Pattaya to Chiang Mai (and back).

[Swamp Thing]

I'm considering taking a trip to Chiang Mai on my PCX within the next couple of months. I've found this route on an archived topic http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Pattaya,+Chon+Buri+20150,+Thailand&daddr=Chiang+Mai+University+Thailand&hl=en&ll=13.710035,102.002563&spn=4.327007,8.453979&sll=15.868095,100.00093&sspn=8.562907,16.907959&geocode=FQxCxQAdDjwDBinj1zFNkpUCMTH_EL2pAfN_qQ%3BFUz8HgEdDu3lBSFQMLPZxkYDDw&vpsrc=6&dirflg=t&mra=ls&t=m&z=8, which looks ok.

What I'm concerned about is the fact that it is the rainy season. Should I leave it until the rainy season is over?

[kiniyow]

Because the Rainy season is over it is Never over in Chiang Mai..Pack a rain coat and enjoy the trip

[properperson]

I'm considering taking a trip to Chiang Mai on my PCX

Can i be the first one to say "holy mackrel".......

[NeverSure]

I wouldn't want the route you linked to unless I wanted Bangkok. I'd go around Bangkok somehow. Why get bogged down in Bangkok unless you want something there.

[Swamp Thing]

I'm considering taking a trip to Chiang Mai on my PCX

Can i be the first one to say "holy mackrel".......

I've had a better route suggested to me and will follow that.

I plan to split the journey into two, stopping at a guesthouse/hotel approximately halfway.

I'll buy a raincoat.

The idea's developing.

[stoli]

I envy you. 2 years ago I jumped on my Nouvo in Pattaya, drove as far south as you can, into Cambodia, north up through Cambodia, came out near the northwest, and back to Pattaya. Enjoyed every minute. The only change I would make to my trip is that I would not do it again alone. Not in Cambodia. Much less populated that Thailand, and services are not as good. Have a great trip......

[biker Bob]

I did the same about a months ago from Samut Prakarn. I rode through Bkk very early, about 4am and no problem, but unless you can hit Bkk very early i would not recommend going through it. On the way back i sat in traffic from Rangsit to Samut Prakarn, not pleasant. if you can't go through Bkk very early go around it. I am sure there are people on this forum who knows a way around Bkk coming from Pattaya. Anyway have fun and be safe.

[technologybytes]

Its a nice trip on a PCX, just do it. Pack some rain gear, but you might be lucky and not need it.

From Pattaya I'd head up the 331 towards Chachensao, then follow the road to Lopburi, then up highway 1 till you get to the 3004, the to Phitsanulok, Utaradit, Den Chai, Lampang and Chiang Mai. This route avoids Bangkok, there are many roads in and around Bangkok where you cannot take any motorbike so Bangkok is best avoided really.

I have done it in 2 days but 3 is better and will get you into Chiang Mai in daylight.

Its easy to ride faster and faster on a long journey, better to just keep the speed to 100kph or less, it will use a lot less fuel that way and be safer.

The PCX is perfectly capable of such a journey, do not let people tell you that you need a bigger bike.

Have fun, getting around on a PCX is a great way to see Thailand.

[chrissables]

Hi, if you have time take a longer and more scenic route. Also i would wait until the end of the rainy season.

Maybe think about modifying the PCX seat to maximize comfort, then the trip is so much more enjoyable.

Here is a write up of a trip i did at the end of last year, which includes the trip to Chiang Mai. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/797874-small-motorbikes-and-travel-in-thailand-with-photos/

If i was to do the trip again, (i will) i would leave Pattaya on road 331, cut left to Nakhon Nayok then the roads 33 and 21 to Phetchabun. From here go to Lom Sak and ride up Phu Hin Rong Kla, then through the national park and looping down to road 12.

Follow road 12 across Tak then Mae Sot, the follow road 105 North to Mae Sariang, then the 108 to Mae Hong Son, Pai and drop back into Chiang Mai. There are many thing to see if you like the countryside, just take your time and look around.

[Furryman]

I rode from Pattaya to Udon Thani on my airblade last october and it was an awesome experience. I think you would do fine on a PCX.

I would recommend taking your time and staying off the big highways as much as possible.Especially hwy 1. IT's a nightmare on a little bike. So many fast cars and big trucks, huge potholes from the big trucks to dodge,

On the other hand, riding around the countryside on small to medium back roads is an awesome way to see the country. I took 3 days each way to Udon and back, and I think I would have been a bit happier taking 4 each way. I say go for it.

If you have a GPS enabled phone you can download OsmAnd and it has all the maps you need to get all over Thailand, for free. You can plan routes and save them as GPX tracks and then use the tracks for navigation once you get to that saved part of the route,

I am planning my next small bike trip now, Pattaya to the cambo border where the Mekong meets Thailand, then along the river, until it turns north into Lao. Then back via ???

