Northern Thailand Cycle Tour :  Bangkok to Chaing Rai 

Thailand has always been a go-to travel destination, and tourists are drawn to its capital, Bangkok. Instead of going that route, Emily Sedgwick and her husband chose to explore the rural parts of Northern Thailand through a cycle tour from Bangkok to Chiang Rai.

They enjoyed every part of their guided tour going through hills, riding narrow boats through mighty rivers and visiting local villages. Emily and her husband got to see the best Northern Thailand has to offer like ethical elephant sanctuaries and sumptuous local dishes. Since they were exploring Thailand by bike, they got to observe the local people and their surroundings even more. Through their journey, Emily realized that Thailand has something for everybody, and she shares how you can have an amazing trip to Thailand as well.  

The Sedgwicks went with Art of Bicycle Tours, one of ATA’s affilaites. Email me for the current Promo Code.

 Listen to the podcast HERE

Explore Rural Thailand by Bike

Experience Thailand up close and personal by bike! On this fully guided cycling tour from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, you’ll discover the real Thailand—far from the typical tourist trail. Pedal past emerald rice paddies, tropical plantations, vineyards, and beautiful beaches. Visit magnificent Buddhist wats (temples), savor authentic Thai cuisine made with ingredients so fresh you just passed the farms where they’re grown, and meet friendly locals along the way. Your English-speaking guide will help bridge the language gap, giving you a truly authentic Thai experience.

Each day, you’ll spend about half the day cycling, leaving plenty of time to relax or explore each destination before dinner. Come discover why Thailand has earned its reputation as the “Land of Smiles.”

When to Visit Northern Thailand

Northern Thailand can be enjoyed year-round, but the experience varies by season.

November through February is widely considered the best time to visit, with pleasantly cool temperatures, low humidity, and ideal conditions for cycling and outdoor adventures.

The dry season generally extends from late October through May. During the southwest monsoon (typically June through October), rainfall increases, although early in the season showers are often brief, lasting an hour or two before giving way to blue skies. The heaviest rainfall usually occurs in August and September, transforming the countryside into a lush landscape of vibrant green rice fields, forests, and waterfalls at their most spectacular.

One thing to be aware of is burning season, which typically occurs from late February through early April. During this period, farmers traditionally burn crop residue after the harvest, and forest fires can create smoky conditions that reduce air quality, particularly in northern Thailand.

From March through June, temperatures can be quite hot, ranging from about 80°F to 104°F (27°C–40°C). Tours continue to operate during these months, with frequent refreshment stops, plenty of cold drinking water, and an itinerary designed to help you stay comfortable in the heat.

At a Glance

• Best Time: November–February (cool, dry, and ideal for cycling)
• Shoulder Season: July–mid-October (lush scenery with occasional rain)
• Hot Season: March–June (very warm but still suitable with proper hydration)
• Burning Season: Late February–early April (smoky conditions possible in northern Thailand)

Thailand Cycling Tour Overview

This 14-day, 13-night guided cycling adventure is offered by my affiliate partner, Art of Bicycle Tours, one of my favorite companies for active travel experiences.  Be sure to Email Me for the current Promo Code.

You’ll be accompanied by a friendly, knowledgeable English-speaking guide who brings Thailand’s culture, history, and local traditions to life. Best of all, the tour is fully van-supported, so you can ride as much or as little as you like. If you’re ready for a break, simply hop into the support van and enjoy the scenery from the comfort of the ride.

One of the highlights of this tour is the incredible food. Your guides know the best local restaurants and hidden gems, giving you the chance to enjoy authentic Thai cuisine throughout the journey. Emily, who completed this tour with her husband, still raves about the delicious meals they enjoyed along the way.

Accommodations are in charming locally owned inns and boutique hotels, many featuring swimming pools—the perfect place to unwind after a day on the bike.

This tour is rated 2–3 out of 5 in difficulty, making it an excellent choice for recreational cyclists and active travelers. For an even more relaxed experience, e-bikes are available, providing electric pedal assistance whenever you’d like a little extra boost.

Perhaps best of all, Art of Bicycle Tours guarantees departures with just two guests, so you won’t have to worry about a large group or your trip being canceled due to low enrollment.

Key Places You’ll Visit

Bangkok

Begin your adventure in Thailand’s vibrant capital, where glittering temples, bustling markets, colorful street life, and outstanding cuisine offer an exciting introduction to the country.

Ayutthaya (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Explore the magnificent ruins of Thailand’s former capital, once one of the wealthiest cities in Asia. Destroyed by the Burmese in 1767, its ancient temples and towering Buddha statues remain one of the country’s most impressive archaeological treasures.

Sukhothai (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Discover the birthplace of the Thai kingdom as you cycle through the beautifully preserved ruins of Thailand’s first capital, renowned for its elegant temples, serene Buddha statues, and peaceful park setting.

Lampang

Often considered one of Thailand’s best-kept secrets, Lampang offers a glimpse of traditional northern Thai life. Known for its relaxed atmosphere, historic wooden buildings, horse-drawn carriages, and beautiful temples, it’s a refreshing escape from the crowds.

