Our first riding day, leaving Chiang Mai in a westerly direction heading for Mae Wang famous for its many Elephant camps. We stop at one of them. Continue on back roads up in the mountains towards Doi Inthanon, Thailand highest mountain standing at 2’565 meters. We will park our motorcycles 200 walking meters from the shrine on the summit. Passing a continental divide we spend the rest of the day on beautiful scenic curvy roads the whole way to Mae Hong Son. Before reaching Mae Hong Son we stop at the Japanese war museum in Khun Yam. Overnight Mae Hong Son.

Before we ride today, we'll visit the Karen tribe’s people, better known by the less attractive tourist moniker of The Long Necks. They're actually natives of Myanmar who migrated across the porous border several generations ago and made Thailand their home, and the women of the tribe typically wear heavy brass rings around their neck (and arms and legs) to give a 'stretched' or elongated appearance, which they find more attractive. Then we head off to explore the roads for which northern Thailand is justifiably famous! It's a short half-day's ride to Pai through some absolute riding nirvana. We'll get there in time to explore the famous Pai Walking Street in the early evening. Overnight Pai

Today we have a diverse ride in front of us. First stop is just outside Pai at Thom’s Elephant Camp where we get the opportunity to meet up close with those majestic creatures. Leaving Pai, heading back towards Chiang Mai for a while to complete the remaining 1864 bends we started yesterday. Lunch at Chiang Dao, a beautiful mountain formation famous for its many caves. Continue to Fang before crossing yet another mountain range to Mae Suai. Before reaching our hotel in Chiang Rai we stop at the famous white temple. Once you visit the temple you realize why it has become one of the main tourist destinations of North Thailand. In Chiang Rai, enjoy a walk at the night bazar. Overnight in Chiang Rai.

Today we have a long day in front of us. Leaving Chiang Rai behind we ride to the famous Golden Triangle where the three borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet. We will drive up to the temple Wat Sop Ruak where you have a great view over the Golden Triangle. Visit the ‘House of Opium’ and learn the interesting history of this area and the once flourishing opium trade. From here we continue the “Paradise road” to Chiang Khong and the Thai – Lao border. This is our first land border crossing for the trip. Just relax and enjoy the bureaucratic “show” and let our tour guides work their magic! Once in Laos you will notice the difference, we ride on the right side, the country is much poorer and less populated than Thailand. Riding on the main transit road to China we ride over mountains passing some remote villages and small towns to Luang Namtha, today’s final destination. Overnight in Luang Namtha.

From Luang Namtha we continue towards the Chinese border for a while before turning east towards Muang Xai. Here you will see the new high speed railway connecting Vientiane (Lao capital) with Kunming in China). The railway line is financed by China and has significantly changed north Laos. From Muang Xai we continue to Pack Beng, located along the Mekong River. Pak Beng developed as an overnight stop for both cargo and passenger ferries. Set in a scenic spot where the Nam Beng flows into the Mekong (Pak means mouth and Beng is the name of the river) Enjoy a cold drink and the view from the hotel's infinity pool. Overnight in Pak Beng.

First stretch today is to Hongsa, most “famous” for its huge lignite power station. It’s an enjoyable stretch of road, snaking its way over gentle mountains (Enjoy a break in one of the villages). From Hongsa we take the new road over the mountain to Luang Prabang. The scenery is beautiful, not many people are living in this part of Laos. There is still plenty of virgin jungle in this area. We stop on the top of the mountain at a village and visit the local school. It’s a humbling experience to spend some time with the kids. We are donating some food, clothes and school accessories. Please feel free to donate some cash to the teachers for food and school material for the kids. In the afternoon we shall reach Luang Prabang with its gleaming temple roofs, fading French architecture and stunning mountain backdrop. It has been claimed by UNESCO to be ‘the best-preserved city in South East Asia. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

This is a rest day to enjoy at your own pace. In the morning you will have the option to rise early to view the procession of monks on their daily outing collecting alms, a practice that dates back centuries. It is done early, as the monks cannot eat anything after midday. By giving food to a monk you make merit, which should augur well for your next life. 

