Back Roads Bonanza
1 day

BACK ROADS BONANZA

“Off the tourist trail, into the wild side”

From$259 USD
DifficultyIntermediate
Duration1 day
5.0on Google
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The short answer

Back Roads Bonanza is a one-day guided off-road motorcycle tour from Chiang Mai — 140 km of dirt and broken tarmac behind Doi Suthep, from $259 per rider, bike, fuel, meals and guide included. No security deposit. No passport held.

Everyone rides up Doi Suthep on the paved road with the tour vans. We go up the back of it. 140 km of broken tarmac, dirt and jungle track behind Chiang Mai's own mountain — past a reservoir most visitors never find, up to Khun Chang Khian, a Hmong coffee village at 1,400 m that turns pink with wild cherry blossom every January, and down through the Mae Sa hills. You'll finish the day dusty. That's the point.

A view from the back roads

A view from the back roads

A wave on the way up

A wave on the way up

He went in clean — came out with a story in mud

He went in clean — came out with a story in mud

Under the fallen tree, through the stream

Under the fallen tree, through the stream

Will it hold?

Will it hold?

Where the tarmac stops

Where the tarmac stops

The back road from above

The back road from above

1 / 7

HIGHLIGHTS

◆Huay Tueng Thao Reservoir — lakeside lunch huts on stilts
◆Khun Chang Khian — Hmong coffee village at 1,400 m
◆Wild cherry blossom in January, if you time it right
◆Dirt and jungle track up the back of Doi Suthep
◆Mon Pha Dam lookout over the Mae Sa valley
◆Wat Phra That Doi Kham — the golden temple above the city
◆140 km, and almost no other riders

THE ROUTE

RIDING DISTANCES

approx riding time · excludes stops

  • NBT → 1 Huay Tueng Thao15 km~0h 30m
  • 1 Huay Tueng Thao → 2 Mae Sa Mai24 km~1h
  • 2 Mae Sa Mai → 3 Khun Chang Khian54 km~2h
  • 3 Khun Chang Khian → 4 Wat Phra That Doi Kham36 km~1h 15m
  • 4 Wat Phra That Doi Kham → NBT11 km~0h 15m
TOTAL~140 km
  1. Morning
    Chiang Mai → Huay Tueng Thao → Khun Chang Khian

    Roll out of Chiang Mai on quiet tarmac beside Huay Tueng Thao reservoir, where bamboo huts sit out over the water. Then the tarmac ends. The climb up the back of Doi Suthep is broken road and dirt through the trees, finishing at Khun Chang Khian — a Hmong village at 1,400 m that grows its own coffee. We drink it there, roasted about four hundred metres from where it grew.

  2. Afternoon
    Mae Sa Mai → Mon Pha Dam → Wat Phra That Doi Kham

    Drop off the back of the mountain into the Mae Sa valley — jungle track, stream crossings in the wet season, and a lookout at Mon Pha Dam worth stopping the engine for. The last climb of the day is Wat Phra That Doi Kham, the golden temple standing over the city, with the whole valley laid out below. Back at base by late afternoon.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

✓Bike
✓Experienced guide
✓All meals
✓Fuel
✓Safety gear
✓Entrance fees
✓NBT t-shirt
✓Buff

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

—International flights
—Riding boots and riding trousers
—Accommodation and meals before the tour departs
—Alcoholic drinks
—Your own personal travel insurance
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When are you coming?

Tap a month. We'll tell you what the road is like then — no form, no sign-up.

GOOD TO KNOW

LicenceMotorcycle licence from home, plus an IDP endorsed category A — not the standard category B.
Insured฿500,000 medical cover per rider, per accident — Bangkok Insurance.
Security depositNone taken. We don't hold your passport either.
OperatorTAT-licensed Thai tour operator. Our own guides, workshop and mechanics.
GroupAround five riders. Tours run whatever the numbers.
BikeAutomatics and scooters on every tour except Laos. Lowered bikes from ~155 cm.
Licences, insurance, damage and what to bring →

FREQUENTLY ASKED

+You rate this 'Intermediate'. What does that actually mean?
You should be comfortable on a motorcycle — used to leaning into curves, comfortable on loose surfaces, and able to handle a heavier bike on uneven roads. It's not technical off-road, but it isn't paved highway either. If you've toured before, you'll be fine.
+Are these really off-road sections?
Some sections are unpaved dirt and gravel through jungle and farmland — short stretches, not full days of enduro. The rest is quiet paved backroads. We pick routes most riders never see, but nothing that requires dirt-bike specific skills.
+What bike will I ride?
We supply modern adventure bikes — typically a Honda CRF300L or NX500-class machine — geared for mixed surfaces. Matched to your size and experience when you book.
+What's at Khun Chang Khian, the remote hill village?
A Hmong coffee-growing village high in the mountains above Chiang Mai (about 1,400m). Cool air, terraced coffee fields, and very few tourists most days. In late January and February the cherry blossoms come out — one of the few places in Thailand you'll see them. We stop for coffee and to stretch.
+What's included?
Guide, all meals, fuel, full safety gear, entrance fees, NBT t-shirt and buff.
+What should I wear?
Long pants and a light long-sleeve — sun and dust protection matter on this one. We supply helmet, gloves, and armoured jacket. Closed-toe shoes (preferably ankle-high boots) are essential for the off-road sections.
+Can you customize?
Yes — we run this for any group size, and can dial the off-road percentage up or down to match the group. Tell us when you book.

Got a different amount of time?

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“My bike was top tier. On arrival I had brand new tires and a freshly gone over machine… There were 3 others plus a mechanic. Having the mechanic come along puts the mind at rest. He is awake every morning before everyone else ensuring your bike is good to go… We did 10 days riding in Laos and it was the trip of a lifetime.”
George Williams · Google review
“Wow what a team!… Such a professional team providing bikes, we had a NX 500, food and accommodation organised for us. My friend and I did the Mae Hong Song loop and it was amazing with a legend as a guide. A big thank you goes to Ling as she was helpful and very knowledgeable.”
Susan Harrison · Google review

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20% booking deposit to reserve. Fully refundable 21+ days before departure.