Chiang Mai

Surrounded by mountains, Chiang Mai is the cultural heart of northern Thailand. Wander through ancient temples, lively night markets, and charming old streets while enjoying the city’s relaxed atmosphere and renowned food scene.

Chiang Rai

Near Thailand’s borders with Myanmar and Laos, Chiang Rai blends Thai, Chinese, and Burmese influences. It’s famous for its spectacular temples, rich cultural heritage, and scenic mountain landscapes.

Recommended Northern Thailand Cycling Itinerary

Here’s a day-by-day overview of the 14-day Art of Bicycle Tours Northern Thailand Cycling Tour, beginning in Bangkok and finishing in Chiang Rai. You’ll ride through ancient capitals, quiet farming villages, lush countryside, and mountain landscapes while experiencing authentic Thai culture along the way.  Art of Bicycle Tours offers many Thailand and Southeast Asian adventure tours.  Be sure to Email Me for the current Promo Code.

Day 1 – Arrive in Bangkok

Welcome to Thailand! After checking into your hotel, spend the day exploring Bangkok’s famous temples, markets, or riverfront before meeting your guide and fellow travelers for a welcome dinner and tour briefing.

Meals: Dinner

Day 2 – Bangkok to Ayutthaya

After a morning transfer, visit the beautiful Bang Pa-In Summer Palace before beginning your first ride along the Chao Phraya River. Cycle through the spectacular ruins of Ayutthaya Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with ancient temples and palaces.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cycling: Approximately 18 miles (30 km)

Day 3 – Nakhon Sawan

Travel deeper into northern Thailand before beginning today’s ride through peaceful farming villages. Pedal past rice fields, plantations, grazing livestock, and traditional rural communities, offering a glimpse into everyday Thai life.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cycling: Approximately 42 miles (70 km)

Day 4 – Kamphaeng Phet

Today’s mostly flat ride winds through lush rice paddies, fruit orchards, and quiet countryside. Keep an eye out for water buffalo making their way to the fields.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cycling: Approximately 48 miles (80 km)

Day 5 – Sukhothai

Ride peaceful country roads lined with rice fields and small villages where friendly locals often greet passing cyclists. This is an excellent day for photography and experiencing authentic rural Thailand.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cycling: Approximately 42 miles (70 km)

Day 6 – Explore Sukhothai

Spend the day cycling through Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand’s first capital and another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Magnificent temples, giant Buddha statues, and serene gardens make this one of the tour’s highlights.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling: Approximately 18 miles (30 km)

Day 7 – Uttaradit

Today’s ride takes you through fertile farmland growing rice, papaya, garlic, and other local crops as you continue north through the countryside.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cycling: Approximately 36 miles (60 km)

Day 8 – Lampang

Cycle through rolling green valleys surrounded by teak forests, bamboo groves, and riverside villages. You may even spot elephants enjoying the river as you ride through one of Thailand’s most scenic regions.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cycling: Approximately 42 miles (70 km)

Day 9 – Chiang Mai

Enjoy a refreshing morning ride before arriving in the cultural capital of northern Thailand. The afternoon is yours to begin exploring this fascinating city.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cycling: Approximately 42 miles (70 km)

Day 10 – Explore Chiang Mai

Enjoy a free day to discover Chiang Mai at your own pace. Visit beautiful temples such as Wat Chedi Luang or Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, browse colorful markets, or choose an optional visit to an ethical elephant sanctuary.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 11 – Chiang Dao

Ride into the foothills of northern Thailand, surrounded by dramatic limestone mountains and lush jungle. Visit the revered Chiang Dao Cave temple before continuing through this spectacular mountain landscape.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cycling: Approximately 36 miles (60 km)

Day 12 – Thaton

Visit the Tub Tao Caves before cycling through fertile farmland, peaceful villages, and rice paddies toward the riverside town of Thaton. Located near the Myanmar border, the town reflects a fascinating blend of Thai, Burmese, and Chinese cultures.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cycling: Approximately 48 miles (80 km)

Day 13 – Chiang Rai

Start the day with a scenic long-tail boat ride before your final ride through banana plantations, orchards, and rice fields into Chiang Rai, the gateway to Thailand’s famed Golden Triangle region.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cycling: Approximately 30 miles (50 km)

Day 14 – Departure

After breakfast, your unforgettable cycling adventure comes to an end as you depart according to your onward travel plans.

Meals: Breakfast

Related links:

Vietnam and Cambodia by Bike

Mysterious Bhutan

Podcast Transcript: Northern Thailand Cycling Tour (Bangkok to Chiang Rai)

Prefer to read instead of listen? Below is the complete transcript of my interview with Emily Sedgwick about her 14-day cycling adventure from Bangkok to Chiang Rai with Art of Bicycle Tours. We discuss the route, scenery, accommodations, food, cycling difficulty, and what it’s really like to experience rural Thailand by bike.  Prefer to listen to the podcast interview?  Listen HERE.

