Bipedal Enthusiast

[dvk1951]

Anyone else out there who enjoys spending time on a bicycle and enjoying the scenery of Thailand at a slower pace.

Any war stories or great places to see?

Maybe I am just p*ssing in the wind and this will end up a bare thread because no one has an interest but then again............

[ProfessorFart]

Cycling in Thailand always seems like a good idea from a distance. In reality it is a pain in the backside.

The picture of yourself whizzing carefree through beautiful tropical settings soon disappears when you find yourself running the gauntlet of lunatic drivers, huffing and puffing up a hill in 90 degree heat and arriving at your destination sweating like a pig.

That said there are some nice places to cycle in Thailand such as Ayutthya, Kanchanaburi, Sukothai to name a few, but as an everyday form of transport I'd advise against it.

[Shola]

I no way would take to the roads of LOS on a bicycle! For fear of being squashed, flattened and sun dried like the frogs/snakes you see on the roads!

[dclaryjr]

I no way would take to the roads of LOS on a bicycle! For fear of being squashed, flattened and sun dried like the frogs/snakes you see on the roads!  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For a different take on this check:

Mr. Pumpy

[pedro01]

I do it quite often...

Pattaya - on the east Side of Sukhumvit road is pretty good.

Petchaburi -> Cha-am is nice & you can go on to Hua Hin if you have the legs for it (50K).

Keang Krachan national park is great too.

Khon Kaen - Ubon Rat Dam area is fantastic

Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai are great.

Kanchanaburi city -> Erawan waterfall (70K of rolling hills)

Petchabun - very nice too.

I'd advice using a mountain bike, even for road trips out here.

I tried Koh Chang & Samet both are far too hilly for my liking.

As long as you stay off the major highways - you should be OK. Cars are actually more bike aware here than in the UK - BUT - get a mirror on the bike & keep your eye on it.

Dogs are a problem, so make sure you have a nice, solid aluminium bike pump.

Wave to all the kiddies too - they love it when a whitey cycles past.

[dvk1951]

I do it quite often...

Pattaya - on the east Side of Sukhumvit road is pretty good.

Petchaburi -> Cha-am is nice & you can go on to Hua Hin if you have the legs for it (50K).

Keang Krachan national park is great too.

Khon Kaen - Ubon Rat Dam area is fantastic

Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai are great.

Kanchanaburi city -> Erawan waterfall (70K of rolling hills)

Petchabun - very nice too.

I'd advice using a mountain bike, even for road trips out here.

I tried Koh Chang & Samet both are far too hilly for my liking.

As long as you stay off the major highways - you should be OK. Cars are actually more bike aware here than in the UK - BUT - get a mirror on the bike & keep your eye on  it.

Dogs are a problem, so make sure you have a nice, solid aluminium bike pump.

Wave to all the kiddies too - they love it when a whitey cycles past.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey Pedro,

Good points and words of experienced wisdom.

Sounds like you have put a few kilometers on yours. I enjoyed doing the backroads around the Pattaya area on my last employment gig there and hope to continue my exploration of LOS when I return in a few weeks for the next employment adventure.

Have spent the last 5 years here in Malaysia and really enjoyed travelling the kampongs. Have to agree with you about the kids, a smile and a wave gets the same in return. Have to agree about staying off the major roads, that is my rule of thumb as well.

Your profile doesn't reveal where you reside, perhaps you are hiding from the the bicycle division of the Tourist Police? I enjoy seeing the sites and sharing the fun so if you are in the Pattaya area, perhaps we can hit the pavement together sometime.

Nothing too grueling as it takes all the fun out of it IMO.

[dvk1951]

I no way would take to the roads of LOS on a bicycle! For fear of being squashed, flattened and sun dried like the frogs/snakes you see on the roads!  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

nothing like wholesome healthy natural nutrition sun dried and so readily available, saves all those pit stops for refueling