THAILAND

We meet at our tour hotel at 1pm and transfer a short distance to the Huay Tueng Thao Reservoir. This is a favorite recreation spot for Chiang Mai locals, featuring a large lake surrounded by forests and traffic-free roads. After setting up and fitting the bikes we’ll go for a gentle spin around the area, riding on a cycling & running track before looping around the scenic lake. Keep your eyes out for some large and whimsical straw statues! Upon returning to the city by vehicle, we’ll reconvene for a welcome dinner in the evening.

We kick off our adventure with a 45 minute transfer from Chiang Mai to a temple complex in the Mae Rim District. From there, we cycle north, immersing ourselves in the rustic countryside surrounding the Ping River, which we’ll cross several times as we weave across the valley floor. At the 25 km mark, we tackle our first short but relatively steep climb before continuing to our scenic lakeside lunch spot overlooking the Mae Ngat Reservoir.

After lunch, we skirt the edge of Sri Lanna National Park, following quiet roads that meander alongside canals and longan farms. By the time we reach 55 km, we join the main road for the final stretch into the Chiang Dao Valley. We navigate approximately 20 km of smooth tarmac tackling a couple of hills along the way. At 70 km, we’ll return to rural roads and cycle the remaining distance to our hotel, accompanied by breathtaking views of the valley filled with farms and villages, all framed by the majestic Doi Chiang Dao, Thailand’s third-largest peak.

Make sure you are well rested because today features the tour’s century ride! We cover a lot of ground across varied terrain beginning with an eastward jaunt across the valley floor, surrounded by farms and rugged limestone massifs. We then tackle some climbs as we ascend along the hillside contours. The roads alternate between paved countryside routes and hard-packed dirt paths winding through farms and forests, providing a stunning ride through northern Thailand’s rural hinterland. At around 37 km, we merge onto a quiet provincial road that leads down into the Fang Valley. The route is mostly downhill at this point, though a few uphills appear along the way. By the time we reach 54 km, most of the day’s climbing is behind us, allowing for a long, relatively flat stretch of back roads leading into the town of Fang where we spend the night.

Today’s route takes us to the far north of Thailand, where the mountains form a natural border with Myanmar. We begin by leaving Fang and heading onto paved country lanes, passing expansive rice paddies and village temples dotted along the way. This region is also famous for its vast orange orchards. By the 40 km mark, we reach the Kok River, the lifeblood of the area, and follow its eastern banks to the market town of Tha Thon. By around 55 km, we’ll arrive at our riverside hotel. For those seeking a challenge, there’s the option to tackle a steep, winding mountain road up to the hilltop Tha Thon Temple, which offers sweeping views over the valley and into Myanmar. After soaking in the vistas, we’ll descend back to our tranquil hotel, where peaceful gardens and a refreshing pool await. The afternoon is yours to relax and enjoy at leisure.

So far, we've tackled a few solid climbs, but today we’re taking things up a notch—literally! Starting from the banks of the Mae Kok River we head east along the main provincial road cutting through farm-covered, rolling hills, some of which are crowned by Buddhist stupas. We regroup at the 20km mark and gear up for the climb to Doi Mae Salong, where winding roads lead us past tea plantations, coffee farms, lots of corn, and simply outstanding views over the highlands of Chiang Rai Province. The road is well-paved and while the ride trends upwards for 28 km, there are a few refreshing dips to provide a boost from time to time. By around 45 km we arrive at the mountaintop village of Mae Salong which, almost entirely populated by descendants of Chiang Kai Shek's Chinese Nationalist Kuomintang Army, has the look and feel of China’s Yunnan province rather than Thailand. We spend the night in this fascinating area, enjoying the views from our mountain resort and, if you’re up for it, a tea tasting of locally grown specialties.

The motto for the first 18 km today is: what goes up must come down! Retracing yesterday’s ascent in reverse, we ride mostly downhill back toward the base of Doi Mae Salong. We soon veer onto a dirt road that quietly branches off from the pavement and opens up into an off-road enthusiast's dream. After pushing our bikes up a short but steep hill, we’re rewarded with stunning views of the remote mountainous countryside.

For the next 15 km, we navigate a mix of gravel, dirt, and broken asphalt, with mildly technical downhill sections adding a fun challenge. The scenery is breathtaking — streams, rice terraces, cornfields, and Lahu villages dot the landscape. When we reach the Mae Kok River, a packed lunch and refreshments await us. This serene river winds through a narrow valley, framed by forested hills and terraced fields. We follow its meandering course, passing Thai and hill tribe communities, and soaking in the scenic views. Eventually, we spill out onto the flatlands surrounding Chiang Rai, where we conclude our ride.

Today's ride leads us to the captivating Golden Triangle, nestled in the far northeast of Chiang Rai Province, where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos converge at the majestic confluence of the Mekong River. To get there, we traverse the picturesque countryside filled with expansive rice paddies. For the first 15 km, we’ll encounter some traffic as we navigate out of Chiang Rai, but soon we’ll dip onto peaceful gravel roads along irrigation canals for a short stretch. The rest of the ride is predominantly on well-paved provincial roads, leading us to the riverside town of Chiang Saen, where we'll spend two nights.

Your rest day could consist of simply enjoying beers by the pool overlooking to Mekong River or explore the historic town with remnants of temples and fortifications from the 13th century. Take a stroll through the local market to try some snacks. Make a trip to Sop Ruak , the heart of the infamous opium growing Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet.

Today’s lunch and dinner are not included.

Today, we’ll follow the winding course of the Mekong River through the expansive rice basin of eastern Chiang Rai province. The fertile, silt-rich land along the Mekong offers a vibrant patchwork of greens as we ride through endless fields of agriculture. We’ll pass fruit orchards, paddy fields, and banana plantations as well as some more developed areas in this thriving commercial area. And just across the river is Laos. We end the ride in the small border town of Chiang Khong, spending another night at a Mekong riverside hotel.

It’s time for the tour’s second major climbing feat! We warm up for 50 km on a leisurely, flat route before the real ascent begins — up, up, up! After conquering the first climb of nearly 800 m to a plateau, we’ll take a well-deserved break. From here, we’ll experience some undulations along a ridge at 1,200 m, offering stunning views of the patchwork fields carved into the mountainsides, where crops like cabbage, corn, strawberries, and lychees thrive. Our journey takes us to the mountaintop of Phu Chi Fah, a favorite retreat for Thais seeking cool weather and sweeping panoramas of the highlands in neighboring Laos. Tonight, we’ll stay at a cozy yet basic Thai-style inn. Enjoy the cool mountain air as a reward for today’s impressive feat.

We begin with an exhilarating nearly 15 km descent from the top of Phu Chi Fah back into the plains. With some steep gradients, we take it slow and steady, savoring the thrill of the descent at a safe pace. After regrouping at the base of the mountain, we follow the winding course of the picturesque Mae Nghao River, flanked by lush rice paddies. At 30 km, we encounter an unavoidable section along the main road for about 5 km before dipping back into more scenic back roads. A final short, twisty climb awaits us at around 60 km, leading to the top of a low-rising hill. From there, we continue toward the outskirts of Chiang Rai City, riding on a mix of rural roads and charming rice field lanes. As we arrive at our hotel in Chiang Rai, high-fives are surely in order and we reconvene for a celebratory farewell dinner in the evening.

The tour ends after breakfast. Chiang Rai has an airport with connections to Bangkok and other destinations around Thailand.