Cycle Tour Northern Thailand From Bangkok To Chiang Rai with Emily
Sedgwick

We’re going to explore rural Thailand by bike. We’re going to start in
Bangkok and head north almost to the Myanmar border. It’s an exciting
adventure and I can’t wait to share it with you. I want to remind you
about the new companion podcast, the Adventure Travel Show Podcast,
where you learn the how-tos of adventure travel. Be sure to check it
out. Let’s get started with cycling rural Thailand.

— 

Can you start by introducing yourself and perhaps telling us your age? 

I’m Emily Sedgwick and I’m 67 years old. 

We met because of the Adventure Travel about cycling in Northern
Thailand. How did you get involved in Adventure Travel to start with? 

My husband and I have done a lot of trips. We like to do self-guided
bicycle trips and we’ve done a lot in Europe, but then we decided we
wanted to go to other places more different or more interesting than
Europe. In most places, you can’t do self-guided or it’s easier to do
guided trips. We’ve been to India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and those
type of trips. 

Do you also do hiking or paddling trips or are you basically cyclists? 

My husband and I do cycling. I do hiking with friends because he doesn’t
like to hike as much. We don’t do any paddling. We don’t like it that
much. 

Was it a change of decision instead of doing the typical touristy kinds
of vacations to do these adventure vacations? It is completely different
than going and touring Paris versus going out and biking Tuscany. 

I’m happy going anywhere. I love to travel and I’ll go anywhere, but my
husband preferred biking in rural areas to go to cities. We started
doing this and the first year that we did it was the first year that
we’ve got both of our kids to go to sleepaway camp so that we had time
in the summer. That was our first trip to France, in the Loire Valley.
We liked it and we often combined it with a short final few days in the
city which is about right for us. We’d spend a few days in Paris after
that. We went to Barcelona after a trip to Spain, things like that. 

That sounds similar to how I do it too because I do want to see some of
the iconic sites of the world, but I’m finding more and more that I’d
rather be at their national parks. We’re going to be talking about the
cycling trip that you did in the rural parts of northern Thailand. What
made you choose that?  

We had taken a trip with Art of Bicycle in India. We loved that trip and
that organization was good. They had done a good job. We looked for
other trips that they were doing and we were interested in
Thailand because we’ve been to other areas near Thailand, but we’ve
never been there. It seemed like the right trip for us. 

I’ve been to Bangkok and in that area. Bangkok is a huge city being the
capital. What struck you most about the landscapes that you’re seeing on
your bike trip? 

On the bike trip itself, it was very rural, very agricultural, lots and
lots of rice paddies, lots of different vegetables and different things
being grown like sugar cane. There were parts where we saw lots of
elephants. There was a good mix of different things to see. 

Is it interesting to look at throughout the whole time? 

“There Share on X

Yes. Even though we liked the bicycling best in the last half of the
trip, the first half was very flat. It was nice because there were a lot
of nice things to look at, but the bicycling itself was too flat for
what we like. As we got farther north, it got hillier and that was more
to our liking. 

That’s what I was noticing too from reading the reviews. The scenery
will change much more too when you start getting in the hills. I imagine
it’s cooler because Thailand can be a little bit warm. You went in
December if I’m not mistaken. 

It was a perfect temperature. I don’t remember ever being too hot, but
it was plenty warm. It was in the 80s Fahrenheit, I’m not sure. If it
had been too hot, I would have remembered that. 

Why don’t you give us a brief overview of the trip and then we’re going
to talk about some of the different things that you did along the
way? Tell us how long the trip was and some of the highlights and then
we’ll dig a little deeper. 

It was two weeks or close to two weeks. We flew into Bangkok. We didn’t
get much chance to see Bangkok. We weren’t particularly excited about
Bangkok, especially the pollution was bad. We were glad to get out of
Bangkok. We drove for two or three hours north to get started. Every day
we rode on bicycles quite a bit, 40 miles or so. Usually either at the
beginning or the end, we’d be in the van either driving out of a town to
get started or driving into a town at the end. We went farther north
starting with flat areas and then getting into hillier and more nature
areas and finishing in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. 

This was a fully guided trip, right? 

Yes. 

Did you have a guide and a driver? 

Yes, we had a guide and a driver. It was a group trip but we were the
only two that signed up for it, which I have no idea why. We were
surprised that they would run it for two people. At first, we
didn’t like the idea of it being just the two of us and a guide and a
driver, but it worked out great because the guide was so personable and
he was great to be with. The driver was nice also. The four of us would
eat our meals together. We were together a lot of the time. It was fine
but it wasn’t our choice to just be the two of us and the guide. It just
worked out that way. 

I believe all the bicycle trips have a two-person minimum, which is
cool. I booked some trips where I’ve already booked the flights and all
that and if they don’t get enough people, I’m stuck. Your first stop was
Ayutthaya and this was the second capital of Thailand. Do you have some
memories or can you tell us a little bit about that? 

This was the area where we went to a park and saw a lot of Buddhist
relics. That was new to us at the time. Later, we saw a lot more. We had
been to Myanmar and we’d seen a lot of Buddhist relics there. It was
different, just the form of them and the materials they were made out
of. These were very nice parks where you could walk around and enjoy the
air and the trees and looking at a bunch of different Buddha. That was
mainly our experience there. 