As far as the rain, some rain gear and a little flexibility on your itinerary and you should be fine. Just hide in one of the million roadside noodle shops or at worst a bus stop sala until the rain. lets up.

PS: I looked at that route and I would honestly change about every kilometer of it. Stick to the smaller "4 digit" highways, you can get all over the country on those roads and will see so much more.

PPS don't ride after dark if at all possible,

[little mary sunshine]

Happy you guys enjoy going that far on a bike...must love

All those bugs in the mouth. Give me a car with A/C any

Day.

[Furryman]

This is more like how I would take the journey. Out in the countryside as much as possible, and Kao Yai park is amazing.

[quandow]

If you choose to go through Bangkok (and I am dead serious here) bring a compass. I've traveled on a bike several times through Bangkok, and forget the map, just kept heading in the general direction I needed to go, staying on the largest roads possible.

Happy trails!

[misterphil]

You must be out of your mind. Are you on some sort of medication?

It takes a day to drive there in a car and you want to do it on a scooter in 2.

My advice is dont do it, but if you do I wish you the very best of good luck. These roads are far to dangerous to do such a trip and you wouldnt catch me doing it.

Ive been knocked off my scooter standing still at traffic lights by these crackpots, and a mate of mine got knocked off waiting at a junction.

[northernphil]

Good luck , a PCX is more than competant for the job and I find mine very comfortable , just take 3 days unless you are in rushing mode. Are you a cop, they rush.

Oh coincidenlly ,today PCX 30,000k service , oil change , dust cleaned out of transmission , coolant topped up 130B.

[hutchings1963]

Must be mad,get a small car then you do not have to worry about the rain,when you get near bangkok there are signs for Pattaya you bypass Bangkok come out near swampy good luck mate.

[Gweiloman]

Happy you guys enjoy going that far on a bike...must love

All those bugs in the mouth. Give me a car with A/C any

Day.

Must be mad,get a small car then you do not have to worry about the rain,when you get near bangkok there are signs for Pattaya you bypass Bangkok come out near swampy good luck mate.

You guys are clearly not riders and cannot possibly imagine what fun can be had on a bike

[NoshowJones]

I rode from Pattaya to Udon Thani on my airblade last october and it was an awesome experience. I think you would do fine on a PCX.

I would recommend taking your time and staying off the big highways as much as possible.Especially hwy 1. IT's a nightmare on a little bike. So many fast cars and big trucks, huge potholes from the big trucks to dodge,

On the other hand, riding around the countryside on small to medium back roads is an awesome way to see the country. I took 3 days each way to Udon and back, and I think I would have been a bit happier taking 4 each way. I say go for it.

If you have a GPS enabled phone you can download OsmAnd and it has all the maps you need to get all over Thailand, for free. You can plan routes and save them as GPX tracks and then use the tracks for navigation once you get to that saved part of the route,

I am planning my next small bike trip now, Pattaya to the cambo border where the Mekong meets Thailand, then along the river, until it turns north into Lao. Then back via ???

As far as the rain, some rain gear and a little flexibility on your itinerary and you should be fine. Just hide in one of the million roadside noodle shops or at worst a bus stop sala until the rain. lets up.

PS: I looked at that route and I would honestly change about every kilometer of it. Stick to the smaller "4 digit" highways, you can get all over the country on those roads and will see so much more.

PPS don't ride after dark if at all possible,

Mr OP. Please pay special attention to that last sentence, Thai roads are bad enough in daylight, but in the dark??????

[NoshowJones]

You must be out of your mind. Are you on some sort of medication?

It takes a day to drive there in a car and you want to do it on a scooter in 2.

My advice is dont do it, but if you do I wish you the very best of good luck. These roads are far to dangerous to do such a trip and you wouldnt catch me doing it.

Ive been knocked off my scooter standing still at traffic lights by these crackpots, and a mate of mine got knocked off waiting at a junction.

I think the OP should be more concerned about the state of the roads, riding carefully and defensively, he should be ok, and yes,

I have done road trips on a PCX ( I have now upgraded to a Forza) from Phichit to Mudakhan, and Maesot. Keep safe OP, and good luck.

[Jimlove]

I wish the best for you and hope you make it ... There´s a lot of loonies on the roads you know, def worst country in the World to drive in (I know, I can just go home) ...

[Swamp Thing]

Thanks for the replies. Very interesting.

Thanks in particular for the route suggestions, they have been noted and checked on Google Maps. Due to certain factors, I won't be doing this trip immediately, but it will happen soon.

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that the planning process is part of the enjoyment of the trip

I've ventured out to Kanchanaburi a couple of times recently and really enjoyed the journey. I'd now like to go farther afield.

