Around August, I have traded my 2019 Modenas Dominar for a 2018 Triumph Tiger 800XCX and shortly after the purchased, the idea to ride to Thailand with my wife came. She was quite anxious and nervous at the same time as it will be her first but I have slowly introduced long distance riding with her towards the year end and I am really positive with the outcome. Fast forward to end of the year, we have prepared both mentally and physically for this ride and if all things is according to plan, I hope it wouldn't be the last.
After settling our daughters, we set to ride on Sunday morning.
- Day 1 18th Dec 2022 Sunday
- Start: Home Target Destination: Nakhon Si Thammarat 750km
- Accommodation: Grand Southern Hotel, Thung Song GPS 8.162571, 99.662573 Baht 600
- Lunch: Hatyai
- Dinner: Packed Food
Started around 6.20am from home, weather was cloudy as we passed Ipoh. We have encountered rain since Pendang, sometimes heavy - all the way to Patthalung. Border traffic wasn't too bad and we took an hour to cross before having lunch at Danok. It began to rain heavily passed Danok and we rode through a flash flood at the Hatyai main junction and through 2-3 feet deep flash flood about 2km around Phattalung. Salute to my wife, despite shivering and completely exhausted we manage to continue, we stayed at Thung Song, 50km short of our Day 1 target.
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My HELLA DIN to USB port adaptor got wet and began to show signs of short circuit and I have switch to use Google Map for the rest of the trip. That's also means the farthest distance we can travel before my phone is depleted of battery is about 5-6 hours as I can't use the front port and the usb port provided under the seat isn't providing sufficient power to the phone. Note to self: bring an extra adaptor in your next long travels.
Drenched wet, shivering about 50km to go at this point
Our first dinner
Even the bike was drenching wet, water was flowing out of crevices
- Day 2 19th Dec 2022 Monday
- Start: Nakhon Si Thammarat Target Destination: Hua Hin 543km
- Accommodation: Chalelarn Hotel Hua Hin GPS 12.573216, 99.956919 Baht 800
- Lunch: R&R Khun Sarai GPS 10.580962, 99.115496
- Dinner: Beside 7-11 GPS 12.566981, 99.954997
A cloudy day when we started and it cast doubts for my wife to continue riding but a quick check with another group about 150km north of us, the weather was clear with blue sky in the northern region. Hua Hin was very windy when we arrived. Rajabhakti Park was around 25°C at 2.30pm, it was sunny but not scorching hot like our home. We checked-in Chalelarn Hotel around 4.00pm and a stroll at Hua Hin beach around 6.00pm was at 18°C. The city was full of tourist and we were disappointed that most Halal-stall at the night market was closed. We had dinner in-front of Hua Hin railway station. Tonight's hotel was voted as the best shower in the entire journey.
- Day 3 20th Dec 2022 Tuesday
- Start: Hua Hin Destination: Nakhon Sawan 420km
- Accommodation: Wangpla Villa Resort GPS 15.703628, 100.103729 Baht 500
- Breakfast & Lunch: อาหารมุสสลิม - บังมานะ Halal Food Center GPS 12.815836, 99.942800
- Dinner: Halal Restaurant Kung Pao GPS 15.718638, 100.113277
It was a working day in Hua Hin and we left the town among the working class groups, school and university students. The three-lane road was packed with vehicles and small chubs as we headed north. Decided to leave town earlier and had brunch outside the town. The food court behind a PTT station had several stalls including a mosque.
Crossing industrial zones of Ratchaburi and Samut Songkhram, the traffic was made of trailers and modified Hilux. The view surrounding the highways was filled with industrial buildings and warehouses as we tried our best to avoid Bangkok CBD. Riding a fully loaded bike will be tiring but we need to make a relatively long distance of travel today. It was sunny day with ambient temperature around 25°C when we arrived at Nakhon Sawan, and as we checked-in, we met an English couple on bicycle at the resort.