You may also want to visit the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfalls. It’s possible to swim in the lagoons so take your swimming gear. We leave at 9 am from our hotel and will return around noon. There is a small entrance fee to the waterfall.

In Luang Prabang city you can visit the major temples, including the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong, which nestles at the meeting of the Mekong and the Nam Khan Rivers, and Wat Wisunalat, which is the oldest temple in the city. Another great optional activity is to sample a traditional Lao massage and herbal sauna. Along the walking street you find plenty of antique shops, bakeries, bars etc. Our local tour guide will show you around. Leaving from hotel at 3 PM.

Another option is a boat ride cruising, 2-3 hours including food on the Mekong River to the Pak Ou Caves. Shorter sunset boat tours also including food, two hours, are also available and we can arrange any of these for you. Price from USD 80 to 100. Starting at 4 PM from the hotel.

We will discuss through the options in more details. For the one’s who want, city walking tour and transport to Kuang Si Waterfalls will be arranged.

Whatever you choose - Enjoy!

Our Motorcycle Tour continues in an eastern direction on low traffic density, provincial roads to the Vietnamese border. The first stretch we will ride along the Nam Phak River, enjoying the scenery. At Pak Nam Noy we start climbing up the mountains towards the Vietnam border. This is a remote area of Laos, not many villages & the scenery is spectacular. Not much is happening at the Lao / Vietnam border, that said, it can still take some time to work through the paperwork. Our Vietnamese guide will wait for us at the Tay Trang border crossing and together we will ride to Dien Bien Phu. You will notice how things have changed once crossing into Vietnam, different landscape, more people, villages & traffic.
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War between the French Union's French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist-nationalist revolutionaries. We can visit the Dien Bien Phu Museum, the notorious hill A-1 battlefield, the former French command post and a captured tank.

Today we have quite a long ride ahead of us, passing endless villages with plenty of photo opportunities on offer. Toward the end of the day we start climbing up the mountain & the scenery gets better by the hour. After an early breakfast, we depart follow the NR12 to Muong Lay, then head up to Taphin plateau to conquer a scenic and stunning road through the Sin Ho Valley. We continue this less travelled road until Lai Chau and drive the winding road to Sapa with a photo stop at the O Qui Ho pass where, at 2005 meters, also called “Heaven’s Gate”, if weather is clear, we have a spectacular view of Phan Xia Pang (3143 meters), Vietnam’s and South East Asia highest mountain. In Sapa, there are plenty of restaurants, souvenir shops and bars, something for every taste. Overnight in Sapa.

Today our journey takes us in the southern direction. We ride on good quality mountain roads to Nhiah Lo. During the whole day we pass through endless villages and rice fields. There are countless photo stops and possibilities to “mingle with the locals”. The closer we get to Nhiah Lo the more spectacular the landscape becomes, especially the valleys with their endless rice terraces. The road is especially scenic between Than Uyen to Nghia Lo. We will stop at a monument on pass 1570 and viewpoint No1 where we have the opportunity to climb the watchtower. The view of the rice paddies is best from here. Overnight Nghia Lo.

Today we have a shorter riding day ahead of us. Leaving Nghia Lo behind. We are riding on country roads. Passing endless villages and tea plantations. Lunch break at the 1500 year old village of Duong Lam.  With banyan trees, water wells, communal courtyards, temples, winding village roads, small alleys, old wooden houses, and walls. From here we have 50 km left to Hanoi. The closer we get to the capital, the denser the traffic becomes. The last stretch into the city center is an experience by itself. Hanoi, a city with a population of eight million people, has a vehicle population of some 10 million, including 7 million motorcycles (scooters). We will follow our local support car the last 50 km into Hanoi. Park our motorcycles a bit outside the old city and go by transfer to our hotel. We are staying at a hotel at the old quarter, full of restaurants, bars and shops. Overnight in Hanoi.

