Thailand

Thailand » Ancient Kingdoms Ride

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1 - Our group will meet in the afternoon at Bangkok's new Suwarnabhumi Airport, then drive north out of the hustle and bustle of Bangkok to quieter Ayutthaya, the former capital. Evening is free to rest up from your long flights to Thailand for this bike tour.

Day 2 - After breakfast, we will head into the heart of ancient Ayutthaya, the capitol of the Kingdom of Siam from around 1350 until 1767 when the Burmese invaders sacked the city. We will enjoy a walking tour of some the more impressive ruins, including Wat Phra Si Samphet (the Imperial Temple complex) and Wat Mahathat. In early afternoon we will shuttle north to the market town of Nakhon Sawan, our launching point for the cycling holiday. We enjoy dinner at a floating restaurant followed by the launching of traditional khom loy (Thai Fire Balloons) for good luck.

Day 3 - The first bike tour of the trip travels through the flat farmlands of the Chao Phraya River Valley, with emerald green rice fields stretching as far as the eye can see, punctuated by vibrantly colored temple complexes and wooden houses. We may have the opportunity to witness traditional agricultural methods, duck powered pest control, sun drying of tapioca and peppers, wind winnowing of rice hulls. Our goal for the evening is Kamphaeng Phet, another of Thailand's ancient kingdoms, dating from the Sukhothai Era (700 until around 1250). We head out for dinner at the night market at a small, simple cafe with a fabulous chef. 75 mi / 121 kms

Day 4 - In the morning we will pedal the short way through town to Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has a section of ruins within the city containing the Imperial Temple complex among others and a second section tucked away in the forests outside the city. We will enjoy a walking tour of the first and then take our bikes for a ride through the second. From Kamphaeng Phet is it a short, scenic ride through rural Thailand to our next stop at the renowned ruins of Sukhothai and our hotel sitting just outside the historical park. 53 mi / 85 kms

Day 5 - Today is a layover day in Sukhothai, a chance to relax or explore as you see fit. We will take those who maybe interested on a cycling trip through the Sukhothai Historical Park (another UNESCO World Heritage Site) to explore some of the more noteworthy ruins inside. And for those who maybe interested, after lunch, we will head into new Sukhothai to visit the local vegetable and seafood markets. 22 mi / 35 kms (lunch / dinner on your own)

Day 6 - We head north out of the agricultural regions and into the foothills of the northern mountains today. Much of the day is quite flat, but does give way to hills as we approach our overnight stop in the crossroads town of Thoen. At one point during the ride, it appears that massive mountains block our way, but as we approach, we come to discover that they are really flat slabs of granite turned up on edge and are only a 100 feet thick, yet towering way above our heads. 73 mi / 117 kms

Day 7 - Our last bike ride of the first week follows the old Royal Highway from Bangkok to Phuping Palace, the King's summer residence in Chiang Mai. It is a gradual ascent through beautiful, lush landscapes followed by a rural ride through teak forests and quiet villages. In late afternoon, we will shuttle into Chiang Mai to avoid the afternoon rush hour traffic. Tonight we head out for a traditional northern Khan Toke dinner with classical and hill tribe dancing. 75 mi / 120 kms

Day 8 - Today is another free day. A variety of options of things to do in Chiang Mai is available, from cycling tours of Wiang Kum Kam, visits to handicraft shops, cooking classes, etc. Your guides will be glad to fill you in on the options and help you plan your day. (lunch / dinner on your own)

Day 9 - We head north this morning, following small roads along the Mae Ping through villages and past flower farms. Lunch time will find us in the town of Mae Rim, where we will break from cycling to visit an orchid grower, butterfly farm and the Mae Rim Elephant camp, where we enjoy a demonstration of the elephant's former work. In late afternoon, we remount our bikes for a beautiful ride through emerald rice paddies and past colorful temples en route to our overnight stop in the village of Baan Rai. 31 mi / 50 kms

Day 10 - Our morning ride takes us first to Mae Malai, where we visit a traditional market featuring a broad selection of local vegetables, fruits and fish, along with a tasty array of prepared foods from pad se yu (noodles) to fried insects. We will also visit the magnificent Wat Baan Den, before heading north into the rolling, forested countryside. Our bike tour winds down the day at a picturesque resort tucked in amongst the impressive karst hills ... relax by the lake with a cold Singha beer or on the porch of your teak cottage hidden in the trees. 57 mi / 92 kms

Day 11 - After breakfast this morning, we will pedal up to a beautiful giant Buddha, perched beneath the golden cliffs, then enjoy a thrilling descent onto the agricultural realm around Fang. We will also visit Tham Tub Tao, an ancient temple complex with 100s of Buddha images inside a giant cavern. Each year a gathering of 2500 monks takes place at this temple and has been happening for hundreds of years. In the afternoon we will spend some time exploring Wat Mae Ai Luang, with its historic wooden temple featuring Burmese architecture. Then we roll further north to Tha Ton, our overnight stopping point. 54 mi / 88 kms

Day 12 - As the morning fog burns off, we head out for a leisurely ride along the Mae Kok, watching as the villagers start their days in the fields. In late morning, we will load up in our sag and drive to a Padaung Village perched on the mountain top (avoiding a very steep climb). The Padaung, also known as 'long neck women', have a village cooperative that sells their handwoven products to visitors like ourselves. We will re-mount our bikes in the afternoon and continue our ride to the historic ruins of Chiang Saen and our hotel near the Mae Khong. 71 mi / 115 kms

Day 13 - Our cycling holiday must come to an end today. After breakfast we will be shuttling folks back to Chiang Mai, arriving in early afternoon (guests can also be dropped off at Chiang Rai Airport). Khap khun khap, sawasdee khap