Thailand is known for its rich cultural heritage and temples, the beautiful balmy beaches fringed with palms, and its exotic cuisines. What many don’t realise is this incredible country also offers some amazing 4×4 and mountain biking off-road trails, especially around Chiang-Mai.
You can experience a variety of self-drive adventures that take between 1 – 4 days and do this alone by hiring a 4×4 or by going on a 4×4 tour with an experienced guide. The benefits of going on an off-road adventure with a guide is that they can point out some truly beautiful places off the beaten track, while providing photos of your trip, as well as food, companionship and introduce you to some amazing cultural features in the dense jungle.
Doi Kham OHV Trail
With a trail that traverses through the humid, vibrant green jungle, along a 25.3km loop trail that sees very light traffic, this is a year-round accessible off-road option for those who are well-versed in doing off-road 4×4 routes. There is a fast-paced river which flows through this trail that is very beautiful, but it must be noted that this is not a trail to try your hand at during the rainy season.
Electric ATV Eco-Adventure Tour
For those who’d like to have a guide on hand, the very first Electric ATV Eco-Adventure Tour is a win-win for those who also care about the environment. Due to the fact it’s an electric bike with no loud sounds, you can tune in to the natural noises of the jungle around you. This tour takes place in the nearby last urban forest of Chiang Mai and is a 1 day trip for up to four people, which will be tailored to your unique requirements. The Buddhist temple of Doi Kham is close by on this tour and is a wonderful stop on the forested mountain path. A bonus is your guided tour includes both video and photos for you – so you can relive the memories again and again.
The 3-Day Sukhothai Loop
If you’re an experienced biker, the 3-day motorcycle tour of the open roads of the Sukhothai Loop out of Chiang Mai is a must. It traverses the No 1148 road through mountain passes all the way to Phayao and Nan, covering the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the beautiful Sukhothai temples. You will also get to see the gentle grey giants at the elephant conservation centre in Lampang, as well as the still waters of the Sirikit dam where you can take photos and even enjoy a bit of time at the mobile casinos in Canada.
Soi Suthep-Pui National Park 4×4 trip
With the ability to go on a 4×4 adventure through the Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, along with visiting sites of interest throughout Chiang Mai City, this trip is a definite plus for those after a mix of dense green jungle adventures, that offers contemporary scenery and great food.
The trip, if done via a guide, will include a visit to the Doi Suthep Temple and Bhubing Palace as well as to several small villages around the jungle location which most tourists never see. The Hmong hill tribe community at Baan Khun Chang Kien are quite friendly and the beautiful scenery of the Montha Than Waterfall is hard to forget.