Mae Hong Son Loop Cost: Complete 2026 Budget Guide
Mae Hong Son Loop | Travel Guide
The Mae Hong Son Loop is around 600 kilometres of spectacular mountain roads connecting Chiang Mai, Pai, Mae Hong Son and Mae Sariang, and is one of Thailand’s great motorcycle adventures. But how much money do you actually need to ride it?
The answer is: less than you might think. But, it depends enormously on your motorcycle, where you sleep and how you like to travel. Rather than giving you one meaningless figure, here’s a realistic breakdown of the costs involved in riding the Mae Hong Son Loop.
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So, how much does the Mae Hong Son Loop cost?
Cost Overview
These figures are per person and exclude flights to Thailand and your accommodation in Chiang Mai before and after the Loop.
For a 4–5 day trip, starting and finishing in Chiang Mai, I’d suggest allowing approximately:
| Type of Rider | Details | Budget (in Baht) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Ride | Small scooter, basic private accommodation, local food and relatively few paid attractions. | ฿7,000–10,000 |
| Comfort Ride | A better scooter or smaller motorcycle, comfortable accommodation, cafés and restaurants, plus some sightseeing. | ฿10,000–15,000 |
| Higher-End Ride | A larger motorcycle, nicer hotels, more expensive meals, additional nights and plenty of side trips. | ฿16,000–25,000+ |
A higher cc motorcycle, nicer hotels, more expensive meals, additional nights and plenty of side trips. The biggest variables are the motorcycle and accommodation.
Motorcycle rental
Rental Costs
For most visitors, the motorcycle will be one of the biggest expenses. There is a huge difference between renting a basic automatic scooter and hiring a larger adventure or big bike.
| Type of Bike | Daily Rental Cost (approx) | 5 Days |
|---|---|---|
| 115-125cc Scooter | ฿250–400 per day | ฿1,250–2,000 |
| 150–160cc scooters such as a Honda PCX or Yamaha NMAX | ฿300–800 per day | ฿1,500–4,000 |
| 250–400cc motorcycles | ฿800–1,500 per day. | ฿4,000–7,500 |
| 500–650cc motorcycles | ฿1,200–2,000 per day | ฿6,000–10,000 |
Prices vary between rental companies, models, season and rental period, so shop around. Some may also provide an additional discount for renting more than 4 days.
Tip: don’t automatically choose the cheapest bike. The condition of the motorcycle matters far more than saving a few hundred baht.
Important: before leaving the rental shop, check the tyres, brakes, lights, suspension and general condition of the bike. Take photographs or video of existing damage and make sure you understand the rental company’s damage policy.
Rental Deposit
This is a cost people often forget when budgeting. Your rental company may require a security deposit. Some may ask for your passport as security. I strongly recommend asking whether a cash deposit or other alternative is available rather than handing over your original passport. Always check the rental company’s terms before agreeing to the rental.
You won’t normally lose this money. It is held against damage or other problems. When you return the bike, the bike will be inspected, then the deposit returned if no issues are found. Deposits vary considerably depending on the motorcycle, with larger bikes potentially requiring several thousand baht or more. So when calculating your travel budget, remember to include additional unexpected hidden costs, such as rental deposits.
Fuel costs
How Much is Fuel?
Fuel is one of the surprisingly inexpensive parts of the trip. The classic Loop is around 600 km, although your actual mileage will increase if you take detours and explore along the way.
A small, economical 125cc scooter can often complete the main Loop for around ฿500–800 in fuel, while a 150–160cc scooter may be around ฿600–1,000. Larger motorcycles will generally cost more, particularly if you add side trips.
So I’d personally budget:
| Type of Bike | Total Fuel Cost (approx) |
|---|---|
| 115-125cc Scooter | ฿500–800 |
| 150–160cc scooter | ฿600–1,000 |
| 250–400cc motorcycles | ฿900–1,400 |
| 500–650cc motorcycles | ฿1,200–1,800 |
These figures assume roughly 600–650 km of riding. Your actual cost will depend on the bike, riding style, fuel prices and how many detours you make.
Note: don’t wait until the tank is nearly empty before thinking about fuel. The main towns have petrol stations, and there are smaller fuel stops along the route, but remote sections are not the place to discover that your fuel gauge is optimistic. In saying that, I have a guide to fuel options in Thailand, that will help you understand what is available and what to look out for.
Accommodation
Cost of Accommodation
Accommodation is another area where you can spend very little — or considerably more. Simple guesthouses and basic private rooms can be found from around ฿400–800 per night, while more comfortable rooms commonly fall somewhere around ฿800–1,500.
Hotels and resorts can obviously go much higher.
For four nights, I’d budget:
| Type of Accommodation | 4 Nights (approx) |
|---|---|
| Budget | ฿1,600–3,200 |
| Comfort | ฿3,200–6,000 |
| Higher End | ฿6,000+ |
Pai is generally the place where accommodation can have the biggest effect on your budget, particularly during busy periods. And if you are travelling solo, remember that you’re paying for the entire room.
Food and drinks
Cost of Food on The Loop
You don’t need a huge food budget to travel around northern Thailand. Local noodle shops, rice dishes, curries and markets can make eating very inexpensive.
A simple day might look something like:
| Meal | Cost (approx) |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | ฿50–150 |
| Lunch | ฿60–150 |
| Dinner | ฿80–200 |
| Drinks/snacks/coffee | ฿50–200+ |
That gives you a rough food budget of:
| Meal Type | Cost per day (approx) |
|---|---|
| Budget eating | ฿200–350 per day |
| Comfortable eating | ฿400–700 per day |
| Cafés, Western food, drinks. | ฿700+ per day |
For five days, I’d allow around ฿1,500–3,500 unless food is one of the things you particularly enjoy spending money on. And let’s be honest… If you’re anything like me, the coffee stops may end up costing more than the actual meals.
