green season: what every month is like on a motorcycle in Northern Thailand, the Yi Peng dates, and the group departures already on the calendar for November to February.

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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.

Read Before You Ride →See the guided tours →