From my research, it looks like the Burmese army came and plundered it
in about 1767. After they destroyed the capital, that’s when it then
moved to Bangkok and they were never rebuilt.  

There were numerous times where things had been stolen from Thailand by
Myanmar not in the recent past but in the medieval 18th century time.
We’ve heard about that on many different occasions. 

The next place that you went to was Nakhon Sawan, which translates to
Heavenly City. You’re in a flat area but it’s up on a hill. One of the
key stops that you went to is Sukhothai. That was a UNESCO world
heritage historical area. Can you tell us a little bit about that?  

Explore
Thailand By Bike: Ayutthaya has these very nice parts where you could
just walk around and enjoy.

There were a lot of Buddhist relics and we enjoyed them. It’s not like
we’re interested in Buddhism as a religion, but that they were important
to the people there and well preserved. We were there on a day
when there was some celebration. I’m not sure if it was a local
celebration or countrywide. There was a marching band and it was quite
something to see the number of people involved in these marching bands,
men and women, all kinds of instruments and dancers. That was something
to see. 

That town was Thailand’s original capital. The country itself celebrates
the birth of it as a nation even though they had some other places
beforehand. This is the first town that they have many recordings of.
They celebrate this as the founding place of the country. I’m not sure
if that’s what you saw there but that’s one of their major celebrations
of the year. It’s celebrated throughout the country. 

It was so crowded that we couldn’t ride our bikes. We walked our bike
along with the parade. It was something to see.  

That’s cool that you were there at that time. You went to another cool
town called Lampang that they call the Horse Carriage City because they
still use that for transport to get around. Can you tell us a little bit
about that?  

I remember we went to a palace and outside of the palace there were
plenty of opportunities for tourists to ride in horse carriages. We
didn’t do that, but we saw a lot of people doing it. They would go to
the palace and then come out of the palace and ride in a carriage.
That’s what I remember about that.  

I got the impression that the locals were still using those as
transport.  

I couldn’t tell you. I don’t remember.  

That town is considered by many Thais to be the last paradise of
Thailand. That’s one of the local favorite towns. They also have the
Elephant Conservation Center there. Did you get a chance to go there? 

Yes, we went to several different places where there were elephant
sanctuaries. I’m not sure what towns that they were in, but we saw lots
of places where elephants were being taken care of. We saw other places
where elephants were used for the tourists but not in an exploitative
way. They seemed to be well-treated. The tourist could take rides on
them, which we also didn’t do because we’ve done it before. I thought
once was enough. 

There seems to be a trend of getting away from the riding of the
elephants as a tourist attraction. Let’s talk about some of the other
places you’ve visited, in particular Chiang Mai, which is a place I’ve
often thought about going to spend the winter there. I’ve heard it was
lovely. 

We had a great time in Chiang Mai. I remember going to the market and
seeing all kinds of things for sale like flowers, vegetables and also
lots of different kinds of things. I bought a winter hat. It seems a
little odd because it was so warm. It wasn’t clear what they would ever
use a winter hat for, but it was perfect for Boston. I’ve been wearing
it in the winter ever since. It’s a nice feeling to the area and lots
and lots of things to buy and pleasant to go around looking at. 

You’re starting to get in the hills now, aren’t you? Isn’t Chiang Mai
either in the hills or the mountains? 

Yes, they are definitely hills. We never rode on a place that was too
hilly for us. There were hills but we don’t mind hills. There was one
place where we had gone on a river and spend an hour in the morning
going from one place to another on the river. We got to a road that was
incredibly steep. We walked up to it and it was about a mile or so of
very steep riding. There were a couple of other times when there were
very steep ridings that we weren’t necessarily expected to ride. I rode
almost all of it and my husband somewhat less. That was taxing but
short. The whole thing was over in maybe 45 minutes. 

I noticed too that Art of Bicycle Trips now offers eBikes in Thailand.
That’s an option, particularly if people are on different levels of
ability to bike. 

“It’s Share on X

We’ve been hearing much more about that. My husband had considered
getting an eBike but had decided against it. We didn’t see a lot of
eBikes but I know there were some and they definitely increase in
popularity. 

I want to mention one other thing about Chiang Mai. They have a festival
in the full moon of the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar, which in
the Western calendar is usually sometime in November called Loy
Krathong. Thousands of people make these floating banana leaf containers
that they decorated with flowers and candles and they put them in the
waterway in mass to worship the goddess of water. They do those lanterns
as hot air balloons out of paper that they launch in the air. I bet you
that would be spectacular to go. November is a good time a month to go.
It’s the beginning of time that you can go to this area. If I do this
trip, I’m going to try to time it for that timeframe. 

That would have been nice to see and it would fit with the kind of thing
but we never saw anything as elaborate as that. 

It sounds like a cool thing to do. Did you get a lot of interaction with
the locals by traveling by bike? 