Today we offer you two options;

Option 1;

Hanoi city tour, visit the main landmarks of Hanoi like, Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, Temple Of Literature ,Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Hanoi old quarter etc. Our local tour guide will show us around. If you are up for it, you can also watch a puppet show. Tour starts 8 AM from your hotel and you will return around 4 PM. Price is USD 40 including transportation, English speaking tour guide, Lunch, Water and Entrance fees.

Option 2;

Hạ Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name Hạ Long means "descending dragon". The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various shapes and sizes.

Hạ Long Bay has an area of around 1,553 km2 (600 sq mi), including 1,960–2,000 islets. The limestone in this bay has gone through 500 million years of formation in different conditions and environments. The evolution of the karst in this bay has taken 20 million years under the impact of the tropical wet climate.

You will visit Sung Sot Grotto, Luon Cave, Ti Top Island, Kayaking on the bay. Enjoy the lunch on cruise.

This is a full day excursion, you will leave the Hanoi hotel at 7 AM and return at 9 PM. Price include Transfer from Hanoi and back, National Park entrance fee, 8 Hour cruise, Buffet Lunch, Activities (cave visit and kayaking). Estimated cost USD 100.

Today the ride is a bit longer. We will spend most of it on four lane roads. There will be plenty of traffic lights and trucks. First negotiating our way out of Hanoi, we stop at Tam Coc for lunch and a break. It’s a small town, full of guest houses, coffee shops, restaurants, and souvenir shops (good opportunity to buy inexpensive Vietnamese handicraft) etc. Once this was the ancient capital of Vietnam, settled in the 10th century. From here we continue south to Cua Lo beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam. This is one of the main weekend destinations, besides Sam Son beach and Sapa for the Hanoi crowd.

From the hotel we follow the coast for a while, bypassing Vinh. Riding along the main coastal highway for a short stretch. From here we ride inland along the “Ho Chi Minh” trail. Once on the inland roads we expect less traffic, enjoyable riding and scenery. Stop at Khu Ho Bom Nga Ba Dong Loc, VN war memorial. This was one of the important traffic points during the Vietnam War, so the US military concentrated many bomber planes to cut off the march route of the North Vietnamese forces. Our final destination of today is the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2003. The park covers a total surface area of 123,326 hectares and shares a boundary with the Hin Namno Nature Reserve in Laos. The Park’s landscape is formed by limestone plateau and tropical forests. It features great geological diversity and offers spectacular phenomena, including a large number of caves and underground rivers. Our resort is located in the country side, next to a river, offers kayaking and other outdoor activiites.

Today we are visiting two UNESCO world heritage sites, Hue and Hoi An. Starting with the historic old city center of Hue. Huế was the seat of Nguyen Dynasty emperors and the national capital from 1802 to 1945. We will visit the vast, 19th-century Đại Nội Citadel, surrounded by a moat and thick stone walls. It encompasses the Imperial City, with palaces and shrines; the Forbidden Purple City, once the emperor’s home. From Hue we cross the spectacular Ocean Cloud Pass on a high coastal road. We'll then bypass the busy commercial city of Da Nang before reaching our resort hotel in Hoi An, right on the beachfront. 

From the hotel we head to Hội An for dinner, known for its well-preserved Ancient Town, cut through with canals. The former port city’s melting-pot history is reflected in its architecture, a mix of eras and styles from wooden Chinese shop houses and temples to colorful French colonial buildings, ornate Vietnamese tube houses and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge with its pagoda.

Today is a rather long day. We'll continue down the coast for a while partly on a new road before striking inland via the Violac Pass. We ride the Kon Chu Rang Mountain range, part of the central highlands. The road snakes it’s way up to 1’300 meters. Scenery is beautiful and second half the road is new. True riding pleasure. The area has plenty of coffee plantations and is a recreation ground for both local and foreign tourists. 

