{"id":28557,"date":"2019-01-08T09:17:32","date_gmt":"2019-01-07T22:47:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/?p=28557"},"modified":"2022-11-07T13:17:27","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T02:47:27","slug":"cycle-touring-guide-thailand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/cycle-touring-guide-thailand\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycle Touring Guide to Thailand"},"content":{"rendered":"

Travelling to Thailand is a cultural norm for many Australians. But the experience of Thailand doesn’t have to be limited to Phi Phi Island, Krabi and Phuket. If you want to take the path less travelled, divulge in traditional Buddhist culture, camp on the world\u2019s most beautiful beaches and experience the remote areas of Thailand, then cycle touring is for you.<\/p>\n

My partner and I are cycle tourists and have been travelling from Malaysia to Europe by bicycle. Thailand was our second country of \u201cresidence\u201d and we still reminisce the beautiful smiles, beaches, food, temples and endless one-dollar coffees.<\/p>\n

You might think cycle touring is difficult, but it is very easy in Thailand with its endless flat plains, food stalls every few kilometres and free camping everywhere. All you need to do is start pedalling!<\/p>\n

\"View<\/p>\n

Thailand is the perfect country to cycle tour in.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The basic south to north route\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We took a route from the southern city of Satun, near the Malaysia border, to the northeast Laos border crossing in Chiang Khong. This is a simple\u00a0south to north route where you will pass many key attractions and cities.<\/p>\n

Our route took us through the east coast of southern Thailand towards Bangkok. We caught a ferry in Surat Thani to the Island of Koh Tao before re-entering the mainland at Chumphon. Through these areas, we were able to camp often on the beach and have leisurely swims during the day.<\/p>\n

In the north, we cycled through some of the more remote farmland communities on small dirt roads, visiting many famous temples and national parks.<\/p>\n

\"View<\/p>\n

We took a simple south to north route.<\/em><\/p>\n

Alternate routes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It is common for cyclists to fly into Bangkok or enter Thailand from one of the northern land borders. From there you can choose to head in any direction depending on what you would like to achieve. For example, the beaches in the south, animals in the north, or travel east towards Laos or Cambodia.<\/p>\n

Many cyclists travel part of the east coast before crossing west towards Phuket and Krabi or they will head into Myanmar. Other routes might include hugging the southeastern coastline around Pattaya City to head towards Cambodia, or, there is an option to go northeast towards Vientiane in Laos.<\/p>\n

Our advice for planning is not to think too much about it and just start riding! A great experience will follow.<\/p>\n

\"Bicycle<\/p>\n

Plan your route by what you want to experience.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Climate<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The climate in Thailand is basically separated by the northern and southern regions. However, in both regions, the climate consists of a dry season and a wet season.\u00a0The daytime temperatures are usually between mid-20 degrees to mid-30 degrees year around.<\/p>\n

The best time to cycle-tour Thailand south to north is between February and early May. However, it’s very easy to travel to Thailand in the wet season too (May to October or September\/December in the east coast of south Thailand), as we did.<\/p>\n

The rain usually lasts one or two hours each day and the rest of the time it’s hot and humid. It is also hot in the dry season but a little less humid.<\/p>\n

\"Ocean<\/p>\n

The weather is quite warm in Thailand.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Food<\/strong><\/h2>\n

One of the best things about exploring Thailand by bicycle or backpacking is the food. Even better is that as a cycle tourist, you will have an endless appetite to eat as much of the amazing, spice-covered, carb-loaded and mind-blowing taste explosions the Thai\u2019s serve up.<\/p>\n

The food in Thailand is always spicy, particularly in the local areas. Be prepared to have spicy food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As you are outside of the tourist areas, make sure you mention that you only want a small amount of spice because the food is hotter than in any other country we have cycled through.<\/p>\n

You will be lucky enough to experience a range of local foods varying from boiled pork soup for breakfast, to spicy green papaya salad, the classic pad Thai or a range of noodles and curries. One of our favourite things in Thailand was their traditional stir-fried basil pork (Pat Krapao Moo Sap), which is usually very cheap (A$1 or $2) for a huge cyclist sized portion and incredibly tasty.<\/p>\n

Additionally, if you are a vegan or vegetarian then Thai people can cook nearly all their meals to fit with your diet choices.<\/p>\n

\"Thai<\/p>\n

It’s easier and a whole lot tastier to eat locally instead of cooking.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Learning the language<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There will always be a Thai person in proximity to you that speaks English, even if it’s just a little. However, we would recommend that you learn some basic words because every country appreciates travellers who do this. Otherwise, it\u2019s down to using your best hand gestures which will always get a laugh.<\/p>\n

Note: in tourist areas, you will likely have to barter for prices in the market but outside of these areas we wouldn\u2019t worry too much about it.<\/p>\n

\"Learning<\/p>\n

Try to learn a bit of the local language to help you get by.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Attractions<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Thailand is one of the most tourist-driven economies in the world and there is something for everyone. You can experience diving, rock climbing, white water rafting, animal encounters, massages, full moon parties, Buddhist culture or beers and cocktails after a hard day of cycling. As a cycle tourist, you can be lucky enough to experience most of the big attractions and a few lesser known ones\u00a0only accessible to the adventurous.<\/p>\n

The southern regions of Thailand are famous for the tropical Islands, beaches and full moon parties but most of all diving. The islands and towns of the west coast are the most well known such as Phuket and Krabi. However, as a cycle tourist, you may be inclined to experience the slightly less tourist populated east coast.<\/p>\n

\"Diving<\/p>\n

Scuba and free diving are just a couple of the fun things to learn.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

These areas are some of the most famous dive spots in the world and close to the cheapest place to obtain your diving tickets. We spent 7-days on the island of Koh Tao learning to both scuba dive and free-dive. We loved free-diving a little more because of the personal challenge and after two days we were able to dive down to twenty meters on a single breath!<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve probably heard the phrase \u201cyou\u2019ve seen one temple, you\u2019ve seen them all\u201d but honestly, we loved each one we visited. Each temple is designed by a different artist or a collaboration of artists, who bring their own flair to the place, or there are also ancient temples in the old capitals of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai.<\/p>\n

\"Fish<\/p>\n

Thailand has some of the most famous diving spots in the world.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Our recommended top five temples to see in Thailand are:<\/h2>\n