Origin of Chao Phraya River Park. There was a concert planned for that night but we didn't stay.
Dinner at Nakhon Sawan
- Day 4 21st Dec 2022 Wednesday
- Start: Nakhon Sawan Destination: Pai 591km
- Accommodation: The heart of Pai Resort 19.355563, 98.438900 Baht 800
- Lunch: Gor Lae Bang Nara Halal Restaurant Lampang GPS 18.284709, 99.500302
- Dinner: Pai Night Market
I told her this will be the start of magnificent view of our journey, and it was indeed very beautiful. Industrial land replaced with vast paddy & sugarcane field, mountain ranges in the horizon. We started to ride early around 6.15am as the target destination is quite far. It's started to fell noticeably cold in the morning as temperature dropped to around 17°C but it gets hotter as we approached Chiang Mai. Luckily my bike has heated grips and cruise control, considered as luxury in these circumstances. The highway was relatively straight but it wasn't boring like Phattalung highways. It was almost noon as we reached Chiangmai and the town was full of tourists and riders as we headed to Route 3009. I have a burning question that many has failed to explain, why do people regard this MHS Loop should start from Tak towards Mae Hong Son, Pai and Chiangmai; not vice versa?
Photo Credit to Effa
MHS Loop should start from Tak to MHS & Pai, not the other way around? Oh really?
Photo Credit to Effa
Photo Credit to Effa
Photo Credit to Effa
Later that night we strolled Pai's night market and there are a quite significant numbers of halal-food offerings. I noticed they have chinese influence in their menu; fried wantan, noodles but one unique food was chicken meat wrapped around lemongrass and deep fried - 10B each.
From the night market
Photo Credit to Effa
Pai's night market
- Day 5 22nd Dec 2022 Thursday
- Start: Pai Destination: Khun Yuam 122km
- Accommodation: Khunyuam Resort GPS 18.807927, 97.911604 Baht 800
- Lunch: Mae Hong Son Mosque GPS 19.305564, 97.969235
- Dinner: Packed Food
Pai town was very beautiful in the morning with ambient temperature around 14°C. There is a feel that it is a hippie town - tourists fill many resorts on the banks of Pai River. There is a dry cleaners station next to Pai police station that we use to dry our clothes. We had breakfast at the junction, went to Yun Lai viewpoint and a few other POIs. The road between Pai to Khun Yuam is wider that road between Pai and Chiangmai. Our destination, Khunyuam Resort is a secluded resort with picturesque view of the valley below, the owner offered breakfast.
Coin operated heaters & washing machine
Photo Credit to Effa
Nice to meet you too sir! A British couple
Mr Keith & his couple - thank for reading this blog : )
Parking at KhunYuam Resort
The owner who can speak good English
- Day 6 23rd Dec 2022 Friday
- Start: Khun Yuam Destination: Doi Inthanon 238km
- Accommodation: Camp Inthanon GPS 18.543627, 98.523202 Baht 1400
- Lunch: PTT Mae Chaem GPS 18.499596, 98.364134
- Dinner: Packed Food
From Khunyuam we will take a short detour towards Doi Inthanon through route 1263 with another pitstop towards Thung Bua Tong Fields. The route was small and filled with sharp corners and as we reached Route 4008, we were really amazed by the scenery of small villages in between massive mountain plains and corn fields. However, it wasn't sunflower blooming season as we reached the field to find most of the trees are empty.
Sunflower field was not in season
Toilet at the rest stop/viewpoint
I took the chance to dry my shirt. We had lunch inside numerous Amazon Cafes but this is the first one we were told it was against Cafe's policy
seconds before being told you cannot eat food in here
(Looking for the highest campsite signage)
Doi Inthanon National Park - When I was researching this place about 8 years ago, this used to be the highest campsite in Thailand. As this area developed, more sites are open at even higher elevation, so the sign has been taken down.