Yes, one of my best memories of the trip was we stopped in a school
playground which at first, we didn’t realize was the school playground.
We stopped there for a rest stop. We saw these kids in uniforms and they
gradually came over to speak to us. At first, they were looking at us
like, “Who are these people?” They came over and started talking to us.
We were there with the guide so he can interpret. The coolest thing was
they were all studying English and they had their English workbooks with
them, even though it was recess. They were practicing their English on
us and asking us questions in English that we were answering. They were
delightful to us and we were delightful to them. It was a nice encounter
to be able to speak to some young kids that were probably eight or nine,
third or fourth grade. 

That reminds me of when I was in Bhutan at a festival. Three kids came
up and introduced themselves, because they could tell I was a foreigner.
They wanted to practice their English and check me out. These local
interactions are what make the trips. 

We found that generally, the Thai children were a little bit more
reticent than either the children that we had met in Vietnam or in
India. They were happy to see us and they’d say hi but it wasn’t like
they ran out to greet you the way people in some other countries do. The
guide said that was typical of Thais that they are reticent around
foreigners, but they are still willing to engage. The other thing that
was interesting that I remember, I went back over some pictures and I
remembered some things. There are various little rural factories, not
exactly factory. For example, there was a place that would take the raw
rice and do whatever has to be done to it to make it finished rice that
you would buy in the store. 

It looked like something out of the early industrial revolution where
there were all of these chutes that they would put the rice through and
something would happen to it. It would come out different from the way
it went in. They put it to another chute and in the end, it would come
out as the rice the way you buy in the store. We saw several examples of
that. There were maybe three or four people working there and then
another person transporting the rice to wherever it was going for the
market. We saw a lot of that, just little agriculture-related but more
industrial activities and that was interesting. 

Because you’re touring the rural areas by bike, I imagine you’re going
to places where there aren’t many tourists. 

People were surprised. It was not like we were a total oddity, but they
hadn’t seen many of us and they weren’t quite sure how to react to us.
It’s very authentic. Whatever it was that was going on was what’s going
on and not being done for us. There was one time that we stopped and
there was a large group of people, mostly men, gathered around a
television. We went to know what it was. We stopped and watched for
a while and there was a boxing championship in Thailand that everybody
was watching. While we went along the road, we saw other people with
their TVs on watching this. Apparently, a lot of people bet money on it.
It’s a big thing that everybody is engaged in. We stopped and watched
for a while with them and people were excited if the person they had bet
on is winning. That was pretty cool.  

Did you feel welcomed by the locals?  

Definitely welcomed. Everybody was friendly to us but not overly excited
about us. They’re very friendly. 

How about the food? Thais got some great food. 

We loved everything we had. There was only one night that we didn’t eat
Thai food. We went on a special expedition to get not American food but
not Thai food. That was great too. Every other meal was Thai food. What
was interesting was that even though it was all local Thai food, it was
all different. It wasn’t like you’re eating the same thing over and
over. It was like different sauces, different meats and different
vegetable. They would serve us seven or eight different things in one
sitting, sometimes more than we wanted. You’d try a little of this and a
little of that. It was all delicious and all have that Thai flavoring
but in completely different forms. It was great and it was really good. 

Explore
Thailand By Bike: Everybody in Thailand seem to watch these boxing
championships and apparently, a lot of people bet money on it.

Is the guide selecting the things for you to try or how did all that
work? If I look at the menu, I wouldn’t even know what the things are
and to even know how to order. 

We might say interesting this and interesting that. He would select the
things that he thought we would want. If there were other things we
would want, I don’t know what they were, but he made a good selection.
He also was very health conscious. I remember there was one local small
operation type of restaurant for local people. He took us there, but he
said that we get only order certain things there. It wasn’t safe to
order things that weren’t hot. If we had soup and things like that, it
would be perfectly safe. That’s what we did. He wouldn’t have let us
order stuff that he thinks would be not safe. We’ve got the best of both
worlds. We got local things that were being made for local people and we
didn’t have to worry. Neither of us got sick at all in anyway. That was
great to feel like we had the freedom to eat street food without having
to worry. 

That’s definitely a big asset to have in a local guide because they do
know where it’s okay for you to go and not to go and where are some of
the cool places are. You would never even consider a hole-in-the-wall
that might be outstanding. Was your guide also able to help translate
some of the cultural things that you’d see and give you some background
and history and such? 

Yeah, absolutely. He was well-versed on that. Not that we retained a lot
of it but it was nice to hear all the history. He talked about local
politics too. This was right at the time when they were preparing to
have the election. The military had finally said, “Yes, we can have the
election,” but they were postponing and postponing. He wasn’t an
activist, but he was very aware of things that were going on. He
supported the other party, the one that the military had overthrown. He
was very open about the situation going on and very disappointed when
they postponed the election.  

I’m sure he’s disappointed that the military controlled the elections so
that they would get a candidate they wanted. He told us a lot about
things that we still don’t quite understand like that the royal family
is Hindu. They’re not Buddhist and everybody seems to accept that. He
told us that the previous king had been popular and everybody had been
very reverent about him, but the present king was not popular. People
thought he was a playboy and not taking the office seriously. He told us
lots of stuff that was very interesting, the real dirt on what was going
on. 

