Safe To Ride Rental Bike To Mae Sai (Visa Run)?

[farrol]

Hi all,

I will be in Chiang Rai next week for the first time and plan to explore the city and surrounds on a rented motorcycle.

While I am there I also need to go to Mae Sai to leave/re-enter Thailand to get a new visa stamp.

Would it be safe to ride my rental motorcycle to the border, and park it there while I cross the border and come back?

I don't plan to do any shopping, just cross and come back.

Cheers, Farrol

[scorpio1945]

No problem, assuming you know how to safely ride a MC. Bit of a trip on a scooter but it is done all the time.:jap:

[AjarnP]

No problem it's an easy ride. Wear a helmet and find one of the secure parking garages in the Soi to the left of the bridge (covered street) or you may end up walking back to CR.I definitely wouldn't leave it on the main road.

[farrol]

Thanks guys!

How many km from Chiang Rai to Mae Sai, how long would it take on a small bike?

Is it a smooth road and traffic not too bad?

[kandahar]

Thanks guys!

How many km from Chiang Rai to Mae Sai, how long would it take on a small bike?

Is it a smooth road and traffic not too bad?

I dunno the KM. About an hour or a bit less in the car? Your butt will think it was 12 hours by the time you return.

Nice road, fast traffic. Stay in the cycle lane or you'll get hit. Weekend traffic gets worse, during the week not too bad except for the beginning and the ends of the work shift hours.

Plenty of little places along the way to cool your heels for a bit.

You know, the little green bus isn't a bad deal. Of course, if you're after adventure, then the scooter thing will probably surpass the bus, but just barely. That bus ride can be a hoot sometimes.

[fredob43]

Thanks guys!

How many km from Chiang Rai to Mae Sai, how long would it take on a small bike?

Is it a smooth road and traffic not too bad?

I dunno the KM. About an hour or a bit less in the car? Your butt will think it was 12 hours by the time you return.

Nice road, fast traffic. Stay in the cycle lane or you'll get hit. Weekend traffic gets worse, during the week not too bad except for the beginning and the ends of the work shift hours.

Plenty of little places along the way to cool your heels for a bit.

You know, the little green bus isn't a bad deal. Of course, if you're after adventure, then the scooter thing will probably surpass the bus, but just barely. That bus ride can be a hoot sometimes.

Done that trip today and it P/ssed down, Big time. I did it in a car double speed wipers for half hour or so, if you get some of that best of luck. It's about 80km took me about an hour. Quite a lot of hill's part's are very twisty. Small bike down to 40kmph if your lucky. Then again if you get a flat tyre your in the DuDu's. Best bet go by green bus if it rain's you'll still get wet. But you will get there "Well Maybe"

[kandahar]

Yes, if you go by green bus and it rains, you'll still get wet. ADVENTURE!!

Edited April 22, 2011 by kandahar

[farrol]

Oh still raining in Chiang Rai?

I guess I will get the bus then.

Is there also a bus option where I would stay dry in case of rain?

[kandahar]

Not raining now. But it is that time of year. For the next few months.

There is another style of bus to Mae Sai. I don't know the details. But it isn't as much fun as the green bus. Or a scooter.

[kandahar]

I think the Mae Sai green buses run every hour, both ways, during the daytime. So, you can just show up at the Chiang Rai old bus station and get on the Mae Sai bus. A staff will take your fare while you are on the bus. No tickets that I am aware of.

By and by, the little green bus will leave, stop, leave, stop, leave, stop and leave until you just can't take it any more and then you'll be on the highway, heading to Mae Sai. At that point, the bus only stops when any person or their dog waves the bus down. But, eventually, as stated before by another poster, you do finally get to Mae Sai.

The bus ride on the way home is the same thing but you're going in the opposite direction.

When you arrive at Mae Sai bus station, just catch a little red pickup truck and it will take you to the border. Just follow the herd when the bus arrives but don't get off of the red truck until he gets to the u-turn at the border. Some folks will get off earlier, at immigration and other places.

When you are ready to go back to the bus station, take a little red pickup truck and it will take you to the bus station. Don't get on another color of truck . They go other places.

Edited April 22, 2011 by kandahar

[kandahar]

Truly, I was more proud of you when you said you were going to ride the scooter.

[svenivan]

Done that trip today and it P/ssed down, Big time. I did it in a car double speed wipers for half hour or so, if you get some of that best of luck. It's about 80km took me about an hour. Quite a lot of hill's part's are very twisty. Small bike down to 40kmph if your lucky. Then again if you get a flat tyre your in the DuDu's. Best bet go by green bus if it rain's you'll still get wet. But you will get there "Well Maybe"

I have done the trip probably more than 50 times and I must been drunk like a skunk every time because I have never seen " Quite a lot of hill's part's are very twisty." !

Only if you go up to Doi Tung and then take the mountain road all the way to Mae Sai. That one is more than Twisty!

So normally it is around 65 - 70 km and it is 4 lane highway (2 lanes in each directions) and it is almost flat all the way.

If you take the motorbike, follow AjarnP s advice to pay 20 bath for parking in a safe place.

Have a good trip !

[sunholidaysun1]

Done that trip today and it P/ssed down, Big time. I did it in a car double speed wipers for half hour or so, if you get some of that best of luck. It's about 80km took me about an hour. Quite a lot of hill's part's are very twisty. Small bike down to 40kmph if your lucky. Then again if you get a flat tyre your in the DuDu's. Best bet go by green bus if it rain's you'll still get wet. But you will get there "Well Maybe"

I have done the trip probably more than 50 times and I must been drunk like a skunk every time because I have never seen " Quite a lot of hill's part's are very twisty." !

