Good Rides Near/Around Phuket?

[Donshe]

Hey guys,

I am coming to Phuket for 1 week in October and wanted to know some reccomendations if any for a maybe 2 day ride? So depart day 1, stay somewhere for the night and then turn back the next?

On my last trip I did the ride from Chiang Mai to Pai and am so in love with it. I won't be able to go up North with my short time frame but really want to experience something like that again if the roads around Phuket are anything as scenic and good quality

I'll be staying in Patong and renting a bike there, have become friendly with a couple of the beach boys so hopefully able to pick up a reliable machine and will be bringing all my own leathers etc if someone can suggest a good ride

Thanks !

[ScubaBuddha]

Lots of good rides to the north and east of Phuket. For a two day trip Krabi is not far. For a bit more of a trek, go to Samui. There is also MotoGP in Sepang, Malaysia in October some of us from GhostRiders MC may ride to. Feel free to PM me for more info.

SB

Edited June 8, 2010 by ScubaBuddha

[Donshe]

dam_n, a ride to MotoGP would've been great but my dates don't match.

I'll be in Phuket from 15-22nd October.

I've visited both Krabi and Samui before but by car.

What is the ride out there like? Decent twisties? Easy enough to navigate?

If there is anything I can read up on and you could point me in the right directino it'd be great !

[Donshe]

Hmm....I dont seem to be allowed to PM you :/

Just looked up a rough distance for Krabi and it looks about right, 250km or so.

Worried about getting lost though. Also thinking about what the roads would be like and how much I can really trust a Thai big bike.

[RusticCharm]

 

What is the ride out there like? Decent twisties? Easy enough to navigate?

There are some very nice curves around Phang-Nga.

[BigBikeBKK]

Hmm....I dont seem to be allowed to PM you :/

Just looked up a rough distance for Krabi and it looks about right, 250km or so.

Worried about getting lost though. Also thinking about what the roads would be like and how much I can really trust a Thai big bike.

You can now rent mechanically sound near-new Kawasaki 650cc bikes (ER6n and Ninja 650R) for cheap in Phuket. Where's the easiest most convenient place to rent them on Phuket ScoobieNinja?

Ride On!

Tony

2008 Ninja 250R

2009 Kawasaki Diablo Black ER6n: Two Brothers M2 V.A.L.E Aluminum Slip-On, Two Brothers Juice Box, Winning G1.3 Power Ignition Booster, PAIR Valve Plugged, Air Box Baffles Removed, DIY Tail Tidy, Aluminum and Delrin Frame Sliders and Swing Arm Spools, ProGrip Carbon Fiber Tank Protector

2010 Lime Green Ninja 650R is here! Arrow Exhaust, Sport Bars, Integrated Tail Light, Tail Tidy, Lotsa Carbon Fiber Bling! PCV and Autotune, Spiegler Lines EBC HH Pads

2005 Suzuki GSXR1000 K6 aka THE BEAST!

[BigBikeBKK]

What is the ride out there like? Decent twisties? Easy enough to navigate?

There are some very nice curves around Phang-Nga.

Yes! The coast road (Highway 4) from Phuket north through Phang-nga and on through Ranong province is stunning! Last time I did that run the road was in excellent condition and hardly any traffic. Awesome!

[Donshe]

Thanks for the replies guys !

Given that ive already been to Krabi and based on this advice I think heading north towards Phang Nga seems to be the best option? Where could I aim to get to to stay the night? Don't want to over-aim and ride in the night time or be rushed for time either. I loked up Ranong on a map and it is roughly 350km away, this may seem ok fo a day but if theres twisty stuff on the way it may take a while?

I would like to stay in a nice town that may have some nice things to see maybe in the morning? Recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Please bear in mnid Id be on a very tight schedule. Would ideally like to be back in Phuket the next evening.

Also, any pointers as to where I can find these newer 650r's in Phuket, an upright would be nice for a longer ride like this compared to a supersports so I could also strap my bag to the back. Although if the roads are nice I wuold love to get some knee down on a sports !

BigBikeBkk, thanks for your advice too, I love your bike a lot. I also own a Gixxer. Black K7.

Just ni case any ones interested I'll put a pic below along with one or two from my last Thailand ride which I loved

[ScubaBuddha]

See this post for the info about renting a Ninja 650R or Er6n in Phuket.

<snip>

But your best bet is to PM katabeachbum (once you get PM function, should be soon), as he has a new 650R (in fact it's my old bike in the pictures above) for rent. Sporty but fairly upright and comfortable, if you rent the one without sport bars, which I think is what KBB is planning.

SB

Edited June 10, 2010 by soundman
Removed link to other forum.

[ScubaBuddha]

Nice pics BTW Donshe

[Donshe]

Thanks ScubaBuddha. My PM is now working so I'll drop him a message.

And thanks, I dont have a fancy camera but I love riding in scenic spots and have to capture the memory somehow. Wish I could bring my Gixxer to Thailand to ride haha.

Also, if any other riders would like to ride with me anytime that week Id be more than happy

Still after reccomendations on where to go, how to go and where to stay

[RusticCharm]

Still after reccomendations on where to go, how to go and where to stay

If you want to go farther afield, try the Trang area.

I passed through Trang on the way to Hat Yai when I rode down to KL for the 2008 MotoGP. There were a few misty mountainous twisties (at a fair altitude) around here.

I recall them being closer to Trang than Hat Yai. A few of the hated tour buses use this route as well so I guess it was the no 4 Phetkasem main highway. Google Earth shows the no 4 crossing a mountain range (7°35'20.96"N 99°50'19.69"E) so this is probably it.

The center of Trang seemed to be a road sign-free zone so it took me a few attempts to find the correct way to Hat Yai. And Hat Yai is always a good place for a stopover if you know what I mean. Try the Hatyai Central Hotel. Underground parking and the bellboys know a fair bit about the local wildlife.

Edited June 9, 2010 by RusticCharm

[Donshe]

Hey Rustic,

Just looking at Google maps, the distance to Trang seems a bit far. Im really liking the sound of heading towards Ranong though. One otehr thing I thought of is maybe on my 2nd morning, depending on how long it takes I could duck into Myanmar for a bit? Lol

Im getting a rough idea of the provinces around and what may be good by using a combo of Google Maps and Wikitravel. But the big question is the ride. And Im hearing from you guys the coastal route from Phuket towards Ranong shuold be nice?

What would be a good way to start researching a route, I dont really want to get lost and a rough route in mind wuold be good if I can put one together?

As for the local wildlife....keep in mind Im coming from Patong So I don't mind one night of solitude as long as I have heavenly roads and a great bike to keep me company

[LivinLOS]

Trang is a bit far but the road he mentions, heading from Trang across to Hat Yai is a great bit of road.