5 scooter trips from Chiang Mai, by how much time you have
From a free morning to a free week: the five rides out of Chiang Mai actually worth your time, each with its own full guide.
Route 1095 between Chiang Mai and Pai — this is what a lot of the loop looks like. Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Chiang Mai is surrounded by some of the best scooter riding in Thailand — mountain temples, loops, waterfalls, a national park and the most famous curvy road in the country, all starting from your hotel door. The only real question is how much time you've got. So that's how we've sorted this: from a free morning to a free week.
Every ride below has its own full guide — the route on a map, where to stop, what bike to take and when to go — so this page is the shortlist. Pick your time budget, click through, go.
Half a morning: Doi Suthep
The ride everyone does first, and rightly so. 25 km each way, about 45 minutes — out past the university and straight up the mountain on a smooth, winding road to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, the golden temple you can see from the whole city. Go early (the temple opens at dawn, the road is empty, the air is cool), climb the 306 naga steps, and you're back in town for lunch. Stop at the forest temple Wat Pha Lat on the way up if you've got twenty extra minutes — most people ride straight past it.
Full guide: Wat Phra That Doi Suthep →
Half a day: the Samoeng Loop
If Doi Suthep is the first ride, this is the first proper ride. A 100 km loop north-west of the city through the Mae Sa valley, up over the hills past Mon Cham, down into sleepy Samoeng and back — gentle curves, big views, a couple of viewpoint cafés, and almost no traffic once you leave the valley. It's the one we send nervous riders on, because it's easy and it's the one we ride ourselves when we just want an afternoon out.
Full guide: the Samoeng Loop →
An afternoon: the Sticky Waterfalls
The weirdest, most fun waterfall in the north. The limestone at Bua Tong is covered in a mineral crust that grips bare feet, so you can walk straight up the falls — no ropes, no slipping, just you climbing a waterfall like it's a staircase. It's 60 km north on flat, easy roads (about an hour and a half), entry is free, and it works even in rainy season. Bring a towel and something to eat; make an afternoon of it.
Full guide: the Sticky Waterfalls →
A full day: Doi Inthanon
Thailand's highest mountain — 2,565 m, about 105 km and three hours each way — and a genuinely different world up top: cloud forest, moss, twin royal pagodas in the mist, and air cold enough for a jacket. Wachirathan waterfall is right beside the road, the Km 41 viewpoint gives you a sea of cloud on clear mornings, and the summit is a short boardwalk through the forest. Leave by 7am, take the long way down through Mae Klang Luang's rice terraces, and you'll be home at dusk, tired in the good way.
An overnight: Pai and the 762 curves
Route 1095 to Pai is the ride people come to northern Thailand for. 135 km, 762 curves, three to four hours of mountain road that climbs out of the city, winds through jungle and villages, and drops you into a little valley town that's equal parts hippie hangout and Thai countryside. Don't do it in a day — ride up, sleep two nights, ride back. Pai Canyon at sunset, the Big Buddha, the hot springs and the night market fill the day in between.
Full guide: Chiang Mai to Pai →
Got more time?
Two rides that need a few days — and reward every one of them:
- The Mae Hong Son Loop — the big one. 600 km, 1,864 curves, 4–7 days through Pai, Mae Hong Son and Mae Sariang and back around. The best motorbike road trip in Thailand, and it starts where the Pai ride ends. Full guide →
- Doi Ang Khang — the cold-season special. ~165 km north, a steep climb to a Royal Project station at 1,400 m, Chinese Yunnanese villages, a viewpoint on the Myanmar border, strawberry fields and — if you time it for January — sakura. Two days, and only from November to February. Full guide →
Before you go
Three things that make all of these better. Start early — mountain roads are empty and cool at 7am and clogged and hot by 11. Pack a layer — anything above 1,000 m is properly chilly in the cool season, even when town is 30°C. And ride a bike that's up to it: good tyres and strong brakes matter more than engine size on long descents, which is exactly why we only run new models. If you're new to riding here, our road safety guide and the rainy season guide are worth ten minutes before the first ride.
Quick questions
What's the best scooter day trip from Chiang Mai?
For a first ride, the Samoeng Loop — 100 km, easy curves, big views, half a day. For a full day, Doi Inthanon, Thailand's highest mountain. For the ride of your life, the 762 curves to Pai — but make that an overnight.
Can I do these rides on a 125cc scooter?
Yes — every ride here is paved and doable on a 125cc automatic, even Doi Inthanon and the road to Pai. A 160cc (PCX, ADV) is more comfortable on the long climbs, and bike condition — tyres, brakes, a recent service — matters more than engine size.
Which rides can I do in half a day?
Doi Suthep (about 45 minutes each way), the Samoeng Loop (100 km, half a day) and the Sticky Waterfalls (an hour and a half each way). All three are easy enough for a first-time rider in Chiang Mai.
When is the best time for these rides?
November to February — cool, dry and clear, with the mountain views at their best. March and April are hazy from burning season, and the rainy season (roughly June–October) makes mountain roads slippery, though the Sticky Waterfalls still work in the wet.
Do I need to book anything for these trips?
No tickets or permits — just a scooter. Doi Inthanon has a national-park entry fee at the gate, Doi Suthep's temple charges a small fee, and the Sticky Waterfalls are free. For Pai and Doi Ang Khang, book accommodation ahead in the November–February peak.
