i am due to go to thailand in next 2 weeks, will stay for a couple of weeks, ive been many many times to pattaya, bkk, udon thani , ive also been to sihanoukville in cambo and also to ventienne in laos.

i just want to try something different this time, sick of wasting my time sitting in a pattaya bar day and night, i like girls ( obviously) some night life though i also like culture and nice scenery. phuket is nice as is krabi . anyway i want to hear from people who have hired a car/motorbike out and travelled around the country and what they expirienced and just hear some stories of where to go, where to stay, and the pitfalls of travelling around on a motorbike if any. also what type of bike would be best to travel on.

cheers

ps. i would even be prepared to try vietnam .......stories please

You've been to Thailand how many times and you've only managed Pattaya, Bangkok and Udon Thani of all places. Although you mentioned Krabi and Phuket as well?

My advice is buy a decent guidebook and go from there. When you say countryside are you referring to Issan?

I assume you are an experienced rider,therefore basically try and avoid the wet season and go from there. You realise that the Thai's can't drive I take it?

Thailand has lots of amazing places. Sometimes 'the plan is there is no plan' is the best way forward.

Thailand is quite dangerous on a bike. Make sure your travel insurance covers this as many don't. Quite a few stories of foreigners here stuck with huge medical bills due to bike accidents. If you can't pay, there's a good chance you'll end up in jail until you do. Hate to be a wet blanket, but it's best to be prepared.

With that being said, have you been to Chiang Mai? Lots of places to checkout in that area.

Try Chiang Rai - the city of 200 markets and ONE 'Big C' - a shoppers paradise! Seriously the area surrounding Chiang Rai has a lot to offer

Try Chiang Rai - the city of 200 markets and ONE 'Big C' - a shoppers paradise! Seriously the area surrounding Chiang Rai has a lot to offer

In my opinion the Chiang Rai area has some of the best bike riding in all of Thailand. Some beautiful scenery, many roads with very little traffic. Plenty of paved roads or little dirt tracks to explore. Mountains, rivers, lakes, small villages, temples, to explore. Stay in downtown CR area and be out in very rural countryside in a few minutes. Maybe a night up at Mae Sai or in Chiang Khong to add a bit of variety.

As for CR night life it does exist but if you are expecting Pattaya style bars and girls you better go to Pattaya.

Browse the Chiang Rai Forum for photos and trip reports of the area.