Cycle the Golden Triangle

Day 1

Chiang Rai

30 kms, optional ride

We meet after your check-in early afternoon, get to know each other and head out for an easy ride to test the bikes and proceed with the necessary adjustments after a long travel. It is a day to get accustomed with local traffic rules and practices and notice how respectful Thai drivers are with cyclists.

We ride along the river to the outstanding White Temple, a marvel not to be missed while in Chiang Rai!

Back at the hotel for a pool dip, and out again – on foot this time – to visit the night market for dinner.

Day 2

Chiang Rai – Thaton

126 kms / 2,410m ascent

We start our trip with a long day on the saddle and a good flat-ish stretch at first. We soon hit the beginning of the mountains, but the scenery of farming villages, local crops and splendid hills will amaze you enough for you to forget the gradient!

We stop for lunch at a great panoramic stop, before we start the exhilarating descent towards our goal of the day: Thaton, along the banks of the Mae Kok river.

Enjoy some well-deserved rest, chill by the pool or go for a massage. Today has it all!

Day 3

Thaton – Chiang Saen

100 kms / 850m ascent

Today will almost feel like a rest day after yesterday’s ride!

We start on easy roads until we reach the two only climbs of the day. We will pass farmers going about their daily business, hilltribe children waving at these crazy people on their bikes and some more rural, peaceful scenes.

We will enjoy a long and relaxed (and deserved!) downhill all the way to our hotel by the river, overlooking Laos on the other side.

For the most daring, another itinerary may give us the chance to visit the Chinese village of Doi Mae Sa Long and ride through Akha hill tribes’ tea plantations. This would make for a though day though, with 122 kms of riding and 1,980 meters of cumulated ascent!

Day 4

Chiang Saen – Chiang Khong

71 kms / 720m ascent

This is the closest we will have to a rest day, as we will keep the afternoon free for relaxing.

We will ride by the Laos border along the mighty Mekong on flat-ish and fast quiet back roads. Some time to soak in the always amazing landscape and feel the frontier vibe.

We reach our hotel by lunch time, so you can relax, wander at the local market and go about visiting the old town and its beautiful Wats.

Day 5

Chiang Khong – Phu Chi Fa

84 kms / 2,130m ascent

The day starts with a nice, relaxed ride to get the legs warmed up, until the main challenge of the day: a 13kms stretch with almost 1,000m of vertical gain and sometimes double-digit gradients!We rest and have fruits, fresh drinks and coffee at the plateau at the top, and then keep going on beautifully undulating terrain until our resort for the day.

You will be amazed at how the elevation change has brought so much landscape change compared to the low lands a few kilometres earlier. The region grows moderate climate vegetables for the rest of the country, and you will see how!

Enjoy the cool air at night!

Day 6

Phu Chi Fa – Phayao

131 kms / 870m ascent

The climb was taxing yesterday? Well, you get rewarded with a 15kms, 800m descent stretch of road to start the day!

We then continue riding on relatively flat valley roads for the rest of the day.

We stop and cool down at a hot spring along the way before keeping on, watching local life unfold before our eyes and far from the crowds.

We end the day at the peaceful lakeside town of Phayao, where we’ll have dinner by the water.

Day 7

Phayao – Wiang Papao

92 kms / 1,220m ascent

After a slow waking up and a good breakfast, we head out around the lake and go from valley to valley with a strong climb or two in the middle, but nothing much compared to the previous days. We take it easy, stop at the Tan Tong Waterfall to enjoy the local vibe and then hop on our bikes again for the last stretch of road.

A small climb, and then it's an easy flat ride through beautiful rice paddies to close the day and finish in an off-the-beaten-path town. Thailand unknown!

Day 8

Wiang Papao – Chiang Mai

104 kms / 2,140m ascent

Today is our last riding day, and what a day! As a last challenge of the trip, we start climbing after the first 10kms of flat roads.

The road takes us through a wild rainforest where you will hear nature cheering you up on your nearly 1,400m ascent – gruelling but worry not as it is punctuated with parts of flat and small descents, and the van is never far behind for those who might need it. We take a comfortable break at the top before rolling down a fantastic 19kms-long descent. Enjoy the ride!

The rest of the day goes through scenic tropical orchards and rice paddies, until we conclude the trip with a oh-so-good dip at Bua Thong Waterfall.

We then transfer to our beautiful hotel in central Chiang Mai – a fantastic base to go explore the fortifications and all the amazing temples the city has to offer. Oh, and if you think you need a massage, we have a fantastic place to recommend!

Day 9

Chiang Mai

Rest day

The day is yours to visit the charming town of Chiang Mai and all the culture it has to offer, chill by the pool, have a massage or catch your next flight to the Southern beaches.