8 Day Motorcycle Tour (Unseen Thailand) from Chiang Mai

The great draw here is the riding: northern Thailand’s mountain roads link caves, tea-growing hills, border country, salt wells, and an ancient city, with Chiang Mai as your start and finish. You get a guided route through places that are hard to connect into one trip on your own.

I like two things in particular: Nan’s celebrated motorcycle roads, including R1148 and R1081, and the practical support built into the price, from a rental bike and riding gear to a luggage van and seven nights of lodging. The meals are included, too, so you spend less time sorting out logistics.

The trade-off is eight days in the saddle, with seven-hour daily itinerary blocks and several consecutive riding days. You need to be comfortable riding a big bike and sharing the road; this is an active tour, not a relaxed sightseeing holiday.

At a glance

• Nan’s mountain roads: Ride R1081 near Bo Kluea and R1148, singled out as a highlight for motorcycle touring.
• A northern border route: Visit the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet.
• Culture beyond temples: Stop at Chiang Dao cave, a long-neck Karen village, Chinese tea-growing country, and Bo Kluea’s salt wells.
• A guide and support van: A TAT-licensed Road Captain leads the ride; the van carries luggage and may have room for a few passengers by prior request.
• Seven nights and meals included: Hotels, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided throughout the tour.
• Small group: The tour has a maximum of 10 participants.

Eight days from Chiang Mai to the old capital

This is a north and north-central Thailand road trip, not a single-destination tour. The route runs from Chiang Mai toward Chiang Dao and Tha Ton, then through the Golden Triangle and Chiang Rai to Nan. From there, it swings through Phayao and Uttaradit to Sukhothai before returning to Chiang Mai.

That route gives the trip its range. You see mountain scenery, farming areas, borderland towns, and historic sites, with the motorcycle roads often as much of the attraction as the stops. The pace is helped by a leisure day in Nan and a shorter riding day before Sukhothai.

The advertised price is $3,000 per person. That buys more than a bike rental: the package includes seven hotel nights, unlimited mileage, riding gear, a professional guide, a support van, and 21 meals. Motorcycle insurance with a deductible of up to 25,000 THB is included, along with third-party liability cover and accident and life insurance. These inclusions make the price easier to assess than a bare tour rate, though you should check the bike model, insurance terms, and any fuel arrangements before booking. Fuel is not named in the included-items list.

The small group limit matters on winding roads. With no more than 10 participants, the ride is designed to stay manageable, while the support van can move luggage and, if arranged in advance, carry a few people. Past guides have included Pong, Noah, and Yai, but you should confirm who will lead your departure rather than assume a particular guide.

Day 1: Chiang Dao cave and the road to Tha Ton

The tour starts at Big Bike Tours on Ragang Road in Chiang Mai at 8:30 a.m. Pickup from Chiang Mai Airport is included. The first day heads north toward Chiang Dao, with lunch at a local restaurant and a visit to Chiang Dao cave before the ride continues through mountain scenery toward Mae Ai and Tha Ton.

The cave provides an early change of pace from the road, and the northbound route eases you into the tour rather than sending you straight into its most celebrated mountain stretches. The day is listed as about seven hours, so expect a full outing even if the precise time spent riding is not specified.

Day 2: Karen village, tea country, and the Golden Triangle

From Tha Ton, the route visits a long-neck Karen village near the Thailand-Myanmar border, then climbs toward Doi Mae Salong, where Chinese mountain tea farmers live. Tea tasting is part of the day, before the ride continues to the Golden Triangle.

This is a day with several distinct stops, rather than a long stretch of riding without a break. The Golden Triangle marks the meeting point of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, a useful geographical anchor for understanding the border region. The visit to the Karen village is a chance to encounter a community whose traditions are often presented to visitors; approach with respect, ask before photographing people, and follow your guide’s advice.

Day 3: Chiang Rai’s White Temple and onward to Nan

The route passes through a farming area toward Chiang Rai, where you visit Wat Rong Khun, better known as the White Temple. Then it is lunch at a local restaurant and a ride onward to Nan.

The temple is one of the tour’s headline cultural stops, and its striking appearance offers a sharp contrast to the rural scenery on the approach. Admission is listed as free on this day, but do not assume every attraction on the route has the same entry arrangement. The day is again scheduled for about seven hours, so the temple visit shares time with a substantial ride.

Day 4: A proper rest day in Nan

Nan is the tour’s built-in pause. You can relax by the pool, shop in town, or take an optional bicycle outing to historical and cultural sites. Laundry service is available, a useful detail after several days on the road.

I like this break because it makes the rest of the itinerary more realistic. A motorcycle tour can turn into a blur of roads and hotel check-ins; one day without a planned ride lets you rest, catch up on laundry, and see Nan at a slower pace. If you prefer a packed schedule, you may find the free day quiet, but it is not compulsory sightseeing time.

