Cycling in Chiang Mai - Thailand

Doi Suthep - Pui

The climb to Doi Pui via Doi Suthep is probably the most iconic cycling route in Chiang Mai (especially since cyclists were banned from descending Doi Inthanon). It is a long and fairly tough climb that begins from the city centre. I began by riding alongside the city walls and moat; take care here as you have to cut across lanes of traffic that is potentially dangerous.

I then took skirted around the university to avoid the main road for as long as possible, which I finally joined heading past Chiang Mai Zoo - this is where the climb really begins.





The road is wide so, although there can be a lot of traffic, it is easy for cars and songhtaews to overtake while leaving plenty of room. The surface is good, so the main challenges are the gradient and the air quality (which can sometimes not be great here).

I enjoyed the climb, even though I did it on a Trek Marlin hybrid bike (a road bike would be much better). Around half way up you will pass Doi Suthep temple, one of Chiang Mai's main attractions, which dates from the 14th century. The site offers nice views looking down towards Chiang Mai city; there are also a lot or refreshment stands here.

After Doi Suthep the gradient eases slightly and the traffic reduces considerably - this is the best part of the route. A right turn takes you up to Doi Pui pass, which unfortunately is mostly in trees. You can then continue descending to a picturesque Hmong village nestled in the mountains - this is a great place to stop for lunch.

The route back is the same to Chiang Mai, although I took different roads around the moat for variety!

I have to say that ,although this is kind of a must-do route for cyclists in Chiang Mai, it's not my favourite ride. The traffic is a bit too heavy and the views are fleeting. I actually enjoyed hiking up to Doi Suthep more, on a trail which passed through the pretty Wat Pha Lat on the way.

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Samoeng Loop

Similarly to Doi Suthep, this is another of Chiang Mai's iconic rides. The full loop back to Chaing Mai is around 90km, although I finished in the nearby village of Mae Rim (more on that below).

The Samoeng loop is usually ridden all on road, following the 1269 and 1096. Since I was on a hybrid bike I took a couple of detours on concrete and dirt roads which, to be honest, were my favourite parts of the ride!



Overall, I found the Samoeng loop to be a pleasant ride, particularly the high section which has the most spectacular views. However, it had many of the same issues as the climb to Doi Suthep. The road was quite busy (particularly on the descent), and much of the climb itself was through jungle, so with no real views.

I know local cyclists often start riding very early on the weekend (well before 8am), which deals with the traffic issue, and is also cooler. But, for cycle tourists who go at a more leisurely pace, it might not be the best option.

I think the really beauty in this area may lie in the roads to the west of Samoeng. There is a whole network of steep narrow lanes and dirt roads which cross between villages all the way across to interesting towns like Mae Hong Son and Pai.

Ride with Gps Route

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Mon Chaem

After spending a while in Chiang Mai itself, I got a bit tired of how busy the roads were. It didn't feel particularly unsafe (at least by Thai standards!), but it was a chore to having to start and end each ride with several kilometres of dense traffic.

I certainly still wanted to continue exploring the area by bike, so I relocated to nearby Mae Rim. This was a great decision from a cycling perspective: I suddenly had numerous great hilly and flat rides on road and trails right on my doorstep, all with very little traffic.



The biggest climb I did was up to Mon Chaem, in a route of just over 50km. It is easy to follow as I stayed on one road most of the way. The climb itself had around 900m of elevation gain and was long, with a couple of steep sections, but I found it considerably easy than Doi Suthep. It was also more enjoyable. Traffic was light and the views were much more impressive, particularly towards the top of the climb.

Mon Chaem has a lot of accommodation and is a popular weekend getaway spot for Thais. It is cooler than in the city and usually has cleaner air. There is some hiking nearby, some strawberry fields and plenty of restaurants. It would be nice to spend a night up here in one of the glamping style tents.

I returned the same way back to Mae Rim. If you would like to cycle further, I would recommend exploring the roads further west which are very quiet and with some nice open views.

