Northern Scooter Trip: CM > Phu Chi Fa > Chiang Khong> Mae Sai > Chiang Rai > CM
Chiang Rai Province | Cool Season | 672 KM Ride | 3 Days
(2011) – A Northern Thailand Scooter trip taking in beautiful Phu Chi Fa and a funny “love motel” in Chiang Rai
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Contents
Thailand Iconic Roads in the North
Amazing Weekend Music Festival Ride
Laos Border – Motorcycle Crossing Guide 2026: Chiang Khong →…
Border Ride. N.West to N.East – Northern Thailand.
Day 1. Chiang Mai to Chiang Khong
The ride out. This northern scooter trip meant an early rise. So, setting off early on scooters, on the 118 to Chiang Rai, we took a right turn at Mae Khachan onto route 120 towards Phayao.
We then took a left onto the main highway Route 1, and a few kms later a right turn onto the 1021 to Wiang Kiang. We continued on past Wiang Kiang on the 1155 which takes you to Phu Chi Fa.
On this particular trip my riding partner and I met with a couple of riding friends, one was riding a Lifan and the other a Honda Phantom. In all honesty I would much prefer to be on my brick-suspension Fino than a Honda Phantom..but maybe that’s just me.
*Additionally* The rider of the Phantom confessed to me later that when he saw me on my Fino he was thinking it was going to be a slow ride. But it turned out that I left him for dust. Haha. “Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover”, comes to mind. Or in this case “Don’t Judge a Rider by Their Bike”. 😉
Phu Chi Fa
Phu Chi Fa was worth the ride. There is a steep climb up the famous viewpoint and then you are met with a wonderful scenic vision.
You feel like you are right in the clouds, which you are really!
After Phu Chi Fa we all headed onto the 1020 to Chiang Khong.
Chiang Khong
By the time we all arrived in Chiang Khong it was dark, but thankfully I had pre-booked a room.
That evening we all headed out to the river area for a bite to eat, and we found ourselves slap bang into a Loy Krathong Festival. There were fireworks and Krathongs (the floating items) and lanterns being lit and launched everywhere!
At one point, a stray small firework cracker landed slap bang in my hair…. ! Let me tell you, I’m glad i do not use hairspray! I knocked the firework out from my hair and patted it down, hoping that I wouldn’t find a bald spot!
Anyway, dinner was lovely. The company was nice. It was an enjoyable evening. Headed back for a rest (and, as is normal in cheaper places, the walls were very thin, making it a little on the noisy side).
As an aside, you can actually take a boat from Chiang Khong over to Huay Xai, Laos.
End of day 1
Day 2. Back to Chiang Rai
The next morning we parted company with the other two riders, who were going off another way, and headed towards Mae Sai to do a visa border crossing.
Nearing Mae Sai my partners tire had a puncture. Thankfully he is pretty much “Mr. Fixit”, and is never without tools, so as it was a slow puncture, he intermittently pumped up the tires until we got to a mechanic in Mae Sai.
Mae Sai Mechanic
Turned out that just a small metal shard caused that drama!
Mae Sai
Drama over, we crossed over to Myanmar to get our passports stamped and then came directly back through into Thailand.
Our timing was good, because as soon as we sat down in the restaurant, the heavens suddenly opened and torrential tropical rains came down.
on the pretty boring stretch of the main highway route 1, until we got to Chiang Rai
Arrived Chiang Rai
At Chiang Rai we checked into the rather comical Red Rose motel. I say comical, because the Red Rose is a themed love motel, and you can choose rooms such as “boxing ring room” (yes, your bed is a boxing ring..) and “Star Wars room”. (*UPDATE* The iconic Red Rose Motel has since been knocked down)
We choose the Star Wars themed room.
Now before you start thinking this place is family-friendly, it isn’t. These motels are geared towards “short time” stays, which basically means they are sex-motels. You can pay by the hour or by the night.
Was certainly fun to stay there though. The room had a lot of chrome and space-ship style lighting and even a mirrored bathroom and ceiling!
Dinner in Chiang Rai
In Chiang Rai we ate at a recommended Italian Restaurant, but the food was really quite bad, imo.
After dinner, we had a good nights sleep.
– End of day 2
Day 3. Back to Chiang Rai
The next morning, we headed off back on Route 1 to Chiang Mai. Just a busy main highway, so nothing much to say about that really.
– End of ride
I hope you enjoyed this trip report.
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