I love learning about the insights of the different cultures of the
countries that I visit. He can also help you translate so you can have
other interactions with the locals, right? 

Yes, absolutely. When there was somebody that we want to talk to or
something that was of interest to us, he would facilitate the
conversation. 

Tell us a little bit about the accommodations. 

Everything was great. We stayed in Bangkok in a regular hotel. It was
fine. Nothing special but that was just one night. Each night we were in
a different accommodation, but they were all special. The one I remember
the best was this guy from somewhere in Europe had married a woman from
Thailand. He had decided that he wanted to open a very special type of
hotel in the rural area of Thailand. They had this beautiful land
overlooking rice paddies. The two of them are, according to
him but mainly her, had for years built this resort that was only going
to have eight rooms or something. It was a very special place with this
beautiful pool overlooking the rice paddies.  

They would take you into town if you wanted to go. I can’t remember
which town it was. He had a very interesting story about it. He’s given
up his life in Europe and was going around Thailand by motorcycle and
met this woman. He decided, “Thailand is where I’m going to stay.” That
was interesting. The other place that was quite down to earth and cabins
that were like the cabins that you’d see here in national parks. It’s a
little bit of lower standard but interesting in themselves for being a
different type of accommodation, again delicious food. Everything was
great and they chose the accommodations well. 

It looked to me that almost all the accommodations had a swimming pool,
which might have been nice to relax after a bike ride. 

We are very big on swimming pools. Any tour that we would go on, we’d
always ask for places with pools. The place I was just describing did
not have a pool but that was fine. It was quite cool around that area,
but in every other place that there was a pool, we went into the pool.
We liked them. The pools were very well-designed and added to the
ambience of the place. That was great for us. 

You talked about seeing elephants. How about other wildlife? 

We saw a rhinoceros and some huge boars that somebody’s whole capital
investment was in their boars. I’m not sure what exactly they were going
to do with boar. We saw various living animals and we also saw animals
that were used as a sacrifice or something. In different Buddhist
ceremonies, they seem to have animals that had been sacrificed, which
was interesting. We didn’t see tons of wildlife beyond that. 

“You Share on X

How about birds in the mountain areas? 

We saw lots of birds. We’re not bird people as far as identifying them.
There were lots of birds in the mountain. We went to lots of places
where there were lily pads in the water and there were lots of fish.
There was a temple where there was a pond with lots of fish. You were
encouraged to buy these little things for food and throw it into the
pond and all the fish would come and eat the food. That was part of the
routine at this temple. It’s like a cave temple where you had to go up
lots of steps to get into the cave where the Buddha was. There were a
lot of other things including fish at this place. 

One thing that makes me a little bit nervous about going on a cycling
trip is cycling in traffic and cycling on the roads. Can you tell us a
little bit about what the trails were like or the paths or the roads and
whether you ever were a little bit nervous? Give us an overview of all
that. 

I’ve never felt unsafe at all. When we’re crossing on roads of some
kind, sometimes very rural roads where there were almost no cars and
other places where there were cars, but not a lot of cars. I’ve never
felt at all unsafe riding in a lot of other areas where there are more
cars than I’m comfortable with. We never had that problem at all. In the
areas where there were cars, there were plenty of shoulders so that you
never felt like the cars were a threat. In a lot of places, there
weren’t that many cars. It was fine. 

On the interview I did on cycling through Vietnam and Cambodia, they had
said that the cars are so used to bicycles versus where I live where
you’re the anomaly. They’re on always on the lookout for bikes anyway.
They felt safer biking in Vietnam than they did here. 

In Vietnam, there was a lot more traffic. When we were in Vietnam, we
were in urban areas. We were in a lot of rural areas but in urban
areas, there were many scooters and you have to look out for them. There
were scooters in Thailand too. A lot of them but never in a way that I
felt unsafe, would pass us and that was fine. I’ve never felt threatened
by them at all. 

On a scale of one to five, with five being the most difficult, how would
you rank this trip? 

Do you mean in terms of the difficulty? 

Yes, how hard is it? You’re biking between 20 and 50 miles a day. 

It would be between two and three. Part of the reason I say that is
whenever we wanted to end the day, they would pick us up in the van.
Oftentimes, I ended up cycling with the guide and my husband would get
into the van earlier. He’d ride most of the time, but he would be tired
maybe ten or fifteen miles before the end. He would get in the van and
that was fine. It’s what you want to do. For me, I could have done more
but I was happy. I didn’t feel like I wanted to, just I could have done
more. It doesn’t mean I necessarily wanted to. It was a good balance
because then we’d get to the hotel in time to even take a swim and walk
around before dinner. 

I liked that you weren’t utterly exhausted at the end of the day. Did
you have enough time to visit some of the villages along the way as well
at the end of the day? 

Yeah, that was a priority to do that. It was never like we were cycling
all day. We’re always stopping at lunch and spend time visiting before
starting again. We never rode late into the afternoon. We’re always done
at 3:00, 3:30, something like that. 

