All around the border

[DualSportBiker]

I'm pulling out all the stops and getting myself out on a massive ride in the next week or so. The goal of the trip is to stay as close to the border as possible starting in Suan Phueng, Ratchaburi right around to Bo Rai, Trat. I will probably ride for 3-4 days then take a day off. I'll be 'taking notes' for places to visit again, explore and invest time, but for this trip, I need to focus on completing the ride and getting back to work in around 2 weeks. I am hoping that my Anakee 3s will be fine; they suck on wet mud, but are fine in gravel and dusty tracks.

I would be very interested in, and grateful for information on places to stay, or rather where not to stay if you have stayed somewhere you would not recommend... Any scenic restaurants that I might plan a day's ride around would be great also. Pointers on roads or places to avoid could come in handy.

I planned the route in BaseCamp, so can't share a GoogleMaps URL for comments or suggestions, but I guess I could share the Garmin route if anyone was interested.

Cheers!

[Dutchbike]

Whoa!! that looks like a nice trip, When in Trat province a good hotel is: Center hotel.

A landmark not to miss:

Have a safe and pleasant trip!

[ll2]

cool man.

especially the section from Nong Khai to Ubon is great by Mekong River, been on those roads before many times.

dont miss Mukdahan - Riverfront Hotel.

Ubon is nice but please visit Si Phan Don( Thousand Islands) http://wikitravel.org/en/Si_Phan_Don in Laos as it is very close to the Thai border in Ubon - Chong Mex.

How will you go from Kanchanaburi to Chiang Rai by the border, not sure. It might not be super safe as well.

good luck, please post some photos!

[DualSportBiker]

I am almost dead certain that I can't pass through Thung Yai to Umphang, but I will go ask. I am therefore assuming I will cross the Srinakarin dam to Si Sawat and head north through Ban Rai which connects me to my normal route to Mae Sot for visa runs. From MS to MHS is safe, easy and fun. While near Pai I will chat with a local MX racer I know and talk through route options - I've ridden with him to Piang Luang north of Pai on the Burmese border, and he has ridden all over that area for years. I will vary as I need to, and will be asking around for tracks that keep me close to the border as well as checking how safe they are. reckon I will get connected to the BPP through a retired BPP office I know - call and confirm where is safe etc, pop in a say hi if I can - always good to know those lads...

Just got a new iPhone so photos are guaranteed - ContourHD is coming too, although I'll have to be selective or I will run out of SD cards!

Cheers.

cool man.

especially the section from Nong Khai to Ubon is great by Mekong River, been on those roads before many times.

dont miss Mukdahan - Riverfront Hotel.

Ubon is nice but please visit Si Phan Don( Thousand Islands) http://wikitravel.org/en/Si_Phan_Don in Laos as it is very close to the Thai border in Ubon - Chong Mex.

How will you go from Kanchanaburi to Chiang Rai by the border, not sure. It might not be super safe as well.

good luck, please post some photos!

[taninthai]

A few parts of it look similiar to the routes we took on our 2 rides last month,I didn't do any of the planning though ,that was all down to gweiloman,one thing we did learn though is never stay in a hotel that has the same name as the town you are staying in,it would have been the first hotel ever built there so obviously the oldest and shitiest condition......have fun!

[papa al]

Great.

How many kms. do you expect to ride.

[rhodie]

Wow, what a fantastic trip. The feedback and pics of the trip will be greatly appreciated.

Good luck and enjoy!

[ll2]

A few parts of it look similiar to the routes we took on our 2 rides last month,I didn't do any of the planning though ,that was all down to gweiloman,one thing we did learn though is never stay in a hotel that has the same name as the town you are staying in,it would have been the first hotel ever built there so obviously the oldest and shitiest condition......have fun!

all good and mostly only karaoke, abnaam and massage places - lets say best girls of the town! - are always down those old hotels with the town names though:)

[dave_boo]

I am almost dead certain that I can't pass through Thung Yai to Umphang, but I will go ask. I am therefore assuming I will cross the Srinakarin dam to Si Sawat and head north through Ban Rai which connects me to my normal route to Mae Sot for visa runs. From MS to MHS is safe, easy and fun. While near Pai I will chat with a local MX racer I know and talk through route options - I've ridden with him to Piang Luang north of Pai on the Burmese border, and he has ridden all over that area for years. I will vary as I need to, and will be asking around for tracks that keep me close to the border as well as checking how safe they are. reckon I will get connected to the BPP through a retired BPP office I know - call and confirm where is safe etc, pop in a say hi if I can - always good to know those lads...

Just got a new iPhone so photos are guaranteed - ContourHD is coming too, although I'll have to be selective or I will run out of SD cards!