Check out the route details in the link below:

Ride with Gps Route

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Huay Tueng Tha Reservoir

On this short 32km loop from Mae Rim, I visied the Huay Tueng Tha Reservoir. The first part of the ride was climbing and descending through the jungle on dirt trails. This was a lot of fun and was mostly rideable, even on my hybrid bike with 40mm tyres.

There were very short sections were the trail was a bit rutted from motocross bikes, but I was able to cycle most of it as the steep sections never lasted very long. The jungle was quite thick so there were no great views, but the sounds of exotic birds and rustling in the leaves combined beautifully with the serene nature of the trail.



The descent to the reservoir was on a wider trail that seemed to also be used by some 4x4 vehicles - so take care on weekends here. The Hay Tueng Tha Reservoir itself is popular with Chiang Mai locals for its recreational area and especially for the restaurants surrounding the water.

There are small huts where you can get food and drinks, while cooling your feet in the water. I treated myself to a delicious local fish with spicy mango salad.

From the reservoir I followed a cycle lane to the 107 junction with the 121. And then I left the main road, taking quieter and picturesque side roads back to Mae Rim.

Click the link below for full route details:

Ride with Gps Route

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Mae Rim Loop

This fairly small and simple loop might just be my favourite ride in the Chiang Mai area. It's not challenging or particularly long, but it's a beautiful ride following quiet lanes and good quality gravel trails with diverse scenery.



The route is nearly all on well paved roads, which pass through rice fields, banana plantations, papaya orchards and beautiful villages. The roads here are particularly colorful with flowers and vibrant green jungle. I saw parrots and hornbills flying around, as well as a monocled cobra on the road - a testament to just how quiet it was!

There are plenty of other similar lanes you can take in the Mae Rim area, so you may want to modify the route to suit your preferences:

Ride with Gps Route

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Mae Rim - Chiang Mai

This final ride is a good way to get to and from Mae Rim from Chiang Mai, where the three routes above begin. Many cyclists just ride along the 107 main road to exit Chaing Mai to the north, but this is both boring and busy.

The route linked below takes much quieter and more scenic roads and can be done in either direction. It roughly follows the Ping River and adjacent canals, avoiding busy junctions where possible. The route is all paved with good surfaces and can also be done as a pleasant two hour out and back ride from Chiang Mai.

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Overview

I found Chiang Mai to be a reasonable base for cycling. The climbs to Doi Suthep and Samoeng were tough and rewarding, but the roads were a little bit too busy for my liking. If you stay in the center of Chiang Mai, bear in mind that the start and end of each ride will involve several kilometres of riding through busy traffic, sometimes on main roads. The combination of traffic and pollution were real negatives for me.

After a while I moved out to Mae Rim and the riding became much, much more enjoyable. There was a great variety of quiet roads here, as well as gravel trails and some decent singletrack. For roadies, there are climbs to Samoeng, Mon Chaem and beyond into the mountains. I highly recommend staying in Mae Rim if cycling is your main focus. The downside is that you miss out on the historical and cultural attractions of Chiang Mai old town - although you can still easily visit these during a day trip or two. Many local cyclists drive out of the city to do their riding, which is another solution if you have access to a car.

As well as basing yourself for a while in Chiang Mai, the area can also be used as a starting point on a longer cycling tour. You could head north towards Chiang Rai and perhaps into Laos. You can go south through Lampang and down towards Sukhothai or Nan Province, before heading into Central Thailand.

Another popular option is to ride the Mae Hong Son loop - a challenging circle that is best tackled on a road bieke due to the long distances and steep gradients. Finally, you can also ride to Pai, a touristy town popular with Bohemian types. If you plan to ride here, I strongly recommend against riding on the 1095 road, which is very dangerous. Instead you can ride to Samoeng or Mon Chaem and use the network of beautiful and empty lanes and gravel roads from there.


Cycling around Chiang Rai


Cycling around Hua Hin


Cycling around Luang Prabang


Central Thailand Cycling Tour


Cycle Touring in Thailand


Cycle Touring Guides