Did you feel like you had control over your schedule or was it like the
guide said, “We’ve got to move on, it’s time to get going?” 

No, we had control. We wanted to do what he wanted us to do. It was
never an issue. There were maybe a couple of times where we had to meet
a boat at a certain time. We’ve crossed a number of rivers or went on a
number of rivers. We had to be there at certain times, but it was never
a problem. We don’t particularly like to get up early and never had to
do that. We always had time for a nice breakfast before we start riding.
It was very comfortable. 

Explore
Thailand By Bike: You never feel unsafe at all, even in very rural roads
where there aren’t a lot of cars.

You went on something called a long-tail boat. What is that? 

The boats we went on, I’m not quite sure what that refers to but these
were long, narrow, motorized canoes. We went on one quite a distance.
Maybe we were on it for an hour or an hour and a half. The drivers have
to be skilled because the rivers are low. You have to have exactly the
right deep to be in the channel and not hitting rocks. You have to know
exactly what you’re doing and where you’re going. There were rapids, not
big rapids but small rapids, that if I hadn’t felt confident in
the guide who was driving the boat, I would have been very nervous. It
was great and it was quite an experience to be in that boat with our
bikes, our guide, us and the driver going through these rapids. It was
pretty cool. 

What surprised you about the trip? 

In retrospect, I don’t know if it seemed like this to outsiders, but it
seemed like people generally were quite happy. We didn’t get the feeling
of oppression or feeling of people not knowing how to make a living. We
didn’t see people hanging around unemployed. It seemed like everybody
was working and people seemed happy with what they were doing. It seemed
like a very positive atmosphere. You come home and you read about the
military government and things like that. Maybe you were a little bit
naive, but it still seemed to us that things were generally going pretty
well for people in Thailand. 

Is there any advice you’d give to somebody considering this trip? 

I’d say do it. The time of year that we did it was great. I don’t know
about other times of the year. It was nowhere close to hot so you could
probably do it months later and still keep cool. It’s a good place to
travel. It is important to have a guide, unless you speak Thai, to be
able to understand what’s going on and to meet people. The way we did it
was a good way. 

According to my notes, the monsoon stops around late October and picks
up again in May. Another time you need to be a little bit concerned
about is around the end of February when the farmers will burn the
fields. The air will be very polluted and very smoky. It seems like the
time you went in November and December is a perfect time to go. 

As far as the burning, there was some burning going on while we were
there. We could sometimes smell the burning but never close by. That was
the thing that we discussed with the guide a lot about the reasons for
doing that and how they’re trying to get away from that. It’s not
necessary to do it, it’s just easier to do it that way. The government
could subsidize people to change the way they do it so that there would
be less burning, but it hasn’t happened yet. That is an issue. 

If you’re not sure what we’re talking about here, the farmers will burn
the fields after they harvest the crops. The burning of the fields will
get rid of all the debris. Whereas where I live, the farmers will simply
till under that debris and turn in the organic matter back into the
soil. 

Some people do and it’s the poorest farmers that do the burning. They
don’t have to do it. Things could be changed but it hasn’t changed yet. 

There are two other towns that we didn’t talk about. One was Chiang Dao.
Chiang, you will hear that word a lot in Thailand, that means city.
Chiang Dao was called the little Tuscany. It’s full of vineyards. Did
you have any memories of that? 

I remember the vineyards and being surprised that it’s not what I
expected from Thailand. I remember riding by lots of grape trees or
whatever they’re called. That was nice. 

Did you sample any of the wine to see how it tasted? 

I’m not a wine person. I mainly drink beer. My husband had a lot of the
wine and I think it was good. 

“There’s Share on X

You ended up in the town of Thaton. In my research, it sounds like
you’re in Myanmar, but it’s right up in the border of Myanmar, Burma
area and Laos. There’s a convalescence of the Burmese people, Thai
people and the Chinese in that area. That was interesting. 

I remember being there and there’s a lot of concern about people from
Myanmar coming over the border. The necessity to check the border
carefully to make sure that they weren’t coming over. That’s what I
remember about the heightened level of concern in border protection in a
different way than we talked about it here in the United States, but
still worried that people from Myanmar will come over. That’s what I
remember with that. What I remember about Chiang Rai, which was our last
city, there was this huge pageant of transgender performers which
apparently has always been a big thing in Thailand. Their attitude
towards transgender people is advance of the attitude in the United
States. You see transgender people around living their lives and it’s an
accepted part of Thai culture. We saw these shows that were like evening
entertainment. There was a big stage. You would be served, you would be
eating your dinner and watching these performances that were very
professional and nicely done. That’s a big thing in Chiang Rai. It’s one
of the big activities to go see that in the evening. 

Do you have a favorite memory of the place that when you look
back and you’d say, “That day was so good or that memory was so good?” 

Different things for different reasons. I liked being in Chiang Mai
partly because there was a variety of things to do and we liked our
hotel. In a way, it felt like it got better and better, the cycling
especially, and being farther in the north. I don’t have one favorite
thing. 