Doi Inthanon National Park - When I was researching this place about 8 years ago, this used to be the highest campsite in Thailand. As this area developed, more sites are open at even higher elevation, so the sign has been taken down.
some of the delicacies here... if you can get past the smoked piglet, there were fishes
Lamb Kuzi up on the hill, hujan panas rice on the sides with jasmine tea
- Day 7 24th Dec 2022 Saturday
- Start: Doi Inthanon Destination: Tha Song Yang (Moei River) 262km
- Accommodation: เมย มาง รีสอร์ท บ้านสวนอ้อย Tha Song Yang GPS 17.555541, 97.921788 Baht 600
- Lunch: Mae Sariang Halal 18.158265, 97.928137
- Dinner: Packed Food
I wasn't been able to sleep properly - battling the coldness and hard surface of the tent. As we leave the highlands, it's gotten hotter and I had to stop at a roadside shed, take a nap to prevent microsleep.
Photo Credit to Effa
The target is a secluded resort on the banks of Moei River. Route 1009 between Doi Inthanon and Chom Thong is a wide two-ways road, way better than yesterday. As we took right on Route 108 towards Hot, it is a wide double-lane highway with magnificent view of the mountain on the right. We then took another right towards Op Luang National Park. In this section, Route 108 is parallel to Mae Chaem River before going up to a plain between Op Luang National Park and Salawin National Park. Almost similiar to route C108 that run parallel to Pahang River but minus the sand mining. This route is very interesting; you will pass through a section that is parallel to the river, then a climbing section towards Bo Kaeo Pine Tree Garden and at this plain it has mild temperature (15-18°C) before descending toward Tha Song Yang and Mae Sariang river plains.
The main jetty between Thailand and Myanmar at this village. No immigration here. Behind the camera is a market selling kitchenware - like a Pasar Malam.
Looking across the river - maybe one day we will be able to ride there.
Myanmar in the distance. I wish the country is stable and we could overland through its magnificent landscape
Four units of small bungalows are available here. Next door is a campsite with magnificent view of Moei River.
Solo HD rider camping
- Day 8 25th Dec 2022 Sunday
- Start: Tha Song Yang Destination: Tak 230km
- Accommodation:Viang Tak Riverside Hotel GPS 16.872221, 99.122940 Baht 600
- Lunch: MHS Usman Halal Food GPS 16.711839, 98.569742
- Dinner: From the night market
After 3 nights of sleeping in seclusion or out of town, we finally sleep in a town. Lunch in Mae Sot was in the middle of a street filled with Muslim shops and a mosque with many Rohingya's presence. We continued towards Mae Sot and it border market. Although the official border was stil closed, this market remains opened.
Mae Sot immigration was closed
Photo Credit to Effa
We didn't travel all the way here to stack up more camping gears, isn't it?
We continued towards Tak through the Magic Hill where cross-wind is so strong at the peak of this climb, if you roll an empty water bottle it will roll against gravity towards the peak - hence the name - The Magic Hill. We arrived early at the town, Tak is a city along beautiful Ping River. I am amazed to find that the hotel we checked-in, despite its prime location and has swimming pools, remained relatively empty during our arrival. If it's back home, we wouldn't be able to walk-in like this. We cool ourselves in the swimming pool before strolling Tak's night market.
Magic Hill (Mae Sot to Tak)
Photo Credit to Effa
MHS Gate
Photo Credit to Effa
A guy from Selangor married an officemate and opened a cafe at this town.
A bit of exercise to burn all that fat from dinner
- Day 9 26th Dec 2022 Monday
- Start: Tak Destination: Petchaburi 587km
- Accommodation: Viang Leke View ฟิชชิ่งแคมป์ GPS 12.949460, 99.636922 Baht 1300
- Lunch: Makanan Halal Yentafo GPS 14.377971, 100.545838
- Dinner: Packed food
This is one of the 'rushed' journey in our ride. Total riding time almost 9.5 hours excluding stops. Highway traffic increases as we passed Kamphaeng Phet, so does the temperature. Lunch stop was delicious, but we had fun translating the menu, seems they seldom had international customers. Accommodation was a bit pricey and small, but the view is astoundingly beautiful. We made a pitstop at Maeklong Market - where the train station met a market. Like a scene from Indian railway, people actual move their sellable as the train passes, and crowded tourists added to the drama when people swarm the track to get the best selfies..