Only if you go up to Doi Tung and then take the mountain road all the way to Mae Sai. That one is more than Twisty!

So normally it is around 65 - 70 km and it is 4 lane highway (2 lanes in each directions) and it is almost flat all the way.

If you take the motorbike, follow AjarnP s advice to pay 20 bath for parking in a safe place.

Have a good trip !

Like the Penis who doesnt know the comfiest way to travel to Bangkok - Shut Up.

[ThunderDuck]

I think the Mae Sai green buses run every hour, both ways, during the daytime.

I think its more like every 30 - 40 mins ... they are pretty regular.

39 baht for the bus and 15 for the songthaew each way.

Ive parked hire scooters at the 7/11 100m or so from the border without

problem ... and thats on visa runs from Chiang Mai. The ride from

Chiang Rai really is a doddle, and riding in light rain can be quite

pleasant at this time of year.

Have a safe trip.

Edited April 23, 2011 by ThunderDuck

[fredob43]

Done that trip today and it P/ssed down, Big time. I did it in a car double speed wipers for half hour or so, if you get some of that best of luck. It's about 80km took me about an hour. Quite a lot of hill's part's are very twisty. Small bike down to 40kmph if your lucky. Then again if you get a flat tyre your in the DuDu's. Best bet go by green bus if it rain's you'll still get wet. But you will get there "Well Maybe"

I have done the trip probably more than 50 times and I must been drunk like a skunk every time because I have never seen " Quite a lot of hill's part's are very twisty." !

Only if you go up to Doi Tung and then take the mountain road all the way to Mae Sai. That one is more than Twisty!

So normally it is around 65 - 70 km and it is 4 lane highway (2 lanes in each directions) and it is almost flat all the way.

If you take the motorbike, follow AjarnP s advice to pay 20 bath for parking in a safe place.

Have a good trip !

I did the trip yesterday on the 1 main road A few km out side C/R you go through the bottom of the mountain's. There are no twist's or hill's there???? That's the part of the road that has the large concrete block's in the center. With the fruit market on the right going up. There is another section after that. Then the road dose level off. Or maybe I WAS p/ssed.

[kandahar]

Done that trip today and it P/ssed down, Big time. I did it in a car double speed wipers for half hour or so, if you get some of that best of luck. It's about 80km took me about an hour. Quite a lot of hill's part's are very twisty. Small bike down to 40kmph if your lucky. Then again if you get a flat tyre your in the DuDu's. Best bet go by green bus if it rain's you'll still get wet. But you will get there "Well Maybe"

I have done the trip probably more than 50 times and I must been drunk like a skunk every time because I have never seen " Quite a lot of hill's part's are very twisty." !

Only if you go up to Doi Tung and then take the mountain road all the way to Mae Sai. That one is more than Twisty!

So normally it is around 65 - 70 km and it is 4 lane highway (2 lanes in each directions) and it is almost flat all the way.

If you take the motorbike, follow AjarnP s advice to pay 20 bath for parking in a safe place.

Have a good trip !

I agree. The road is wide and smooth and the turns are large "sweeping" turns for anyone going the speed limit. On a scooter, I doubt a rider would even notice the turns. No twisties to be found on that highway. As for parking, 20 baht is a small fee to pay to make sure your ride is still there when you are ready to return, even though it is unlikely that the free parking would cause the bike to disappear.

farrol, if you do go on the scooter and you would like some company when you go, let me know. I am about due to take my cycle out for a nice ride and I would enjoy going along. But I would need a coffee stop on each leg of the trip. Maybe that would slow you down too much.

[farrol]

Thanks for the offer, sounds like a good idea.

I will play it by ear now, depending on the weather.

Should I go by bike I will send you a PM by Tuesday, I plan to go to Mae Sai on Wednesday.

Thanks everybody,

Farrol

[fredob43]

Done that trip today and it P/ssed down, Big time. I did it in a car double speed wipers for half hour or so, if you get some of that best of luck. It's about 80km took me about an hour. Quite a lot of hill's part's are very twisty. Small bike down to 40kmph if your lucky. Then again if you get a flat tyre your in the DuDu's. Best bet go by green bus if it rain's you'll still get wet. But you will get there "Well Maybe"

I have done the trip probably more than 50 times and I must been drunk like a skunk every time because I have never seen " Quite a lot of hill's part's are very twisty." !

Only if you go up to Doi Tung and then take the mountain road all the way to Mae Sai. That one is more than Twisty!

So normally it is around 65 - 70 km and it is 4 lane highway (2 lanes in each directions) and it is almost flat all the way.

If you take the motorbike, follow AjarnP s advice to pay 20 bath for parking in a safe place.

Have a good trip !

I agree. The road is wide and smooth and the turns are large "sweeping" turns for anyone going the speed limit. On a scooter, I doubt a rider would even notice the turns. No twisties to be found on that highway. As for parking, 20 baht is a small fee to pay to make sure your ride is still there when you are ready to return, even though it is unlikely that the free parking would cause the bike to disappear.

farrol, if you do go on the scooter and you would like some company when you go, let me know. I am about due to take my cycle out for a nice ride and I would enjoy going along. But I would need a coffee stop on each leg of the trip. Maybe that would slow you down too much.

Must admit I was moving had to reduce to about 90kmph to get round some of them, was useing the hole Rd as no traffic. About 60 when it was p/ssing down. Your more than right at a lower speed they would seem slight.