Mountain biking adventures in Chiang Mai

Posted by Arda on June 27th, 2007 filed in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand, Activities, Adventure, Thailand travel

By Andrew Bond

Like a big cosy duvet, cloud shrouds the valley far below us. Away in the distance a crowing cockerel gets everyone out of bed and the only other sound is the crunch of our bike tyres on the gravel track. With a soft click of gears our group tackles a small incline but our attention is still riveted by the sweeping vista of forest all below us.

No one likes cycling up mountains much, and so we decided to bundle our mountain bikes into a songteaw. While the rest of Chiang Mai slept we soon found ourselves beyond the Phuping Palace on top of Doi Suithep, feeling on top of the world and pedaling through unbeatable scenery.

Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand is a cyclist’s paradise. You needn’t be that fit, there are tracks and gradients to suit all levels, and in additional to the many bike hirers, a few local companies offer great guided tours. On any day of the week you’ll find endless people tackling the 10km ascent of Doi Suithep, but in the valleys below are endless rural tracks and roads that meander through the valleys, pass through curious hill tribe villages and skirt some fantastic mountain scenery. It’s an excellent way to get into the lush forest, and if you’re up for an adventure, as we were that day, you can experience the hair-raising thrill of coming back down the roller coaster track behind this lofty mountain.

“It’s a terrific place to ride” says Tom Matty, local expert and owner of Top Gear Cycles. “Chiang Mai has many off road trails that are good for all riding levels, it’s also an ideal way to experience nature” he adds.

Tom’s been mapping out trails for several years using cutting-edge GPS technology and 3D software. These are available online by visiting the yahoo group ‘ChiangmaiTrailRiders’. However, to make things easier, a revival in interest has resulted in a regular Sunday group that meets at 8am outside Boat restaurant (Huay Kaew road, near the University entrance) to tackle and discover new trails. They welcome strangers and usually cycle for about four hours.

Mountain biking isn’t new to Chiang Mai however. For several years now Chiang Mai Mountain Biking club has been meeting every Sunday morning outside Tapae gate at 7am. They usually set out on a leisurely road ride that, in typical Thai style, takes in a few somtum shops and fruits stalls along the way, with the odd historical interest thrown in. If you want to know more about cycle events and people to cycle with, a good guy to speak to is ‘Tum’, owner of Velocity cycles. As a semi-professional cyclist, there’s little he doesn’t know about cycling in Thailand. When he’s not around, his sister ‘Em’ is equally friendly.

However, to really appreciate a mountain bike in Chiang Mai you need to get out of the city. If the steep ascent of Doi Suithep seems a little daunting, you can ‘wimp out’ in the suburbs at its base, which offer interesting and varied cycling. A little further away, northwest of the city is the Mae Rim area and Mae sai valley. The scenery heading up the Samoeng road to the botanical gardens is rewarding, but if you wander off onto smaller roads either side there are endless lanes and small villages to explore. It’s also worth picking up a copy of Pete Devakul’s ‘Fun and Genuine Mountain Biking on your Own’ (green cover), available at DK or Suriwong book centres, which describes and maps out (with GPS) eight excellent routes on Dui Suithep/Pui mountain and the Mae Rim/Mae sai valley. Other good off-road or gravel road biking can be found behind Wat Doi Kham (Southwest), the foothills of Doi Saket (northeast, either side of the Chiang Rai road) and Ob Kham national park (southwest near Hang Dong). Mountain biking tours of Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is also one of the cheapest places to buy your own bike. Prices are up-to 30% cheaper than typical European or North American prices, and local shops stock a fairly decent selection of professional names, with backup support and accessories. 15,000 baht will get you something reliable, but for 90,000 you can ease onto a fly-weight full suspension titanium bike, custom-built by Tom Matty.

Trail riding is perhaps the most fun you can have on a bike (excluding Tandem bikes!), and decent trails can be found behind the 700-year stadium, Northwest of the city. The technical difficulty of these tracks is suitable for experienced riders and they traverse ideal undulating terrain. Although the route may not be well maintained and marked out, there are numerous variations to explore and you’re likely to have them all to yourself.

And then there are the organised tour groups, which lay everything on for you. This is a good option if you’re simply passing through or planning ahead. A spin on the web reveals a number of companies specialising in Northern Thailand, with trips ranging from one to five days, such as; biking-asia, ecotourweb, Active Thailand, and Clickandtravelonline. With prices averaging US$50 a day, the accommodation, backup service and conditions of the bikes are of a very professional level, though there is less hard-core off-roading and more sightseeing involved. Several tour companies about town offer walk-in one-day tours, though you might feel short changed if you’re a serious mountain biker, so check their bikes and program first. Green pedal tours on the eastern end of Tapae road offers jungle tours behind Doi Suithep. Spice Roads tour of Northern Thailand

Whatever your preference or level, Chiang Mai offers suitable riding for all. Here are five selected rides.