The most bizarre & dangerous market on this journey. Note that those mangosteens literally went under the train
Mystery shrouding relationship between a girl's happiness and a market
- Day 10 27th Dec 2022 Tuesday
- Start: Petchaburi Destination: Ranong 448km
- Accommodation: Dahla House ดาหลาเฮ้าส์ GPS 9.967841, 98.633250 Baht 400
- Lunch: R&R Khun Sarai GPS 10.580962, 99.115496
- Dinner: From the night market
After the durian tasting we had at Chumpon on the way up, we hoped we could do it again on our way down. However, the junction to Ranong's Route 4 came too soon. We had fun at Punyaban Falls and tonight's bed is simple and cheap, close to a self-dryer kiosk. Ranong night market is fun and colorful.
Throwback durian tasting at Chumphon.
All the way from Singapore - one lady to another - super happy faces when she met her
Photo Credit to Effa
Dinner at Ranong
- Day 11 28th Dec 2022 Wednesday
- Start: Ranong Destination: Phangnga 274km
- Accommodation: Ao Tho Li Viewpoint Chalet GPS 8.224280, 98.447451 Baht 600
- Lunch: Packed food at Nan Thong Beach, Khao Lak GPS 8.645110, 98.247068
- Dinner: Packed food
We started a bit late after breakfast after a freestyle food searching around town. There was a roadblock that we passed but I wasn't stopped. We made a pitstop at Khao Lak for beach stroll and lunch. The beach was beautiful but crowded with too many tourists for our liking. Arrived at the viewpoint around 4.00pm, very nice view.
What a place to enjoy instant noodles
Another group of biker from Bangkok on CB500X
- Day 12 29th Dec 2022 Thursday
- Start: Phangnga Destination: Hat Yai 388km
- Accommodation: Grand Plaza Hotel GPS 7.005037, 100.471473 Baht 800
- Lunch: Phattalung Halal Restaurant GPS 7.616710, 100.086166
- Dinner: From the night market
It's getting noticeably warmer and its 32°C around Hatyai town. Gmap done marvelous job navigating us through some shortcut direct to the hotel. Market is right in-front of the hotel
- Day 13 30th Dec 2022 Friday
- Start: Hat Yai Destination: Home 450km
It is hot and humid ride back home and I am sweating all over. The rest day at Hat Yai is really refreshing, custom and immigration process was smooth and took less than 15 minutes to cross back to Malaysia. Interestingly enough I was stopped by traffic police at Sungai Dua Toll for an inspection. No summon received. It was around 35°C as we passed through Ipoh and arrived home around 3.30pm.
Summary of ride:
1. Total distance: 5,600km
2. No of days: 13
3. Total cost: under RM 4,000 including
3.1 2 sim cards for one-month unlimited internet
3.2 Petrol RON91 or 95 whichever available in that order
3.3 Food & drinks including packed food
3.4 Accommodation for all 12 nights
3.5 Emergency purchases such as Paracetamol 500g pills, skin moisturizer, facial masks
3.6 Park entrance fee
3.7 Souvenirs (merchandise, t-shirt & food)
3.8 Insurance both voluntary and compulsory
4. Items damaged during our travel:
4.1 HELLA DIN to USB Adaptor port - short circuit after heavy rain during the first day
4.2 MY to TH plug adaptor - burnt from over-current
4.3 Charger Micro-B type for our intercomm units - crushed in top boxes in transit
4.4 Enduristan soft panniers strap - one of four was burnt by exhaust tip
Videos on this ride and more on TikTok & Instagram @myridinguniverse
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