Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai on 125cc Scooters

Heyya..

In the next morning, the weather was sunny but a bit cold. Our flight back to Kuala Lumpur from Chiang Mai was in the evening so we had a lot of time to roaming in Chiang Rai town and rode back to Chiang Mai in the afternoon.

We had our breakfast near Chiang Rai Golden Clock Tower with Khao Na Pet (duck rice with herb gravy) and Wadin ordered Kuai Tiao Luuk Chin Plaa (fishball noodle soup).

Khao Na Pet (Thai duck rice with herb gravy)

Kuai Tiao Luuk Chin Plaa (Fishball Noodle Soup)

Then we continued riding south and reached Wiang Pa Pao town next to Route 120. I have a friend in Wiang Pa Pao who owns a café next to his house with the great view of paddy field stretching to the Mountains of Doi Mae Tho. I have been visiting his café since 2010.

We rode back to Chiang Mai through Route 1 - Route 118 - Route 11. We decided to use the same routes when we came to Chiang Rai because we wanted to visit at my friend’s café facing paddy field in Wiang Pa Pao district and stopped at shallow river stream along the way back to Chiang Mai.

On the way back to Chiang Mai on Route 118, we passed Chiang Mai Central Festival before entering the Chiang Mai-By-Pass towards Tha Phae Gate. Since Chiang Mai Central Festival is far from the centre of Chiang Mai, therefore we decided to visit the mall.

Might be hard finding our scooters in the parking lot

 

We had lunch in Chiang Mai city near Tha Pae before we returned the scooters to Pop Rider Motorcycle Rental. The Honda Click 125cc scooters have served us amazingly through our 5-days trip covering more than 1,600 km.

After returning the scooters, we went to Chiang Mai International Airport and our Air Asia flight was in the evening.

The cost we spent for accommodation, food, scooter rental, and scooter fuel is nearly RM500 per person. The Air Asia tickets we bought 2 months ahead for RM 400 return per person. Therefore, the total cost per psrson is approximately RM900.00.

HooRahh!!

Mae Hong Son to Chiang Rai on 125cc Scooters

Heyya..

After me and Wadin had dinner in Mae Hong Son, we came back to Baiyoke Chalet Hotel and planned where to go on the next day from Mae Hong Son.

Wadin Bfull wanted to see the White Temple in Chiang Rai but I mentioned to him that the distance from Mae Hong Son to Chiang Rai is 500 km and it may take more than 8 hours to reach Chiang Rai because of riding in mountain, hilly and slippery terrain when it rains and we were riding our 125cc scooters.

But I questioned myself when else Wadin would experience Chiang Rai in the future and it would be a waste if we did not ride to Chiang Rai as we were already in the North of Thailand.

It was totally an adhoc ride plan to Chiang Rai as we never planned before. The route is Mae Hong Son - Pai - Chiang Rai (by pass Chiang Mai) and towards Chiang Rai Hot Spring.

So we opened our road map and studied the route to Chiang Rai before we went to sleep.

I woke up late at 4.40am as I over slept but by 5.00 am, we managed to check-out from the hotel and started our journey to Chiang Rai..  We had to miss the hotel breakfast as we were against the time and must reach Chiang Rai before 2.00 pm..

The morning  was still dark and very cold..

Wadin was not still familiar with the same route back to Pai and Chiang Mai because it was dark and no one likes riding in the dark. Our strategy was to ride approximately 200 meters apart so Wadin could see my braking point and which turn I was taking into.

Riding in the dark and cold environment makes our scooters to run very smoothly. Hence we could not tell how fast we were riding.

By 8.00 am, we reached Pai town.  We refueled our scooters and had breakfast at PTT Station heading to Chiang Mai on Route 1095.

We reached at Chiang Mai-By-Pass at 10.30 am after few coffee breaks between Pai town and Chiang Mai. We had to make few coffee breaks as I noticed Wadin was riding too fast while chasing me although I had pushed my riding style with late braking into corners and hard acceleration out of cornering.

Safety is always my priority and I know most riders would have crashed as they gained more confidence in speed after riding through many corners until the front tire could not handle the grip and they might have a low sided crash. It is advised to stop for few breaks and alert the riders that they have been riding too fast.

We were riding on Route 107 back and finally reached Chiang Mai-By-Pass on Route 11.  

Then took Route 118 that leads us to Chiang Rai. The landmark to before reaching to Route 118 is Chiang Mai Central Festival Shopping Mall on the left. 

Chiang Mai Central Festival

There are many routes to get to Chiang Rai but I chose Route 118 because of the hilly scenery and there are many river streams from the mountain including Chiang Rai Hot Spring.

On the way to Chiang Rai on Route 118, we stopped for a lunch break and refueling with Petrol Kiosk at Chiang Rai Hot Spring.

Lunch at Chiang Rai Hot Spring 

We continued riding to on Route 118 and met Route 1 which leads us to Chiang Rai. Finally along Route 1 , we reached Chiang Rai White Temple also known as Wat Rong Khun. Wat Rong Khun is located next to the junction of Route 1 and Route 1208. You will never miss the White Temple on your left while riding towards Chiang Rai.

Wat Rong Khun is a contemporary, privately owned, art exhibit in the style of Buddhist temple. It was opened to visitors in 1997 with no admission fees. Previously, it was in a bad state until a local artist repaired and completely rebuilt the temple with his own money. 

 After the Wat Rong Khun tour, we headed to Chiang Rai which is 15 km away on Route 1.

We finally successfully reached Chiang Rai after riding 8 hours from Mae Hong Son with our 125cc scooters. We have covered 500 km through the mountains, slippery road surface, steep and sharp corners, city, hot spring and paddy fields.

We checked in at Red Rose Hotel for 700 Baht per night. Red Rose Hotel has many varieties types of room unique designs.

 

After checked in at Red Rose Hotel, we went for a city tour with our scooters. 

First, we went to the empty airstrip that is now turned to recreation purposes for the locals. Previously, it used to be an Chiang Rai Airport.

It was nearly 6.00 pm and we headed to Chiang Rai Night Bazaar for gift shopping and dinner. 

Chiang Rai Night Bazaar Food Court

HooRahh!!