Sunday, February 7, 2016

BACKGROUND

We drove about 800 kilometers through the rural mountains in southern Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces--both provinces are in Northern Thailand and form borders with nearby Burma.
TOWNS EN ROUTE:
Samoeng, Mae Chaem, Khuun Yuum, Mae Saraeng and Omgoi.
TRANSPORT:Honda CRFs 250cc with motard wheels.
In the adjoining blog are included sign posts and landmarks photographed along the way. We also include details about guesthouses we stayed in.
NAVIGATION:
We used a combination of Google maps and the GT Rider detailed roadmap(see pic below) of the Mae Hong Son loop. Note this trip does not cover that popular route rather it covers the southern most parts of Chiang Mai province and lower parts of Mae Hong Son. This is quite a rural trip.
Please feel free to post any requests for further in the adjoining blog post.
Our general and detailed road maps below followed by a turn-by-turn description with map screenshots:








Town by town through the mountains as annotated by Zongyot Chaiwong

The GT rider map. You can find these maps in Suriyawong bookstore on Sirodonchai road on the southwest corner of the moats in Chiang Mai.
Guide, navigator and superb mountain biker Zongyot Chaiwong




ROAD TRIP TOWN BY TOWN

Click Below to See Zongyot's Interactive Map of the whole trip.



A Different Route Home...


First, the big picture, Mae Tuen (outside Omkoi) to Mae Wang near Chiang Mai.


STEP BY STEP:

Take the 1099 out of Omkoi and keep an eye out for the switch to 108 (see below). Be careful, it's a sharp bend and easy to miss the filter lane and end up on the input ramp (yeah, that was me:(
The 108 is not listed on the signs--it is the same as the road to Hot--see pic below screenshot.






 To Mae Wang












 Get off the 108 and turn left onto the 1088.
 The 1088 merges with the 1192 below. Stay left.
 Next two screenshots show the 1192 taking you all the way to the first Royal Agricultural Research Center called Baan Glang--a good place to stop. Many stalls with fresh fruit, juices etc.
 1192--many scenic views but sharp bends, steep inclines and more traffic than earlier. Requires more concentration.
 Immediately after the Royal Agricultural Research Center you need to hang a sharp right as it merges with the 1009. There is a Doi Inthanon National Park checkpoint to the left.
 Shortly after you will reach the junction with the 1284 on the left--take it.
 Follow 1284  to the 1013 and the next Royal Project Research Center--this one is called Khun Wang (as in the name of the town, Mae Wang)--next two screenshots
 Turn right on the 1013 below and follow it to the town of Mae Wang. Drive slowly in the town--much unpredictable commercial traffic and roadworks too. See next three screenshots.
After Mae Wang village, you will soon hit the big San Patong bypass where you will take a left and follow the road all the way to where it merges with Canal Road and goes directly into Chiang Mai.
Watch out on this bypass--fast traffic including cyclists, merchants, speeding trucks etc etc.,

















INTRODUCTION TO TRIP--macro and detailed maps...

BACKGROUND