The under taker
So named because even your granny could tackle this one. Simply pick up a rental bike and idly wander through the plethora of back lanes of the old city. Ideal for short-time visitors, this option is a great way to discover the many lovely temples and experience Northern Thailand’s laid back lifestyle, without breaking a sweat. There’s little traffic and you’re guaranteed to get lost, but as long as you don’t cross the moat you’ll be fine, really. The narrow lanes, slow pace, numerous examples of traditional Thai architecture and general ambience are delightful. Make sure your bike has a basket on the front for your guidebook, map and camera!

The History Maker
If you’re bold enough to venture further afield, try heading for Chiang Mai’s own lost city; Wiang Khum Kam. Only recently discovered, the ongoing excavations of these 13th century ruins of the original Chiang Mai are spread out over a sizeable area to the southwest of the city - making bike exploration ideal. To reach them cross the Ping River on the Nawarot bridge and bear right following this meandering road south for 5kms (20 mins),. After passing under the superhighway, lookout for a ruined chedi on your right and turn into the lane beside it. Now it gets a tad tricky, but keep going down the meandering road for about 10 mins and turn left at a T-junction which finally brings you to the remarkable Burmese-styled landmark Chedi Liang. From here the locals can point you towards the nearby cluster of the best excavations.

The Hell Raiser
One of my personal favourites, this is where we get into the real off-road stuff. Afterall, mountain bikes are for mountains. Behind the 700 Year Stadium is a reservoir. Cross the dam wall and follow the road into the forest. Although the area has a many trails to explore, follow the blue and red arrows for a marked route that presents a decent challenge with mixed terrain. For the real fundis, it has some technically challenging paths, while beginners can enjoy the interesting scenery of unspoilt forest, padi fields and lychee groves. Ten kilometres later it eventually spits you out at Huay Tung Tao lake. Cycling around the lake is also a decent burn, and you can stop off at any of the numerous lakeside restuarants to quench your thirst or apetite. Near the entrance to this recreational area is an excellent paved 5km fitness track for cyclists and runners. The 700-year stadium and Huay Tung Tao are reached by following the canal road northwards for about 5kms from the intersection with Huay Kaew road (see centrefold map).

The Ball Breaker
If you’re up for a challenge you can try the 10km ascent of Doi Suithep, the imposing mountain to the west of the city. The highly revered Wat on top attracts not only Thai pilgrims and tourists but also seems to lure dozens of die-hard cyclists up its windy pass every evening. From the temple at its base (a 5km cycle from the city), the ride will take you 60 – 90 minutes depending on how long you stop to admire the view at the halfway lookout point. As you ascend the 1700m mountain the vegetation becomes increasingly lush. However, if reaching the summit isn’you’re your ‘personal goals list’, then look out for the entrance to Monthathal falls, about 2kms up on the left hand side. There is a lovely ascending 3km dirt road from here that leads to these really magnificent falls, but be sure to go after 4:30pm to avoid paying the ‘rip off’ 200 baht tourists entrance fee!

The Bone Shaker
Once you’re up the mountain, there’s two ways down. The main road takes about 15 minutes to whiz down, but if you’re really keen on an adventure, lump your bike into a songteaw and hitch a ride to Phuping Palace (17kms from the base). From here you can follow 3kms of steadily climbing tar road through beautiful rain forest, bearing right at the T-junction and eventually ending up at the National Park entrance to Doi Pui summit. This is where the fun begins. Take the steeply descending dirt road to your right and hold on for dear life! There is a small national parks camp 2kms from the start, where they serve fresh montain coffee, and shortly thereafter a small detour takes you to a Hmong hilltribe village. Further down the mountain bear right when the road forks and you’ll pass through some lychee groves and terraced padis before spitting out at Huay Tung Tao reservoir. If you end up in Myanmar then youve gone too far!
Warning! This 20km route is steep, technically tricky and potentially dangerous. Helmits, cycling ‘buddies’, basic repair tools and a decent bike are highly recommended.

Where to kit yourself out

Velocity (beneath the Novotel hotel, out of town) rents out decent quality, well maintained mountain bikes cheaply. They also have a selection of Giant mountain (and road) bikes for sale, supported by accessories (see details of advert in this issue).

Jackie Cycles (just off the northern flank of the moat, 100m on the left down the Mae Rim road - signage in Thai only) has the best selection of accessories in town, and stocks Gary Fischer and Klein.

Top Gear (Chiang Moi road, parallel to Tapae road) is centrally located and sells high-end gear, such as GPSs, as well as good value Merida bikes. Tom, the owner, also has arguably the best advice, knowledge and tools in town.
* All three offer reliable and excellent-value bike servicing.

Chaithawat Cycles (conveniently located in the old town on the southern end of Prapaklao road) also offers good value on accessories, as well as Challenger bikes and better known brands.

Cherry Bikes: is out of town on the Chiang Rai road (just before first ring road) and although the bike selection is budget-range, they have a good selection of imported ‘grey’ accessories.