You’re well-traveled, Emily. How does this trip compare to some of the
other venture trips you’ve taken? 

It was different in that there were just two of us. That is what made
the difference. We had never traveled in that area with less than maybe
eight or ten people. That’s a different experience. It wasn’t negative,
it’s just different. In that situation, you have to have a guide who’s
not just very knowledgeable but also good at getting along with people.
That’s what made the trip. If we hadn’t had a guide who was so good at
his job, maybe it wouldn’t have been such a good trip, but he made a
good trip. 

I do a lot of research before every program and looking at the reviews
for this trip and in fact, all of Art of Bicycle Trips, the reviews for
the guides have been outstanding. I’m pleased to be able to recommend
them and to now be affiliated with them. 

It’s funny because they all know each other. When we went to any tourist
related thing, our guide will be talking to them. They all know each
other, guides who do bicycle trips with the Westerners. That was nice to
see. They have an infrastructure of guides that are ready to be able to
do more guiding. Our guide didn’t have that many trips. He does another
type of guiding which is not on bicycles. He hosts groups of doctors
from other countries who as part of their medical training, come to
Thailand and do service for a month. He hosts them and raised everything
for them. We enjoy doing that too, but probably he does that because he
can’t do bike guiding full-time. This isn’t the opportunity for it. They
have the infrastructure ready to accommodate more type of riding. 

Did you have any other interactions with Westerners on your trip? 

There are very few. When we saw them, we would say hello. We wouldn’t
pretend to not see them. There were lots of tourists from China. There
are some from Australia, but generally not the number of tourists that
you would see in Vietnam for example. More than in Myanmar but not as
many as you would see in some other countries. 

It sounds like you’ve got an authentic experience doing this trip the
way that you did going out to the rural countryside. 

It felt that way, just to see the farming and all the different kinds of
crops. This was not like agribusiness. This was not tiny farms but farms
that are owned by a family. The family does the farming and sells the
crops. It was nice to see that is still working. Although the guide told
us that a lot of young people don’t want to stay on the farm. There’s
been some movement to Bangkok in particular. A lot of people are going
to Bangkok. If they had something to do or something to keep them in the
rural areas, they would stay there. It’s just that they want to do
something other than farming. 

It sounds like you had a great time in this adventure. Would you
recommend it? 

Absolutely. 

Explore
Thailand By Bike: Chiang Rai have a lot of these huge transgender
pageants. Their attitude towards transgender people is very advanced.
It’s an accepted part of Thai culture.

What’s next for you and your husband?  

We’re going on a bike trip in Croatia where you stay on a boat. Every
day, the boat goes to different islands and you ride your bike on the
island. My husband is getting an eBike for that because it’s quite
hilly, but that’s supposed to be beautiful. 

Hopefully, we’ll get you back on the show to tell us about that trip
when you get back. Any final thoughts or things that you want to share
with the audience? 

Put Thailand on your list. Everyone will enjoy it for very many reasons.
It’s got something for everybody. 

Thanks for coming on the show, Emily. I appreciate it. The next time I
go to Thailand or Southeast Asia, for sure I’m going to do a bicycle
trip. I’m so intrigued by what Emily told us. What we learned about
biking in Vietnam and Cambodia with Norm and Karen, it sounds like a
cool way to see a country and you’re not zooming through everything. You
get to see the country and meet the local people far more than you can
and get to cover more territory than you do when I do like my
walking holidays. I’m getting more and more interested in doing this. In
fact, I’d like to plan on doing a trip to India and possibly Vietnam by
bike. I’m not hosting it, mind you, but if any of you are interested in
joining me, pop me an email at Kit@ActiveTravelAdventures.com and let’s
see if we can put something together. That would be a lot of fun.  

I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour of Thailand. I’ve got a lot more
information on the website at ActiveTravelAdventure.com. Newsletter
subscribers will get the free Travel Planner with all the details you
need to plan this cycling holiday should you choose to do so. That comes
absolutely free at the beginning of each month for whatever I covered
the month ahead of time. Also, subscribers will get any of the handouts
that I do for the new podcast, Adventure Travel Show Podcast with the
how-tos. I’m packing a lot of punch and absolutely free newsletter.
Remember, I do not spam you or sell you emails at all. You get one email
a month from me and it usually shows up around the first week of the
following month of whatever I covered the previous month. Check out the
website, sign up for it there, pop me an email and tell me to hook you
up. I’ll be glad to do it that way as well. Until next time, I hope
you’ve enjoyed this adventure. Thanks so much for tuning in. I
appreciate it and adventure on. 

Important Links:

Adventure Travel Show Podcast  Art of Bicycle  Vietnam and Cambodia ““
previous episode  Kit@ActiveTravelAdventures.com    Love the show?
Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Active Travel
Adventures Community: activetraveladventures.com Active Travel
Adventures Facebook Page Active Travel Adventures Facebook Group Active
Travel Adventures Twitter Active Travel Adventures Instagram Active
Travel Adventures YouTube Kit Parks LinkedIn

(C) Active Travel Adventures LLC – All Rights Reserved