Travel insurance
Insurance Options
This is one expense I wouldn’t try to save money on. If you’re riding a motorcycle in Thailand, don’t simply assume that your normal travel insurance covers you.
Check the policy carefully for:
- Motorcycle riding
- The engine size of the motorcycle
- Whether an International Driving Permit is required
- Medical treatment
- Emergency evacuation
- Accident cover
- Personal liability
The cost of insurance varies so much according to your age, nationality, trip length and level of cover that it’s difficult to give one meaningful price.
Most importantly, check the wording before you ride. A cheap insurance policy that doesn’t cover your motorcycle riding isn’t actually cheap.
Note: your driving license
License Legalities
This isn’t really a “trip cost”, but it can become an expensive problem if you get it wrong. If you’re riding legally in Thailand, you need to make sure your home-country licence and any required International Driving Permit cover motorcycles, not just cars.
Make sure you have the appropriate motorcycle entitlement on your home-country licence and the international driving document required for your circumstances. An IDP does not give you motorcycle entitlement that you don’t already hold.
For detailed information of the legal side of riding in Thailand, check the Riding in Thailand Guide.
Hidden costs
Other Costs To Include
The big expenses aren’t the only things that add up. Ensure to add additional money for:
- SIM/eSIM or mobile data
- Laundry
- ATM fees
- Toiletries
- Souvenirs
- Possible Bike repairs
- Extra fuel for detours
And perhaps the biggest hidden cost of all: staying an extra night because you don’t want to leave.
It happens.
For detailed information of the legal side of riding in Thailand, check the Riding in Thailand Guide.
Attractions
Attractions & Entrance Fees
Much of what makes the Loop special is completely free, and you can ride the Mae Hong Son Loop without spending much on attractions. But there are plenty of things you might choose to pay for.
Depending on your route, you could have entrance fees for national parks, caves, viewpoints and other attractions. I’d put aside around an extra ฿500–2,000, for possible entrance fees on a typical trip.
If you start adding lots of attractions and side trips, obviously allow more.
Realistic 5-day breakdown
5 Day Budget Breakdown
Here’s how I’d calculate a comfortable solo trip:
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Higher-End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle Rental | ฿1,500 | ฿3,500 | ฿6,000 |
| Fuel | ฿700 | ฿1,000 | ฿1,500 |
| Accommodation | ฿2,000 | ฿4,000 | ฿7,500 |
| Food & drinks | ฿1,500 | ฿2,500 | ฿4,000 |
| Insurance* | ฿300* | ฿500* | ฿800* |
| Attractions | ฿300 | ฿1000 | ฿2,000 |
| Miscellaneous | ฿500 | ฿750 | ฿1,500 |
| Total | ฿6,800 | ฿13,250 | ฿23,300 |
*Travel insurance: variable – check your own policy/quote
Travel insurance is difficult to include as a fixed cost because premiums vary considerably by age, nationality, trip length and level of cover. I haveincluded a fixed insurance price in the totals only as a general guide. Get a quote based on your own circumstances and add it to your trip budget.
My recommendation?
If you want to enjoy yourself without constantly watching every baht, I’d take around ฿12,000–15,000 per person for a five-day Loop, plus an emergency buffer. That should give you room for a decent motorcycle, comfortable accommodation, good food, fuel and some spontaneous stops.
And you don’t have to do it in five days, either.
A more relaxed trip of 5–7 days gives you time to stop properly, explore side roads, spend longer in Pai or Mae Hong Son, visit places such as Tham Lod, Ban Rak Thai or Pang Ung, and simply enjoy the riding instead of watching the clock.
Most guides generally put the full Loop at around 4–7 days, with 5 days being a comfortable starting point. And if you add extra nights, your accommodation and food budget obviously increases.
What about the route itself?
The Mae Hong Son Loop
The classic Mae Hong Son Loop covers over 600km of amazing mountain roads, and side trips can push your total considerably higher.
For an easy-to-follow guide which includes GPS waypoints, and covers attractions, viewpoints, fuel stops, cafes & eateries, accommodation, and so much more, grab the Mae Hong Son Loop Classic Guide, or if you are looking for more of an epic twist, try the Mae Hong Son Loop Epic Guide, instead.
Not sure which to try? The bundle has you covered!
Before you go
Quick Checklist
There are a few things I’d sort out before setting off:
- Make sure you’re legally licensed to ride in Thailand
- Check that your travel insurance actually covers motorcycle riding
- Check tyres, brakes, lights and general bike condition
- Photograph existing damage before leaving the rental shop
- Keep some emergency cash with you
- Don’t plan every minute of the ride. Allow flexibility
- Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need
Because the Mae Hong Son Loop isn’t really about getting from Chiang Mai back to Chiang Mai. It’s about everything you find in between.
Final Thoughts
The Loop & Budgeting
There are many factors involved when budgeting for the loop. For example, if you’re travelling as a couple and sharing accommodation, your per-person cost can drop. However, if you’re hiring a larger motorcycle, staying in nice hotels and adding lots of side trips, it can rise quickly.
The good news is that the Loop itself doesn’t have to be an expensive adventure. The roads are free. The views are free. Many of the best stops are free. And some of the best meals you’ll have might cost less than your coffee back home.
Are you planning to ride the loop? Are there other aspects that you would have liked to have covered? Leave a comment. I’d be interested to read your thoughts. – and, if you have already ridden the loop, it would be great to know if the guide matched what you spent!