If you have a bit of time I can create a route from Ban Rai to west of Tak if you want to spice things up. Edited January 28, 2015 by dave_boo

[taninthai]

A few parts of it look similiar to the routes we took on our 2 rides last month,I didn't do any of the planning though ,that was all down to gweiloman,one thing we did learn though is never stay in a hotel that has the same name as the town you are staying in,it would have been the first hotel ever built there so obviously the oldest and shitiest condition......have fun!

all good and mostly only karaoke, abnaam and massage places - lets say best girls of the town! - are always down those old hotels with the town names though:)

hahaha I must have gone to bed to early didn't see any of that going on....?

[DualSportBiker]

The planned route is 5,480 km, but I will make errors, detours, and may have to rethink if unpaved roads turn into tracks not suitable for riding solo... I reckon I'll get back home with 5,500 +- 5 to 10% - I am expecting a minimum of 12 days riding, perhaps 3 days off to wash my smalls...

Great.

How many kms. do you expect to ride.

[DualSportBiker]

Hmmm, that would be pretty massive detour on an already long ride... Thanks, but... anyhow, where west of Tak? Mae Sot is west of Tak and I'll be passing through there...

I am almost dead certain that I can't pass through Thung Yai to Umphang, but I will go ask. I am therefore assuming I will cross the Srinakarin dam to Si Sawat and head north through Ban Rai which connects me to my normal route to Mae Sot for visa runs. From MS to MHS is safe, easy and fun. While near Pai I will chat with a local MX racer I know and talk through route options - I've ridden with him to Piang Luang north of Pai on the Burmese border, and he has ridden all over that area for years. I will vary as I need to, and will be asking around for tracks that keep me close to the border as well as checking how safe they are. reckon I will get connected to the BPP through a retired BPP office I know - call and confirm where is safe etc, pop in a say hi if I can - always good to know those lads...

Just got a new iPhone so photos are guaranteed - ContourHD is coming too, although I'll have to be selective or I will run out of SD cards!

If you have a bit of time I can create a route from Ban Rai to west of Tak if you want to spice things up.

[DualSportBiker]

I may only have the strength for a proper massage precisely where I sleep so I can pay up and bed down in one easy move... but, I'll bear both advisories in mind!

Cheers.

A few parts of it look similiar to the routes we took on our 2 rides last month,I didn't do any of the planning though ,that was all down to gweiloman,one thing we did learn though is never stay in a hotel that has the same name as the town you are staying in,it would have been the first hotel ever built there so obviously the oldest and shitiest condition......have fun!

all good and mostly only karaoke, abnaam and massage places - lets say best girls of the town! - are always down those old hotels with the town names though:)

[dave_boo]

Hmmm, that would be pretty massive detour on an already long ride... Thanks, but... anyhow, where west of Tak? Mae Sot is west of Tak and I'll be passing through there...

Was thinking something along this route.

https://maps.google.co.th/maps?saddr=Route+4041&daddr=%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%97+%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%93%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B5+4031+to:Route+3282+to:Route+3473+to:Unknown+road+to:Route+1117+to:Route+1116+to:16.5960168,99.1781628+to:Route+1108&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=15.80811,99.247742&spn=2.185381,3.523865&sll=16.749318,99.189034&sspn=0.271882,0.440483&geocode=FcVr4AAd0RvoBQ%3BFcvP5AAdr5PsBQ%3BFR-F6wAdZNLvBQ%3BFT4V7wAdu4HtBQ%3BFX398QAdnFfsBQ%3BFSGK-AAd1hzsBQ%3BFZQS_AAd2h7qBQ%3BFTA8_QAdslbpBSk14QOFDeLdMDHPnT1w1l09Nw%3BFU9lAAEdVkfnBQ&mra=dme&mrsp=8&sz=12&via=7&t=m&z=9

I've ridden all of that and it should be a piece of cake for you.

[DualSportBiker]

My bad mate; I read Ban Rai as Bo Rai which is in Trat - doh!

That's what happens doing too many things at one time, and late at night... Many thanks, that route looks great, and I'll stitch it into my original route! It keeps me truer to my goal of riding close to the border...

Cheers!

Hmmm, that would be pretty massive detour on an already long ride... Thanks, but... anyhow, where west of Tak? Mae Sot is west of Tak and I'll be passing through there...

