We’ve been in Thailand for about 2 weeks. We’ve ridden from Bangkok (Ayutthaya) to Chiang Mai providence and are jumping on the Mae Hong Son loop for the next 10 days.
The riding has been fairly easy – days with under 100ft (30m) of climbing and great roads. Up until we got to the mountains, there were always (I mean ALWAYS) quiet side roads with only local traffic.
Weather is HOT but the rain is warm too, so it’s not bad. However, we did get stuck in a monsoon for a full day of riding and that sucked. Luckily everything dries overnight (usually) because the nights are warm as well.
The people here are great and the hotels are cheap (we haven’t spent more than $15 USD on a hotel – we spend $26 a day TOTAL).
The food is super cheap but if you’re vegetarian, good luck finding options. We’ve asked for meatless dishes at the street markets and it’s very rare to actually get something with vegetables and no meat. We’ve been given meat a few times unknowingly. Also the food is spicy so my ass hole burns most times I poop – not such a con but should be mentioned.
We’re now in the mountains. Our first day on the Mae Hong Son loop got us a nice 2,600ft (800m) of climbing in 11mi (17km) – this isn’t so bad but it’s hot here. Really hot.
Our route will wrap around the Mae Hong Son providence and then we’ll likely bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai (city traffic) and head to Laos. Our plan is to cross Laos, head north into Vietnam, cycle the coast of Vietnam South, cross Cambodia, head back to Bangkok and south through Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and island hop Indonesia. After that we hope to get to Australia by boat but flying may be cheaper and smarter. End goal is New Zealand. Unlimited time frame and $1700/mo income with $900/mo budget for all Asian countries.
by sunnytoes22