I avoid riding in the dark as much as possible, so maybe splitting the trip into three days may be a good idea and will allow me to take more scenic routes.

The tales told of trips others have done are very inspiring.

More comments are more than welcome.

[twocatsmac]

If you choose to go through Bangkok (and I am dead serious here) bring a compass. I've traveled on a bike several times through Bangkok, and forget the map, just kept heading in the general direction I needed to go, staying on the largest roads possible.

Happy trails!

That is so true regarding riding thru Bangkok. The maps are fuckin useless especially during the day.

Go for it op, you can only ride the bike you've got even tho bigger is safer.

Take a big machete, sorry camping knife as a compadre.

[carter1882]

Difficult in Bangkok ? Just go straight up Sukhumvit, turn right at Asoke, right again at Major Rachayothin and straight on to Rangsit thence Saraburi or Nakhorn Nayok. Why miss one of the best parts of the journey!! Great food, cheapest petrol, stunning women...just dont look at them if riding a scooter. Always amusing to see up country farangs rejecting Bangkok as a venue for all and everything. Even as a bike riding venue it has some terrific routes with the added fun of avoiding the constabulary.

[twocatsmac]

Difficult in Bangkok ? Just go straight up Sukhumvit, turn right at Asoke, right again at Major Rachayothin and straight on to Rangsit thence Saraburi or Nakhorn Nayok. Why miss one of the best parts of the journey!! Great food, cheapest petrol, stunning women...just dont look at them if riding a scooter. Always amusing to see up country farangs rejecting Bangkok as a venue for all and everything. Even as a bike riding venue it has some terrific routes with the added fun of avoiding the constabulary.

Smog,mad drivers,check points,traffic lights,scams,unfair policing,unpredictable everything.

Yes, the same everywhere but in Bangkok you'll experience all these in one night on a scooter.

[Gweiloman]

Difficult in Bangkok ? Just go straight up Sukhumvit, turn right at Asoke, right again at Major Rachayothin and straight on to Rangsit thence Saraburi or Nakhorn Nayok. Why miss one of the best parts of the journey!! Great food, cheapest petrol, stunning women...just dont look at them if riding a scooter. Always amusing to see up country farangs rejecting Bangkok as a venue for all and everything. Even as a bike riding venue it has some terrific routes with the added fun of avoiding the constabulary.

You forgot the left onto Rama 9 from Asoke before the right at Major Rachayothin.

I would suggest an alternative. From Lat Krabang, get onto the Highway 7 frontage road. That takes you (with very little traffic) all the way to Rama 9. Use the bridge over the Ramkhamhaeng section (illegal but there's hardly any police stops nowadays). Take the next bridge over the Asok / Ratchadaphisek junction (legal) and this will throw you down to the Major Rachayothin intersection. Turn right and Bob's your uncle all the way to Saraburi.

[Swamp Thing]

Thanks for the replies, but the idea's gone on hold at the moment.

Pending.

Not rushing to the scene.

[Rhys]

Whoa Bro.... Buns of steele... best of luck with logistics.. Cheers mate.. keep us posted.

[carter1882]

Smog,mad drivers,check points,traffic lights,scams,unfair policing,unpredictable everything.

Yes, the same everywhere but in Bangkok you'll experience all these in one night on a scooter.

Smog.....perhaps in the eigties and early nineties. These days there are any number of much filthier cities, Pattaya and Chiang Mai for example.

Mad drivers.....i would say there are much worse drivers in the coutry towns and certainly country roads.

Check points.....get to know wher they are and life is a breeze and Bangkok policemen have a good sense of humour.

Traffic ligts...definitely less per sq km than some country towns. I went fifteen kms yesterday without being stopped by one.

Scams.....trying learning. Thai and this will be a problem of the past. If you cant do that, stay home.

Unfair policing.....yes, the police here do tend to favour the farang who can speak. Thai. Get over it!

[carter1882]

And nearly forgot unpredictable everything......yes, that is what makes Bangkok the greatest city in the world and my lovely home for ever.

[Furryman]

And nearly forgot unpredictable everything......yes, that is what makes Bangkok the greatest city in the world and my lovely home for ever.

I'm glad you like it, I hate the place. And yeah the smog is terrible, maybe not as bad as Chang Mai during the field burning season, but there is essentially no smog in Pattaya due to the offshore breezes, though there is plenty of other kinds of filth all over.

The rest of your points can be pinned to personal taste/experience. Maybe it's because I grew up in San Francisco that being in a densely populated urban environment holds no appeal for me. Been there done that.

Honestly I cannot imagine choosing to ride on crowded city streets when there is plenty of beautiful countryside to ride through,