In Kon Tum we stop at St Maries Cathedral, a legacy of French missionaries from over 100 years ago. Built in 1913 and dedicated to St. Cuénot, the wooden church of Kon Tum retains a certain cachet despite the concrete reconstruction of the base walls. Its interior rich in precious wood decorations, its majestic bell tower over 20 meters high, its wooden floor raised one meter to allow ventilation and its superb multicolored stained glass windows depicting passages from the Bible. We'll then proceed to our hotel in Pleiku for the evening and our last night in Vietnam. Pleiku ia the capital of Gia Lai province, located in the central highlands at an elevation of 800 meters. Climate is pleasant.

Today we have another border to cross. We head to Le Thanh and pass into Cambodia, our “fourth corner”. The usual four-stage process applies for passports and bikes, and then we are in Cambodia. You will notice how both weather (its getting warmer) and nature (its getting flat) changes. This part of Cambodia is full of pepper and cashiew nut plantations. On our way we will stop at Yeak Laom, a volcano lake for lunch and a possible swim. You will notice that the countryside has become flat, roads are straight and we cover the last distance to Stung Treng quickly. At Stung Treng we meet the Mekong River yet again for the last time.

Through small villages we wind our way to Siem Reap, which has become Cambodia's, and possibly Asia's, most holy of tourist pilgrimages. Prepare for a few more people than we've typically shared our space with over recent days! Siem Reap is a bustling commercial (dare we say tourist) town because of the nearby temples, but also boasts a vibrant nightlife of pubs, bars, pool rooms, music, restaurants. It's a great place to unwind and have a few drinks whilst soaking up the atmosphere.

You're about to transition from those who haven't yet seen Angkor Wat, to those privileged few who have. It's right up there with Machu Picchu or the Taj Mahal or the medinas of Marrakech. The sheer scale of the temple complex is mind blowing, and a visit to Ta Prohm is particularly impressive, as the authorities have left much of it in the same condition as they found it, still covered in lush jungle growth and creeping vines. The place is truly awesome.

We will visit the temple area on tricycles. Our local guide will share the history of this vast area.

Some of the highlights we will visit, Ta Phrom (Jungle Temple), Angkor Thom, Bayon, and Angkor Wat Temple. Cost per person for entrance ticket to the Angkor area is USD 37. A tricycle costs USD 10 per person.

Breif history about the Temples.

Angkor Wat (Temple City), "City/Capital of Temples") is a Hindu-Budist temple complex measuring 162.6 hectares. It resides within the ancient Khmer capital city of Angkor. Considered as the largest religious structure in the world. Constructed in the 12th century, from 1122 to 1150 (28 years). 

On our way out from Siem Reap we ride along the West Baray. Among five, the largest baray at Angkor and one of the largest hand cut water reservoirs on Earth. It’s an easy gravel road, and along the lake (8 km) we will briefly stop next to a Buddhist temple and food stalls. Once turning off the main highway to Thailand we will take smaller roads towards our end destination Pailin passing small village, rice paddies, orange farms etc. We will stop for lunch in the town of Battambang. The town is known for its colonial architecture. This is the real rural Cambodia. 

We are well and truly winding down the clock, as we cross the border back into Thailand (and cross to the other side of the road). It's our final run into Pattaya Beach. On our way to Pattaya we will ride along the coast line between Chantaburi and Rayong. Lunch at one of the many seas food restaurants. Upon our arrival to Pattaya we'll probably have a cleansing ale or two. Farwell dinner at a sea food restaurant. For the ones craving for night life, visit the famous walking street.

Our tour officially ends with breakfast, then you're on your way to the airport. From one of the nearby airports you can fly Domestic or International, depending on your connections. 

Bye for now, it's been fun and the memories will last a lifetime!

Farewell & Thanks from the BTA Team