Day 5: Bo Kluea salt wells and the R1081

After breakfast, the tour leaves Nan on winding mountain roads, including R1081, a route described as a motorcycle highlight. The stop at Bo Kluea’s salt wells brings you to a working local attraction that is a change from the temples and scenic viewpoints. The ride then continues through the Doi Phu Pha area toward Phayao.

The appeal here is the combination of road and place. R1081 is part of the reason to book this tour if you enjoy cornering and mountain scenery; Bo Kluea gives the day a human and historical point of interest beyond the ride itself. As with any mountain route, your enjoyment depends on your experience and comfort with changing road conditions. Ride at the pace you can safely manage, not the pace you think the group expects.

Day 6: Phayao, Mae Yom, and the Sirikit reservoir

Leaving Phayao, the route briefly uses a main highway before turning onto back roads through Mae Yom National Park. The day continues on scenic roads toward Uttaradit. The tour overview also describes crossing the Sirikit Dam reservoir on a wooden ferry, a distinctive break in the journey and a chance to see the water and surrounding hills from a different angle.

This day shows why a support van and an organized route have value: the trip links places that might take considerable planning to connect independently. The ferry crossing is a particularly memorable change from engine noise and bends, though the exact timing of that crossing is not specified. Keep some flexibility in your expectations; road trips depend on conditions, and the day is listed at about seven hours.

Day 7: Rice fields and Sukhothai Historical Park

The ride from Uttaradit follows back roads through broad rice-growing country before reaching Sukhothai. It is described as a shorter riding day, leaving time to visit Sukhothai Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the trip’s central cultural stops. Admission is included.

The contrast is welcome: after several days built around mountain riding, Sukhothai gives you time to explore an important historic site without rushing straight back onto the bike. It is also a good reason to bring comfortable walking shoes alongside your riding kit. The exact amount of time at the park is not stated, but the shorter ride is intended to make room for sightseeing.

Day 8: Columnar Mountains and the return to Chiang Mai

The final day leaves Sukhothai for Chiang Mai, following the R101 route by the Columnar Mountains to Den Chai. The tour stops at a large reclining Buddha, then continues through mountain roads toward Lampang and back to the original meeting point.

This closing stretch keeps the focus on riding rather than treating the return as a simple highway transfer. It is a full final day, so plan onward travel with a buffer rather than arranging a tight connection immediately after the tour ends. The activity finishes back at Big Bike Tours in Chiang Mai.

What the support and price really include

The package covers motorcycle rental with unlimited mileage, helmets, jackets, gloves, and knee guards. It also includes third-party liability insurance and motorcycle damage insurance with a deductible of up to 25,000 THB. Accident cover is listed up to 100,000 THB, with life insurance up to 1,000,000 THB.

Those figures are not a substitute for checking the policy details. The tour specifically recommends arranging suitable travel insurance in your home country, and travel insurance is not included. Alcoholic drinks, airfare, visa fees, and personal expenses are also extra. Water, soft drinks, coffee, and tea are included in connection with meals.

Seven breakfasts, seven lunches, and seven dinners are part of the package, along with seven nights at selected hotels and resorts with leisure facilities. That combination can make the $3,000 price competitive for a supported, multi-day ride, especially if you would otherwise need to arrange a suitable bike, lodging, meals, and route planning separately. The quality of the hotels and food has been a strong point for past participants, but your personal value calculation should include the bike type and insurance excess, not just the headline rate.

Is this the right ride for you?

This tour suits an experienced rider who wants a guided route, varied roads, and a mix of scenery and cultural stops. It is also a good fit if you value having meals, hotels, luggage transport, and a Road Captain arranged for you. The maximum group size of 10 keeps the tour small, while the support van adds practical backup.

It is less suited to someone who wants to spend most of the trip off the bike, prefers a fixed-base holiday, or is uneasy on winding roads. The tour says most participants can take part, but that is not a substitute for being confident on a motorcycle. Ask the operator about the bike options and what level of riding skill they expect before paying.

I would book it if the roads are a main reason you want to visit northern Thailand, and you are happy to balance long riding days with temple, village, and historic-site stops. Before committing, confirm the motorcycle, fuel arrangements, insurance terms, and the guide for your dates. If those details suit you, this is a well-supported way to link Chiang Mai, Nan, the Golden Triangle, and Sukhothai in one ambitious ride.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

It lasts eight days and includes seven overnight stays.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts and ends at Big Bike Tours, 134 Ragang Road in Chiang Mai.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 8:30 a.m.

Is airport pickup included?

Yes. Pickup service from Chiang Mai Airport is included.

How many people can join?

The maximum group size is 10 participants.

Is a motorcycle included?

Yes. Motorcycle rental with unlimited mileage is included.

Is riding gear provided?

Yes. Helmets, jackets, gloves, and knee guards are included.

Are meals included?

Yes. The package includes seven breakfasts, seven lunches, and seven dinners. Water, soft drinks, coffee, and tea are provided in connection with meals.

Is travel insurance included?

No. Travel insurance is not included, and the tour recommends arranging suitable coverage in your home country.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours beforehand are not refunded.