Was thinking something along this route.

https://maps.google.co.th/maps?saddr=Route+4041&daddr=%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%97+%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%93%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B5+4031+to:Route+3282+to:Route+3473+to:Unknown+road+to:Route+1117+to:Route+1116+to:16.5960168,99.1781628+to:Route+1108&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=15.80811,99.247742&spn=2.185381,3.523865&sll=16.749318,99.189034&sspn=0.271882,0.440483&geocode=FcVr4AAd0RvoBQ%3BFcvP5AAdr5PsBQ%3BFR-F6wAdZNLvBQ%3BFT4V7wAdu4HtBQ%3BFX398QAdnFfsBQ%3BFSGK-AAd1hzsBQ%3BFZQS_AAd2h7qBQ%3BFTA8_QAdslbpBSk14QOFDeLdMDHPnT1w1l09Nw%3BFU9lAAEdVkfnBQ&mra=dme&mrsp=8&sz=12&via=7&t=m&z=9

I've ridden all of that and it should be a piece of cake for you.

[dave_boo]

My bad mate; I read Ban Rai as Bo Rai which is in Trat - doh!

That's what happens doing too many things at one time, and late at night... Many thanks, that route looks great, and I'll stitch it into my original route! It keeps me truer to my goal of riding close to the border...

Cheers!

No biggie.

Not sure how many km you want to knock back that first day, but there's few hotels/resorts along my route. Give me an idea where a bouts you'd like to overnight and I'll post up some recommendations in that area.

[DualSportBiker]

I'll be having coffee and/or lunch with a friend in Suan Phueng, so expect to hit Sangkla by mid-afternoon. I might stay there, but if it is too touristy, Huay Mae Kamin NP has great lodging and food, good view and is almost on top of the pier for the ferry (as you know well...), so I might be passing through Si Sawat to Ban Rai in the morning of day 2. If I push on from HMK that afternoon, I'll ride the pass out in dusk where my stigmatism will come out to play, and then will be looking for a hotel right along the route you suggested...

My first ever trip in Thailand was in a Series II 88' to Sangklaburi. The road was submerged most of the way, and we had mud and water coming in the windows and mud on the mirrors as we were banked over 40º in places! Got to the top to find the toughest parts were where we'd gone around the paved airstrip - mud was laid on the side like plaster with a trowel! Looked great though... I've not been back since.

My bad mate; I read Ban Rai as Bo Rai which is in Trat - doh!

That's what happens doing too many things at one time, and late at night... Many thanks, that route looks great, and I'll stitch it into my original route! It keeps me truer to my goal of riding close to the border...

Cheers!

No biggie.

Not sure how many km you want to knock back that first day, but there's few hotels/resorts along my route. Give me an idea where a bouts you'd like to overnight and I'll post up some recommendations in that area.

[dave_boo]

I'll be having coffee and/or lunch with a friend in Suan Phueng, so expect to hit Sangkla by mid-afternoon. I might stay there, but if it is too touristy, Huay Mae Kamin NP has great lodging and food, good view and is almost on top of the pier for the ferry (as you know well...), so I might be passing through Si Sawat to Ban Rai in the morning of day 2. If I push on from HMK that afternoon, I'll ride the pass out in dusk where my stigmatism will come out to play, and then will be looking for a hotel right along the route you suggested...

My first ever trip in Thailand was in a Series II 88' to Sangklaburi. The road was submerged most of the way, and we had mud and water coming in the windows and mud on the mirrors as we were banked over 40º in places! Got to the top to find the toughest parts were where we'd gone around the paved airstrip - mud was laid on the side like plaster with a trowel! Looked great though... I've not been back since.

Ban Rai to Tak is easily done in a day. Probably could even go all the way to Mae Sot, but heading west on the [12] may almost be a death wish at sunset. Ban Rai has some good resorts on the cheap; if you decide to stop there for the night.

[Gweiloman]

A few parts of it look similiar to the routes we took on our 2 rides last month,I didn't do any of the planning though ,that was all down to gweiloman,one thing we did learn though is never stay in a hotel that has the same name as the town you are staying in,it would have been the first hotel ever built there so obviously the oldest and shitiest condition......have fun!

Haha - for eg, Ubon Hotel in Ubon and Chiang Kham hotel in Chiang Kham.

God, wish I was on the road again instead of HCMC.

A couple of places I would recommend (if you're going to be staying there) is Laksasuk House Mae Sot and Above the Sea Mae Sariang.

If you're up for it and adventurous enough, I would suggest taking the 1149 to Mae Sai. Some unbelievable views from the top of Thailand over into Burma. We saw jungle pigs, cherry bloossoms, pine needles covering the roads etc. taninthai hated it though.

On the Eastern side, from Mukdahan to Ubon, you must absolutely take the 2112 - arguably the twistiest road in Eastern Isaan. Stop for a great view point at Phataem (where they have cave paintings and it's like the Grand Canyon - well worth the detour just for the view of the Mekong as well)

[dave_boo]

Another interesting road, north of Tak that connects the [1] and [105] is the [1175].

Billd and I rode it at least once and later I had planned a trip around it with a bunch of forum members. Unfortunately it was washed out at the time. And I mean literally washed out as there was no pavement. I haven't been back since, but that ride it sure deserved the moniker "Goat Mountain" that casualbiker gave it. Haven't been on it since September 2011 though.

[DualSportBiker]

So true. I arrived at Wang Chao late afternoon in December and called it a day. Did not want to ride up into the sun even though I know that road very well...

I ride Chaeng Wattana to Mae Sot via Suphan, Dan Chang, Ban Rai, and Wang Chao every 90 days... 5 to 5.5 hours is my norm.

I'll be having coffee and/or lunch with a friend in Suan Phueng, so expect to hit Sangkla by mid-afternoon. I might stay there, but if it is too touristy, Huay Mae Kamin NP has great lodging and food, good view and is almost on top of the pier for the ferry (as you know well...), so I might be passing through Si Sawat to Ban Rai in the morning of day 2. If I push on from HMK that afternoon, I'll ride the pass out in dusk where my stigmatism will come out to play, and then will be looking for a hotel right along the route you suggested...

My first ever trip in Thailand was in a Series II 88' to Sangklaburi. The road was submerged most of the way, and we had mud and water coming in the windows and mud on the mirrors as we were banked over 40º in places! Got to the top to find the toughest parts were where we'd gone around the paved airstrip - mud was laid on the side like plaster with a trowel! Looked great though... I've not been back since.

Ban Rai to Tak is easily done in a day. Probably could even go all the way to Mae Sot, but heading west on the [12] may almost be a death wish at sunset. Ban Rai has some good resorts on the cheap; if you decide to stop there for the night.

[DualSportBiker]

Many thanks.

I have a route that has my right on the border into Mae Sai as per attached. Have you done both? Which would you ride again?

As for the 2112 - locked in already - I'll be on the Khong all the way from Chiang Khan to East of Ubon if things go to plan.

Cheers.

A few parts of it look similiar to the routes we took on our 2 rides last month,I didn't do any of the planning though ,that was all down to gweiloman,one thing we did learn though is never stay in a hotel that has the same name as the town you are staying in,it would have been the first hotel ever built there so obviously the oldest and shitiest condition......have fun!

Haha - for eg, Ubon Hotel in Ubon and Chiang Kham hotel in Chiang Kham.

God, wish I was on the road again instead of HCMC.

A couple of places I would recommend (if you're going to be staying there) is Laksasuk House Mae Sot and Above the Sea Mae Sariang.

If you're up for it and adventurous enough, I would suggest taking the 1149 to Mae Sai. Some unbelievable views from the top of Thailand over into Burma. We saw jungle pigs, cherry bloossoms, pine needles covering the roads etc. taninthai hated it though.

On the Eastern side, from Mukdahan to Ubon, you must absolutely take the 2112 - arguably the twistiest road in Eastern Isaan. Stop for a great view point at Phataem (where they have cave paintings and it's like the Grand Canyon - well worth the detour just for the view of the Mekong as well)

[DualSportBiker]

Here is the GPX file for anyone interested...

[Genericnic]

Hi guys.

I know this is an old post but it is the most recent that I have found mentioning riding the 1149 along the Thai/Burma border and into Mae Sai.

I'd love to do this ride and am curious to know if I could handle it on a Honda CB300F. Tires are Pirelli Sport Dragons. I've done the Samoeng Loop here in Chiang Mai with no issues.

The reason I asked is because of a comment @Gweiloman made where he said "If you're up for it and adventurous enough, I would suggest taking the 1149 to Mae Sai. Some unbelievable views from the top of Thailand over into Burma. We saw jungle pigs, cherry blossoms, pine needles covering the roads etc." From a quick look at Streetview on Google Maps, the roads look like blacktop with about 1-1/2 lanes wide.

Any comments appreciated.

David

Edited January 3, 2016 by seedy
font

[Rhys]

Sign up for the iron butt award, the ride will qualify....be safe

[thaiguzzi]

The 1149 is spectacular. Freshly laid tarmac in places, pretty well surfaced throughout. Can be done on any bike, from a Wave to a cruiser, dual sport to supersport bike.

[thaiguzzi]

... It helps though, if the bike has good brakes, and goes round corners...

[Genericnic]

The 1149 is spectacular. Freshly laid tarmac in places, pretty well surfaced throughout. Can be done on any bike, from a Wave to a cruiser, dual sport to supersport bike.

Thanks thaiguzzi. I was hoping that was the case. I'm looking forward to the ride.

David